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Journalist Aaron Glantz & KPFA

by Daniel Borgström
Can a professional journalist be asked to do research?

Aaron Glantz, a journalist who obviously prides himself on professionalism, posted an article about KPFA at Huffington Post, "Vote to Save Progressive Radio." It was an endorsement of the status quo faction, the CL/SaveKPFA slate, and consisted of little more than an uncritical regurgitation of talking points from that faction. The author seemed to have no first-hand knowledge of KPFA. So I wrote a comment, suggesting that he do some research.

That was on Sept 18, and the next day or so I noticed that my comment had been flagged as "abusive", which I thought strange. Then on the 21st I found that my comment had been taken down, and below my name was a two-line explanation which read:

<< Daniel Borgstrom Commented 1 week ago in Media
<< This comment was removed in accordance with HuffPost's moderation guidelines.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Daniel_Borgstrom/vote-to-save-progressive_b_721740_60850290.html

So I looked up the HuffPost's guidelines, but found nothing that I seemed to have overstepped. I wrote an email to the editor of HuffPost, asking why my comment was removed. Thus far, no response.

Below is my comment which was “removed in accordance with HuffPost's moderation guidelines”

*** *** ***
Daniel Borgstrom 02:32 AM on 9/18/2010

Dear Aaron Glantz

As a professional journalist, you might take a closer look at the people you're endorsing. Consider the Nadra Foster incident, or the $375,000 check that got left in the drawer. Those are symptoms of very UNPROFESSIONAL management.

Another symptom. Consider the board meeting on March 7th, when the former chair from the slate you're endorsing advanced on the new chair in a threatening manner, shouting at her, clearly an attempt at physical intimidation. There's an audio, and also a video.

Less than 2 hours later at that same meeting, another luminary from that same illustrious group tried to pick a fist fight. That too is on video.

I've been attending KPFA's LSB meetings as a listener-member for five years, and while the CL/saveKPFA's actions on that day went beyond their norm, what I typically have seen is serial filibustering, an endless use of parliamentary tactics to waste time and render the board dysfunctional.

The CL/saveKPFA people have a sorry record. But my real problem isn't just with their bad manners--it's that the CL/mgmt handling of station finances has brought KPFA to the brink of collapse.

Please, just go and ask a few questions. Then, see if you still care to endorse them.

Daniel Borgström
http://danielborgstrom.blogspot.com/2010/03/intimidation-between-minutes.html
http://danielborgstrom.blogspot.com/2010/08/siegel-youre-suing-me.html
*** *** ***

--- --- ---
The Aaron Glantz article referred to in the above comment, "Vote to Save Progressive Radio," is at the Huffington Post website, and also on Indybay.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aaron-glantz/vote-to-save-progressive_b_721740.html




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Tue, Sep 28, 2010 1:45AM
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