Governance

Constitution

The IEEE Broadcast Technology Society is organized and operated according to the following rules, which were approved by the Members and the IEEE.

IEEE Broadcast Technology Society
Constitution
9 December 2021

Article I - Name and Object

Section 1. This organization shall be known as the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society.

Section 2. The Society's purpose shall be scientific and educational in character. The Society shall strive for the advancement of the theory and practice of electrical and electronic engineering and of the allied arts and sciences and for the maintenance of high scientific and technical standards among its members, all in consonance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the IEEE and with special attention to such aims within the field of interest of the Society, as hereinafter defined.

Section 3. The Society shall aid in promoting close cooperation and exchange of technical information among its members and affiliates, and to this end shall hold meetings for the presentation and discussion or original contributions, shall publish Transactions reporting advances within the scope of the Society, establish standards, and through its committees, shall study and otherwise provide for the needs of its members and affiliates.

 

Article II - Field of Interest

Section 1. Broadcasting is a one-to-many communication service in which the transmissions are intended for direct reception by the general public or a target audience, which may include audio, video and/or data services. The field of interest of the Society shall encompass devices, equipment, techniques and systems related to broadcast technology, including the production, distribution, wired and wireless transmission, propagation aspects and reception.

Section 2. The field of interest of the Society may be enlarged, reduced, or otherwise revised as the needs of the occasion indicate, in accordance with the process outlined in the IEEE Technical Activities Board (TAB) Operations Manual. Such revisions shall be processed as an amendment to this Constitution.

 

Article III - Membership

Section 1. Membership in the Society shall be available to all members of the IEEE in any grade, including students, having an interest in the technology of broadcasting.

Section 2. Affiliates are members of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and are not IEEE Members, as defined in the IEEE Constitution. Affiliates may participate in the activities of the Society as specified by the IEEE Bylaws and subject to the applicable IEEE rules and regulations and to any additional limitations imposed by the Society Bylaws.

 

Article IV - Events

Section 1. The Society may hold virtual or in-person meetings, conferences, symposia, or conventions either alone or in cooperation with Sections, Regions, National Convention Committees of the Institute, or other technical organizations.

Section 2. Meetings, conferences, or conventions of the Society shall be open to all members of the IEEE and non-members.

 

Article V - Publications

Section 1. Publications undertaken by the Society shall be subject to IEEE policies and to any further guidance or controls prescribed by the Administrative Committee or its duly appointed committees. The Society shall be responsible for the financial aspects of its publication program.

Section 2. The President of the Society, with the advice and consent of the Administrative Committee, shall appoint such editors as may be required to implement the publication program.

 

Article VI - Financial Support

Section 1. The Society shall collect from each IEEE BTS member and affiliate dues in accordance with IEEE Bylaws and applicable rules and regulations. The dues shall be prescribed in accordance with the Society Bylaws.

Section 2. The Society may make registration charges at its meetings, symposia, conferences, and conventions. The registration charges for non-members of the IEEE shall be higher than for members.

Section 3. The Society may raise revenues by other means such as, but not limited to, sales of advertising, sponsorship of events, products at trade shows, requests for contributions, and charges for sending publications to non-Society members, provided such means are consistent with applicable IEEE rules and regulations. Any new revenue means not explicitly covered by IEEE rules and regulations must be approved by the IEEE before being adopted by the Society.

 

Article VII - Administration

Section 1. The affairs of the Society shall be administered by an Administrative Committee drawn from the membership of the Society.

Section 2. Within-term vacancies in the office of President or Vice President of the Society shall be filled by election for the unexpired term by the Administrative Committee.

Section 3. Within-term vacancies occurring on the Administrative Committee shall be filled by appointments for the unexpired terms by a vote of the remainder of the Committee.

Section 4. The Administrative Committee may utilize the services of IEEE Headquarters as bursar for all or part of Society funds as provided by the IEEE Bylaws and rules and regulations.

Section 5. The Society President shall be an ex officio member of all committees of the Society. As a member of the IEEE Technical Activities Board the Society President, when notified of a meeting of said Board, shall ensure representation of the Society at such meeting by the President, or by an alternate appointed by the President  according to the process outlined in the  IEEE  TAB Operations Manual.       

Section 6. The work of the Society shall be conducted through the Administrative Committee, and through standing and ad hoc committees as provided herein and in the Bylaws.

 

Article VIII - Nomination and Election of Administrative Committee Members

Section 1. Nominating procedures shall be those prescribed in the Bylaws and shall include provision for nomination by petition of Society members. Nominations by petition shall be included on the ballot and shall be so identified.

Section 2. Election of the members of the Society Administrative Committee shall be those prescribed in the Bylaws.

