KPFK in MeltDown. NOW.

Today, Aug 11,2015 Sonali Kohatkar spoke on-air about ‘dire situation’ and  “implosion” of LA’s KPFK Radio [90.7 FM] with full blame given only to “our boards” of this 56 y.o. sister-station of KPFA that was started in Berkeley. On her morning program this paid-staff programmer replayed words also stated ‘on-air’ by programmer Ian Masters, [another paid staffer]  who was the only one of 2  who previously even dared indicate to the stakeholders -those who pay $$$ to maintain the station.  

Stakeholders are the listener-payers,  and subscribers, and pledge-$$-givers, who thus pay the few [4 ?] staff-programmers’ salaries, as all other programmers are called ‘volunteers’ ….but these volunteers still get lots of other special benefits -- from that on-air access that no one ever ever admits, nor reveals. The continual promos, ads, P.R. and lauding of their  ‘guests’ is nothing but clear  on-air advertising and promotion, as it is  when it is paid for in-kind or by cash elsewhere … or also called Payola elsewhere. 

Interestingly, no one is admitting any part in what  this decay, or why this falling away of listeners has occurred.     But each programmer easily Blames anyone everyone and all else. The usual blame-game without taking any self-responsibility nor admission of their ‘mistakes’ or yjrot own grabbing-the-mic-greedily ways either.

The same programmers somehow remain stuck on the same time slot for decades, years, forever without new voices or changes allowed inside. How and why this occurs is never spoken about or even acknowledged. So they repeat and repeat their pt of view and slanted version of ‘the truth’ allowing no different version on air. It gets repetitious and boring but those who benefit are in it for themselves and thus limit the KPFK worlds.

Variety is limited to one-sided politics and one-sided-victimhood  are lauded only.

Roy Tuckman,  who is also another paid-staffer,  in his midnight to six radio program has cautiously indicated the desperation and frustrations of KPFK maybe not being able to maintain this radio station with the only ways funds have been raised. 

It is not confirmable in this 24/7 radio station if any of the payola’d other programmers not on salary have ever dared to mention the management or financial troubles brewing there except for pleading for More Money at ‘fund drives’. No one listens for 24 hrs/7 days even if they happen to like some programs and not others.

And there seems to be no overview or regulation of what is repetitive or bigoted or slanted or unfairly said on-air by any management there. Only 7 words not allowed by FCC are avoided, but all else is not ‘free speech’ but unnoticed prejudices even when minority views.

Apparently this KPFK entity has had almost no driver of it’s broken cart with dying horses [the energy that moves the stn/ cart ]  and it is  falling down in from what thus  must be poor management, ineffective ‘bylaws’,  dysfunctional boards that give little assistance, and the continual clinging to power - by those who claim to want to benefit everyone in this world but don’t help anyone but themselves [ oh …. so what is new about this corporate model, with Pacifica and KPFK being non-profit corporations ?]

While the forever LACK OF TRANSPARENCY of how Our Radio Station for years and decades has been written about and  been requested at and from  all Local Station Board meetings [LSB] , and also at Pacifica Nat’l Board meetings [ PNB - the upper echelon management Bd of 5 Pacifica stations nationwide] almost nothing has been openly revealed.  And there has never been any response nor improvements either  - perhaps with apparent gag orders in place.

The meetings have been held monthly, are long, contentious, conflictful, argumentative, bickering,  inefficient, self-serving -  and thus result in no help to oversee the management selected by that same board. [LSB committees are formed to ‘find’ management candidates usually, tho not for this last GM placed at KPFK ]

The General Managers of recent years have obviously been unable or ineffectively trying vs. acting in ways to do good-business-practices and find better methods for raising the money needed to maintain the KPFK bldg, it’s equipment, pay their salaries and other expenses, such as maintaining the transmitter, electric & phone bills, et alllllll. 

A prior manager that lasted about 5-6 years was accused of sexual harassment and the lawsuit cost Pacifica-KPFK lots of money at end of that story. The previous one was fired. Another GM came in and left after his 1 yr contract ended - using lame excuses & reasons for leaving so soon, but appeared to not be able to live under those constricting conditions to any attempts at actual ‘management’  - when every decision would be countered by contentious staff, LSB members, or anyone with a louder voice. He seemed competent but was tied up by others, and unable to act in KPFK’s behalf.

Then another GM was found after some 1-yr’s wasted time, and then he was ineffective, claiming he could manage but apparently poorly and he left shortly before his contract was ende. That GM  then attempted to take the higher position of Exe Director of Pacifica for a brief moment – 1 mo ? -  before running away or being bannished from that position. The latest GM has been carefully selected by a controlling PNB member from KPFA, not even one from this KPFK area, to replace a staffer who  had taken over as interim-GM.  This new GM has a history of being belligerent, uncooperative, power-playing and  is unliked generally by many. So a petition to remove this GM was signed by 57 staff with 1 dissenter, but to no avail…so far.  That is now the overseer of KPFK staff, who are already depressed and scared, will try and fail, and then maybe they will ‘no longer be in business’.

[Even ineffective ‘business’ practices  - as the regular methods are not the ones used here over a long time by KPFK staff/LSBers , while they keep hoping that they-there- are people & a station are More  ‘Special’ and Superior to ordinary means and methods. Displayed by their own views at least, and that delusion has also kept them separate from those who pay for their keep - and from anyone at stn then revealing the flaws under which they continue to operate for many years too ].

