March 12 NH Press Association
Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
Meeting summary
In Attendance:
Brendan McQuaid, Judi Currie, Rose Kundanis, Susan Geier, Debra Paul, Lisa Connell, Jim Schachter, Tony Schinella, Mike Graham, Nancy West, Matt Mowry
Quick recap
The March meeting of the New Hampshire Press Association focused on legislative updates, membership initiatives, and upcoming events. Deb Paul provided an update on a tax credit bill for local advertising, which was sent to interim study but remains alive. Jim Schachter shared information about Press Forward’s potential expansion to New Hampshire, with the Endowment for Health exploring this possibility. The Education Committee reported on an upcoming panel discussion at New Hampshire PBS on April 10th, focusing on attacks on journalism and student journalists. Susan Geier announced a new panel discussion on “How to Pitch Stories Journalists Actually Want,” scheduled for May 13th. Michael Graham discussed plans to reach out to PR firms as potential new members of the association. The conversation ended with a brief legislative affairs update and no new business items to discuss.
Next steps
Rose K.: Send check made out to New Hampshire Press Association to Judi.
Rose K.: Inform Amy that the group is moving forward with the agreed plan.
Judi: Post edited meeting minutes on the website and include the link in the next meeting reminder.
Brendan: Send details about the public notice bills (including bill numbers) to Deb Paul so she can write a story about them.
Judi: Send Brendan the link to the working document for the April 10th Education Committee event at NHPBS.
Susan: Send out registration links and information for the “How to Pitch Stories Journalists Actually Want” panel (May 13th) to all members for sharing and participation.
Michael and Judi: Review and clarify associate membership details in the next week and draft a pitch for PR/Comms membership, to be sent to Brendan and others as needed.
Summary
School Contest Platform Engagement Update
The meeting began with Judi reporting limited response from schools regarding a contest platform, though some typically involved schools were engaging with it. Rosek and Judi discussed logistics for sending a check to the New Hampshire Press Association, with Rosek agreeing to inform Amy that they would proceed with the plan. The formal meeting was called to order by Brendan, who noted the attendees and began reviewing the agenda, starting with prior meeting minutes.
Financial Updates and Process Improvements
The meeting covered financial updates and process improvements for content management. Judi reported the current net worth as $2,023, including $1,096.86 in the account and $381 in PayPal, with additional funds expected from Susan and another source. The group discussed streamlining the content editing process, with Judi proposing to link updated content in reminder emails when possible. The meeting also included congratulations for Lisa Connell on receiving an NHPA Award and a note about potential help from Tony for the Concord event in November.
NHPA Collaboration and Advocacy Updates
Judi announced she would be attending NHPA this weekend and discussed a collaboration plan with Mary Conway involving free memberships in each other’s organizations. Deb Paul provided an update on a bill she had been working on regarding tax credits for local advertising in local media, explaining that while it was pushed to interim study, they remain hopeful about its potential passage, particularly given recent discussions with Rebuild New Hampshire. Deb also mentioned ongoing work on advertising tax allocation, technology funding for sustainability programs, and efforts to establish a journalism chapter in New Hampshire.
Public Notice Legislation Update
Brendan updated the group on legislative bills, noting that while one bill is still pending, two other bills regarding public notices were passed with amendments requiring both website and newspaper publication. Deb requested details about the bills to write a story, and Brendan agreed to send her the information. Jim inquired about broadcasting requirements in the bill, but the discussion ended before Brendan could provide a complete answer.
Broadcast Lobbying Delays Bill Progress
Deb explained that the broadcasting industry’s lobbying efforts delayed progress on the bill, as large companies like Hearst pushed back against the proposed language. Brendan clarified that the working subcommittee had developed a bill based on language from the Rebuild Local News initiative, which included broadcast, web-based, and other media but required journalists working in the state. Deb confirmed they plan to propose an amendment in November to get the bill passed this year, rather than waiting for the full process.
Planning and Initiatives Update
Deb and Brendan discussed the importance of planning for next year to avoid falling behind, with Deb dedicating time weekly or bi-weekly to research and outreach efforts. Jim mentioned the Endowment for Health’s conversation with Press Forward about establishing a New Hampshire press forward initiative, which Deb confirmed she had been aware of and involved in for the past two years. Brendan provided updates from the Legislative Affairs Committee, noting no major issues but monitoring a few items moving to the Senate, including a bill regarding mugshot release that was ruled inadvisable to legislate.
Journalism Collaboration and Education Initiatives
The meeting covered several key topics including Press Forward and the Endowment for Health collaboration, with Jim explaining that Karen Ager from Endowment for Health is leading discussions about a community news fund. The Education Committee reported plans for an event at New Hampshire PBS on April 10th focusing on attacks on journalism and featuring student journalists. Susan announced an upcoming “How to Pitch Stories Journalists Actually Want” panel on May 13th in collaboration with the Loeb School and New Hampshire Press Association, which will target PR and communications professionals as part of a new membership outreach strategy.
Submitted by Matthew Mowry, Secretary, NH Press Association