Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Thoughtful Resolutions that did Not Pass at KPFK LSBs...



Resolutions proposed but these failed at 2005 LSB meeting] These are being posted here again in the hopes that reconsideration of what may be helpful suggestions written by the KPFK LSB parlimentarian are utilized....instead of ignored and discarded...to reinvent every wheel and every helpful plan is so foolish !

 

RESOLUTION TO SIMPLIFY MEMBER EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS – 


by Terry Goodman

SUMMARY:
   

This resolution establishes a single permanent email address for the KPFK Local Station Board to which general members may send message and from which individual LSB Members and Officers may remove themselves. No existing addresses are currently working in the manner described. In preserving access from general members, access from non-members and from spamming robots may occur.

RESOLUTION:  

Whereas, No mechanism for general member access to the Members and Officers of the KPFK Local Station Board via electronic mail has been previously approved by this LSB, and

Whereas, Existing email aliases may be reserved by station management and configured for other uses, and

Whereas, Some LSB Members may wish their email addresses to remain private (and all LSB Member email addreses are therefore considered private for the purposes of this resolution), and

Whereas, The private email addresses on an email alias list remain private to list members unless a receipient replies,

Resolved, That the KPFK General Manager is directed to implement the addition of an email alias on the kpfk.org mail server to be named lsb @ kpfk.org [spaces inserted for Yahoo! Group display -TLG]; that the private email addresses of all current Local Station Board Members and Officers are to be initially added to this distribution list; that the purpose of this email alias is to simplify communication to LSB Members and Officers from the general members of the Foundation; that this email alias shall appear as an LSB email contact address on appropriate pages of the KPFK website except where a different email address for a special purpose is authorized by the LSB or the LSB Chair; that messages from Foundation members shall be accepted and distributed to the addressees on the list; and that an LSB Member's or Officer's private email address shall be removed from or corrected on the list upon that individual's request.

Further Resolved, That the private email addresses of new LSB Members and Officers shall be added to the lsb @ kpfk.org alias list, and those of departing Members and Officers shall be removed, upon notification to the General Manager by the LSB Secretary or Chair; and that any added email addresses shall be removed from or corrected on the list upon the corresponding individual's request.

And Resolved, That nothing in this resolution shall prevent KPFK
management or its authorized contractors and service providers from implementing anti-virus or anti-spam email filtering or authentication deemed necessary for the proper security and protection of computer resources in the kpfk.org domain or the equal security and  protection of LSB Member's and Officer's personal computers and email accounts, but that any such filtering or authentication shall not unreasonably impede the ability of Foundation members to contact the participating KPFK LSB Members and Officers by email via the lsb @ kpfk.org alias.

Ref:
groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/kpfklsb/conversations/messages/2559
================


[and another of the failed resolutions proposed by Terry Goodman here reposted:]

The following is a resolution on the forming of a Member Issues
Committee from my post of
March 26, 2004 (fourteen months ago) titled "Draft Resolutions on Committee Formation," available online at

  groups.yahoo.com/group/kpfklsb/message/308

As the text of section "a" suggests, Donna Warren had already brought the issue of premium fulfillment to the LSB's attention before we formed our first standing committees. Her comments and post on this issue were, in fact, my initial inspiration for this committee proposal.

I would like to propose this resolution at the next LSB meeting for immediate referral to the Structure/Governance Committee for
completion, to include the number and manner of selection of the
initial committee members, the method of appointment of
listener-sponsor members, and such other revisions or amendments as the Structure/Governance committee feels necessary or appropriate.

I will point out that all listener member committee applicants who are not selected for membership on an existing committee would likely be excellent candidates for this committee, which could serve as a listeners' watchdog over governance (including governance's management oversight responsibility) and as a general advocate for listener
concerns.

This is the committee from which a recommendation for a paid or unpaid staff position as listener advocate or station ombudsperson would come, if research and increasing committee workload indicated that this approach had merit (I believe that it does).

This is the committee through which listeners could petition for the placing of special items on the LSB agenda.

This is the committee that could digest and report on email, list mail, voice mail, and postal mail submitted by listeners as advice to governance through addresses and mechanisms established for this purpose, per the committee's anticipated recommendations.

