Who Wants to Dismantle Community Representation at KPFA?

Who Wants to Dismantle Listener Representation at KPFA,
our developing democracy and transparency?

by Richard Phelps Friday, Sept. 30, 2005

A printed copy of this e-mail was found at KPFA,
from Local Station Board staff representative Brian Edwards-Tiekert,
to other LSB members,mostly staff reps.
( Only the email addresses have been removed for confidentiality,
and descriptions of the role of recipients added in brackets.)
It makes it clear that the writer Brian Edwards-Tiekert will use or lose
democratic process as needed to control KPFA.
Bonnie S., Lisa R., and Sherry G. with Brian are 4 of the 5 LSB members
that voted to fire the GM. The others were part of the failed campaign to
fire the GM, which the LSB rejected 15 to 5, voting outside of their usual
factional lines, which usually favor the mostly paid staff positions.

The email follows this article
In it Edwards-Tiekert says:

"....we need a general strategy session.....issues include:
....Strategic retreat on the LSB--how do we make our enemies own the
problems that are to come?
Alternatively, should we be recalling LSB members/dismantling the LSB?"

This is a truly shocking action for an LSB member to be contemplating.

KPFA listeners/subscribers and progressive staff have worked for years to develop a democratic process with financial and governance transparency.

We defeated the corporate hijackers who planned to sell some stations and take the "community" out of Pacifica (our parent body). With that victory came new bylaws, which included elected representative governance, (Local Station Boards) composed of listeners and staff) and a transparent governance model.

Prior to the democratic bylaws, hiring, firing, and the award of airtime was done behind closed doors with a system of patronage and cronyism.......Clearly _what you knew_ didn't matter as much as _who you were in with_.

Those that gained under the old system are loath to give up their privilege to a transparent democratic process, despite the fact that this is what many of them advocated on the air for others. During the last election, instead of encouraging others to vote, the entrenched and their allies bad mouthed the election. .....

We at PeoplesRadio.net believe that the only way to protect and improve KPFA and keep it true to its Mission, while expanding our audience, is through supporting and developing democratic governance and full transparency. It is taking some work, but don't throw out the baby with the bathwater! Anything else is hypocrisy for a progressive community radio station. We must practice what we preach.



WHAT YOU CAN DO
Attend the Peoples Radio Forum on Thursday October 20th 7 pm
See the separate announcement -
Edwards-Tiekert will be invited to discuss this issue, among other topics.
Thursday 10/20 7pm
at 390 27th Street, Oakland

*Come to the next LSB meeting on October 22nd & let Brian & his
anti-democracy allies know that you won't let them DISMANTLE DEMOCRACY at KPFA.
Saturday 10/22 11am
at Freight & Salvage, 1111 Addison (near San Pablo & University),
Berkeley

Go to http://kpfa.org/lsb for more information


>>>>>>the email>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

From:"Brian Edwards-Tiekert"

To: "Lemlem Tekle" [Lemlem Rijio, Development Director]
Bonnie Simmons [unpaid staff, Staff LSB Rep]
Lisa Rothman [Morning Show Producer, Staff LSB rep]
CC: Sasha Lilley [Against the Grain co-producer]
"Lemlem Tekle"
( . . . . . . . . . . . ?)
Amelia Gonzalez-Garcia [Drama & Literature/Public Affairs Director]
Rain Geesler [Apprenticeship Director]
Sherry Gendelman [Listener LSB Rep]
Gary Niederhoff [Subscriptions Director]

Subject:Re: budget
Date:Thu, 1 Sep 2005 20:58:28 -0700

I'm up for coffee Saturday—Lisa and I can still meet Tuesday afternoon.
Also, we need a general strategy session. How about Tuesday night?

Issues include:

How should we be handling the expiration of the union contract—is a strike
in order, or is it a really terrible idea?

What's the best way to deal with these layoffs?

Coming up with, and presenting, an alternative budget.

Getting the Roy issue to the national board.

Propping up staff morale.

Strategic retreat on the LSB—how do we make our enemies own the problems
that are to come? Alternatively, should we be recalling LSB
members/dismantling the LSB?

Dealing with the grievances underway.
Building community support—formation of a labor-community coalition.



--
Brian Edwards-Tiekert
Staff Representative, Local Station Board
KPFA 94.1FM
1929 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley CA 94704

> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Note that Brian raises a question about having a strike, but has no
qualms about "dismantling the LSB".