Pacifica & KPFK are tightly connected. Some comments found.

Often mis-heard and misunderstood are words: "non-profit". 

While legally, it means a corporation set up a certain way, Non-Profit does not mean these are also :  NON-biased, Not-opinionated-in-extremes, nor that they are  Balanced in any way, or Fair in dealings, nor even Honest, nor...anything. 

It is just so word-gamed, illusioned, and branded. That to not take 'profits' means the organization and it's employees are thus not acting in same or similar ways to those who do take openly.  But deceits, secrets, cover-ups, and  unhealthy financial tactics are all included in either/ both. 

The words have come to IMPLY what is not actually included. Non-profits are not necessarily:  more honorable, accountable, doing-good-for-others, or more-value-giving... than those who take 'profits'. That mis-taken word illusion makes for fake images.

Just something else to notice.                  
                               
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So, information of what is happening to Our Radio Station on the inside or as it is related to it's being under the 'umbrella' of Pacifica Foundation - as KPFK is thus connected to at least 4 major city other radio station's financial stability or their liabilities  - and is barely findable. 

But info is displayed here to SHARE INFORMATION when  made public elsewhere. As tidbits are  dis-covered, found, revealed then in 1 central place, for all KPFK listeners & donors.

Know where your money and loyalty goes ! 

Know more than what is that on-air limitations, their external-display, & controlled audio-sounded only.  Too bad, that the IMAGE and brand are often faked, at this non-profit, as elsewhere, anywhere else too.

The actual, factual doings, their internal strong conflicts, some resolutions, decisions & plans of  management and the difficulties -  are part of the whole 'thing',radio station process, and not mostly what is sold 'on-air only'.

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Here are some tid-bits that may interest those invested in / at KPFK: 

If any reader is curious to know 'more', here are

some easy-to-find-info sources:  

                       http://www.pacifica.org/

This main Pacifica site is basically limited in details, and not helpful, but very brief, unclear sentences are declared with little explanations. However, it appears to be the 'main' source of the umbrella KPFK is under anyhow. 

There, it also contains info on the "2015 audit" - and a few various other PDF's to download are available. However, that 2015 audit-job-done means that after long delays, PNB contortions and conflicts,  the accomplishment of of being audit-accountable a long 2 years later is valued, finally...late.  

Apparently, the loss of the needed funding of about $1M income yearly, from Corporation of Public Broadcasting funds, that have been 'lost' due to negligence of accountability cannot be retrieved. Oh well........

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The PNB executive board sessions seem to be available at that Pacifica site too, tho anyone so dedicated as to review the voices therein is to be complimented beforehand - for persistence & patience & having plenty of time to filter 'so much stuff'.  see :

          http://www.pacifica.org/notices_home.php

and various other misc. aspects may be also found in these sites : 

pacificanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Pacifica-Affiliate-Agreement.pdf

https://pacificakpfk2014.com/category/pacifica/

( the 'about" section above states that site is written and a part  therein reads:   "The Pacifica Foundation (now known as Pacifica Foundation Radio) was born in the late 1940’s out of the (now nearly forgotten) peace movement surrounding World War Two. Lewis Hill,....." ) -repeating their mission. 

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Then, To try to better comprehend what the "umbrella" of the Pacifica Foundation Radio organization does to benefit each radio station - because each station PAYS a portion of it's earned income as fees to the Pacifica central source - that clarification was more difficult to decipher or find.

A legal basic-info site provides a bit of generalized info at :

http://www.contractsandagreements.co.uk/understanding-umbrella-agreements.html 

To make clearer what umbrella organizations do, this legal site provides at least a bit of info- and  contains a few - not specific grains - of what 'umbrellas' are:

"Umbrella agreements are used to try and cover future possibilities that the negotiating business parties presume will occur. Umbrella agreements are basically a contract framework with terms and conditions that take in potential possibilities within a contract’s lifetime and beyond.....

and ...." Whether or not umbrella agreements are actually legally binding documents is quite a grey area. In some cases they are seen as legal contracts but it will depend on how much detail has gone into the agreement. Umbrella agreements work on a principle of uncertainty and unless the agreement is fully formed then a court may not always enforce these contracts....."  

and "...These agreements are designed specifically to be flexible with future business dealings..."benefits of umbrella organizations include : "More flexibility for future contracts. + Eliminates the need for immediate contracts and simplifies the contracting process+.

