RECOMMENDATION TO THE IBMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

AWARDS SHOW GUIDELINES TASK FORCE 2007

This task force was formed to make recommendations to the IBMA Board of Directors related to the production of the annual IBMA Awards Show, including content guidelines, planning and oversight, and communication needed to assure efficient planning and hosting of event.

The following policy and procedures are recommended for adoption and implementation in 2007 by the board. 

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POLICY AND PROCEDURES:

IBMA AWARDS SHOW GUIDELINES AND OVERSIGHT

IBMA Awards Show Mission (established by IBMA Board):

“To produce a high quality, entertaining show that recognizes the rich traditions of bluegrass music and the accomplishments of the music’s outstanding practitioners with intentions to introduce the music to people who would normally not come in contact with bluegrass.”

The IBMA Board of Directors shall be responsible for the show, its mission and scope and may assign producers and committees to specific tasks related to its proper functioning.  The Board shall also make provisions for resources to accomplish the shows purpose including finances and operational budgets.

THE PRODUCERS & AWARDS SHOW COMMITTEE

1.  The IBMA Board shall annually appoint up to 2 Show Producers.  The Producers shall serve at the discretion of the IBMA Board for a term of one year with no limitation on the number of terms.

2.  With oversight from an Awards Show Committee, and following guidelines established by the Board, the Producers will:

-          select and recruit show host(s)

-          select and recruit show performers and awards presenters

-          outline and write the script for the show

-          coordinate show sound, light and staging requirements

-          produce on-screen graphics presentation and sound clips

-          manage on-site production set-up

-          coordinate rehearsals

-          carry out final production of live show

-          oversee recording of show for broadcast distribution

-          carry out final editing of show for broadcast

-          and such other duties as may be required

In carrying out these responsibilities, the Producers shall operate within the budget approved by the Board, and in coordination with IBMA staff, the show venue, technical support personnel and other resources. 

3.  The IBMA Board shall appoint an Awards Show Committee of 3 members to oversee the production of the Awards Show and designate a chair.  The chair of the Committee shall be responsible for facilitating communication between the Committee, Producers and the IBMA Board. Committee members shall serve three year terms with a limit of two terms each unless otherwise approved by the board.  The initial committee will be appointed to staggered terms (one for one year, one for two years and one for three years) to avoid more than 1/3 of the committee’s members terms expiring at the same time.  Any initial terms shorter than three years shall count as a full term.

4.  The Producers and Committee members should be substantially involved in bluegrass music and conversant with the diversity of the IBMA membership and bluegrass community.  Producers and Committee members shall remove personal bias from their decisions related to the show and shall not be party to dispensing or receiving special privileges.  They shall make full disclosure of any situation which may involve them in an actual conflict of interest, and they shall abstain from participation in or influencing decisions in which they have a vested personal interest.  Producers and Committee members shall not condone discrimination against individuals or groups with reference to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality.

OVERSIGHT PROCESS

1. The Show Producers shall consult with and obtain approval from the Committee at the following points in the production schedule:

1. After preparing a list of show hosts for recruitment
2. After preparing the initial show outline and list of performers and presenters for recruitment
3. After preparing the final show outline and prior to the issuance of any public statements concerning the show’s contents
4. When subsequent changes to the outline, script, performers or other elements would significantly alter the show from the approved elements (e.g. hosts, presenters, performing artists, songs, etc).
5. At such other times as the Producers deem advisable

2. The Committee’s review of the Producers’ proposals at each of these points will focus on whether they fall within the Board’s guidelines for the awards show, whether they are consistent with the Board’s statement of the awards show’s mission, and whether they are consistent with the IBMA’s mission and values.

3. The Producers and Committee shall be open to communication and will work closely together to facilitate such oversight in a timely manner.  In the event significant changes are made late to the show, the Producers shall use their best reasonable efforts to communicate them to the Committee in a timely manner for approval.  Significant changes are those that might be perceived as conflicting with the show or the organization’s mission and values.

AWARDS SHOW GUIDELINES

Host selection

The Awards Show host(s) should be selected from among high profile, media-visible personalities with a close relationship to and appreciation for bluegrass music, with the capabilities to perform the tasks of the host(s), and with an appreciation for the IBMA’s mission, values and diverse membership.

Performer and presenter selection

In considering performers and presenters, nominees for current awards and current show hosts should be predominant.  But in order to accomplish the show’s mission, producers may consider presenting Hall of Honor inductees; prior award recipients; bluegrass pioneers; figures of special relevance to any special presentations; and others whose presence would enhance the accomplishment of the show’s mission. 

In selecting performers and presenters, the Producers shall seek, while remaining consistent with the priorities listed above, to ensure that the diversity of the international bluegrass community, including the IBMA’s membership, is respected.

Performances

The Producers shall consult and reach agreement with performers on the works to be presented, giving priority (in order) to songs from nominated projects; new songs from nominated artists; special collaborations; and songs significant to special presentations or tributes.  The Producers shall seek, while remaining consistent with these priorities, to ensure that the diversity of the international bluegrass community, including the IBMA’s membership, is respected.

Adherence to process

The Producers shall communicate to hosts, performers and presenters the guidelines and procedures for the show established by the Board, and the need for timely communication of any proposed changes to songs or commentary.

