Media and Information Taskforce

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Media and Information Taskforce

Post by michelmanen »

This thread will contain information, notices, discussions, transcripts and policy proposals of the CARE Media and Information Taskforce.

michelmanen
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NL 6-3: A Bill to Establish a CDS Public Radio Station

Post by michelmanen »

The following Bill has been drafted and is sponsored by CARE members Draxtor Despres and Michel Manen.

Any comments and suggestions are welcome. Please attend the RA meetings over the next few weeks to follow and contribute to this discussion.

NL 6-3: A Bill to Establish a CDS Virtual Public Radio Broadcasting Corporation

1.0 CDS Representative Assembly declaration of policy

The CDS Representative Assembly hereby finds and declares that:
1.1 the democratic value of citizen journalism has to be an integral part of the growth of SL and its independence from is „corporate“ origins;
1.2 it is in the public interest to encourage and assist citizen journalists form all walks of life contribute to create another communicative platform and to further strengthen the connections between SL and RL;
1.3 it is in the public interest to encourage the growth and development of public radio broadcasting, including the use of such media for instructional, educational, and cultural purposes;
1.4 expansion and development of public radio broadcasting and of diversity of its programming depend on freedom, imagination, and initiative on both CDS Government and all CDS citizens;
1.5 the encouragement and support of public radio broadcasting, while matters of importance for private development, are also of appropriate and important concern to the CDS Government and all CDS citizens;
1.6 it furthers the general welfare to encourage public radio broadcasting services which will be responsive to the interests of people both in particular sims and throughout the CDS, which will constitute an expression of diversity and excellence, and which will constitute a source of telecommunications services for all the citizens of the CDS;
1.7 it is in the public interest to encourage the development of programming that involves creative risks and that addresses the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, particularly minorities;
1.8 it is necessary and appropriate for the CDS Government to complement, assist, and support a CDS-wide policy that will most effectively make public radio broadcasting services available to all citizens of the CDS;
1.9 it is in the public interest for the CDS Government to ensure that all citizens of the CDS have access to public radio broadcasting services through all appropriate available telecommunications distribution technologies; and
1.10 a non-profit, non-governmental organization structured as a public-private partnership should be created to facilitate the development of public radio broadcasting services.

2.0 Establishment of the Virtual Public Radio Broadcasting Corporation

2.1 The RA authorizes the establishment a non-profit, non-governmental organization, to be known as the “Virtual Public Radio Broadcasting Corporation” (“VPR”), which will not be an agency or establishment of the CDS Government. VPR shall be subject to the provisions of this Act.
2.2 VPR will be a “global“ radio network modeled after National Public Radio in the USA, whose mission will be to inform, educate and entertain by creating compelling and engaging news and entertainment programming for Second Life citizens in general and CDS citizens specifically.
2.3 VPR’s scheduled first on-air date is provisionally established as July 1st, 2007.

3.0 Costs and Financing of VPR

3.1. VPR Set-up and operating costs will be of approximately $86.00 US per month, distributed as follows:
3.1.a) Stream hosting: The company Live365 offers a package of a possible 100 listeners for $24.95 per month.
3.1.b) Website hosting, internet connection: a website for the radio station is essential for program schedules; its cost would be $4.99 US per month. A static IP address, also required, is currently $15.00 US per month.
3.1.c) Webradio license fees: The only applicable fee (according to the GEMA performing rights society) is Euro 30.- ($ 41.00 US) per month.
3.1.d) Salary: 4 full-time employees will run the station: General Manager/Managing Editor, Chief Engineer, Program Director and Outreach/PR Manager. In the first phase these employees will work as volunteers; as the radio station will realize a profit, salaries will be paid out of that profit, as determined by the Board.
3.1.e) Hardware: the stream has to run on a dedicated computer, which has to be purchased and installed. Mr. Draxtor Despres will put up the money up-front (Apple Mac Mini $499).
3.2 VPR will be financed as a public-private partnership, as follows:
3.2.a) CDS citizens will be encouraged to become VPR members and make donations by means of pledge/membership drives. VPR Membership costs will be of $1.50 per month payable on a monthly basis, or $12.00 per year payable on a yearly basis. Such fees will be applied towards the operating costs of VPR. VPR Membership and donations will be purely voluntary. VPR Members will be entitled to submit ideas and content for VPR transmissions, subject to the approval of the VPR General Manager, at no cost.
3.2.b) the CDS Government will match all CDS citizens’ membership fees and donations, on a dollar-for dollar-basis, up to a maximum of $50.00 US per month. The CDS Government will be entitled to submit ideas and content for VPR transmissions, subject to the approval of the Board, at no cost.
3.2.c) VPR will make available 12 minutes of advertising space per hour of total programming, split up into 4 blocks of 3 minutes each. The cost of airing advertising segments will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the VPR General Manager.
3.2.d) Financing of VPR operations would eventually be fully covered by selling advertisements as well as regularly held pledge/membership drives, no longer requiring CDS Government matching funds.
3.2 e) Any VPR operating surplus, after payment in full of all items listed above, as determined by the Board, will revert to the CDS Treasury.