This is the committee to which the LSB could refer the issue of a special rule regarding the placement of public comment segments at LSB meetings, whether these should appear relative to specific types of agenda items or at times certain, and whether and/or which items of business should automatically be tabled until after public comment before the motion is put to a vote.

This is the committee to which the LSB could refer such issues as weekend versus weekday governance meetings, wandering versus permanent meeting locations, and the desirability of web-streaming meetings, so as to get direct listener input on these questions.

This is the committee that could coordinate a quarterly "Report from the Listeners" broadcast, accompanying their section "c" quarterly report to the LSB.

If there is LSB concern that the mandate of this committee seems too broad and unlimited, that concern would be best addressed to the members of the Structure/Governance committee after referral for appropriate consideration within their deliberations, rather than prematurely articulated at an LSB meeting or improperly argued on an internet list in the presence of a quorum.
= = = = = = =
 [and another ] re:   MEMBER ISSUES COMMITTEE

RESOLVED, That a standing advisory committee shall be established to be named the Member Issues Committee, and that the duties of this committee shall include:

a) to identify the responsibilities of the LSB and the station with respect to the local membership, including openness, accountability, notice, records maintenance, privacy, and premium fulfillment.

b) to monitor station and LSB compliance with and fulfillment of
their various responsibilities to the local membership.

c) to report to the LSB quarterly on incidents of failure and the status of pending membership-related complaints within this radio station area.

d) to work with the LSB and the General Manager in finding ways to improve compliance and fulfillment.

e) to review public comment received by the LSB in meetings or by other means and to refer such comments to appropriate committees or suggest items for the LSB agenda.

f) to perform other such related tasks as the LSB may assign and to report and recommend to the LSB as circumstances require.

Ref: 

groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/kpfklsb/conversations/messages/2516

 Anyone reading the above who wants to take ACTION and put another request or resolution to the KPFK station management/ LSB/ or any other ways to help make this information an actuality can copy and use this information. 

Also - Please let us know what you are doing - do something POSITIVE ! and tell us all  where, and when or how. 
Let us all work Together, finally !









Open Letter to KPFK LSB chairperson here:


 *    an OPEN LETTER -  WRITTEN TO  KPFK - LSB CHAIRWOMAN:

on January 20, 2014 emailed to only address  that is available on KPFK website for any LSB person: to
lsbchair@kpfk.org  and with  CC: General Manager &  Program Director            

re:  LSB sharing written GM report [ which GM said he delivers to LSB meetings, but which have not been distributed/ revealed to the public-members present until Jan 2014 LSB meeting...where 1 LSB member shared it with this writer ....] plus more.


Dear Chairwoman :



Please feel free to share this email with all LSB members as well as noting my points and responding as best you can  and soon. Note that my prior to last email I mentioned to you that was not answered was never answered after all.... and the next one about GM reports sent to both you and GM was briefly responded by him but not by you . We can now let the old  one go, but do  not continuously miss or not reply to my concerns,  please. 

 

As often I have concerns about how the LSB meetings act and what is not done well. My recent email to you and the GM stated 2 points:



1. the lack of other LSB members being accessible to stakeholders

2. the surprise written Report from the GM to the LSB members that was handed out Jan 11 meeting.

I still await your response.



The GM did reply that he has been continually made this written reports every month.



Yet even when I had openly public-commented before that I could not always understand his verbal oral report at the LSB meeting, not one person at LSB ever stated that a written report was available or that they had one to refer to…that the public, as in KPFK payers are public members, did NOT have or know the existence of either.



Does this mean that only the LSB members are allowed to have revealed the GM’s report and information therein ?       Does this mean that it is not printed with enough copies to share with the dedicated public payers who attend LSB  meetings regularly and are vitally interested and involved but then excluded from this information?   



The Public Members who come to LSB members meetings  - and who have no Power or say -  nor access to secreted information -  and  who have nothing they can contribute [besides work/money and attend LSB meetings  with their own personal time and effort …have then the  90-sec timed public comments =  that are then ignored as no LSB member speaks to what was publicly asked or stated ] …. 

and all because they ‘outsiders’  were not selected or elected ….and thus are Not Represented by any designated individual on the LSB – don’t have an LSB person that communicates with them. 