The secret illusion of  being special-superior is denied externally, but elitism is displayed to everyone outside their hallowed hallways repeatedly -  and the secret is maintained with the big divide that keeps all who are ‘in’ separated from those who are ‘out’.  Thus opaqueness and no response nor feedback allowed to-or-from those who do pay for station maintenance.

Tho actually no one has openly written, stated : what or why the management stays, leaves, or can’t perform their stated and needed duties – it may be because “what is inside KPFK only stays inside it’s halls”   with no outside consultancies, no actual evaluations ever revealed, no one on-air or openly indicating ‘what went wrong, huh ?’ or why that should not ever be repeated, yet again.

Now, there seems to be an open on-air revolt of the paid staff programmers. Finally ?

Why now ?   Because there is no more cash to pay their bill and salaries, finally ? 

Because their Neilsen numbers show such low listener-ship that it is barely noted therein. Or because the stations of Pacifica have lost their yearly money contributions from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting because of their lack of timely audits  [so who does the books and accountings and why is it all kept secret from a non-profit with ‘stakeholders’ paying for it’s upkeep ?]   And now even their non-profit status may be endangered with all the details of why not clearly revealed anywhere for those who loyally pay-up-repeatedly-more-than-1x-year – for us to even comprehend.

So today the sounds of despair, fear, and more pleading for monies are replacing the usual voices of outrage,  of superiority, of ‘righteous’ anger,  of criticisms of everyone else but ‘theirs’. 

Today the cry of realization that many listeners have ‘flown the coop’ or left them at KPFK for other radio station’s programs instead -- those very ones that KPFK people enjoy proudly decrying as ”we are not NPR….”   While NPR seems to be paying it’s bills and producing informative, interesting, novel programs and for many prior KPFK listeners have moved their loyalties to them. 

KPFK has long ago been a place for the unusual programs,  and an educational informative station with views not easily heard elsewhere, tho seen in print or internet. They now live on their old long-gone laurels and special-times achievements which are no longer in effect.  KPFK programs still contain smaller voices on very particular issues of interest, but mostly to their specialized limited listeners. Yet it seems that those listeners do not pay up enough to maintain the entity that gives them those voices aloud. 

KPFK  has since 1959 dedicated itself to providing space and sound for the unexpected, mostly any view that opposes the government or rich, regardless which one. Or a special small sound-space for a program that is specialized, less heard yet, rebellious but actualizing too…those are no longer ‘found and on-air’ but the same-old versions of 50 years ago re-played, repeated mostly. And the weekday all-Spanishspeaking-slot,  where most English-speakers are thus excluded and tune in elsewhere and don’t return,  has been given even more on-air time, even  while their audiences cannot financially support the costs of what was timed before.

It was  voicing the opposition to war, and daring to say-hear that ‘other’ version-than-was-commercially-available,  which made Pacifica-KPFK interesting…. even to those who might not agree with everything said either. That has continued somewhat, but mostly the programs are vehemently angry ventings,  with very biased to particular ethnic/racial/class sides,  with deep prejudices against ‘everyone else’ that does not agree with their politics. And all pgms are closed off from review or any payers’  feedback, or even wanting to pay for them to stay on-air.

This is a closed loop, those who talk on air talk only to the few others who agree and no one else allowed included.

Prior years also had more on-air listener call-in-comments included in the show, and a manager’s call-in-on-air regular review to join or agree while listening. No longer. The people who pay no longer even have anything to say by KPFK standards.

At LSB meetings a ‘public  member’ has 2-min in a 4-5 hr span to maybe address the Board, but with no responses,  no actions, no effects ever noted from whatever is said. No discussion or admissions nor appreciations.

The long-ago-defunct KPFK Folio, a B&W monthly flimsy printed program schedule, with editorial, original poetry & artwork, etc. – an outreach to paid-up ‘members’ that then was ‘too expensive’ and  none has ever been available online either since internet emerged. 

No one at Pacifica wants input. They assume they can decide, keep, retain and control the whole non-profit by themselves, for themselves mostly.

Now, it may be as is revealed – this is a dead end – a final plea…. or the on-air revelations would not be heard. Now it may be that there is a take-away & take-down by a few secreted group on the Pacifica Nat’l Bd, with collusion from some on KPFK’s LSBoard members too, to sell a radio station or two,  to take and change the whole shebang into another form that suits their power-needs and reduce what was a so-called  ‘public-entity’ into a more privately controlled and run corporation. The details are not known and a few points are merely leaked but hard to find.

LA is a bare space where no news of KPFK is apparent or made known, deliberately.

NO TRANSPARENCY, which is how power-players rule and run their own for themselves and their allies/cronies.  It is also called ‘corruption’ elsewhere even when $$$bills are not exchanged but entities, corporations, boards, businesses are exchanged and given-away, interfered-with or deleted, left to decay and die away.  KPFK seems to be in that process.

