R.I. Press Association Board Meeting Minutes, Fri., Oct. 7, 2005

Attending: Sheila Mullowney, Newport Daily News, president; Scott Pickering, East Bay Newspapers, vice president; Kris Gove, North Kingstown Standard-Times, treasurer; Linda Levin, URI journalism, secretary; Kristen Cyr, Northeast Independent; John Palumbo, R.I. Monthly, and Larry Sasso, The Observer.

Minutes of Last Meeting: Approved.

Treasurer’s Report: Pickering said the current balance is $11,831.28. He turned over the files to the new treasurer, Gove, who will join Mullowney and Levin as signatories. Pickering said several newspaper companies have outstanding balances for last spring’s banquet. The board moved that next year the banquet have reserved tables. and approved.

Journalism Day at URI: Will be held on Thursday, Nov. 17. Cyr got Jim Taricani, Channel 10, reporter to be the speaker at the Hall of Fame Lunch. Morning panelists are Ellyn Santiago of the Westerly Sun, Paul Parker of The Providence Journal and Frank Bass of the AP. Topic is “The Dangers of Computer Assisted Reporting.” Afternoon panel is “Plagiarism in the Media,” and panelists are Harry Whitten, editor of the Worcester Telegram; Steve Greenlee, Living Arts Editor of The Boston Globe, and John Pantalone, URI journalism professor. Levin said she will put together a flyer with this information and lunch reservation information to distribute to the newspapers.

Hall of Fame: Inductees are Albert K.“Bucky “ Sherman, publisher of the Newport Daily News; the late Bill Parrillo of The Providence Journal, and the late John Minkins, an editor of The Pawtucket Times.

URI Endowment Committee: Sasso repeated the information about the three funds approved at the last board meeting and said the next committee meeting will be Oct. 21 at 10:30 a.m. at the Warwick Beacon.

Contest-Banquet: Cyr said the board should select the banquet date at the November meeting. A discussion ensued about whether to keep the banquet at the Providence Marriott or go elsewhere. It is important the price be kept about the same. As treasurer, Gove will handle the banquet. Pickering will oversee the contest, and he noted that new categories need to be added to accommodate magazines now members of the association. Cyr, Mullowney, Pickering and Palumbo will take care of this.

Professional Development Day: Cyr and Pickering will plan this and will try to have it at CCRI in Warwick, a central location.

Monthly Publications: The board discussed ways to get the word out that monthlies now can join RIPA. It was suggested that a restructuring of the dues might be in order, perhaps based on a newspaper/magazine’s circulation. Mullowney will look into this and hopes to have a new dues schedule ready for review by the end of the year.

Website: Mullwoney has secured www.Ripress.org as the website domain at a cost of $101.97 for a three-year registration. The association will reimburse her. Mullowney says it can go through the Newport Daily News server and she has someone who can design it at a charge. Pickering said his company owns a company that could do it and would charge $500-1,000 to set it up, depending on the complexity of the design, and then charge $300-$500 annually to maintain it. The board approved a $1,000 cap to set up the site. Mullowney and Pickering will have this underway by the end of the year.

Next Meeting Dates: November 4, Friday, at 9 a.m. at Rhode Island Monthly in Providence, and December 9, Friday, at 9 a.m. at a place to be announced.

Linda Levin, secretary