PREVIEW: SUPER REGIONAL MEETING

The Super Regional Meeting [link], a gathering of public radio station decision makers, is set for October 15 – 17 in New Orleans. The conference is being presented by four regional organizations: Eastern Region Public Media, Public Radio in Mid America, Western States Public Radio and California Public Radio.

Registration is now open for participants [link]. The Super Regional will be at the Jung Hotel on Canal Street in the heart of NOLA. (You can check your Collective Unconscious while you are at the Jung (lol).

Things get started on Tuesday (10/15) with two optional preconference workshops: GM 101 – Becoming a strong and effective public media leader, and Executive Session – Securing financial success in a disputed media landscape.

The workshops require separate registration and fee of a $350. Space is limited.

The Super Regional has two featured speakers:

Dean Baquet

• Dean Baquet, Executive Editor of The New York Times, will be the keynote speaker at the opening session on Wednesday (10/16) at 8:15am. For details see our post from August [link].

 

Larry Rosin

• Larry Rosin, President, Edison Research, will speak on Thursday (10/17) at 9am. 

Rosin’s topic is Five Years: Changes in the Audio Space. His remarks are about changes seen in audio experiences from Edison’s Share of Ear research.

Other sessions we recommend include:

• Thursday 2:15pm – The WYSO Odyssey: From University to Community Ownership.

Neenah Ellis

Earlier this year, WYSO transitioned from being owned by Antioch College and became an independent Community-owned licensee. 

Antioch had owned the FCC license for more than 50 years.

The panel includes Neenah Ellis and Luke Dennis from WYSO, Ernie Sanchez, DC-based communications attorney and Neil Best, CEO of KUNC and The Colorado Sound. 

Expect Best to expand on his famous quote about KUNC’s change to a Community licensee: “As a university licensee, you are one new Vice President from oblivion.”

• Wednesday 11am – Innovating and Sustaining Local News: Collaboration, Partnerships and Mergers

On the panel: Tim Eby, GM of KWMU, St. Louis; JJ Yore, CEO of WAMU; Rusty Coats, consultant and former station manager, Chuck Holmes, GM of WBHM, Birmingham and Danya Henninger, writer and consultant.

• Wednesday 2:15pm – Collaboration 3.0

The panel includes Alison Scholly, Public Media Company; Sylvia Ponce-Carson, KUT; Martin Miller and Anthony Hayes from New England Public Media.

• Thursday 10:30am – Upending Station Regulatory Compliance

The panel includes Chuck Singleton, GM of WFUV, New York and FCC attorneys Melodie Virtue, Meg Miller and Frank Montero.

• Thursday 2:15pm – Music Strategy Workshop

On the panel are Abby Goldstein, CEO of PRPD and former GM of WYEP, Pittsburgh; Michael Bracy, founding board member of the Music Policy Forum; and, Don Pitts, founder of Sound Music Cities.