The constant pleas for More Money ! and “we need…” is not being responded to. Even the “we need” is not a good sales msg or way to encourage anyone giving more of their meager earnings as ‘we too need’ to use our money in better ways to improve Our own Lives.  We are given-out. Subscribers to KPFK are deserting and moving away. For good reasons. After tiring of being guilt-tripped and begged on hours and hours to no end. The end has arrived apparently.

It may the ending of what Before was valuable and Revealing : of people, actions, worlds that we did not have access to –that was then.   But now with internet and videos and even selfies that proliferate another medium than radio, the Pacifica mismanaged, opaque, and hypocritical model [‘we are pure, good and they are evil, bad’ so give us $$$’ ] is disappearing, becoming inaudible. Other ways of hearing ‘ less-heard’ views and voices will probably emerge somewhere else. The one who has not-done-well-enough always prefers to instead blame others and claim innocence and purity and goodness, falsely.

So KPFK staff and programmers are doing this revealing and blaming now. But perhaps it is just OK to let finally, it fall into it’s own …down fall. If ‘no one outside the radio station’ can know what and how all the dysfunctions occur-  to then care or help correct those flaws -then that non-transparent model has also created their downfall too.  Each KPFK staffer and programmer has contributed to this demise or decay or change. By clinging to their own, their old holdings, their secret elitism, their hiding behind a brick buildings façade and only exposing the words they want to tell, or sell [as promos are a big part within each program too, but differently defined].

Whatever changes may not be the ‘same KPFK’ as what was before. Every season has it’s time. It may be time for changes to take positive effect and the prior ways ‘let go’ or shifted into non-commercial but less restricted, or opaque, ways now. Whatever… is ok with those who cannot, will not keep paying $$$$ to keep a toppling cart on that same old road. Whatever….. is ok too.

(c) 2015 mj 

More on PACIFICA FORUM in LA june 2015

An overview of what was observed, noted and of concern: 

KPFK’s LA Public members :       Many KPFK Volunteers also arrived to these meetings,  as ‘public members’ to the PNB [Pacifica National Board]meeting in LA, with most wanting to speak aloud to all present,  their Public Comments  allowed for 2 min each – allowed  2x/ each day for each signed-up speaker. The rest of the time, this sidelined group had to sit totally separately and isolated from the action, while in back -  behind the horse-shoe seating of the 20 official members who spoke only to Each Other.

KFPK staffers and programmers:       Many  also came only to speak and then quickly leave, giving no acknowledgement to the volunteers also present, as usual.  Many loudly and in their  upset complained about the new Gen’l Mgr foisted upon them without notice or input.  Their unhappiness at being forced to be controlled by a person they did not appreciate or have input in choosing seemed to leave their powerlessness and distress audible.

PNB exclusiveness :     The PNBers clearly were trying to avoid seeing, speaking or acknowledging the misc. “others” riff-raff  who had no fancy standing but crowded in back of room. Even when a break opened up interactive possibilities, it was sadly noticeable that that the PNBers did not act friendly nor socialize or smile at those ‘others’ of lower standing. Latinos ate only with one another, and special affinity groups excluded any ‘other’ ones there.

This done while each was  surely denying that ‘elitism’ exists in such a free-dom-sharing organization,  yet the voting individuals acted aloofly and separately. Perhaps PNB members maybe assuming they needed to defend themselves from the messy masses seated in the back  1/5 of the room space.

Spanish-only-More-air-time:     The motion to add an Extra 5 hrs/ week for all-spanish-speaking-only programming was passed with ease and hardly anyone dared object to this ethnic-minority demand – especially with their 6+ Spanish support group used Public Comment time for speaking- taking their 2min in vehement Spanish, then taking extra time 2 min not granted to English-speakers for the  needed translation. 

     Using strong words, making extra programming  demands, and even with claims of discrimination -  as well as giving excuses for why all Spanish programming on air now does Not financially match or meet their on-air-time use.    

    Every KPFK LSB meeting has a Latino or 4 demanding more time for Spanish-only on-air time, regardless of their continual inability to help $$upport the  the station to survive its debts and monetary obligations. But then, more time taken from other programs was given anyhow, money problems being  ignored at this time.

PNB unnamed :     The ‘others’ had no idea of who the PNB unpaid staff present were and while flimsy name cards were in front of most, no allowance to walk behind the seated members to note who was whom from where. Mention was made of this ignoring the Public’s need to know, who were present and who voted for what, then a list of PNB members was finally distributed, but only after an angry request was delivered to surprised PNB group.

Exe Director :      A positive surprise was to meet – even from afar – the newly selected [by outgoing iED] Executive Director – John Proffit – who had one of his major duties slipped out from under him a few days before arriving at his office to select or even interview a new KPFK General Manager. Such trickery was not mentioned at this meeting but his presence provided some reassurance that someone with a more professional demeanor and expertise in Radio Station Management  [30 years ] was now one of Us.

Control over meeting of argumentative members :        The chairs of this PNB group and the secretary were dedicated to keeping some order, and tried to do so repeatedly,  tho it was obviously difficult -  and their call-outs were often ignored while PNBers yelled, argued, and spoke over another ....or forgot what the motion on the table was at that time.  The official members were not timed nor limited in how long they went on...and on.... unless another official one  fiercely disagreed....

