Have any KPFK programmers ever admitted what they GET back in exchange - for grasping & holding on to that slot ON AIR - they to use that access to a radio audience, and also where others who want to reach that audience have that access?
So who is playing which tune now ? Who has tuned out ? Who have deserted their favored on-air-access media programs for richer sounds elsewhere ? And given their public reasons in a quickie letter is not all, tho admits openly some of the many serious hurdles KPFK has to play smoothly anywhere, even on radio waves.
When the recent 3 Global Village music programmers left [ a sinking station ? ] after many many years of playing good music, and also always lauding & promoting their guests and artists, did they take with them their audience elsewhere ?
Or find better music to play where now ? Or going to earn incomes beyond what benefits [never admitted] they received at KPFK for so very long ?
programmers do not 'work' for free, even if not paid salary or cash.
Has any music programmer at KPFK ever acknowledge GETTING any kinds of programmer-benefits ? Not those gross direct bribes, or payments to play -- but all the other affiliated goodies that come-with being the Presenter of goods, sounds, words, recordings.... that require an advertising budget to pay elsewhere?
Or what other or any kinds of gifts, rewards were traded, offered, given, hidden by any and all programmers at KPFK ? Why is this such a deep dark secret unadmitted but easily assumed based on how 'business is done' everywhere else... and KPFK is not that different at all.
Contrary to it's claims, based on what has been now recently revealed of its poor business practices that helped trip this place into debt or bankrupcy.
How about having secret special Contacts-Connections provided , for networking, working with, getting favors from, et al... could these also be the obvious BENEFITS of controlling - having a set space, program with on-air accesses, ?
All musical and even author interviews and even 'discussions with preeminent-prominent academics in their 'specialties', and then all of which are related to those money-making industries... corporations, companies, business..all those that need and use on-air media access for PROMOTIONS and "public-relations" audibility.
Having On-Air Access is a prize, a prime benefit, something to never-let-go or share, it seems. But at KPFK this is never openly admitted though.
The KPFK on-air programs give each and all of them a huge audience, as all media visibility does [and such media access is also known as: PR, promotions, advertising, marketing, and other euphemisms saying that the SELLING of brand, name, product, et al is happening ].
All is done also in the service of promoting more sales of their merchandise, their Brand visibility, for popularity and rising academic prestige. Or used in presenting a particular political-news Point Of View, even some that may be lacking in general mass media, where there may be less access for these to blare & show-off their wares and smarts.
To dissimulate and pretend that all KPFK programmers are just wanting to 'share' their findings or to "organize and unite others together" is a collateral benefit but far from the only or main benefit of getting and holding-on [for decades at times] to On-Air Radio time.
Yes, these ideals are included and exalted as "our only reason for being here", but it is doubtful that a slim slice is the whole truth and the implied programmer's self-aggrandizement is just that.
Other media at least admit to 'employees' or 'contractors' or 'free-lancers' get paid for their work in programming duties.
Other radio or media do not hide behind this goodie exaggeration and as if this Pacifica- innocent-altruistic self-presentation - is real, as it is continually Sold too listeners at KPFK, and even some other non-profits do so globally also.
The other media admits to having alliances, political pressures and aims, paid [and intern] staff that are supervised and directed by administrations. KPFK does not admit this in any way. The pretense of a free-for-all-and-any because of their quaint Mission which is barely actually followed, leaves plenty of questions to any Thinking Person, those they want to claim as Pacifica's audiences.
And have we, can we ever know of whatever other goodies these long-clinging-to-their-spot programmers, plus many others also, may have accrued over their long
years at KPFK on-air-programming ? This would, of course, be in lieu of or beyond monetary compensations from wherever they have 'contacts', that is. Much like the "sponsors" that are admitted elsewhere - and where "lobbyists" or "PR people" operate in similar and more commercial media areas as well.
We must be curious, while knowing humans to not be so good nor generous as KPFK folk claim to do, with their time or sharings, nor are they so altruistic as to provide the KPFK listeners with music - just to pleasure us - and sustain the radio station. Then, their sudden, quickie, exit gives more rise to many Questions - that are not explained sufficiently by their public self-promoting as above-the-fray all along, as they exit. Their statement listed here below:
a Letter found on line by 3 KPFK programmers - tho this info was not openly mentioned earlier, for the decades they have been using the airspaces to do their 'thing' there. [copied below FYI]
"People are asking why I, Derek Rath, Beto Arcos and Yatrika have left
“Global Village” at KPFK. This is our joint statement to the management
which pretty much explains it. It was a very, very hard decision to
make and uproots a significant part (both time-wise and in importance)
of my life.