So  how can the public  then trust anyone there ?    Note that most organizational  bodies have elections with known &  accessible representatives  and  that actually do represent the views, opinions of their constituents and give responses to their constituents [ not just a tiny group that voted for them only ].  KPFK’s  LSB does not.



After having voiced this problem of not having or knowing who if anyone represents me, personally, at more than 1 LSB meetings, a few LSB members have then given me their own email addresses on a slip of torn off paper. However, that was only a few.  

And as some members saw a few others do it,  only then did  they conform too, but most did not.   And I also noticed that the other public members were Not given that same access to those self-selected LSB members.      



How does this work effectively? Are the LSB members not suppose to represent all of us, each and any of us, and how is this suppose to  happen?   Do the bylaws give us information about the duties of LSB members to their public members?   Or is this a neglected, ignored area that is ‘too much trouble’ or have other excuses for why it is and “cannot be done”…the usual refrain.



Please help us all understand what has been happening and how it will be changed & improved from this moment forward, to provide written materials, reports to Everyone Involved & present -  not just the special  ‘elected’ LSB or staff or programmers  - as the Only exclusive Ones  allowed to know what is going on, at least from the monthly GM report. And whatever else we, the public, do not know you have that we don’t and don’t know so can’t ask for it.



I am choosing to repeat here my public comments at the Jan 11,2014 LSB meeting because I am dismayed and disappointed at how there was NO REPLY OR RESPONSE to my repeated questions there and then :



I asked twice,  sincerely, loudly, and with a genuine needing-to-know what was occurring at Our Radio Station - just as many KPFK staff, programmers, and more public members than I recall having seen before attended the meeting . They  spoke to problems that were Never Revealed openly or directly !    Tho I asked for clarification, for information, for openness and transparency, none was given.



I had even asked 2-3 LSB members prior to meeting what they knew about changes, difficulties at the radio station,  and the response was they did not know, whether that was accurate or not. 



NO ONE TOLD THOSE WHO DID NOT ALREADY KNOW what is going on that affects us all - all who contribute, work and help KPFK sustain and maintain itself as an non-profit entity.    [At the very end after most people had gone and left the meeting room,  1 single person did share only with me,  a bit of confusing information  - not with other people there who also did not-know-what-is-going-on. 

And I was surprised and glad to note that at least 1 Person Only had the decency to respond -  and did not continue to ignore my pleas and requests for whatever could-be or dare-be-stated aloud  - about the changes currently or just past was happening at KPFK]. 



I have no idea who knows what or why the secrecy is held or required and if at least the explanation for a reasonable reason was given as to why any information at all was totally “confidential” that would be partially acceptable. That was not done ! Silence, and ignoring my pleas and request was all I had from all the others in that crowded room for 5 hours.



I am still left with confusion and wondering also WHY THE SECRECY AND OPAQUENESS to the statioin’s  operations is required/ necessary/ or if a gag-order has been placed or why KPFK acts like the much criticized US govt ‘s NSA  and  CIA and FBI  and Congress and USA president... et all do.   

The free-speech radio  that continually CLAIMS to be ‘transparent’ and that uses the on-air-brand repeatedly  to make claims it is ‘open’ and part of a ‘community’. It is NOT.  So I don’t think these repeated KPFK PR promos are real and thus it makes the hypocrisy magnified and objectionable even more.



I assume you, as LSB chair, have some control and ability to assist the more reluctant or scared LSB members to do their duty of REPRESENTING the public, and not just holding to their own benefit such information that is relevant and newsworthy. To be secretive – even if  out of shame or fear-of-criticism only makes the reputations of KPFK and LSB  much worse. 

To withhold and deny knowledge, or to lie by avoidance, and act just like the USA governmental actors that are continually maligned on air [criticized and called “they” as “bad” ones ] is to  demean  KPFK - and make a lie of what is on it’s airwaves is more shameful.



I am posting this elsewhere, as well,  as an OPEN LETTER TO LSB CHAIR,  to reveal what I write, tho it may be long and repetitive to your ears and any LSB who do listen to the public comments. As I have said this more than 2x to no avail, I thus will continue to confront and request that there be what is promised. On-air and by all implications made by KPFK in it’s entirety. 

The bylaws are not all that can be used to refer to or by-pass what may be also more transparent operational requirements of this radio station also.