        And each often would  repeatedly ‘forget’ to use the required microphone - so everyone in room could hear their personal versions – and because the whole audio was being recorded for on-line archive-listening, for later too. Much of the long, day long, meetings seemed disorganized, disorderly, and inconsiderate of other members and the public too. Each representative seemed to demand their opinion to be given more attention or validity, as happens in Pacifica & station  events.

TIME – not shared fairly, equally :   The Timer person attempted to passively show a hand-made sign with “TIME” showing at the 2 min limit only for Public Comments, not for PNB discussions or arguments or rants , but this was ineffective for most who refused to see or did not bother looking and kept on and on and on....until someone else objected to their unfairly usurping more time than allowed to others. 

         The meek attempts were insufficient and tho requested 3x to have a sound-effect of time-up to alert speakers they had reached their limits and even gone over, this small device-system was not used –and maybe not even wanted.

The  PNB job:            Apparently, tho not mentioned at this meeting, each PNB members is unpaid with $$$, but wields power and has access to the managements of their own stations and to the umbrella organization – which is a big POWER reward & benefit. Each PNB are voted from their own station’s LSB for a set period and thus given this elevated status with accompanying [but never revealed] privileges, plus the work of attending such stressful meetings.

Accountability:         It was not clear how each PNBer is held accountable or responsible for their actions from their station’s staff/public when acting at these meetings or if they act on their own volition and intentions instead of representing the radio station from where  they emerge. 

The usual :     LACK OF TRANSPARENCY of anyone involved in a Pacifica radio station  is always a noticeable issue, i.e. as to who was present, what their agendas or biases were, who they ally with and whom they oppose regularly. 

         As these official members did not address nor act open nor friendly with any of the many Public members present, even when all were in same rooms at same time. This gave the impression that the distance and separation was not only intentional, but defensive and self-protective so no questions can be asked nor anyone embarrassed.

see www.Pacifica.org for futher information and to see who is on their board, or to contact anyone there.

Their location apparently is in Berkeley tho that is not easily noted. KPFA is also nearby, while KPFT is in Houston, Tx, WBAI in NY, WPFW in Wash.DC and there are other ‘affiliates’ who use  some of these programs too.

© mj 2015

a Pacifica Forum - observations from a sponsor of KPFK

Kpfk-ers  and LSBers and PNB Pacifica people are unusual :

 [as repeatedly observed and perceived and considered in groups  in their congregated meetings such as PNB meeting in LA hosted -- -and paid for our by KPFK station budget ] :

As observed, these folks are  not the ‘normal’ ordinary people as one might meet at a grocery store, park, movie or shopping in any store.

These people are: extreme ! in most many ways --  these folks are : 

+ very ultra-controlling-people, while refusing this label or even any hint they may be so

+ like to dominate while presenting as-if agreeable-only type

+ idealists , wanting to make a ‘better world’ by themselves

+ intolerant of differences in mind and suspicious of others and any other ideas than their own

+ diligent workers and detail conscious

+intense + emotionally reactive- to almost everything presented  !

+ in denial of difference between who they Think they are and how they act

+ smart + know lotsa facts plus gotta be RIGHT all the time or they get mad !

+ loyal to their causes, like any cultists or adherents to any religion are too

+ good with words + clever repartes, quick come-backs, angry-attacks, and watching YOUR words for any malintents they may find outside of their own   

+ rarely smile at each other [tho they may smile at the down-trodden/victims/poorer ones]

+ refuse to laugh or be friendly for the dangers of letting anyone see them other than well defended.

+ exclusive, in-groupy, speaking only to ‘their own’ and not outsiders [unless they are dis-empowered ]

+ of course, these folk want the Best for their own causes/ station [but are also] secretly biased to any ‘under-dog’ & latest Victims available or found anywhere, even animals maybe.....

+ seeking their own ‘holy’ grail-goal = want their own “perfect” world”

+act often in passive-aggressive-anger unless provoked and then Righteous Anger is wildly exhibited

+ like denial-self-pretending they are ‘nice’, ‘courteous’, ‘kind’, and ‘unbiased’ when those qualities are not easily exhibited in their meetings with others of similar ilk [or while pretending to be oh so polite. for moment, till righteous anger wells up, yet again Or shout, scream, yell in wild Angry fits 

+ extremely reactive in many emotional ways, instantly, w/o a breath in between

+ demanding lotsa Attention while pretending it is not demanded, expected, or needed

+  are very Involved, immersed, and  clinging tightly to their ideas, their group, their cohorts, those like them whom they may trust, a bit

+ insist everyone accede  to their demands

+ dedicated to their IDEAS only and having own version, that becomes the Only ONE allowed    in their presence, or arguments ensue

+ intolerant of any other – views, people, politics, ideas - of what is RIGHT  and not theirs

+ assume that  their own is the ONLY Perfect way/world/self

+  secretly identify as victim/hurt/powerless while pretending they are Not needy, hurt, vulnerable too

+ prefer Rescuing and Saving others, to be the more-powerful-giver, helper, do-gooder, in image

+ want to rescue & be savoir to others –anyone who are visibly any out-group

+ are ambitious [but denies to self this strong hidden desire]

+ strong willed + thus stubbornly DEMANDING [while imaging they are only ‘nice’ & ‘just askin’]

+ intend to be Useful to others =those  that look like they recognize themselves inwardly are

+ dedicated own version of How It Must Be – with no alternatives allowed –

+  they Know Right Best

+ intent  to “SAVE out world”, all of it , no matter what else/ harm/ consequences occur too

+ intrusive with others, assuming that priviledge they don’t give equally to any other person

+ interuptive with their righteous ideas and presumptions

+ talkative and fast-talking, debative, argumentative, able to out-talk most ordinary people

+ Have To have the Last WORD – at almost any cost - to another

+  slyly ambitious:    to be best/most /one-downest / helpfulest / usefulest / et.al

+ desire to be IMPORTANT [but not admitted, ever ! ]

+ do-gooder to prove themselves as “good” after all, to prove themselves against parents/ others.