4.0 VPR Charter

4.1 The VPR Charter is attached to this bill as Appendix “A”. Any substantial revision to this charter must be approved by the Representative Assembly.
4.2 The VPR Charter shall take effect form the date of the ratification of this bill, for a period of two years.
4.3 At the end of the period above, the RA shall review the activities of the VPR and may renew its Charter for another two-year term.
4.4 As stated in the charter the VPR’s Charter below, the VPR Board of Directors and its Chairperson represent VPR in all dealings with the CDS.

Appendix “A”: Charter of the “Virtual Public Radio Broadcasting Corporation”

1.0 Incorporation and Membership

1.1 The VPR shall be a non-profit, non-governmental organization, established as a public / private partnership, to be known as the “Virtual Public Radio Broadcasting Corporation”.
1.2 The Members of the VPR Board of Directors as well as the VPR Officers shall be members of VPR, but membership of VPR shall not enable any individual to act otherwise than through the Board to which he belongs or as authorized by the present Charter.
1.3 Any CDS citizen may become a Member of the VPR upon paying VPR’s Membership Fees
1.4 Any individual not a citizen of the CDS may become an Associate Member of the VPR upon paying VPR’s Associate Membership Fees, which shall not differ from VPR’s Membership Fees
1.5 Any corporate body may become a VPR sponsor, subject to the approval of the Board and upon payment of VPR’s Sponsorship Fees as established by the Board.
1.6 Any individual or corporate body may become a VPR donor, subject to the approval of the Board, upon making a donation to the VPR.

2.0 Mission

2.1 VPR exists to serve the public interest.
2.2 VPR’s mission is to inform, educate and entertain.
2.3 VPR’s main object is the promotion of its Public Purposes.
2.4 VPR’s Public Purposes are as follows:
2.4.a) sustaining citizenship and civil society;
2.4.b) promoting education and learning;
2.4.c) stimulating creativity and cultural excellence;
2.4.d) representing the CDS, its citizens, regions and communities;
2.4.e) bringing the CDS to the world and the world to CDS;
2.4.f ) in promoting its other purposes, helping to deliver to the public the
benefit of emerging communications technologies and services.

3. The independence of the VPR

3.1 VPR shall be independent in all matters concerning the content of its
output, the times and manner in which this is supplied, and in the management of its affairs.
3.2 Paragraph 3.1 is subject to any provision made by or under this Charter

4.0 Activities

4.1 In order to achieve its Public Purposes and to carry out the purposes of this subpart, as set out in subsection (1.0) of the “Bill to Establish a CDS Virtual Public Radio Broadcasting Corporation”, VPR is authorized to:
4.1.a) facilitate the full development of public radio broadcasting in which programs of high quality, diversity, creativity, excellence, and innovation, which are obtained from diverse sources, will be made available to public telecommunications entities, with strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial nature, as determined by the Board;
4.1.b) carry out its purposes and functions and engage in its activities in ways that will most effectively assure the maximum freedom of the public radio broadcasting and systems from interference with, or control of, program content or other activities.
4.2 In order to carry out the purposes set forth in subsection (1.0) of the “Bill to Establish a CDS Virtual Public Radio Broadcasting Corporation”, VPR is authorized to:
4.2.a) obtain grants from and make contracts with individuals and with private and public organizations, and institutions;
4.2.b) hire or accept the voluntary services of consultants, experts, advisory boards, and panels to aid VPR in carrying out the purposes of this subpart;
4.2.c) conduct (directly or through grants or contracts) research, demonstrations, or training in matters related to public radio broadcasting and the use of non-broadcast communications technologies for the dissemination of noncommercial educational and cultural radio programs; and
4.2.d) take such other actions as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes set forth in subsection (1.0) of the “Bill to Establish a CDS Virtual Public Radio Broadcasting Corporation”,.
4.3 To carry out the foregoing purposes and engage in the foregoing activities, VPR is authorized to:
4.3.a) own and or operate a radio broadcast station, system, or network, interconnection system or facility, program production facility, or any public telecommunications entity, system, or network; and
4.3.b) produce programs, schedule programs for dissemination, or disseminate programs to the public.
4.4 All meetings of the Board of Directors of VPR, including any committee of the Board, shall be open to the public;
4.5 VPR, in consultation with interested parties, shall create a 2-year plan for the development of public telecommunications services. Such plan shall be updated annually by the VPR.

