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