I await your reply, as I presume your position as Chair puts you in charge of taking all requests, complaints and organizing the LSB workings. As only your email is linked/ listed on KPFK website w/o your name on it.   Or is it otherwise ?  Are other LSB members delegated or assigned to also respond to public requests, suggestions, comments and even complaints ?  [not about programs only since programmers do NOT respond to any emails from that site the receptionist forwards emails either.   

I am not spending more hours to research every question myself, and so I assume it is fair and correct to ask you or whomever you delegate this function to do the courteous, considerate act,  to reply to all queries and questions.

* the LSB chairwoman replied and requested that her answer also be posted wherever this OPEN LETTER was being revealed. It is here below: 


Thank you for taking the time to reach out and express your concerns regarding the  LSB at KPFK.  You are free to email the KPFK board directly  ...this time, per your request, I am forwarding it to the LSB.           

You might post my response out of fairness wherever you have posted, emailed or blogged your letter to the Chair as stated.  I would first like to address your accusations that I have not responded to your emails.  Your first email you asked if I was Tej, and I replied yes.  The second email, you copied [another person's name excluded here ] and he replied all, informing you that Mr. Duncan was no longer the GM, so there was no need to send you the same information twice. I am responding to this email.


Please note that there were a few un-quorumed meetings in 2013, so our LSB business agenda became very tight when we did have quorum.  At the meeting at KRYST Unity center where there was no quorum, we spent 3 hours just convening listening to the listeners, but you weren't there.


The PNB 2013 directors have spent an aggressive amount of time in closed session, so I do not even know until I get a report back from a PNB director, which I only heard from 2 out of 4 directors at committee meetings and rarely from a third during PNB director report during LSB agenda item.  I can not answer for the board why they have not answered your question.


You are invited to join committees/task force/advisory boards (Governance, Finance, Outreach, Town Hall Task Force, Community Advisory Board, etc.) where you can get a broader spectrum of understanding.


There is a lot of Closed Sessions that have taken place in 2013 at various levels of governance, and with the change of management, many of us are wondering what is happening as well.  I am sorry you are upset your questions are not answered to your liking, many of us on the board are left in the dark about all of these abrupt changes taking place.


Thank you for all your support, comments, concerns and suggestions.  
[by]  Tej Grewall Chair, KPFK LSB

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -


** Note that there were LSB meetings when members did not attend so that the quorum was not met... and those who did attend were the responsible ones while the absent-others' had excuses that were then accepted by the whole LSB body. But those refusing to attend those meetings  also were not fulfilling their accepted duties which include meeting 1x/ every month. 

Note that the confusion that this blog/ writer repeatedly attempts to clarify or research about operations/ changes at KPFK seems to be also in those noted by  [this LSB chairwoman too] - so also those who are closer into the hallowed halls of the KPFK radio station. That we all pay for and fund  Our Pacifica Radio Station with our hard-won-earnings, and then we are kept in the dark and NOT INFORMED of important changes occurring - those that affect us and our investments in Our Station. 

The continual demand to be responded to when emailing any KPFK resource has been a hit and miss affair, mostly a wild miss....as so few [notably the latest GM Duncan who would briefly reply only to what he chose to answer, but reply he did ...which no other prior GM did before his tenure] do on rare occasion respond. 

While most staff, management, programmers and even LSB members mostly do not. Not answer. And maybe don't care.   This LSB chairwoman did respond [after the 3rd request, requests done orally and in email] and so the explanation given above still does not answer the questions originally asked that were NOT answered by others either. 

One question that remains unspoken or unwritten is that if the GM replied that he gave a written report to LSB members every month, why those reports were not mentioned as available nor made with copies to all/any public members - those who diligently attended the LSB meetings and yet were left ignorant - or only could listen to the [rapid-speech, sometimes mumbled, focused into the 'inner circle' of LSB seated members, and  sometimes not intelligible ] oral reports. 

To then suggest that public members pursue any information further  - with more work/time/efforts to find out what information they 'missed' as they are not being part of the exclusive selected LSB group  - is another demeaning response or a put-off and evasion. Yet such suggestions are easily made. Surprisingly.