5.0 Programming;

5.1 Programming on VPR will consist of rebroadcasts of quality NPR/PRI shows (http://www.npr.org, http://www.pri.org ) and original content produced by VPR staff and “citizen” journalists under VPR supervision.
5.2 VPR will broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
5.3 CDS citizens will receive training via regularly held production workshops and individualized editorial guidance.
5.4 In the initial phase, until the end of 2007, programming will be swapped out every week. The daily run-down will repeat every 12 hours: 6 hours talk, 6 hours music (classical mainly) with hosting. By early 2008 daily news updates will complement the programming.
5.5 A list of possible original programs/program types and their description is provided in Appendix “I” thereto.

6.0 Board of Directors; functions, duties, etc.

6.1 VPR shall have a Board of Directors (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “Board”), consisting of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 9 members appointed by the Representative Assembly.
6.2 The members of the Board appointed by the Representative Assembly
6.2.a) shall be selected from among citizens of the CDS who are eminent in such fields as education, cultural and civic affairs, or the arts, including radio and television; and
6.2.b) shall be selected so as to provide as nearly as practicable a broad representation of various regions of the CDS, various professions and occupations, and various kinds of talent and experience appropriate to the functions and responsibilities of VPR.
6.2.c) The members of the initial Board of Directors shall serve as incorporators and shall take whatever actions are necessary to establish VPR under the laws of the CDS.
6.2.d) The term of office of each member of the Board appointed by the Representative Assembly shall be 2 years. Any member whose term has expired may serve until such member’s successor has taken office, or until the end of the calendar year in which such member’s term has expired, whichever is earlier. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which such member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. No member of the Board shall be eligible to serve in excess of 2 consecutive full terms.
6.2.e) Any vacancy in the Board shall not affect its power, but shall be filled in the manner consistent with this chapter.
6.2.f) Members of the Board shall attend not less than 50 percent of all duly convened meetings of the Board in any calendar year. A member who fails to meet the requirement of the preceding sentence shall forfeit membership and the Representative Assembly shall appoint a new member to fill such vacancy not later than 30 days after such vacancy is determined by the Chairperson of the Board.
6.2.g) The VPR’s Board of Directors and its Chairperson represent VPR in all dealings with the CDS.
6.3 The Members of the Board shall approve the Budget of VPR as drafted by VPR officers and monitor all VPR financial transactions and expenses.
6.4 The Members of the Board shall develop a Code of Ethics for VPR and approve VPR programming, as well as content and advertising policies.
6.5 The Members of the Board shall report to the Representative Assembly on a half-yearly basis on the progress of the CPR, including but not limited to its budget, financial transactions, programming, educational, and community activities.

7.0 Election of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson; compensation

7.1 Members of the Board shall annually elect one of their members to be Chairperson and elect one or more of their members as a Vice Chairperson or Vice Chairs.
7.2 The members of the Board shall not, by reason of such membership, be deemed to be officers or employees of the CDS. No Board member shall receive compensation for their services.

8.0 Officers

8.1 VPR shall have a General Manager/Managing Editor, Chief Engineer, Program Director and Outreach/PR Manager, and such other officers as may be named and appointed by the Board.
8.2 VPR’s Officers shall be responsible for the day-to-day management, operations and expenses of VPR, subject to the supervision of the Board.

9.0 Nonprofit nature of VPR

9.1 VPR shall have no power to issue any shares of stock, or to declare or pay any dividends.
9.2 No part of the income or assets of VPR shall inure to the benefit of any director, officer, employee, or any other individual except as salary or reasonable compensation for services, as established by the Board.

