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Maryland Public Broadcasting CommissionJanuary 22, 2019 meetingat Maryland Public TelevisionMinutesPresent:Mr. Edward Kaplan, chair; Dr. Elizabeth Morgan (by telephone), vice chair; Mr. Irwin Kramer; Mr. Howard Rosen; Mr. Richard Rynd; Mr. Bruce Wahl; and Ms. Ellie Wang. Dr. Greg Talley was present to represent Dr. Karen Salmon, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools. The following members of MPT management and staff also were in attendance: MPT President and CEO Larry D. Unger, Mr. George Beneman, Mr. Mike English, Mr. Rob Jefferson, Mr. Andrew Levine, Mr. Michael MacFee, Mrs. Frances Minakowski, Ms. Kate Pearson, Mr. Steven Schupak, Ms. Suzanne Schwertman, Ms. Linda Taggart, Ms. Laura Taylor and Mr. Tom Williams. Guests: ?Ms. Janeen Armstrong and Ms. Lee Wempe from Stoy Malone.Chairman Kaplan called the meeting to order at 8:40 a.m.? He acknowledged the presence of a quorum and welcomed commissioners.Minutes review and approvalMr. Kaplan asked for approval of the November 27 commission meeting minutes. Mr. Rosen made a motion to approve the minutes, Ms. Wang seconded the motion. The minutes were unanimously approved. The chair called on Larry D. Unger to provide a report.President’s report Mr. Unger noted that the State had provided MPT an appropriation of $8.6 million for FY19. FY20 will likely begin with a modest increase over FY19 under Senate bill 1034. Some of these funds should be directed to compensate staff appropriately, as well as fill open jobs. Mr. Unger informed the commissioners that the state’s General Assembly session is underway and that?MPT will testify before House and Senate budget and capital subcommittees. He said he is also meeting with all members of each subcommittee. Mr. Steven Schupak reported that State Circle covered the Maryland gubernatorial inauguration last week and will cover the State of the State address on January 31. ?Mr. Unger reminded commissioners that all six MPT towers will be repacked.? Mr. Unger offered kudos to George Beneman who has indicated that four of the six MPT transmitters will be repacked and in FCC compliance by August 2019.? Mr. Unger noted that things are going well with the multi-year campaign effort which has surpassed the $10 million mark and is officially at 80% of the overall $12.5 million goal.? There is currently $3.2 million in pending or planned asks/proposals.? The president said MPT is preparing to launch the public phase of the campaign, offering members and viewers the opportunity to participate. He noted the generous additional $500,000 gift from Edward and Irene Kaplan, in the form of a challenge grant to be matched by a similar amount from other donors.?Mr. Unger noted that Mr. Schupak has led MPT’s efforts in continuing work for the Maryland Department of Health (formerly, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene) on opioid awareness. MPT has entered into another contract with the agency and will expand its coverage on addictions to gambling and other addictions.Mr. Unger reported that the Chicago Auto Show featuring MotorWeek’s Drivers Choice Awards was held in February 2019 which he attended.??Mr. Unger also reported on the anticipated launch of new software for the Development Division that will improve the station’s database management and provide much-needed flexibility in member communications. The previous platform, Blackbaud, is being phased out, and the new platform will ease interfacing of direct mail, digital aspects, and personalization going forward.Mr. Kaplan thanked?Mr. Unger for his report.Video excerptsMr. Unger shared with commissioners the station presentation video for 2019 (the “sizzle reel”) and explained its use at MPT’s budget hearings in Annapolis. He also shared clips from MPT’s opioid project work, a Chesapeake Collectibles feature on a Hot Wheels collector, an excerpt of a Yolanda Vazquez report on Your Money & Business, and the video prepared for Mike English who was inducted into the Silver Circle of the local chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.Audit CommitteeMr. Kaplan called on committee chair Howard Rosen for the audit report. Mr. Rosen referenced the hiring of Stoy Malone & Company, P.C. as MPT’s external auditing firm.? Ms. Armstrong of Stoy Malone made general comments about the audit followed by a full discussion by the commission. A motion was made and seconded, and the audit presented by Mr. Rosen and Ms. Armstrong was approved.Budget & Compensation Committee report Dr. Elizabeth