It is common custom and so assumed that Each Person asked a question in common courtesy and taking their own responsibility will answer in some form or other, however brief. Even if it is an acknowledgement of having received the request or a reason why they do not know or cannot reveal information. Secrecy continues. Yet when they neglect these duties, some of us refuse to allow this denial and exclusion to just pass as if we were not owed a real accurate response. So, the repeated concern about the silence and evasions of questions asked many times more than 1x above. 
whatever.... 

All any of us can do is try and ask and persist  - and then note and share whatever we obtain to all others  - the futility of our many efforts, or rarely the information that may even in ltd ways be shared.   We too need not hoard information to remain in the elite groups of those 'in the know' but act as if we believed and  can activate the stated KPFK claimed purposes  of "free and open speech" and information - available to all, not just 'the few'. 

(c) al 2014 

Thursday, January 16, 2014

More+other resources re KPFk funding and money topics:



For Your further education, elucidation and to be more transparent in the SHARING of what is occuring at Our KPFK radio station, select what you want to know more about and share back what else you dis-cover too please.
here goes: 



has  articles re KPFK  Pacifica here


Jun 19, 2013 ... CPB has withheld financial support for the Pacifica Foundation's five .... Hard Knock Radio, Flashpoints, and there are likely shows at KPFK like ... www.current.org/.../pacifica-misses-cpb-deadlines-holding-up-funding-for- stations/


“…In Los Angeles, Pacifica’s KPFK could face legal action from a company it used for its local elections, said Brenda Medina, a national board member representing the station. The company is awaiting overdue payments.


                      and   OTHER   INFORMATIONAL   RESOURCES:


www.current.org/2013/11/with-board-appointment-pacificas-executive-director-drops-interim-from-title/


 then look for this part : 2012/08/05/rough-notes-towards-the-end-of-pacifica-radio-and-the-start-of-something-new/#more-16768   
  
This is from Aug 2012- and some people want to dismantle Pacifica and start what a new  what ???? the author also wrote a  book that might be interesting and we might read the comments on this article, that are also informative and interesting. tho this article is mostly about KPFA, some comments are still relevant.         
The author wrote a book – see here : [tho now unavailable, it is printed on demand, or find it used elsewhere ? check it out if a copy can be found to share with others as well.]    
see:  uneasy listening” by Michael Lazar  2006 re Pacifica
 




KPFK's  new [in winter 2013] WEBSITE does list a link to LSB committees here:

if we hover it might link it tho the process seems slow…
but visible is only as email for chairperson :    lsbchair@kpfk.org  

Beware:  when we click on the LSB 2014 roster link sometimes we've only gotten the  503 error page, same  for 2014 CAB member roster  only rec'd the same 503 error.[ we tried 5x ] but then on 6th try, we accessed the page.  


www.kpfk.org/index.php/kpfkcontactslocation      is for the official contact list into KPFK bowels of staff, some named, others are not. Transience may be a problem there and the webmaster has not kept web page up to date in the past, maybe it will be different on another day ?


to find the “ LSB ROSTER”  which means list of Local Station Board  “members” ....tho not everyone  may assume the word they prefer [“roster” ]
would be easily understood as the list of those selected / elected to be on this advisory board   

www.kpfk.org/jupgrade/index.php/2013-10-09-19-39-18/94-lsbcommittees-/7727-2014-kpfk-lsb-roster   but none of the LSb members' emails are listed nor how to get to the email list of all LSB  members, besides the chair. They say some few people [as usual less than 10% are used as the easy excuse to prevent 90% further access of any kind anywhere ] have “abused” the listing on the website and “spammed” the LSB members [with no reason nor a topic of their complaints mentioned either ....or how long ago this had occurred and no verification of this story is available either ]. And so there is no more access for any of us now . huh?

 
                        OUTSIDE concerned members resources:



is for  more financial info and comments from others who may be interested and posters here are also lamenting lack of transparency, etc.


re PD [program director] and the  selection process has info here as  posts ….see here by Tracy in   Dec 2013
another person posted:  here is no effective listener ombudsman. It defeats the purpose of listener-sponsored radio to keep the listeners in the dark.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - -  - -

There must be more verifiable and relevant resources and information on the internet and maybe elsewhere too that needs to be searched for and disseminated to all of us concerned. 