Section 3. Terms of the Society Officers:

a. President – Two two-year terms, not eligible for reappointment.

b. Vice President – Two two-year terms, not eligible for reappointment.

c. Treasurer – Two two-year terms, appointed by the President with Administrative Committee concurrence, serves until a successor is appointed by the President with Administrative Committee concurrence.

d. Secretary – Two two-year terms, appointed by the President with Administrative Committee concurrence, not eligible for reappointment.

If a candidate for any of these offices cannot be found, then candidates may be chosen from those who have served previously on the Administrative Committee (BTS Bylaws) and Executive Committee (BTS Bylaws)

 

Article IX – Meetings of the Administrative Committee

Section 1. Quorum for meetings of the Administrative Committee shall be that set forth in BTS Bylaws.

Section 2. A majority of the votes cast by those members of the Administrative Committee attending a meeting shall be necessary for the conduct of its business except as otherwise provided in this Constitution. A majority of the votes of the members present and entitled to vote, at the time of vote, provided a quorum is present, shall be the act of the Administrative Committee.

Section 3. Vote of the Presiding officer. The presiding officer of the Broadcast Technology Society shall have no vote, except if the vote is by secret ballot or unless the Chair’s vote can change the outcome of the vote.

Section 4. Business of the Administrative Committee may be conducted by correspondence, in-person meetings, virtual meetings, or any other form of communication when, on the decision of the President or convener, as appropriate, matters requiring prompt action can be adequately handled in such a manner. All agreed actions shall be confirmed promptly in official meeting minutes. 

Section 5. The Administrative Committee may meet and act upon the vote of its members either in-person or through any means of communication.  When the meeting is quorate, in-person or through use of a means of communications by which all participants can hear one another simultaneously, or through a combination of the two that results in simultaneous communication, voting procedures normally used for in-person meetings shall be followed, and an affirmative vote of a majority of those voting members in attendance shall be necessary for approval of any action.

When, upon determination of the President of the Society, matters requiring action can be handled adequately through means other than those providing simultaneous communication (e.g., via e-mail messaging, online polling, or mail correspondence), such action can be taken upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the total voting membership of the Administrative Committee.  In such cases of non-simultaneous communication and voting, notice of the outcome shall be provided to all members of the Administrative Committee immediately upon sufficient votes having been recorded to determine the final outcome, one way or the other. In addition, the input documents for such voting shall be reduced to a directly reproducible form compatible with the form in which minutes of the Administrative Committee are stored and shall be so stored with the minutes of the next meeting of the Administrative Committee.

In cases of Amendments to the Society Constitution and/or Bylaws, an affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of the total voting membership of the Administrative Committee shall be required for approval, and the notification and documentation requirements applicable to the voting method used shall apply.

Section 6. Individuals holding more than one position on the Administrative Committee shall be limited to one vote on each matter being considered by the Administrative Committee or committee thereof. Proxy voting is not allowed

  

Article X - Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution may be initiated by petition submitted by one percent of the members of the Society or by a majority of the members of the Administrative Committee, such petition being submitted to   IEEE Vice President Technical Activities, for approval. After such approval, the proposed amendments shall be publicized by direct mail to all Society members or in the Society Transactions and Newsletters  with notice that it goes into effect unless five percent of the Society members, including students, object within 30 days. If such objections are received, a copy of the proposed amendment shall be mailed with a ballot to all members of the Society at least 30 days before the date appointed for return of the ballots, and the ballots shall carry a statement of the time limit for their return to the IEEE Office. When a mail vote of the entire Society membership is made necessary, approval of the amendment by at least two-thirds of the ballots returned shall be necessary for its enactment, provided, however, that if the number of ballots returned is less than ten percent of the membership of the Society, the amendment shall be deemed to be approved.

Section 2. Suitable Bylaws, and amendments thereto, may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the Administrative Committee in meeting assembled, provided that notice of the proposed Bylaw, or amendment, has been sent to each member of the Administrative Committee at least a week prior to such meeting, or a Bylaw, or amendment, may be adopted by a two-thirds email or electronic vote of the members of the Administrative Committee, provided a 30-day period is allowed for such responses. In either event, the proposed, or amendment, shall be submitted to the IEEE Vice President, Technical Activities for approval.      No Bylaw, or amendment, shall take effect until all approvals have been obtained and notification has been made by direct mail to all Society members or in the Society Transactions and Newsletters. . 

 

 

Bylaws

The IEEE Broadcast Technology Society is organized and operated according to the following rules, which were approved by the members and the IEEE.

IEEE Broadcast Technology Society
Bylaws
15 December 2021

1. Membership

There shall be two grades of IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (hereinafter Society) membership: student members and members. Student members of the IEEE may become student members of the Society upon payment of the annual student membership dues in effect at the time Society membership is requested. Members of the IEEE in other grades may become members of the Society upon payment of the annual Society membership dues in effect at the time Society membership is requested. Special categories of membership and the appropriate annual Society membership dues shall be as specified in IEEE Bylaws.

