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KPFA and Pacifica: The Struggle Continues, or Democracy When?
AN APPEAL TO THE COMMUNITY: PLEASE STAY TUNED
Speak Out:
Saturday, July 24, 2004
11:00 AM
Berkeley Fellowship Hall
1924 Cedar (at Bonita), Berkeley
Local Station Board meeting
A call from:
Mike Alcalay (former KPFA reporter and programmer of Aids in Focus)
Lincoln Bergman (KPFA News Director 1969-71, longterm programmer through 1995)
Jeffrey Blankfort (co-founder, Take Back KPFA)
Riva Enteen (Chair, KPFA Local Station Board)
Maria Gilardin (co-founder, Take Back KPFA)
Bill Mandel (37-year programmer, fired for refusal to obey KPFA gag rule)
Henry Norr (KPFA news subcommittee, fired from the San Francisco Chronicle)
Joe Wanzala (former KPFA Local Advisory Board member)
Five years ago, in 1999, thousands of KPFA listeners and members joined a mass movement to take KPFA back from the corporate forces that almost destroyed the network and station. This was an event that had few parallels -- radio station listeners, in the streets, refusing to be a passive audience, demanding that the station serve the community. In the end, a victorious legal settlement was reached with listeners winning the right to elect local station boards and a national board. But the struggle for democracy within Pacifica and KPFA had only just begun.
Nearly every local station board, including the KPFA board, has been divided, with intense struggles over agendas, minutes, meeting times and rules, that have so far prevented the hard business of improving our programming and bringing the community back into community radio. While some delay and debate is to be expected as democracy rises, and are certainly no strangers to Pacifica culture, the stakes we all marched for are far too important to be whittled away. Particularly in the post-9/11 period, KPFA is a target for those who fear "free speech radio," and who seek to silence the "voice of the voiceless."
There are still programmers who were banned and fired during the previous period who have not yet been welcomed back into the KPFA and Pacifica community.
There are still some managers and staff in positions of influence who operated for so long in the old context that many of their assumptions about politics and radio have been shaped by it. Sometimes the clash between old and new has resulted in acrimonious and personal attacks that far exceed basic workplace civility. At the same time, there are many change-oriented programmers and staff who are open to innovation, yet discouraged by the current logjam.
The station is now searching for a permanent station manager. A good choice can be a major step forward. Yet the larger KPFA community has not yet been invited to be part of this process, and needs to be. There has also not been a Program Manager for some years.
The meetings of the existing Program Council have been suspended for some time. How then is it possible for program change to happen? How can comments be heard? The News department has often been criticized on major issues, especially for political slants that derive, at least in part, from reading directly off the news wire. Recent examples include Haiti and the Middle East. There are also issues related to news selection, order, emphasis, and listen-ability. Is there any forum for these issues to be raised? There needs to be.
These are only a few of the many issues confronting KPFA in this new era of hoped-for greater community involvement and democratic change. KPFA and the Pacifica network are vital to the movement for freedom and justice. It is the community of listeners and members, united with the many community-oriented staff members, who can make change happen. Please stay tuned and -- even better -- join with us to help move our station forward.
Thanks for your support!
(Friday, July 23, 2004)
Saturday, July 24, 2004
11:00 AM
Berkeley Fellowship Hall
1924 Cedar (at Bonita), Berkeley
Local Station Board meeting
A call from:
Mike Alcalay (former KPFA reporter and programmer of Aids in Focus)
Lincoln Bergman (KPFA News Director 1969-71, longterm programmer through 1995)
Jeffrey Blankfort (co-founder, Take Back KPFA)
Riva Enteen (Chair, KPFA Local Station Board)
Maria Gilardin (co-founder, Take Back KPFA)
Bill Mandel (37-year programmer, fired for refusal to obey KPFA gag rule)
Henry Norr (KPFA news subcommittee, fired from the San Francisco Chronicle)
Joe Wanzala (former KPFA Local Advisory Board member)
Five years ago, in 1999, thousands of KPFA listeners and members joined a mass movement to take KPFA back from the corporate forces that almost destroyed the network and station. This was an event that had few parallels -- radio station listeners, in the streets, refusing to be a passive audience, demanding that the station serve the community. In the end, a victorious legal settlement was reached with listeners winning the right to elect local station boards and a national board. But the struggle for democracy within Pacifica and KPFA had only just begun.
Nearly every local station board, including the KPFA board, has been divided, with intense struggles over agendas, minutes, meeting times and rules, that have so far prevented the hard business of improving our programming and bringing the community back into community radio. While some delay and debate is to be expected as democracy rises, and are certainly no strangers to Pacifica culture, the stakes we all marched for are far too important to be whittled away. Particularly in the post-9/11 period, KPFA is a target for those who fear "free speech radio," and who seek to silence the "voice of the voiceless."
There are still programmers who were banned and fired during the previous period who have not yet been welcomed back into the KPFA and Pacifica community.
There are still some managers and staff in positions of influence who operated for so long in the old context that many of their assumptions about politics and radio have been shaped by it. Sometimes the clash between old and new has resulted in acrimonious and personal attacks that far exceed basic workplace civility. At the same time, there are many change-oriented programmers and staff who are open to innovation, yet discouraged by the current logjam.
The station is now searching for a permanent station manager. A good choice can be a major step forward. Yet the larger KPFA community has not yet been invited to be part of this process, and needs to be. There has also not been a Program Manager for some years.