Morgan, chair of the commission’s Budget & Compensation Committee, was not in attendance. Suzanne Schwertman, MPT’s chief financial officer, directed commissioners to the report contained in materials at their places. ?Ms. Schwertman referenced combined financial statements as of December 31, 2018, and pointed out a $3 million revenue item that includes funding for two one-hour documentaries (Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass). Ms. Schwertman noted other aspects of the statements, including new contracts exceeding $500,000 connected with repacking.Ms. Colclough addressed the personnel-related reports and noted there was little change. The turnover rate has remained steady. She noted across-the-board salary increases planned for all MPT employees in 2019. Ms. Colclough indicated that since many MPT salaries are now below market-rate levels, a consulting firm will be looking at all jobs stationwide in order to present recommendations to the commission at the May meeting.Overview of 50th anniversary activities Mr. Kaplan called on Fran Minakowski to provide a recap of 50th anniversary activities, and Mrs. Minakowski was joined by Communications associate Michael MacFee for the presentation. They spoke of the publication of an 84-page history book, the premiere of a TV documentary about MPT’s first five decades, and a statewide traveling exhibit. They reported on a May screening event for the documentary at the nearby Gordon Center and the year-long exhibit being mounted by the University of Maryland’s University Libraries to salute MPT on its anniversary.Mrs. Minakowski reminded commissioners about the June 27 dinner at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Mrs. Minakowski and Mr. MacFee also talked about a Friday, June 28 “groundbreaking” for the Studio A expansion and, following that ceremony, an alumni reunion and open house.Another anniversary-related event is the May 9 Walk of Fame ceremony that will review the 32-year history of Wall $treet Week With Louis Rukeyser. Five early panelists from that program will have stars unveiled in the ceremony that day. The honorees are Pete Colhoun, Eddie Brown, Julius Westheimer (posthumously), Frank Cappiello (posthumously), and Carter Randall (posthumously). Commissioners were shown videos representing “flashbacks” that will air interstitially during the anniversary year and celebrity congratulations that will also be broadcast now through December.Content Division updateMr. Kaplan called for a report on Content Division activities from Mike English, managing director of the division. Mr. English spoke of Content projects including the Douglass-Tubman documentaries, the productions In Money We Trust?, Backs Against the Wall: The Howard Thurman Story, and the recent gubernatorial inaugural coverage. For Chesapeake Bay Week, Mr. English said, MPT will premiere Maryland Crabs: Tradition & Taste and the C&D Canal.Mr. English reviewed MPT’s Programming & Acquisitions Division and reminded commissioners that MPT is operating four channels (MPT, MPT2, PBS Kids, and NHK World-Japan). MPT productions and acquisitions are supplemented by programming obtained from distributors APT and NETA.National and local acquisitions include My Greek Table and To Dine For and High Tide in Dorchester. In the natural history genre, MPT productions include Maryland Farm & Harvest, programming around the Chesapeake Bay, and Outdoors Maryland, now in its 31st season.Arts programs include Artworks and Chesapeake Collectibles, the latter marking its 10th season this year. Columbia’s Promise, a documentary on the Howard County city, will air later in the year.Mr. English reported on the Digital Studios productions and, as an example, cited the ongoing feature “The Dig” and its recent installments on Christmas lights in Baltimore and personal opioid recovery stories.On the national programming?front, he said, MotorWeek is now in its 37th season and MPT continues its relationship with chef Steven Raichlen in his newest series, Project Fire. A new program, In Money We Trust? was produced in collaboration with Steve Forbes, and, as already mentioned, the Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass documentaries will have national release in 2022.Meeting adjournmentMr. Kaplan thanked Mr. English for his report?and asked if there was any new business.? Hearing none, a motion for adjournment was made and seconded.? The commissioners approved the motion and the meeting adjourned at 10 a.m. ................
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