Dear Leslie and Alan,
We, Derek, Betto and Yatrika, are issuing this joint statement to
give you notice that, as of today, September 30, 2015, we are
effectively resigning from our respective Global Village programs.
This decision was not made lightly. As you well know, we are all
three veteran programmers at KPFK. Betto founded the Global Village
twenty years ago, Derek and Yatrika have programmed their respective
shows for 18 years.
During this time, we have weathered all the ups and
downs of the station, the changing of the guards, the financial woes and
the incessant fund drives, pulling our weight and working to deliver
our best, while trying to remain optimistic and positive.
However, given the recent ever-growing poisonous factionalism at
Pacifica and the station, the incessant fund drives, the non-fulfillment
of premiums and non-responsiveness to member calls, the plummeting of
listenership, the staff and salary cuts and the sorry morale of the
station and staff, we can no longer in all good conscience continue to
be on the air and raise money for the station.
This joint decision has
been the result of deep soul searching which has led to the conclusion
that we have major ethical issues requesting money from listeners whose
premiums do not get fulfilled and whose favorite programs get cut or are
regularly interrupted or put on hiatus.
Furthermore, we believe that
Pacifica is no longer living up to its mission, and that power play and
internal politics are wreaking havoc with the station and have
undermined quality programming. Our first obligation is to the listeners
who fund this station and unfortunately their interests are no longer
being served.
It has been a privilege to serve the station and our southern
California audience for so many years and we thank KPFK for giving us
the opportunity to bring music rarely heard elsewhere to the airwaves.
But given the current situation, time has come for us to move on.
Sincerely,
Derek Rath, Betto Arcos and Yatrika Shah-Rais"
Always, more questions must be asked, considered, and yet seldom does anyone answer those who have paid for KPFK's sustenance.
It
may not be that questions have easy or apparent answers, and that even an informative site like pacificainexile
knows it all or promote it's versions... and yet...sometimes the revelations bring even many more concerns and
questions up - to critical thinking minds- while not even expecting the answer to 'just
appear for donors view.
Most KPFK info is not available anywhere in LA or in
Google search either.
And active and loyal listeners thus miss any, many, KPFK on-air comments - that
suddenly have appeared now, as 24 hrs or even 8 hrs of listening is beyond most
people's interest and capacity. So
learning of what is happening 'inside there' by reading out here is our only tid bit of
news of KPFK troubles and even stability, and to learn of where our money disappears in there.
to Reader:
please attempt any search to see why there are pages and pages of KPFK programs and programmers and barely any, almost none, emerge describing what enormous financial, administrative, management, staff and other PROBLEMS are not being exposed...a hidden slow burn perhaps, into extinction.
Little TRANSPARENCY of a non-profited publicly paid-for radio station means there either is much to hide and manipulate...or..... the hypocrisy of what is repeated on-air about 'free speech' and 'we are depending on You !' to sustain their funding needs are LIES.
Why is it so difficult to obtain information of where and how our donations are being spent or wasted or mis-allocated in non-audited books at KPFK and Pacifica - the umbrella nat'l office that requires a high monthly payment for it's maintenance also ?
Google is bare of actual information about the financial conditions, the lawsuits filed or already paid, the Board members who act unethically or may be playing to KPFK's dissolution ?
As usual, not surprising but still startling, in this big media world in USA, there is difficulty in finding OUT what occurs inside even in institutions of which WE STAKEHOLDER DONORS are said to be the major contributors. There is 1 site mentioned previously also, that provides information regularly, and is commendable for what is revealed there, as it is not elsewhere:
pacificainexile.org to read or subscribe to any reader's email box.
and there are a few other sites that disagree, or explain or exhort their views too. It is difficult to find a central or neutral sources of factual, actual, legitimate transparent Information.
see some other found sites: LA Progressive & SaveKPFA
and there must be more somewhere?
And then here, there are more Questions, Concerns, Doubts, and Critical Thinking offered to promote and share what can be dis-covered here too.
Where else has any Reader found that provides, even opposed views, that clarifies and informs all those who WANT TO KNOW REALITY as it is happening...to KPFK...to our donations ?
(c) 2015 Rr
