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(c) al 2014 

 

KPFK has it's own problems, as does Pacifica

Having been a loyal contributor, volunteer and payer for over 44+ years  at KPFK, a Los Angeles Pacifica radio station, this writer has made long and many attempts to verbalize and confront the many operational dysfunctions at Our Station.

However, the lack of access to any management, staff, programmers and anyone but the chair of the LSB [local station board, an advisory one that seems to lack power to effect changes in station] is worse than frustrating. The lack of transparency of all changes, present or past, creates an atmosphere of secrecy and exclusiveness, with those ‘in the know’ having power and information and those ‘not’ are OUT.

Obviously, there are current proposed changes at KPFK -  that created a full room of “public members’” [ these are everyone who is not on LSB board itself are classified as “public” -  even staff, programmers, and long time paying sponsors at LSB meetings ]. So many exhorters and loud demanding-proponents of their own preferences  came to the  LSB meeting on Jan 11, 2014 - intending to somehow influence the decisions being made about changes to selection/ elimination of the Program Director [of 3-4 years service there].

And most public people, who do not regularly attend LSB meetings otherwise, now assertively elbowed their way to give their complaints, opinions, alliances, and promos aloud in the 90 sec time slot allowed to each “public comment” - with 5 commentators allowed  in various sections of a 5 hr meeting, which is a total of 30 minutes total for all public comments in the 5 + hrs. A notable non-effect is that the meeting minutes never reflect any public comments made, tho the audio recording of the LSB meetings are all available if audible at the Texas  Pacifica radio station.

This writer clearly and loudly twice requested clarification of  “what is actually happening ? what is the problem at KPFK that brought all …out” ?.   Surprisingly not one person during the meetings or in the short breaks in between responded to the question. So those who “knew”  knew and those who were “out” apparently had to continue to wonder.  

That the problems occurring within KPFK operations are so opaque and information censored and unavailable if one is not officially “inside” was obvious. But the asking resulted in nothing except being further ignored - as the taboo of asking about the reality of their claimed  open and transparent policies provided, yep, Nothing. 

Maybe just being deliberately slyly exiled,  the questioner was totally ignored as noted by others’ avoidances and their body gestures. Hmmmm

This scene was noted, observed,  personally recorded, and not accepted as the ‘status quo’. Although the attempt to separate OUT a dissenter or daring discussant further to prevent the direct asking for information that should be available and given to all who pay money, volunteer free work time, and dedicate many years and time to the uplift the KPFK radio station, it was not been effective there now.  Nor to other loyal sponsors either.  These are the same loyal workers continually show up to answer phones during the 24 hr shifts of pledge $$$ drives -KPFK's begging for money to ‘save the station’. 

Repeatedly..irritatingly...maybe needfully...but also despairingly, sad. 

[[this was also written on Discussions at  Radio Survivor Forums  – new topic ]]

 http://www.radiosurvivorforums.com/forum/posting.php?mode=post&f=7  

(c) al 2014 

this is one of 4 reviews about KPFK 90.7FM found on YELP. enjoy the read: 

http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=C3SjBQ1qGwAeCZIqT6S6gg

“New troubles emerge and information is still secretly hidden from the subscribers-members-sponsors of this non-profit but failing corporation. The last begging drive with repeated recordings SELLING products over and over and over lasted 27 days in February 2014. Many of those who previously listened tuned out and away and found their education/ news/ revelations elsewhere instead. How easy was that ? too easy, unfortunately.

Because KPFK before was a great source of unusual, stimulating INFORMATION -  not sales, prejudices, slants or rants mostly, we miss the older version. It was...and on a rarer occasion can still be a unique source for voices unheard elsewhere nor found easily in major media sites.

The 'spirituality' or metaphysical lectures that played on KPFK regularly have gone stale, tho sometimes a revelation is heard spoken and played there, on RADIO, vs. having to search online on the net. To be able to LISTEN TO RADIO vs. having to search or hear voices on-line is a big difference when multi-tasking, being able to keep eyes and hands busy on other tasks. The occasional dissident, whistleblower, or educated thoughtful academic, or an author interviewed, still is a good surprise- when it does happen, rarely now -  and is stimulating. That was more what KPFK *was* and could be, if only.....’they’ could get their financial act cohesively together and make $ sense of their business.

But the constant pleas, the repetitious exhortations of dubious products [including promoting fake gurus with  media that may or not be as promoted-advertised-publicized] and their ongoing need to claim a 'matching pledge we will lose if you dont send us your money right now !" ...those are not what listeners respond to and stay for nor remain loyal to open their pocket books or wallets either.

So maybe if things get bad enough and scary enough that KPFK and it's parent Pacifica Fdtn is actually [and it again seems to be there ]  failing, falling, breaking apart or going down financially, then someone there may take organization-Charge ! and reduce the dysfunctional infighting and factionalization. What is clearly needed is logically planned and diligent CHANGE into a more viable Radio Station business....for Radio is a business by any other name, the same.

The ultra-left-so-called-liberals [ aka KPFK followers ] love to claim they are oh so altrusitic and Righteous too… and they do not never ever engage in business, business being dirty business only of course. But these angelic ones are only are there to INFORM everyone of their own selected Right Views and Opinions -  that they prefer to brand as ‘Programs’. But non-profits are as prone to slants, biases, secrets and collusions as any other entity.....and KPFK is still keeping it's secrets in shame  - and to prevent it’s payers from fleeing at the nearest exit.

But opacity and pretense will never get the station stable nor pay it's bills. And Change means stop repeating the same dysfunctional patterns of pretense-“democracy” or even claims of being valuable for being odd, different, hard-to-find-elsewhere. Change may mean reality checks on how money is spent, misused, unregulated, and if reductions are necessary, to just do so… sensibly.

Can this radio station ever be fixed so it stops crumbling? huh ? We all hope so, but are not sure. ”

(c) al 2014