VAM 2005: Board Members' Statements

Geo Beach:
Each year the members of the Association of Independents in Radio hold elections for their Board of Directors, and each year the goal of vibrant radio is furthered by members willing to stand for election.The great strength of independence is its intrinsic diversity -- there are manifold ideas and approaches that can make a good organization better.

In the third year of my term (expires 2006), I'm continuing work to achieve the objectives outlined in my initial candidate's statement.Broadly, I see the Director's job comprising two spheres -- 1) serving members; and 2) representing the organization, the aggregation of members, more broadly to the industry and public.

It's been my great good fortune -- and it is the single best reward a position on the Board can offer -- to meet, learn from, debate, and celebrate with a wide swath of AIR's members.Thank you for the opportunity.

I hope many of you will begin thinking, now, ahead to next year's elections. Before standing for election, I spent the preceding year volunteering and working with Board members and the executive director on a variety of projects which helped AIR, and which helped me learn more about AIR.I hope you might do that too -- there are exciting activities going on now through which you'll get as much as you give.And I hope when the call for candidates comes next summer, you'll throw your hat -- or your earmuffs or whatever radio people wear -- into the ring.There's nothing boring on this Board.

-- Geo Beach

Maureen Jackson:
As a member of the AIR board, I have had the opportunity to meet some extraordinary people. It has given me a chance to speak with people I wouldn't normally have an opportunity to speak with, such NPR and PRI executives. I've attended several public radio conferences and events over the years and AIR is always a recognized and respected organization within the radio community. As a board member, I feel honored to represent such a talented group.

-- Maureen Jackson

Karen Lewellen:
As the newest member of the AIR board I cannot write specifically about my experiences in this role as of yet. I can, however speak of what motivated me to sand for election and why I think the opportunity is so very special. Air-members never cease to amaze me with their creative spirit, imaginative drive, and overwhelming kindness, and I am thrilled to have a chance to give back in return.

I believe that independent producers in general and the work of AIR-members in particular may be the best kept secret in public radio, and that it is high time the general public discovered the truth. Arguably independent producers and freelance reporters season the sound of public radio every day in news and cultural programming. They bring to life the experience behind the story in a fashion that commercial and cable broadcasting never manages to do as effectively or richly.

As media products become more personalized, tapping into the general public will translate into greater opportunities for AIR-members. At the same time, since the individual contributor remains the most lucrative source of revenue in the nonprofit sector, broadening AIR's public image increases funding for the organization as a whole, which again enables AIR to create more opportunities for its members. It is a positive revolving circle, I believe, one that will yield nothing but a bright future.

My background is rather diverse. My work as a producer is a blend of station and independent work giving me an appreciation for both sides of the equation. As a performing artist, I fully understand what it means to bring a story to life, musical and otherwise, and have witnessed first hand how a personal account changes other's perspectives. lastly, as an effective nonprofit consultant I have learned to speak the language of the funding industry and to help my clients reach their desired audiences with both media and financial success. That I am not an independent radio industry insider is an advantage. I bring this objectivity to the board serving as an ever present audience member there, and will use my creative expertise and outsider's viewpoint to help others outside the radio industry, and the unenlightened within our industry value the uniqueness that is the Association of Independents in Radio. I was proud to be asked to stand for board election because of my strengths and I look forward to bringing these skills to bare as a board member.

-- Karen Lewellen

Matt Payne:
Working on the AIR Board for the last 3 years has not only given me the opportunity to help move this organization forward, but to see more clearly the wide range of services that AIR offers.As a board member, I always try to connect people, connect new members into the organization, and connect current members with fellow members and with the great benefits of AIR Membership.Best of all, working on the AIR Board has allowed me to deepen my ties with my fellow board members and the multi-talented members that are a great part of this organization.A seat on the AIR Board allows one to help steer what has come to be a driving force in public radio.

-- Matt Payne

Barry Reuger:
Like most AIR members I am a strong believer in public broadcasting, and in the role of story telling in that venue. There are few things that please me more than hearing a story by an AIR member and finding myself captivated and intrigued by the tale that they tell.

Really though what led me to join the Board of AIR, and to stand for a second term, was the incredible community of producers that I have met here. Every day when I read the messages on the Airdaily list I am reminded that there is no problem too large or too small, no question too obscure, and no issue too complex that someone in our number won't have an answer, a resource, or a solution.

Beyond the day questions that arise from our work in radio though I have been enlightened and heartened by the willingness of our members to offer support and advice on dozens of problems and challenges that go beyond our work as media producers.Truly the AIR membership is like a great strong family who can be counted on to help out when help is needed.

An example of that is an e-mail that I received today, talking about what we, as AIR members, could be doing to help out WWOZ, the New Orleans based station that is run by my fellow Board member David Freedman.As we speak David is working out of Baton Rouge to get WWOZ back on its feet, and perhaps more importantly to make sure that their archives are preserved.

That's the immediate challenge, and surely is enough for one lifetime, but there are people in our midst who are also asking what role our members could play in bringing WWOZ and New Orleans back to life.

It's that type of vision that keeps me here, putting in too many hours and working much too hard on behalf of AIR. It matters to me that the family that I enjoy in AIR includes a lot of people who understand that we play a much larger role than just providers of content. Our work really does change the world, and I like the sense of pride that accompanies that knowledge.

-- Barry Rueger

Dmae Roberts:
I believe in the strength of AIR to offer a place for independents to gather, discuss, share ideas and learn something new every day about being a radio producer. Serving on the AIR Board has been inspiring and motivating for me. The amount of knowledge and experience represented by our board members is impressive and the concern for the well being of the independent community is undeniable. Imagine what it would be like not to have AIR. What a dark hole would exist. Most of us work in relative solitude. The tips, the news, the occasional gripe or compliment through the AIR Daily offers us community amid that solitude. The Spotlight Chats offer a chance to interact with someone we'd have to fly to meet. The Mentorship Program give us training and invaluable consultation we might not otherwise be able to get. I am proud to be able to support these opportunities through the AIR Board as we look ahead to more opportunities for independents through conferences, training residencies and online tutorials. Through the last few years on the board, I've seen great growth in the organization and I hope to help continue this momentum. It is an experience that I encourage every AIR member to consider to take on.

-- Dmae Roberts

Sid Selvidge:
Being a board member of AIR has been a very interesting experience in terms of networking with other independent producers in the radio community. While the journalistic issues that most AIR members seem to deal with don't have a direct impact on my own work, it has been enlightening to learn about pay scales and the problems independents have in dealing with NPR, PRI and whatever other ten-ton gorillas that might be lurking around the corner. Just the fact that there is an organization that will stand up for the rights of an independent producer is reason enough for me to be involved. AIR is also another avenue that helps keep me current as to the future direction of our craft.

-- Sid Selvidge

Jake Shapiro:
I am a relatively new board member and look forward to finding new ways to contribute. As Executive Director of the Public Radio Exchange I'm particularly eager to bring AIR members' interests to the fore in shaping PRX's services for the benefit of independent producers. I expect there will be more opportunities for collaboration such as the AIR Raves. I'm also interested in helping AIR embrace the expanding numbers of multimedia producers from beyond the traditional radio realm

-- Jake Shapiro