2. Affiliates

Non-members of the IEEE who are members of certain other organizations accredited by the IEEE, as provided in IEEE rules and regulations, may become affiliates of the IEEE and members of the Society upon payment of the annual Society membership dues in effect at the time Society membership is requested. Affiliates shall have the same rights and privileges in the Society as IEEE members, and shall be eligible to serve and hold office on any board or committee, with the exception of the offices of President and Vice President of the Society. Reference: IEEE Constitution and IEEE Bylaws.

3. Member Dues

The annual Society membership dues shall be reviewed each year as part of the Society budget cycle and adjusted to meet Society fiscal needs. The Society Administrative Committee must approve any proposed change in the annual Society membership dues.

4. Affiliate Dues

Affiliates shall pay the same annual Society membership dues as Society members. This affiliate rate is in addition to the affiliate surcharge specified in IEEE rules and regulations.

5. Fiscal Year

The administrative and fiscal year for the Society begins on January 1st and ends on December 31st.

6. Society Administrative Committee

6.1 The Society Administrative Committee shall consist of 15 elected members-at-large, five of whom shall be elected for three-year terms each year from the Society membership in good standing: plus the Society President, Society Vice President, Society Secretary, Society Treasurer, and the immediate past Society President.
6.2
 
Society Administrative Committee members-at-large may be reelected to one full term after serving one full term. Only two consecutive terms are permitted.

6.3 All Society Administrative Committee members, including ex-officio members, shall have voting privileges.

6.4 The Executive Committee of the Society Administrative Committee shall consist of the current Society officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary), the immediate past Society President, and a Member at Large liaison to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall conduct day-to-day Society business affairs that do not require full Society Administrative Committee review and approval.

6.5 At its last meeting of even-numbered years, the Society Administrative Committee shall elect a Society President and Society Vice President from a list of eligible candidates consisting of current Society Administrative Committee members-at-large, past Society Administrative Committee members-at-large, and past Society officers. The elected Society President and Society Vice President shall serve a two-year term, beginning January 1 of the year following their election. The Society President and Society Vice President may serve two consecutive two-year terms

6.6 By January 1 of the year following an election, from all Society members in good standing, the Society President shall appoint a Society Secretary, a Society Treasurer, and all Society standing or ad hoc committee chairpersons and members, each of whom are appointed for the current term of the Society President who appointed them.

6.7 If an elected member-at-large fails to attend four consecutive meetings of the Society Administrative Committee, the Society Administrative Committee may vote to remove that member-at-large from the Society Administrative Committee, and, in accordance with the Society Constitution, may appoint a successor to serve for the remainder of the term of the removed member-at-large.

6.8 Society officers, Society Administrative Committee members, and Society committee members must be members of the Society in good standing.

6.9 Quorum.  A majority of the voting members of the Society Administrative Committee or any committee thereof shall constitute a quorum. (Ref: IEEE Bylaws)

6.10 The Society Administrative Committee shall meet at least two, and no more than four, times per year, at times and locations to be determined by the Society President and announced at least 30 days in advance of the meeting.

6.11 Roberts Rules of Order (latest edition) shall govern conduct of Society Administrative Committee meetings on all matters not otherwise specified in these Bylaws or in the BTS Constitution, and as also specified in the IEEE Bylaws.

7.  Nominations and Appointments Committee

7.1 (Ref: IEEE Bylaws)
The Chair of the Nominations and Appointments (N&A) Committee shall be the immediate past President of the Society Administrative Committee.  In the event of the incapacity or conflict of interest of the Chair, the most recent Past Chair of the N&A Committee available shall be the Chair of the N&A Committee.  With extenuating circumstances, a different individual may be appointed to this position.

7.2 N&A Chairs shall not be eligible to be elected to the Society Administrative Committee during their term of service.

7.3 The committee shall consist of its chair and at least two other voting members.

7.4 At least two-thirds of the voting members of the N&A Committee shall be elected or appointed by the Society Administrative Committee.

7.5 A member of an N&A Committee may be nominated and run for a position for which such member’s respective N&A Committee is responsible for making nominations only on the following conditions: (i) the nomination is not made by a member of the same N&A Committee and (ii) the member resigns from the N&A Committee prior to its first meeting of the year in which the nomination shall be made.

8. Nomination and Election of Society Administrative Committee

8.1 The Society Administrative Committee shall fill vacancies within its ranks according to the processes outlined in the BTS Constitution.

8.2 All committee chairs and liaisons shall be appointed by the Society President, subject to approval by the Society Administrative Committee.