The meetings of the existing Program Council have been suspended for some time. How then is it possible for program change to happen? How can comments be heard? The News department has often been criticized on major issues, especially for political slants that derive, at least in part, from reading directly off the news wire. Recent examples include Haiti and the Middle East. There are also issues related to news selection, order, emphasis, and listen-ability. Is there any forum for these issues to be raised? There needs to be.
These are only a few of the many issues confronting KPFA in this new era of hoped-for greater community involvement and democratic change. KPFA and the Pacifica network are vital to the movement for freedom and justice. It is the community of listeners and members, united with the many community-oriented staff members, who can make change happen. Please stay tuned and -- even better -- join with us to help move our station forward.
Thanks for your support!
(Friday, July 23, 2004)
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Dear KPFA protectors -- What can we do ?-- is it important to attend the LSB meeting tomorrow? I wish I had contact info for one of you.
The only thing I have heard coming from this new local area board is a strange plan to move Democracy Now to one hearing only at 7 a.m., and move the Morning Show, with its excellent local news, labor program and Poor News Network, to the 8 to 10 a.m. slot when most people are on their way to work and if they do not have a radio with them, cannot hear.
That leaves 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. free.
If this strange plan goes through, then please move Guns & Butter from 2 p.m. on Wednesdays to 6 a.m. every weekday, Monday through Friday. I am sure Ralph Schoenman and Mya Shone, and the others on this program can come up with 5 hours of material every week. Their exposes of the 9/11 Hoax, their condemnation, with lots of documentation, of the Democratic Party being just as evil as the Republicans, and their promotion of socialism are all sorely need at KPFA and they need to be heard during the prime AM hours of 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. or prime evening hours of 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. or the prime weekend hours of 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The biggest weakness at KPFA is the support of the Democrats by too many people reporting and commenting on the news. The Palestinian issue alone should have cured them of that stupidity, but apparently they are slow learners. There needs to be lots more promotion of the socialist candidates and socialist ideas, and lots more condemnation of the Democrat-Republicans.
As to the culture programs, we need far more classical music than the Sunday morning classical music show from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. I suggest KPFA take a survey of the kind of music its subscribers listen to. I am sure classical music is a big favorite of a large percentage of the subscribers, but we certainly do not hear it on KPFA. Probably the most neglected area of music on the 2 classical music stations in this area is choral music. KPFA could certainly fill the gap, and have all other kinds of classical music. Remember, the San Francisco Opera is one of the 3 best opera companies in the US, the others being the Chicago and New York Opera companies. Such strength can only come from strong and broad audience support, and you can be sure there are lots of KPFA listeners who love opera.
It is time KPFA turn left and stay there. That means socialists and socialist candidates need to be heard frequently on KPFA. I also enjoy hearing Ralph Nader and Pete Camejo, especially Pete Camejo. Since Camejo is a local resident, we should hear a lot more from him. All of the Peace & Freedom Party candidates should be heard regularly on KPFA. Marsha Feinland, a Berkeley resident, is running on the P&F ticket for US Senate against Barbara Boxer, yet we hear nothing of this on KPFA.
That leaves 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. free.
If this strange plan goes through, then please move Guns & Butter from 2 p.m. on Wednesdays to 6 a.m. every weekday, Monday through Friday. I am sure Ralph Schoenman and Mya Shone, and the others on this program can come up with 5 hours of material every week. Their exposes of the 9/11 Hoax, their condemnation, with lots of documentation, of the Democratic Party being just as evil as the Republicans, and their promotion of socialism are all sorely need at KPFA and they need to be heard during the prime AM hours of 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. or prime evening hours of 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. or the prime weekend hours of 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The biggest weakness at KPFA is the support of the Democrats by too many people reporting and commenting on the news. The Palestinian issue alone should have cured them of that stupidity, but apparently they are slow learners. There needs to be lots more promotion of the socialist candidates and socialist ideas, and lots more condemnation of the Democrat-Republicans.
As to the culture programs, we need far more classical music than the Sunday morning classical music show from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. I suggest KPFA take a survey of the kind of music its subscribers listen to. I am sure classical music is a big favorite of a large percentage of the subscribers, but we certainly do not hear it on KPFA. Probably the most neglected area of music on the 2 classical music stations in this area is choral music. KPFA could certainly fill the gap, and have all other kinds of classical music. Remember, the San Francisco Opera is one of the 3 best opera companies in the US, the others being the Chicago and New York Opera companies. Such strength can only come from strong and broad audience support, and you can be sure there are lots of KPFA listeners who love opera.
It is time KPFA turn left and stay there. That means socialists and socialist candidates need to be heard frequently on KPFA. I also enjoy hearing Ralph Nader and Pete Camejo, especially Pete Camejo. Since Camejo is a local resident, we should hear a lot more from him. All of the Peace & Freedom Party candidates should be heard regularly on KPFA. Marsha Feinland, a Berkeley resident, is running on the P&F ticket for US Senate against Barbara Boxer, yet we hear nothing of this on KPFA.
Mara, and everyone else, by all means come to the LSB meeting Saturday morning. It is very important to show support for real reform at KPFA and Pacifica.
Whether people want more Guns & Butter, or more classical music, we must find a way to put more of the community back into community radio.
Whether people want more Guns & Butter, or more classical music, we must find a way to put more of the community back into community radio.
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