+ want to be recognized [only for qualities they admit and like, none other ]

+ are consistently  Power-Games PLAYER [denied],

+ are  prejudiced only to down-trodden, and against anyone who has anything, or more

+ become self-sabotaging, and suffer but secretly, in hiding....as these behaviors are difficult and unhealthy as they prevent ‘flow’, or ‘social generosity’ or ‘good social skills with 'acceptability’

 

+ these folks are not just all the ‘bad’ descriptions above but contain more that they make less visible and only share with the selected trusted few whom they allow. The rest of ‘us’ can just take a hike or a jump or a s....t because these folks do not ever want to “change” or improve and arrogantly think/ hope they don’t have to do anything other than – save/ help poor [other] people. The secret arrogance of pride and avarice are not known or well hidden and not faced or admitted.

so who cares ? who defines anyone else ? who describes another without some recognition ?

who dares confront and call those who are so dedicated to “changing the world and making it better”?

who can describe from mere observation and bit of interaction the behaviors seen in a room of 50+ people for 2x  12-hr days ?

And it was also clear and obvious to anyone who observed the happenings in that room - that the KPFK-LA staff, programmers who came to this PNB forum did not act friendly nor recognize those who were long-time volunteers at the station and did not ‘see’ anyone but their own in-group friends and walk out of meeting after having ‘their say’ at microphone and did not stay to hear the others’ msgs.

That was noticeable that the KPFK official people  could wait for their turn to make a “public comment” – available to everyone present -  to the  PNB --- while  listeners who sat separately in a packed 1/8 of the room were ignored as if ‘furniture there’ to be dismissed as unpowered people crowding the space. 

No friendly smiles, no greetings, no eye contact nor any outreach from those who ‘own’ the KPFK station, or act as if they do because they are staff or hold program on-air access spaces. Strange contortions to avoid making any ‘contact’ with strangers who may be ‘enemies’ or ‘others’   maybe ?

and the PNB folks ? they did not provide a list of names or which stations they had emerged from to be flown by Pacifica funds to this LA meeting for the listener-sponsors here to know who was talking to other PNB – in their separate close horseshoe way,  while the public sat in a rectangle of tight-fitted chairs in ‘back’ of room with some PNB people’s backs. 

One PNB woman from Texas continually acted controlling, parentaly, and reprimanding any public outbursts or any attempts to disagree with PNBers- who were faced elsewhere and  talking only to each other for hours and hours .... with the 10”  allowance of public comments that  were allowed - for as many sponsors [and KPFK staff & programmers there]  as wanted to address all of those in the room – who were mostly PNBers -  and the new Exe Director of Pacifica was the only one who appeared genuinely interested in all being said and acted less emotionally reactive than the exclusive PNB  “members”.  

This same  power-playing woman took it upon herself alone to act as if she was the protector, the definer, the admonisher, the head of the PNB group of which she was a mere member = with her attitude of entitlement that no other PNB seemed to question ! She yelled at a public person, stood in front of another one videoing a PNB speaker, took fotos herself without permission and claiming “but it is a  public...” when asked to refrain.

PNB people argued, discussed, yelled, disputed,  balked, voted, made motions, got attention and tried to dominate the meeting and others in the room, as was possible.   

The Los Angeles people sat and waited and sat and waited and gave a 1 or 2 second public comment to all in room and sat and waited and wondered why . The food provided to all, after PNB were served first, paid for by KPFK, was good and generous.

The location was free and provided by a PNB’s employer generously. Parking was easy and the June 12-15 days full of words, disputes, motions, mismatched intentions, good monitoring by the chair and secretaries and was recorded for eternity on an audio by a real audio-engineer too. But who would want to listen to hours upon many too many hours of voices outshouting the others and overlapping to drown any opinion but their own later or elsewhere ?

 maybe ? someone ?

The energy was fierce and the attendees were excitable. The observations were noted and transcribed here to inform , make transparent and give the view that is under covers and denied by most of those present at this PNB forum, as are other LSB meetings of stations elsewhere similarly run.

Everyone needs to visit and see what happens at these meetings and forums -  and learn  how those who control so much money [ that is raised from fundraisers at each station and some transferred to this Pacifica national board to oversee them] act, behave, believe, and use their power. 

Millions of $$$$ are in danger of being wasted or misspent, even if PNB members are not paid in cash or employees of Pacifica, they have big benefits and lots of POWER they dont admit to controlling and using in any way they chose. Come to an LSB meeting at LA's KPFK and see the similar patterns of similar people who are not different and not nicer either, right in our own home town and whom we give privilege to elect PNB members from here to Pacifica to run all the 5 stations & affiliate radio stations too. 

