Another demand for More $$$ by Sonali Kohatkar, to save her full-time job?

8/20/2015 about 8:35 am -8:47 am  again:   

         

            Sonali Kohatkar in her  Uprising program said these words

 [most of her words transcribed here below  “[with italicized color inserts as added questions, commentary]”  are here recorded, talking about KPFK station’s financial problems and Sonali Kohatkar’s blame of only the local board - while no other sources of verifiable responsibility are mentioned, nor revealed, nor addressed.  

Who and what corroborations does she have for claiming this exclusive ‘cause’  

 and blame ?    What are the actions and motions passed by LSB - in their monthly meetings- that has created this total financial meltdown of the station ?  As it has often be noted in person that this group does Not have  much, if any, management input. The LSB just wish they had that power and power to influence management, as they complain of such repeatedly.   

 It is apparently not as Sonali images, or as she has declared here. She has rarely attended LSB meetings and may be scapegoating those who also wish her words were so. Such declarations and attacks needs to be investigated and  verified, to authenticate her easy blame.

Can the KPFK Local Station Board actually reduce or expand or change how KPFK management chooses to spend it’s [lack of] money or how such funds are raised ?  Or can LSB do more than select a candidate to hire to be the Gen’l Mgr, [before this last one that was pre-selected solely by a Pacific Board-KPFA member undercutting the new Exe Director’s duty].  

Do visit an LSB meeting to note the lack of cohesion,  or any good business practices and the lack of effectiveness or even power-to-effect improvements at station, emerging from this conflicted, tho dedicated, group. If the LSB could, they would help much more instead of repeatedly decrying their lack of control, lack of influence on what happens in KPFK’s actual management.

And recent elections to replace the current LSB and PNB members is being postponed, or avoided, so the very same ones remain in place way - past their due date to retire -  and let others In now. No money for elections has been stated as the reasons for no elections. Do any of these pronouncements make sense ? Anywhere ? Or only at dysfunctioning non-profit corporations, who can be irresponsible and not even meet their auditing requirements ? 

What is happening at KPFK and Pacifica ? Who outside their exclusive halls & meetings can know ?  :

                                    - - - - - - - - -Sonali’s words, transcribed: - - - - - -

  “…. if you flood our station with donations…contribute money to salaries …to keep lites on, computers running, to take your pledges…given 2 weeks notice, as of Sept 1 to ½ time and 1 let go…because we don’t have managers that stick around longer than 1 yr @ a time, …. 

[BLAME ONLY LSB only with no facts, stats, verifications that they are the sole reason for KPFK’s failings ? can this be so exclusive or is there a lot more not being admitted, revealed, stated or acknowledged ? ]

the local board takes out a manager who is contributing or chasing away anybody who is “good’….a dozen mgrs for the dz years I’ve been here at KPFK – that nonprofits need to rely on is non existent…vs cutting staff, cutting staff, “walmartization”…

….this week’s  announced partial layoff – partial reductions- to work ½ time and paid ½ …if they want us to work FT and get pd ½  time…

….who can volunteer 5 days a week ? we don’t have what worked in past – hybrid of FT and PT – don’t know how that works out, for how long and who runs that stn with that philosophy based on anti-union anti-working class philosophy. ….

….prove them wrong by calling with $$$$ - gift is the programming we work so hard to produce every day – make contributions ! ….

….I don’t like talk about behind the scenes at KPFK vs. other international issues.. but this independent media is under fire – ruled by the tyranny of those who show up who sabotage the station, the beginning of the end of KPFK – unless you contribute ! in the long term. ….

….it has crippled the stn, prevented it from achieving it’s potential….contributions, make them now, fast, large, as this is end of the line. Starting Sept 1 anyone who works more than ½ time is reduced to ½ time, our families rely on our salaries…

….we have had pleasure, honor of being here until last few months..stn is eating itself alive…an unwieldy structure – those monies going on elections not available… if people don’t call us…

we are just told that our salaries are being cut, and we can prove them wrong if you send us $$$ to say you don’t want the salaries cut.. come thru for us…like we have for you….

….our hours and salaries cut to ½ time, kpfk will go down, unravel before your very eyes and ears…I have no been asked to put this out on air and probably lots of people at station are cringing and wish I would shut up but what do I have to lose at this point ?    

[only when she is affected does she reveal anything of what is occurring in station & it’s management and systems ?] ….

….there is no money so no paid staff. I cannot afford to work for free and I WILL NOT WORK FOR FREE BECAUSE I HAVE DIGNITY…. “         

 [end of transcribed words heard on KPFK radio today, Aug 20,2015]

                                                COMMENTARY TO ABOVE:

Sonali is saying she will not even volunteer or give-back  from all that she been gaining, getting to be  the local celebrity thru this on-air broadcasting, obtaining all  the accesses , forming so many contacts when she brings guests on-air as Media always maintains such special exclusive relationships, and then there is also the status she has climbed to by being KPFK-staff-related…. and all else she has been given,  taken, used, gained and  has so well liked before… and now there is no more give-back ? 

And  she tries to claim it is her  “dignity” she is keeping  or is it plain selfishness ? or her wanting revenge ? or can it be an extortion-attempt- her [finally] complaining on-air - when others don’t dare or are gagged more ?  and why does she  say this as a subtle threat – she wont even give any volunteer time unless….she is paid further, more ?  

This sure sounds like a self-serving scared rant in anger and fear, of personal losses, none of which can be detailed nor identified to the public, of course. This is Sonali’s taking her privilege of having been a union-protected & Paid for many many years programmer, on salary, now feeling threatened and refusing to do any less than before, and telling ‘all’ that affects mostly

Her and hoping to get donors to pay More to keep her in place ?  Can that be a wild imagination and request ? To prove her worth to KPFK by hoping listen-sponsors will surge and that will change her employment status ? what about the other staffers who are equally affected by this staff reduction ? 

They are barely mentioned, except 1 –Ian Masters who has also made similar angry announcements on-air [but his words have not been recorded for written exposure that we know 

and why is Sonali who is always within the radio station and involved in what happens there not telling us anything before it affects her salary and on-air time ?   Why no transparency until it becomes a personal $$$ issue for her personally ? 

This lack of bravery and lack of accountability to all listener-sponsors before this sudden plea is shameful and does not provide Sonali or others with any respect, dignity nor trust from those who contribute their earnings to sustain KPFK all these many years. ….  

is this going to be the new KPFK bldg soon ?

 

Don’t the people who gain from being ON AIR and IN our radio station owe it to their audiences and payers to be up-front and admit alllll the factors & vectors that has brought KPFK to this change of paid staff work hours ? ….

The reduction of some paid hours of the paid staff has already become Public Information, so Sonali is not giving out any secrets or  giving away anything not in the out-side-KPFK public domain, as even their union, SAG-AFTRA has become involved and is filing a grievance. That too is not mentioned by this prgrommer.

her limiting herself to ONLY asking for More Money and not suggesting any activist protests or any acts that involve support or questions to management or LSB or anyone, including Pacifica, their umbrella org..

Why is so much still under-covers, kept opaque, left unsaid, not mentioned

 nor exposed ????]   

(c) 2015  bt