Reduction in time and effort of single contracts with the knock on effect of cost saving. +

Widens future business opportunities for both parties without restrictive terms and conditions."

and another site may be of interest about non-profits too :

https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/fiscal-sponsorship-nonprofits   

 

                               
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Edited Opinions, comments, & notes about Pacifica found include:

“....Pacifica is  continuing to run $$$$ deficits, and the trend has been worsening lots, in fact, with each fund drive in 2017 year doing worse than the one before were.  And with deficits to the ‘Pacifica National Office’ [ as each radio station contributes to sustain it’s umbrella / central organization ]  growing to approx $200,000 !  While that sum has not included even older deficits from years before 2016, it is significant ! 

The last spring fund drive, in fact, only reached 45% of its intended goals too. As financial stability apparently is quickly getting worse financially, with the danger that Pacifica may even run out of funds for payroll sometime in this Fall [2017], especially if the organization, management, staff and all boards united did not make some improved & significant changes.

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then...the KPFK last fund drive all during August 2017 was noted by a staff person to have 'achieved over it's goal". Wow. That sounds good ! But a whole month of promo's, sales pitches, 'premium'/ gift/ items-traded exaggerations was too pushy and repetitious to listen to most programs. A vacation away from this radio station is not a healthy trip away for their continuity ! 

Another's thought-full opinion stated:

"... Membership in Pacifica is the right of every person who has donated money or labor as described in the organization's bylaws....

California law gives corporation members the right to fair and reasonable procedures in matters regarding expulsion, suspension, or termination….

The charge of racism is too frequently used within Pacifica as a means to derail the application of reason. Slogans are not an acceptable substitute for thought.,,,,"

                                       
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and another earlier comment about what has not yet been openly clarified or found on line: the KPFA tapes that were sold on EBAY - yes, actually sold & bought by strangers  ! 

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“...people have been! wondering about the KPFA tapes for sale on eBay..”

“a whole lot of memorabilia was being offered as if they were collectible”

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“....Pacifica does own the words of hosts paid specifically for programming and does own the words to original copyrighted material in the KPFA Folios because both situations involve salaries on the part of workers….”

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"...More particularly, the words of the hosts on these recordings are not owned by Pacifica  and Pacifica never claimed ownership….”     

“... have been told by attorneys that if you aren't paid to do a program, then you are a free-lancer and Pacifica does not own your sound-content no matter what Pacifica says, unless you signed a release. And we don't have releases. 

"These days, with podcasts and You Tube and a myriad of websites, that whole argument is pretty much moot. The idea, though, would be that I couldn't take my old programs to another radio station and air them for cash without Pacifica's involvement. Of course, Pacifica does not have the resources to fight that if [someone else] did, so that's also moot….”

"...there were intellectual property and copyright issues even though he bought them from a storage unit place. Apparently someone did not pay the bill there a few years ago but it's difficult to track that down, too! ..."

So what happened to that Pacifica-KPFA material found, sold and bought ? 

Does anyone know to share and disclose 'the truth' of all other Pacifica radio station storage practices, their safeguarding of properties, and who was responsible for having let such materials dribble away ?  

Was anyone accountable ? Responsible? Penalized? or even questioned ? 

Yes, glad it was Berkeley and not LA's KPFK's stuff  "lost".

Surely a lesson was learned but who is to know and be assured? or does it matter at all ? 

Or why not disburse all 'left-over' tapes, discs, programs, no longer valued ?  

Wouldnt it be helpful to have someone at Our Radio Station -paid staff or trusted volunteer - offer  donor-feedback-'news'....with accountability information..and  facts and statistics. As the responsible information emerges, about how KPFK works, or barely does... or doesn't...   

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And to have this corporation be willing to expose some of what happens therein -- w/o shame or embarrassment - to add sunshine and visible honesty to their "non-profit" donor-sustained entity ?   

Maybe it is too dangerous, with some conflictual factions trying to steal any Pacifica stations away ? 

Or insure bankruptcy to be able to buy valuable radio-wave access cheaply?

 Or whatever wars and attacks and dangers there are kept 'inside' as secret maneuverings needed to just survive ? 

Who is to know but the management, staff and maybe board members ?

Maybe it is long-standing-secrecy-policy that is common elsewhere too, to deny any negative information and pretend instead. 

So are the donors to be:  just give-it-all-$$$-anyhow funders = just providers to be generous, and  just because they must 'trust' w/o real facts or accountability ? Hard to do. Or sustain. Or trust again. 

Wouldn't it be better if................   

but illusions and wishes are not what sustain any corporation, even non-profitted ones. 

                        
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(c) btt 2017