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Member Information PolicyMember Information Policy

Membership is KQED’s single most important source of support, and KQED’s relationship with its members is the highest expression of our commitment to KQED’s mission of providing consistently high quality, non-commercial programming and services to the people of Northern California and beyond.

With due respect for our members’ right of privacy, KQED has established the following policy and practices for use of information about our members in order to ensure KQED’s active control in safeguarding against any unauthorized use.

Definition. As used in this Policy, “Member Information” means a KQED member’s (or former member’s) name, address, email address, phone number, and membership transaction history. This definition expressly excludes credit card numbers or bank account numbers of a member. KQED will only share credit card numbers or bank account numbers with its third-party payment processors as necessary to process member transactions. This definition also expressly excludes the types of information gathered by tracking the internet behavior of users of KQED’s digital platforms through methods such as beacon tracking, IP addresses, cookies, etc. Details about how KQED collects and uses such information is detailed in the KQED.org Privacy Policy.

General Restrictions. KQED will not sell, rent, transfer, provide or exchange its Member Information with any political party, political committee, candidate for political office, or political lobbying organization.

Use of the Member Information by KQED. KQED regularly contacts its members and former members to carry out KQED’s necessary and normal operations. These operations include mailings of such items as: membership publications, membership renewal notices, special requests for contributions, and information regarding member benefits. On a more occasional basis, KQED also communicates with its members and former members by phone, text, or email regarding such matters as membership renewal and programming of special interest to their needs. All such member communications are conducted either directly by KQED or through a third party, such as a direct marketing firm, acting on behalf of KQED.

Use of the Member Information by Other Organizations. KQED does not sell its list of Members to other organizations. However, in order to assist in its membership and fundraising efforts, KQED periodically rents and/or exchanges the names and addresses of its members and former members (the “Membership List”) with other organizations, using a process which does not permit the other organization to review or retain a copy of any Member Information.

Rental and/or exchange of the Membership List allows KQED to expand its membership base by obtaining the names and addresses of other likely donors, and provides a valuable source of additional funding. The following rules apply to all rentals and exchanges of the Membership List:

  • Pre-approval. Each proposed use must be approved in advance in a writing signed by a designated KQED senior In addition, any proposed rental or exchange to a for-profit organization shall be in connection with a benefit to KQED or its members and shall require the prior written approval of KQED’s Chief Executive Officer and the General Counsel.
  • One-time only basis. Each use will be on a one-time only basis using a process (such as administration by a list broker or employment of a third-party mailing house) which does not permit the organization to review or retain a copy of the Membership List;
  • Mailing Information Only. Each use will consist of names and addresses only (no phone numbers or other contact information will be provided), and
  • KQED will specifically limit the grant of rights to receivers of the list to a one-time use for purposes of one mailing, with the affirmative requirement that the receivers then destroy or return the list. Our list rental/exchange program is administered by a list broker or third party mailing house, which has a contractual obligation to obtain KQED’s approval for any rental/exchange, and to require each recipient to enter into a confidentiality agreement as well as to agree to the one-time use/return or destroy obligation.

Cooperative Databases. A “Cooperative Database” is a service that aggregates information from various sources (i.e., KQED and other organizations) and uses that information to create products and services that may be useful to all the organizations that have also contributed information to the service. We believe that receiving the outputs of the Cooperative Databases benefits KQED. In addition to helping KQED identify potential new members, subscribing to such databases helps KQED tailor its outreach to existing members.

KQED may make Member Information available to Cooperative Databases as set forth herein:

  • Only organizations that contribute information to the Cooperative Database may use products and services that utilize variables constructed from the information submitted by other organizations.
  • Organizations participating in the Cooperative Database may receive modeled data, but shall not receive information designated as specific to KQED (or any other organization), and they are not permitted to share that modeled data with any third parties.

Board Review. Each year, KQED management will provide the Executive Committee of the Board with a list of all organizations that have used the Membership List during the preceding twelve months, and any Cooperative Database services with whom KQED has shared Member Information.

Member Preferences. KQED members may opt out of any of the foregoing communications and information sharing practices. Members may contact KQED’s Membership Department at any time by phone at 415-553-2150,  or by contacting Member Services submitting an online form to request one or more of the following opt-out designations:

  • Members may request a “no rental or exchange” designation to have their names withheld from any membership list rented by or exchanged with other organizations
  • Members may request a “no KQED Membership contact” designation to opt out of membership mailings, phone calls, or texts (other than membership renewal notices).
  • Members may request a “no third party information sharing” designation to opt out of having KQED share their information with cooperative databases.

KQED also periodically carries a notice inviting members to update their communication preferences in its membership publication, and on kqed.org. Members may change these preferences at any time.

Other Requests for Member Information. There may be circumstances under which KQED may be required by law or by judicial process to make Membership Information available to others. It is the policy of KQED to oppose delivery of the Membership Information, in whole or in part, to the fullest extent allowable by law.

KQED’s management may update this policy from time to time in order to comply with changes in applicable laws and regulations.

Amended – February 13, 2020