Having spent too much time and effort asking, complaining, waiting and energy-expended into disappointment, this seems to be the only way we are going to Learn ....and Spread... the actual  condition, of operations and difficulties at Our Station. And what may seem shameful or embarrassing to the officers and the programers of KPFK, we The People Who are Loyal and Care about KPFK will do the work necessary to be transparent and open .

And  we will SHARE ALL WE FIND WITH EACH OTHER without censoring, without reluctance, without suspiciousness, and also without shame nor anger nor maliciousness. Just the truthful, simple story. 
of:    What's happening in there ?

We are the payers and supporters of this radio station. We deserve to know what others 'inside' know and refuse to admit or share.

No one should be spending more more $1 to allow these unfair conditions to continue secretly.

Secrecy promotes and allows corruptions. Inequality and unfairness thrive under cover of secrecy and fake fronts.
  

(c) al 2014

KPFK: FCC -$$$ financial information



Continuing to do research to find and disclose information that KPFK radio station on air denies, hides, ignores and does-not-share with it's paying public - the stakeholders who support the station financially, even for decades. Here are some tidbits. More can be added by YOU as you discover and willing disclose what else is actual and  real [ not just blurt opinions or complaints or attacks please !!].

This BLOG is intended to SHARE INFORMATION that takes many hours of research and may be confirmed [as wikipedia does with it's resources listed for the reader to validate or learn more there ].

here goes: 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


NOTICE OF APPARENT LIABILITY FOR FORFEITURE  Adopted: January 9, 2014          Released: January 10, 2014        
By the Chief, Audio Division, Media Bureau:”

“I. The Media Bureau (“Bureau”) has before it the application of Pacifica Foundation, Inc.  (“Licensee”), for renewal of its license for Station KPFK(FM), Los Angeles, California (“Station”). In  this Memorandum Opinion and Order and Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (“NAL”),1 we find  that Licensee apparently willfully and repeatedly violated Section 73.3527 of the Rules2 by failing to  retain all required documentation in the Station’s public inspection file. Based upon our review of the  record before us, we conclude that Licensee is apparently liable for a monetary forfeiture in the amount of  one thousand dollars ($1,000) …                and

"II. BACKGROUND    2.  Section 73.3527 of the Rules requires a noncommercial broadcast licensee to maintain a  public inspection file containing specific types of information related to station operations. The purpose  of this requirement is to provide the public with timely information about the station at regular intervals  throughout the license period.  

3.   Among the materials required for inclusion in the file are the station’s  quarterly issues/programs lists, which must be retained until final Commission action on the station’s next  license renewal application.   ….

DA 14-31            …first quarter of 2009 are currently missing from the public file.   Licensee’s records from June 2009  indicate that the three missing lists from 2008 were timely prepared, although the missing list from 2009  was not prepared. Licensee attributes these deficiencies to turnovers in managerial personnel.

4.     Proposed Forfeiture. As Licensee has acknowledged, at the time of the filing of the  Station’s license renewal application, and during periods within the license term, the Station’s public  inspection file did not contain many of the items required to be retained in the file by Section 73.3527 of  the Rules. In this regard, where lapses occur in maintaining the public file, neither the negligent acts nor  omissions of station employees or agents, nor the subsequent remedial actions undertaken by the licensee,  excuse or nullify a licensee’s rule violation.

5.    Under Section 503(b)(1)(B) of the Act, a person who is found to have willfully or  repeatedly failed to comply with any provision of the Act or any rule, regulation, or order issued by the  Commission shall be liable to the United States for a forfeiture penalty.9 Section 312(f)(1) of the Act  defines willful as “the conscious and deliberate commission or omission of [any] act, irrespective of any  intent to violate” the law.10       

The legislative history to Section 312(f)(1) of the Act clarifies that this  definition of willful applies to both Sections 312 and 503(b) of the Act,11 and the Commission has so  interpreted the term in the Section 503(b) context.12 Section 312(f)(2) of the Act provides that “[t]he term  ‘repeated,’ when used with reference to the commission or omission of any act, means the commission or  omission of such act more than once or, if such commission or omission is continuous, for more than one  day.….. "


- - - - -  - - - - - -


this information may be changing or changed later, but it was found online
and the relevance of what this site says needs to be questionned to the KPFK management, staff, LSB and all others who have been dedicated to financially maintaining Our Radio Station. 

(c) af 2014