Helping the truth to come forth

[Bill Parsons]

It is my belief that when concerned court reporters see the NCRA board of directors not living up to its duties as board members, then those concerned court reporters should attempt to correct the failures in leadership of the NCRA board of directors. Bill

Copy of e-mail sent to NCRA Board of Directors

Subject: Just helping the truth to come forth

Ladies and Gentlemen:

There has been an untruth put forth by NCRA officials that the JCR Court Reporter Listings have to be discounted at 53% of their market value because market studies show the current cost of $100 for 1/12 page JCR Court Reporter Listing ads is as high as advertisers are willing to pay.

Board members should be aware that Fink & Carney of New York City has for decades been purchasing 2 full-page ads in every issue of JCR Magazine at a current cost of $30,900 per year.

The 2-page Fink & Carney ad is designed to solicit job referrals as follows:

"Reporting, video or videoconference? We'll take care of you in a New York minute."

Also, Bienenstock Reporters purchased a full page ad in the October issue of JCR at a cost of $1,836 seeking job referrals.

Also, it should be noted that Gore Reporters and McCorkle Reporters purchased double ads in the JCR Court Reporter Listing section at double the cost of a single ad.

It is very, very, very detrimental to the well being of NCRA and its affairs when untrue statements are put forth by NCRA officials that the JCR Court Reporter Listings have to be less in 2009 than they were 18 years ago because that's all the members are willing to pay.

The board must start setting standards of some sort and stop putting forth false statements which are used to sabotage and subvert efforts to straighten out the mess of the JCR Court Reporter Listings which has ad policies which have resulted in the loss of 100's of advertisers and setting of those ad prices at great "giveaway" prices when NCRA is desperately in need of funds.


The board cannot set policies based on falsities such as the JCR Court Reporter Listing ad prices couldn't be raised in 18 years because the advertisers weren't willing to pay any increase in their ads rates for the past 18 years.

The big "Give-Aways" in discounted ad prices must be stopped in the best interests of NCRA members as part of having an association with standards of some sort.

The terrible service of "Seniority Listings" must stop.

The board of directors must make an attempt to satisfy the requests of the many advertiser members who have requested the implementation of "Geographic Listing by City" of the JCR Court Reporter Listings.

The board of directors must have standards and try to set policies that increase the number of ads and not to continue the Seniority Listing of ads which has resulted in the loss of hundreds of advertisers.

Also, it's time for the board to stop the smart alec comments such as "You doan say?"

As board members it is your job to protect and promote the interests of NCRA members and not to engage in bickering with members which causes members to cancel their memberships when they see such conduct by board members.

Also, the board should start setting standards when it comes to filing of paper court reporter notes and not allow the NCRA instruction to continue to be put forth that official court reporters should file their court reporter paper notes in filing cabinets, the very, very worst way to file paper court reporter notes.

Submitted by Bill Parsons

[Jennie Ann]

Bill, I can definitely see your point. I have no dog in this fight, but you make a very valid argument for sure.

As an aside, I recently did a transcript about the media. In particular, the print media is dying a slow and ugly death. Many newspapers have gone under, closing their doors for good, due to lack of advertising.

It seems that some companies just don't have enough funds in their budget to advertise anymore, as they are trying to keep their collective heads above water in these tough economic times.

Here in my area, I have noticed that the Sunday newspaper, which used to be full of cool coupons and advertisements for sales, just doesn't have them anymore or very little. I used to love poring through those on Sunday.

It seems like there's some politics going on in the NCRA organization. I have experienced this type of conflict of interest in another industry: pocket billiards. The governing body of professional pocket billiards in these United States doesn't give a hill of beans to the professional pocket billiard players. The members of this group consist of industry members, and anything they do is centered around putting money in their pockets. It is shameful the way their treat the pros. Without the pros, there isn't any professional pool.

Meanwhile, many of the European and Asian Pacific countries sponsor their professional players with money, so that they can attend overseas tournaments. The existing lot of professional players in America is diminishing due to lack of sponsorship and an industry organization that protects their rights. Soon there won't be any new blood in American professional pool, and the sport will go by the wayside, much like croquet or badminton.

Today I say the Serenity Prayer when it comes to professional pool in the United States, something I used to be very passionate about. I have accepted the things I cannot change.

I hope this doesn't happen to the NCRA and the brethren of court reporters it is supposed to represent. When an industry organization becomes more concerned about profit as opposed to protecting the rights of its members, it's not a good thing and is doomed for failure.

[Mary Ann Payonk]

Companies, large and small. Individuals, important and well known, and not so well known. Even the mighty fall. Sometimes they come back bigger, badder, better, own and absolutely rule their specialty territory. Sometimes ... not so much.

M.A.

[Bill Parsons]

Mary Ann,

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience in your always well-thought out posts and thanks for sharing your wisdom.

Thinkers like yourself are badly needed to give good leadership.

Best Regards, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

Hi Jennie,

Thank you very much for taking the time to post your well-thought out post and sharing your experience with us.

The JCR Court Reporter Listings are a directory of ads similar to the NCRA Source Book which has thrived and thrived. I was responsible for the NCRA Source Book thriving because I submitted the idea to NCRA many, many years ago that the members needed cheaper bold faced ads. Prior to the submission of my idea, only expensive display ads were allowed in the Source Book.

A large amount of material has been developed to disprove what I call "wild negative assertions" by the NCRA board which they have put forth to sabotage and subvert attempts to enable the JCR Court Reporter Listings to give the best service possible to the court reporting profession while reaping the profit other non-discounted ads reap.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your very well written and well thought out post.

Bill