Come in one time, and see for yourself. 

(c) mj 2015

KPFK premiums are BOUGHT by sponsors ? what ?

Business transactions or donations? Are these clever word-plays to hide the realities behind non-transparent financial shenanigans?

The implicit story always was that the merchandisers were providing free of charge contributions of their thingies - in return for all the on-air-advertising they receive, way beyond whatever their contributions could get anywhere else.

Now it is revealed that 'premiums' are traded in return for money ? that the overpriced gifties for station donation support are also PAID for ?

so the seller of stuff gets lots of free-on-air-&-website promos and then also charges for the stuff ?

The statement above quoted as "Plenty of authors featured during pledge drive donate copies of their books to support the station."

This sounds like what is the only-on-air claim made - so dumbed down donors assume this does happen with merchandising of all the KPFK pretend-'gifts' - which are offered [sold] - and sometimes sent in exchange for $ donations.
[ while many complain of never receiving their gifts after many FU inquiries too]

Bad business for KPFK. Other than Pacifica radio stations do reveal their advertising for what it is, but here stations deny, hide, dissimulate and pretend they are not advertising and promoting selective merchandise - all the while doing just that ?

What is NEVER mentioned anywhere for radio audiences is that the 'premium' merchandisers' promotions, & PR, & advertising & radio programmers' repeated lauding this merchandise and their authors is a big gift to the Merchandisers ! Their gain from this on-air exposure -- the promos are obviously worth much more than whatever the stuff 'donated' [and their donations being tax-deductible too ?] made in EXCHANGE ... for money exchanges to stations. Sounds like a set up,, not clean nor honest after all.

Thus the so-called-'premiums' hawked for money is a financial business-trade, and not a free-will gift - from merchandiser to station and from station to $ donor - but a business sale to and from any station that promotes the stuff = all are just falsified, dissimulated business transactions.

The continual concealment and misrepresentation of who pays for what and at what prices are the stuff exchanged, is a fraudulent act....as if the stuff were not 'sold' but gifted is a big LIE that is never admitted nor addressed, even when such practices have been questioned openly at many LSB meetings.

Until the $ amount owed for 'premiums' aka merchandise-exchanges for station sponsors' donations was acknowledged here, the long-paying sponsors of KPFK had no idea that they were simultaneously PAYING for the stuff thru their donations, instead of all their donations being used to maintain the failing radio station essential costs.

Lack of any transparency and the secretive silence repeatedly hides the money realities played within station finances and their business-dealings ....and has done so, for decades thru to now. So, why would anyone be willing to pay more for being so boringly harangued with continual dissimulated ads and promotions ?
(c) 2015

[this is a repost from a comment found elsewhere- story remains the same though ]

 

Musings and wonderings continue :

 

That there is no further discussion heard now about Summer Reese nor has an actual legitimate replacement been put in place to oversee and properly run Pacifica and it's local stations is a blank space that breeds suspicions. Especially in those who have loyally for decades Paid up every time the same plea for desperate funding is incessantly broadcast on air, instead of the regular programming. The silence might seem all is in order and is nice but provides  actual Valid Information - what is going on anyhow    

 

It seems that there is no hope, no positive improvements.  no possibility ever for  KPFK input, and no transparency of what occurs in those dark secretive halls & rooms - so that leaves us just writing, worried, commenting to the ether , tho recorded here  and very few online sites taking extreme sides.  The writing is for us from us...few...of us. 

no info on Summer Reese events can be found on Google. Is it elsewhere hidden away from the biggest NSA participant too ?  If so how do we stakeholders of both KPFK & Pacifica find out ?  Is there a lawsuit pending ? for what amount ? how much is this going to cost 'us' all from what $$$ would otherwise be spent on station 'needs'..as Eva won her suit that was less obviously a contract denied and retracted than Reese's was ? 

Why do we, the radio station sustainers, pay out their hard-earned cash $$$  for the hideous infighting and neglect that occurs in administration or staff interactions? 

Why so much malfeasance and bad behavior in stations that Claim To Be Above the fray of other corporations, government, and everyone else but themselves ? 

Anyone who doest like the malicious only info Ian Masters posted everywhere about Reese - that is no longer needed as he no longer sees his job earnings in danger now - has not heard nor read about all the others  at KPFK or Pacifica PNB, iED, etc.   All those who have not been so 'exposed' or maligned openly  - but  who also have weird views, strange alliances, odd experiences and collusions and are not just the ordinary-normal-hard-working-joe's or jill's they present on air....  

G forbid their past connections and present lives were to be so exposed, including sweet-sounding-white-haired-men who sound so rational on image-air but then act out in fear and anger. No angels exist anywhere near any Pacifica studios, which is why they are also sometimes varied, interesting and present unusual topics  that different than other radios do.

If there is more info revealing Who these on-air hosts or staff are, including those in the current celebrity lites, this is one place too to link or share....not  the old hateful spews - but actual realities of  who are their influences,  what are the stories that relate to their work-life, and how they affect the -if any-future of KPFK or Pacifica stations existence. 

When silence prevails, --like in censorship, self-created or out of knowing others do same to counter-attack as one has done too --then decay and death has already set it.

