January 29, 2004

’YSO board queried on station issues

At their meeting Jan. 20, members of the WYSO Resource Board were questioned about the recent departure of WYSO radio host Vick Mickunas and about the board’s accessibility.

Nine members of the public attended the meeting, which was held at the offices of the Family Services Association in Dayton.

“I’m heartsick that Vick is gone,” Mike Haverland of Oakwood said during the 10 minutes allotted for public comment. “I’m sickened that it came to this point, that a 10-year employee” would be let go due to difficulties with station management, he said. “My biggest concern is to find out what the truth is. There’s the perception that something’s going on at WYSO.”

In response, Randy Daniel, the president of the Resource Board, said the situation “wasn’t as you described it.”

WYSO General Manager Steve Spencer distanced himself from Mickunas’s controversial departure. “It was not a recommendation by me,” Spencer said. “Antioch University placed him on leave and at every point Antioch did the negotiation.”

Spencer also criticized media reports of Mickunas’s departure. “The vast majority of press reports were filled with significant distortions or outright lies,” Spencer said.

Asked by a Dayton man whether the departure of Mickunas has resulted in a cutback of contributions to the station, Spencer replied, “There was some but nothing substantial.”

Board members speculated that some listeners might also reduce their contributions because of the resignation of news host Ryan Warner, who moved to a new job in Florida this month.

Daniel emphasized that he was disappointed Mickunas was no longer working at the station. “I consider Vick a friend,” he said. “I miss him as much as anyone.”

Other audience members questioned the board’s meeting schedule.

Larry Halpern, a member of Keep WYSO Local, told the board that more people would have attended the meeting but were unable because of the 4 p.m. meeting time. “A lot of people are interested but they couldn’t come out because they’re working,” Halpern said.

He also asked if the board would consider televising its meetings.

The board’s secretary, Bonnie Parrish, who works at Family Services, said that the agency is not allowed to televise meetings in its offices.

The board moved the meeting time to 4 p.m. from 8 a.m. to make it more accessible, Daniel said. He also said that “the board will review” holding meetings in the evening. “We want to make it as accessible as possible,” he said.

Accessibility was also an issue raised by Mary Doyle, a member of Keep WYSO Local, who chastised Resource Board members for not posting meeting minutes on the WYSO Web site, and for frequently changing meeting time and place at the last minute, which, she claimed, violate the Corporation for Public Broadcasting rules for board meetings.

Daniel said that the board voted in September 2002 to post its minutes on the WYSO Web site, although Doyle said that they have never actually been published there.

Parrish said that she will send the minutes to anyone who calls her, although several people commented that most people would not know how to contact Parrish.

Asked when the board plans to discuss the station’s finances, Daniel said that the Resource Board plans to discuss the station’s finances at its next meeting, in April. At the end of the 2002–03 fiscal year in June, the station had a deficit of about $100,000.

Before Daniel opened the meeting to the public, Spencer reported that WYSO had raised about $206,000 during its fall fundraiser, which he called “the best damn drive we’ve ever done.” The pledge drive’s goal was $250,000.

Spencer also reported that the station now averages 57,200 listeners per week, which he said is “50 percent more than five years ago.” He did not distribute Arbitron ratings to the board or to the public.

The board also accepted the resignation of member Alex Williams, who is moving to Florida. Williams’s decision to leave the board is not connected to recent station controversy, Daniel said.

The board also welcomed two new members, Pat Blomell and Dan Hyashi. A third new board member, Rhonda REagh, was not at the meeting. With Williams’s resignation, the board has two openings, Daniel said, and a search committee will be activated. “We’re trying to achieve greater diversity in key areas,” he said.

Daniel also discussed the need to fill station vacancies. In the last month, four WYSO employees have left the station, including Mickunas, Business Manager Judy Pitstick, Warner and engineer Joe Rother. Spencer said that he hopes the station will have a full staff by the April board meeting.

The board also went into executive session, which was not open to the public, to discuss personnel issues.

—Diane Chiddister