Western States Public Radio
Resolution
(Rev
July
2, 2003
)
Whereas,
the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) initially established and convened
an annual meeting, called the Public Radio Conference (PRC), of the stations and
organizations comprising the public radio system in America, and
Whereas
such conferences have been annually held from the inception of our founding as
an American noncommercial radio service, and
Whereas,
the responsibility for convening and producing such a meeting was eventually
transferred from CPB to National Public Radio (NPR) which has operated in
that role on behalf of the entire public radio system, and
Whereas,
NPR has recently announced that it has ended its role as the convener and
producer of the PRC, and
Whereas,
the opportunity to convene public radio’s stations and constituent
organizations remains the primary opportunity for broadly sharing views,
establishing goals, honoring notable achievements, and consulting among
colleagues on emerging social, technological and other changes which affect
public radio’s ability to serve the American people most effectively, and
Whereas,
the recently concluded PRC 2003 has again demonstrated the value and necessity
of the PRC,
Now,
Therefore, Be it Resolved that the Board of Directors of Western States Public Radio calls
upon CPB to immediately reassert its proper role as convener of the PRC, by
publicly assuming that responsibility, by convening PRC 2004, and by inviting
appropriate participation by the component elements of the public radio industry
to participate in PRC 2004, and
Be
It Further Resolved that the Board of Directors of WSPR recommends that CPB announce its
intention to convene PRC 2004 – even without details regarding location or
specific dates – at an early date to most effectively facilitate budget
planning for parties who wish to attend this event, and
Be
It Further Resolved that the Board of Directors of WSPR recommends to CPB that PRC 2004 be
modeled, in scale and complexity, upon the recently concluded PRC 2003 in order
that the conference can be held on a cost-effective basis while retaining
appropriate inclusion of the diverse elements of the public radio system and
sharp focus on the central issues which engage public radio’s present and
future.
adopted by the WSPR Board of Directors July 2, 2003