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Committee reviews community media handbooks and asks staff for a handbook-review plan
Summary
Committee members discussed the age, authority and updating process for the WVMO/Monona Community Media operational manuals and volunteer handbook, debated the committee’s oversight role versus programmatic independence, and floated a subcommittee to work with staff on updates.
Members of the Monona Community Media Committee discussed several operational documents in the committee packet — including the Monona Community Media operational manual, WVMO operational manual and volunteer handbook — and questioned who has authority to change them and whether the committee should form a subcommittee to review updates.
Theresa (committee chair) opened the packet discussion by saying the committee had collected “a whole bunch of stuff” for background, and she noted that some references in the community media operations manual were dated (e.g., references to “media coordinator” and “assistant media coordinator” from 2017–18). Will (AV representative, Monona Community Media) said the manuals and operating guidelines have historically been created by this committee but that some items — especially programming decisions — are handled operationally by station staff.
Bill volunteered to work with Will as a subcommittee of one to review the handbook and suggested the committee look for a balance between oversight and noninterference in programming. “I’m trying to find is a balance between this committee doing its oversight role for WVMO, and trying to be helpful to Will and his role as director, but also having just some kind of transparency and some kind of involvement,” he said.
Committee members raised process questions: who wrote the volunteer handbook and who has authority to approve changes; whether the committee’s ordinance-defined duties give it authority over programming; and how strict enforcement would be for guidelines that require volunteers to perform duties outside on-air time. Will said he collects signed acknowledgements from program hosts and that the committee-created guidelines for radio and television operations were developed by the committee; the volunteer handbook, he said, he had authored and updated over time.
No formal motion was taken to change the handbooks. The committee left the matter open, with Bill offering to serve as a point person with Will to review whether updates are needed and to return with a recommended process for future changes.