And the continual angry nagging for more $$$ and more $$$ for months insures that many flee that station to one that is at least tolerable. Some are not of the same extreme persuasion as they were in 1960-70's tho much of the very same programing, voices, and themes are forever recreated endlessly, loopily at all Pacifica stations.

enough of the same outrage and hate already. Nothing else to offer? then it is ok to be gone, for many who formerly paid up constantly. gone .

still wondering what is happening to all the monies we have given many times each year and why what occurs inside the radio station's hollowed halls are main only inside while the Wizard of Oz's presentations on-air continue to leave us musing and wondering...if...only....

[another KPFK article reposted from laindymedia.com to update what is happening to our Los Angeles Pacifica radio station]

 

KPFK FUND DRIVE drives on and on and on .....Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015 at 11:51 AM

no end in sounds of repeat programming, desperate guilt ploys, and asking for money to save what may be a dying old radio station. sad. but may be time for real changes, any how, any time, on air time especially.

found this info at a recent KPFK staffer site:

"FUND DRIVE CONTINUES
Our goal remains at $850,000, reduced from regular goal but definitely definite. As of early Friday [ Feb  20 2015] AM we are at $342,750, with our most successful day being today with $28,700, so at least things appear to be going upward toward the end. No word as to whether we go into March or not. If you want to end it sooner, you know the number (818) 985-5735 and the website: http://www.kpfk.org"

                                         - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Yes, sad that what was so vital and educational for most of it's years on air, the same earnest and vehement voices have become shoutings and  demands.... and none of the ancient holder-on-forever to 'so-called' volunteer programer slots have given open space to more innovative nor
diversified opportunities for any changes. 

No changes ?  it is not because there is no money.  It is because the old timers hold on to their precious on-air slots refusing to allow different voices or opinions in. Not in their payola territory. No Way !

But outside the station, there are few who will pay to keep hearing same angry messages, mostly accusing 'everyone else' [all Others than the ones who keep paying a % of their livelihood ]  of bad faith, poor judgements, and  now deemed to lack all that is of value to a civilized political person.   
Wrong assessment, but one continually heard on KPFK and those from the superiorly-assumed at Pacifica stations ... all the while claiming to be 'for the people, the poor'  with the emphasis repeatedly being  limited to a small slice of the USA or even LA population.   
What is claimed as "mission" is misconstrued for KPFK insiders' convenience and cronies. 

Census says 9% of LA  [and about 14% in USA nationally ] are  identified as black self-described persons,  yet all the while KPFK demands 77% of it's alliances to be with this one group.

 A few others of all colors, religions, persuasions also  struggle for a limited voice on this station.....but listen in ....and find how much is solely devoted to pity-sympathy-identification with their chosen 'underdog' worlds - mostly Blacks.  Why this continued  exclusive alliance and dedication to one racial-cultural group ? 

How limited are the same "free radio" expressions  opened  for poor-underdoged Latinos, Vietnamese, Egyptians, Chinese, Peruvians, Burmese, Venezuelans, Aboriginals, Inuit, Mongolians  or even others like Indonesians ....plus any others also seen daily on news programs  who are  also suffering from droughts, ebola, malarias, food lack, poverty in all forms and no toilets.  

Those who do not reside in USA are not so worthy of attention or being revealed ?    So ?    Why the selective emphasis and selective ignorance? Wonder why KPFK doesn't get more $$$ funds ?  Could part of their pity-party story be the lack of inclusion and slanted version of their worlds as the worst- of worst-scenarios and the  only-righteous one ?   Doubt that view. 

While it's administration, program director and staff stay so continually limited and slanted to one group to support, emulate  and adulate...and given with a bit of saleswomanships of expensive  'alternative' [or unknown and understudied maybe ?] remedies ...and  then the repeated demands for $$$ for those old-new-age conference e-tie-ins to-promote-confidence promoting salesmen ?

Note how little of the  "you are soooo wonderful"- salesmen of these 'motivational talk' tie-ins have to put out  =[emails ? stream some more promos along with affirmative words found in any self-help book in every public library ? & also easily saved in audio books iin libraries too ]  ..
so why are these sales jobs so prominent and prevalent on this listener-sponsored radio station?  

Is it because they are cheap to give to $100-$250+ payees and cheap to advertise as valuable, when they are old and known self-help messages [from before 1970's and on and on, the very same ideas in varied speakers promoting their own stuff yet again..] and not  so valuable, not even actually very useful, but is it  all KPFK has ? 

Could that be the problem - KPFK people programmers are stuck in a rut...again ?  and in so many ways, stuck in the old, done, repeats, again ? 

And then the radio staff keeps asking  strangers to pay them to continue their  same limited views and advertising pitches ?  And also threaten that they will be off-air if all listeners dont send in their earned incomes to save the same-old from their same-old ways ? 

Surprised ? no.   dismayed ?  yes.   Ready to change ?   yep.

A loss of what once was - helpful, innovative, educational and expansive and has now become repetitive, repetitive, repetitive and limited, slanted and boring. 

So those who like to keep the ruins intact for a bit longer, may pay up and  never give up the hope for a return of what once was and no longer is a valued place to listen and learn.  