CHANGES TO GUIDELINES

These guidelines may be revised from time-to-time by action of the IBMA Board and notice of any such changes shall be given in a timely manner to the show Producers and Awards Show Committee.  Special care shall be given by the IBMA Board to avoid instituting changes that might alter approved portions of the show during a given year.

(End of Recommendations)

MEMBER INPUT

The IBMA Board of Directors welcomes input from members as it considers these recommendations.  To share your comments, please click on the web link below or write the board in care of IBMA prior to March 31, 2007.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=473243254880

IBMA Board of Directors

2 Music Circle South – Suite 100

Nashville, TN 37203 USA

SPECIAL MESSAGE

FROM:  Greg Cahill, IBMA Board Chairperson/President

DATE:   March 7, 2007

RE:       Recent Member Comments and Concerns Expressed by Rhonda Vincent

Thanks for the recent messages and in response to concerns expressed by Rhonda Vincent and others regarding the IBMA Awards Show, the following is provided for background information and clarification on several issues.

As has been noted in previous messages to the membership, the board formed a task force in recent months to study and make recommendations regarding guidelines for the awards show and new oversight procedures.

The recommendations unanimously agreed upon by members of that task force (we are proud that Rhonda served on this task force) will be considered by the IBMA board at its April meetings.  These recommendations are fully posted along with a link for members to offer input and comments (see above).

If adopted by the board, these guidelines and procedures will be expected to be followed for future awards shows – televised, radio broadcast or otherwise – and speak to the type of performances, hosts, presenters, and others to be involved in the show.

To further clarify, the board has neither mandated nor requested that the six instrumental awards be eliminated or edited from the awards show broadcast.  IBMA’s leadership, like the membership, has great admiration for the instrumental skills embodied within our music.

A few years ago, at the suggestion of broadcasters airing the show and in the opinions shared by many who listen to or were present at the show, the balance of music to awards presentation during the show was questioned. 

In short, the awards show had approximately been comprised of:

60 minutes of awards

30 minutes of musical performances

30 minutes commercials

In review, the board's decision was that more music needed to be part of the show created for broadcast.

After exploring a number of options that would allow more musical performances in the show, the board gave additional latitude to allow producers discretion to edit up to six awards (not necessarily instrumentalists) if necessary to shorten the length of the broadcast show.  While the show the audience has seen in the theater has basically remained the same, the version sent to broadcast affiliates has since then edited out several awards each year, though not always or exclusively instrumentalist awards.  

The first presentations to be edited were those where awards recipients were not there to accept.  Then others were edited depending on what was needed to fit the 2 hours time window for radio.  In some instances, musical performances have been edited to make sure awards presentations remained. 

Our producers this last year attempted to create a presentation that would allow the instrumental awards (as well as all others) to both be presented live and remain in the broadcast.  They reduced the time needed by presenting the instrumentalists awards all at once.  The time saved would also allow them to include a special musical performance by all the prior year instrumentalist award recipients...thus providing an additional special focus on these talents.

In summary, the desire has been simply to balance the allotted time within the show better between awards and music.  Whether that desire is appropriate is open for debate and the board welcomes the input.

There are other options which the board will entertain at the forthcoming meetings:

1.  present a certain number of awards and music in ceremonies on the same stage just prior to the broadcast.

2.  mandate that all awards be presented in the "broadcast" and only allow music to be edited if needed.

3.  lengthen the "broadcast" show and/or overall production

4.  other:____

With regard to television possibilities, among IBMA's longstanding goals is the desire to find suitable broadcast, production and sponsorship partners to create a televised show to help broaden the audience and resulting exposure it generates. 

As expressed in numerous ways over the years by the membership, gaining new and additional broadcast exposure is key to fostering new opportunities for our music.  If successful and done in a way that portrays the talents and artistic merits of our music well, an awards show can help open doors with production companies, broadcast outlets, sponsors and others including new event producers, media outlets and retailers.  Every conversation with possible partners for the awards show in the past decade has also explored other options as well for our music and with an eye on the broader opportunities.

A committee and staff are working toward achieving those goals and is in continuing discussions with several possible partners about options. 

However, there are no television proposals as yet on the table for board consideration, whose approval will be necessary.  The options in current discussion may not materialize in 2007, but if they do, the board will work diligently to find the appropriate balance that assures our music and the awards are presented with integrity while achieving a first class production. 

In the hypothetical situation of producing a live TV show that may not allow editing capabilities, we can anticipate that we may be faced with questions about what we will and won't allow to be changed within the existing format.  The board has turned away from several options in the past that either didn't allow us the control over the show content we desired or weren't the quality of production we believed would reflect well on our music. 

Since circumstances may change because of any number of variables, it is not possible to forecast all future decisions of the board.  However, with new guidelines and oversight procedures proposed for the show, the board will be even more diligent in its attention to these types of issues. 

The board welcomes and appreciates member input on these issues and will be made aware of all that we have received.

If there are additional questions, please contact our staff at IBMA who can help direct you to the proper resources for answers and if you have comments for the board’s consideration, I would encourage you to click on the survey link offered above which offers an easy mechanism to share your thoughts on this subject.

Thank you…

Greg Cahill

IBMA Board Chairperson/President