APPENDIX “I”
Possible VPR original programs/program types and their description

VPR SHOW NAME (preliminary) DESCRIPTION
Good Morning SL
6am -9am SLT mix of hard news and culture, talk and gossip mixed with music, at first pre-produced, then later live broadcast with call-in
Our World, our business
(once a week) A weekly magazine show focusing on business in SL, two hosts, guests, reports
Just Me Talking (weekly)
A provocative, opinionated 2-host talk show with opposite sides, dealing with SL issues like Linden vs. local government etc.
CN Public Affairs (daily) A weekly roundtable with residents discussing local issues
Live from the Rathaus The RA meeting, either live or edited down to a one-hour “highlight” summary
The Future Talk show (maybe call-in?) focusing on various aspects of SL’s future, discussing the impact for the residents.
Sounds Good!
9pm-12pm A pure music show for late night, very eclectic, mixing classical, electronic and world music among other styles ala KCRW’s Morning becomes eclectic
Reporter’s Roundtable A 5 piece group of seasoned SL reporters (print, radio, TV) discussing SL issues
Sound Sculptures An art show trying to bridge the gap of artistic expression (painting, sculpture, etc.) in SL and RL.

The above suggestions will be augmented by various other preexisting content, permission to rebroadcast granted by the producers, branded for VPR:

1. Le Show with Harry Shearer (http://www.kcrw.org)
2. On The Media (originates: http://www.wnyc.org)
3. This American Life (http://thisamericanlife.org/)
4. Studio 360 (http://www.studio360.org)
5. OnPoint (http://www.onpointradio.org)
6. Open Source (http://www.opensource.org)

Leon
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Post by Leon »

You have to be kidding. Is this a serious proposal?

L

michelmanen
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Post by michelmanen »

Yes. Do you have any constructive comments?

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Post by Leon »

You got me. I have nothing constructive to say. In fact I think so little of this proposal and the proposer that I am unable to restrain myself.

Please note I'm not objecting to the idea of a radio station. I'm objecting to this proposal.

3.1.d and Appendix A 1.1 and 3.1 are rather difficult to swallow without a pinch of salt.

As far as I can tell you want the CDS to provide the venture capital for a radio station you'll have sole 'control' of. I can't seem to find any real benefit to the CDS in this proposal?

Leon

PS. As a side note. Didn't you flounce off recently? Withdrew your SIM proposal, Withdrew from the RA etc.

michelmanen
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Post by michelmanen »

[quote:36mug6j7]You got me. I have nothing constructive to say. In fact I think so little of this proposal and the proposer that I am unable to restrain myself.[/quote:36mug6j7]

Your opinion of me is irrelevant to this matter.

[quote:36mug6j7]Please note I'm not objecting to the idea of a radio station. I'm objecting to this proposal.[/quote:36mug6j7]

Why?

[quote:36mug6j7]3.1.d and Appendix A 1.1 and 3.1 are rather difficult to swallow without a pinch of salt.[/quote:36mug6j7]

Please explain.

[quote:36mug6j7]As far as I can tell you want the CDS to provide the venture capital for a radio station you'll have sole 'control' of. I can't seem to find any real benefit to the CDS in this proposal?[/quote:36mug6j7]

Absolutely not. In fact, I would not control anything. I am just a co-drafter of the bill. Draxtor Dezpres, with many years of experience in this field, would volunteer to run VPR.

The benefit to the CDS would be that of enabling all its citizens to contribute to its programming and having a voice, both within and outside CDS. As its mission statements says, VPR would inform, educate and entertain, in the process bringing CDS to the world and the world to CDS.

In addition, as VPR becomes self-sufficient financially, all profits derived from membership fees, donations and advertising fees would revert to the CDS Treasury, thus augmenting CDS financial resources.

[quote:36mug6j7]PS. As a side note. Didn't you flounce off recently? Withdrew your SIM proposal, Withdrew from the RA etc.[/quote:36mug6j7]

I did indeed resign from the RA and withdraw my sim proposal. If you wish to discuss this, please IM me.

As an aside, how many RA meetings did you attend this year? How specifically did you get involved in the CDS recently? I'd love to have an update, since I haven't seen you or talked to you in months....

Leon
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Post by Leon »

[url=http://redwing.hutman.net/%7Emreed/warr ... m:mib40f6k]Tireless Rebutter[/url:mib40f6k]

I find it intriguing that you are able to explain the benefits of your proposal and respond to personal slights in coherent fashion, yet are unable to fathom why I thought your proposal is contradictory.

Anyway, you have a good time now and good luck with your proposal.

Leon

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