Too bad.  This world has expanded, opened in so many ways to get to what KPFK before had more exclusive access and now so much more can be found, dis-covered, revealed and gained...everywhere else. Pay to whom for what ?   That question is never asked openly on 90.7FM radio exhortations. What is fresh and not a repeat of same blames, same accusations, same hypocrisies since internal factionalizations are not different than any other organizations are at KPFK even more so. 

sad. 

[this is reposted from laindymedia.org that relates to KPFK local LA Pacifica stn]

KPFK and Pacifica still in moras, chaos, financial turmoil....why ?   

posted on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 at 12:07 PM

KPFK is still losing money, begging daily and irritating all who have pledged $$$$ and are stakeholders who turn away from what seems endless fractionalized disorder. Some info from available sources about how the problems also emanate from 'the above' organziation's sludging on without any honest improvements or doing real elections to show the way....or stop requiring payments to this nat'l office that is killing off any local gains or attempts to reduce, never stop, the infighting.

excerpts from  http://www.unitedforcommunityradio.org/?p=2042  
as of Feb 17  2015...

attempting to give our local KPFK readers/listeners/stakeholders some reporting of what is occurring behind the secret doors, halls, elections, and maneuverings of it's umbrella parent: Pacifica....

these are partial excerpts here, more relevant to LA's own, vs all the other 4 stations with their own separate but allied and conflated problems and people who create problems for their own needs for power & control... 

there can be no other explanation for what has continued destructing, distressing, and ruining KPFK as well .... as the parent and siblings are dragging down the only station that may have a chance at survival...maybe.

           --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"'Pacifica has been trying to fill the position with no success for almost a year, after ousting the last executive director in March of 2014. The current chair of the board, Margy Wilkinson, a retired clerical worker, has been doing the job for most of the year on a part-time basis. She was briefly interrupted by former KPFK manager Bernard Duncan, who submitted a letter of resignation soon after taking the job citing a pre-existing plan to relocate to his native New Zealand. When the board finally selected a new executive director in January of 2015, the candidate, now identified as labor writer Bill Fletcher Jr, declined the position.....

'Instead of then turning to the second place candidate, who received strong support from many members of the board, the board of directors embarked on a brand new election, apparently unwilling to abide by the results of the first.  ....... 

'......opens the question of whether the board of directors as currently constituted is capable of performing the functions of a nonprofit board or if things have deteriorated beyond that point......

"Winter fund drives underway or recently completed at all of the stations were disappointing, with KPFT reporting $207,000 on a $280,000 goal and KPFA reporting $542,000 on a $630,000. Partway through their fund drives, the other three stations were reporting 10-30% shortfalls to date.

"The shortfalls will exacerbate the cash crunch of the past fall when $500,000 in expense reductions were mandated for the network’s two large California stations, KPFK and KPFA, both of which are now fundraising from dawn to dusk for more than 90 days per year or 25% of their total daytime airtime....

"Pacifica in Exile readers may write to the board at pnb@pacifica.org. They may want to suggest a year without an executive director is enough and it is time to make a legitimate job offer to a candidate who has now  been through three hiring processes between 2013 and 2015 and cease the shenanigans.

"In other news, Pacifica’s large pile of documents is due to the Attorney General of California in the correspondence audit launched by the Registry of Charitable Trusts on December 17, 2014. Among those documents will not be the long-delayed audit of the year ended 9-30-2013, which remains undone after 17 months. Auditor Armanino has declined to sign an engagement letter with Pacifica for the next fiscal year, which ended on 9-30-2014.....

also see article from Truthout here :  http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/28824-crises-at-pacifica-

"Started in 1946 by conscientious objector Lew Hill, Pacifica’s storied history includes impounded program tapes for a 1954 on-air discussion of marijuana, broadcasting the Seymour Hersh revelations of the My Lai massacre, bombings by the Ku Klux Klan, going to jail rather than turning over the Patty Hearst tapes to the FBI, and Supreme Court cases including the 1984 decision that noncommercial broadcasters have the constitutional right to editorialize, and the Seven Dirty Words ruling following George Carlin’s incendiary performances on WBAI. Pacifica Foundation Radio operates noncommercial radio stations in New York, Washington, Houston, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area, and syndicates content to over 180 affiliates. It invented listener-supported radio."
                              - - - - - - - --- - - - - - - - - - - -- 

so?

anyone who cares about KPFK's decent into money grubbing for over 25% of it's airtime and alienating any newer listeners and mostly it's already-paid-up-to-the-hilt stakeholders should get a phone call, an email, a visit even or some words not of comfort but of confrontation for why KPFK is allowing even this small 1//5th part of what once was valuable unique LA Radio to fall into nagging routines that alienate all, reducing any possibility of this station's getting it together...ever..at all.

sad story but what can be heard on 90.7 FM.
kpfk.org
tel 818 985 2711

dont just send in your last pennies, tell KPFK adm & staff how you feel about being bombarded by money guilt-trips to give even more and more and ask why they accede to what ails Pacifica without fighting back those who may want to sell KPFK or another station to pretend to save the failing ailing ones that will fall faster right afterwards.

or ignore it all and let another LA institution dis-appear, die off, and be done with all the trouble this non-conforming-to-laws non-profit org. has become. a skeleton of it's original prior self.
how sad.

 http://www.unitedforcommunityradio.org/?p=2042