9. Petition Signature Requirements

9.1 For each elective office of the Society, individual voting members eligible to vote in such election may nominate candidates either by a written petition or by majority vote at a nomination meeting of the organizational unit, provided such nominations are made at least 28 days before the date of election. The number of signatures required on a petition shall be determined in accordance with IEEE Bylaws as follows.  For all positions where the electorate is less than 30,000 voting members, signatures shall be required from 2% of the eligible voters.  For all positions where the electorate is more than 30,000 voting members, 600 signatures of eligible voters plus 1% of the difference between the number of eligible voters and 30,000 shall be required

9.2 Members shall be notified of all duly made nominations prior to the election.  Prior to submission of a nomination petition, the petitioner shall have determined that the nominee named in the petition is willing to serve, if elected; evidence of such willingness to serve shall be submitted with the petition.

9.3 The number of signatures required on a petition shall depend on the number of eligible society voters, as listed in the official IEEE membership records at the end of the year preceding the election.

9.4 Signatures can be submitted electronically through the official IEEE society annual election website, or by signing and mailing a paper petition.  The name of each member signing the paper petition shall be clearly printed or typed. For identification purposes of signatures on paper petitions, membership numbers or addresses as listed in the official IEEE membership records shall be included.  Only signatures submitted electronically through the IEEE society annual elections website or original signatures on paper petitions shall be accepted.  Facsimiles, or other copies of the original signature, shall not be accepted.  Only original signatures can be accepted on a paper petition.   Electronic signatures can only be submitted via the IEEE society annual elections website.  Faxes or other types of electronic signatures are not allowed).

9.5 Petition signature requirements shall be in accordance with IEEE Policies.

10. Technical, Advisory, and Coordinating Committees

Standing and or ad hoc Society committees may be established by the Society Administrative Committee as deemed relevant to the Society's special fields of interest.

11. Publications

The Society, through its Society Administrative Committee, shall publish IEEE Transactions on Broadcasting; and may publish newsletters and other publications related to the fields of interest of the Society.

12. Chapters

Chapters are Society sub-groups organized on a geographical basis. This subject is addressed fully in the IEEE Society Section of the Technical Activities Manual and in the Section Manual.

13. Awards Committee and Fellow Committee

13.1 The Awards Committee is responsible for all major awards and recognitions made or proposed by the Society. The Society Awards Committee will solicit recommendations and nominations from the Society administrative, technical, advisory, and coordinating committees, Society Chapters, and from Society membership through Society publications. The Committee will prepare recommendations and initiate appropriate actions in support of awards to Society Members. Committee members may not provide nominations or reference letters while in office. Committee members are ineligible to receive any award for which the Awards Committee is responsible while in office.  The Committee shall follow the policies outlined in the TAB Awards and Recognition Committee (TABARC) Operations Manual, and maintain contact with TABARC and the IEEE Awards Committee. 

13.2 The Society Awards Committee shall arrange for suitable awards for excellence of technical content or presentation of contributions published in Transactions on Broadcasting or presented at a Society conference.  The Committee shall follow the policies in accordance with the policies outlined in the TAB Awards and Recognition Committee (TABARC) Operations Manual.

13.3 The Society Fellow Committee is responsible for the Society's technical evaluation of Fellow nominations being considered by the IEEE Fellow Committee. The Chair and Committee members shall be IEEE Fellows and Members of the Society.  The composition and terms of the Committee members shall be as specified in the IEEE Fellow Committee Operations Manual. The Committee shall follow all policies outlined in the IEEE Fellow Committee Operations Manual, and maintain contact with the IEEE Fellow Committee.

14. Disbursements

Disbursements from Society funds credited to the Society after enactment of these Bylaws shall be on the authority of the Society Treasurer as directed by the Society Administrative Committee and in accordance with an approved budget and established procedures and policies of the IEEE. The Society Administrative Committee may authorize the Society Treasurer to disburse funds to defray legitimate expenses incurred by the Society Administrative Committee, the Society Executive Committee, and the Society technical, advisory and coordinating committees.

 

Travel Policy

*****Please note The IEEE Broadcast Technology Society has the following caps on travel

$1750.00 Domestic Travel

$2250.00 International Travel

All Expenses included Air, local travel, hotel and incidentals are to be ncluded in the caps mentioned above

No funds above these caps will be paid by the Society

To view the most recent IEEE Travel policy please click here

Link to 2024 pre-travel form

Strategic Plan

Broadcast Technology Society (BTS) Strategic Plan

Upcoming Adcom Meetings

2024- Subject to change

BTS AdCom date -Sunday, April 25, 2024, virtual

BTS AdCom date - September 20, 2024, In-person, IEEE Headquarters