KPFK has had installed a new Gen'l Mgr with big staff reactions too....

There is in our next post here a copied part of a 1967 KPFK Folio editorial written by someone in management then.    This writing is being revisited to note how more open and less fractuous the attitudes were when there were actual violent wars the USA was involved in fighting. With some similar questions of 48 yrs ago that still remains and needs confronting again.

Today KPFK has announced that it's operating staff is being reduced and some will be only working 1/2 time, for maybe a temporary or extended time period. This is  decreed by the new set-up Gen'l Mgr - who was suddenly brought-in-by-a-fading-KPFA-power-player [Margy Wilkinson] -- who had also just priorly set herself up to be the high authority as  'interim Exe Director of Pacifica' -- the KPFK's and KPFA's umbrella organization. 

This becoming an iED of a huge nonprofit corporation was  integral to an ousting of the priorly elected ED, [Summer Reese] who had worked as iED for over 3 years before already  -- and then she was suddenly 'fired' by the Pacifica Nat'l Board . The sudden switch move is what has also been described as their legally-by-laws-binding maneuvers by a few in their own interests. This dispute is probably going into costly lawsuits, that will divest Pacifica of more $$-funds too.

Thus this  recently & quickly imposed  Gen'l Mgr of KPFK  recently selected thru a 1-person-action  - as info can be found out so far within so much secret maneuverings happening  - this newly-positioned & radically leaning all Extreme-Left-Edge-Only :  Gen'l Mgr at KPFK in Los Angeles .  

She  has also then created an even worse work-environment at the radio station [ 90.7 FM in LA and nearby areas] -- as her personal views and choices are being superimposed on those who have long diligently worked at station - long and hard for many many years before this sudden shift in who is their boss and their game-changer. Rather a shock and surprise, unwanted and apparently unavoidable now...or is it ?

The new GM at KPFK has been criticized elsewhere already,  about her lack of managerial or radio broadcasting management credentials, as well as her own interpersonal-style. 

Then, to add to the dire financial difficulties, KPFK's loss of listenership, the  lack of  proper budgets, audit and  business-management correctness,  and proper business reporting updates,and revealings to their stakeholders too --- in other words, business as it must be upheld for maintaining licensure, for honest accounting practices and having $$$ pledgers  then giving their honest $$$ earnings to KPFK - has not been done, not right, not as required to stay afloat.  [KPFA seems to be in similar dire conditions too ]

And for a long while now, a lack of good-leadership by a  competent GM is showing- as the end-result of the mismanagements and inefficiencies...so the dangers of  the final failing of Our Radio Station seems eminent.  as cliches say : "The situation is dire. "

So this next posted here editorial is offered as a Review of how KPFK thinking was before this now, and also how thinking openly was allowed to be exposed. That is very different from the total lack of transparency and the repeated mis-managements of many recent years.  

Could the radio station that continually is claiming  to be 'free' in every-anything - could this entity ever again be free-enough to allow any new or other voices -  other than the same staid, repetitive ones - those already entrenched and repeating their same views and biases- yr in and yr out?  

Could this non-commercial station find any other ways of maintaining some  financial independence ?  Or differently  than this constant irritating infomercials and the pretenses to be oh,so much more worthy than any NPR ... or even other media ?  

Could anyone involved with KPFK ever admit the payola, =the benefits that 'volunteer' unpaid programmers gain and obtain with their media access to on on-air time slot =, which must be valuable, if not in cash but then in many other favorable terms, which always remain denied and unnamed ?    This topic can not ever even be discussed because it is so tricky and hidden from listeners & stakeholders.  

But the perpetual:  lauding, promoting, superlatives and bragging that 'guests' get on air that is elsewhere  openly admitted as being PROMOTIONS and PR paid for there with green $$ or favor-tradings. No one is just that admiring of KPFK's advertised products, events, artists -- and anyone that is promoted and lauded on-air  apparently for free ? 

Then there are the failures to maintain or even reveal honest Budgets, audits and the financial health of these radio stations have lost their annual contributions from CPB [govt funds to nonprofit media], and then the Berkeley station is about 2 years behind in producing any kind of audit that can be read, believed or even given to the new Exe Director of Pacifica. What is wrong there and here ?   Who is responsible for the messes?

Mr. Proffitt, the new E.D., hired by others than those holding on tightly to the controlling reins, was upstaged with the hiring of this latest KPFK new Gen'l Mgr- who was hired just 1 day before he could even investigate, inquire or even make his authorized choices or decisions ....or even ask any questions about a move that usurped his given authority as ED. 

That sudden unethical move aroused alarms to all involved, even Proffit himself. 

 While Wilkinson appears to have her very own hidden plans, with her own undue- influential attorneys, and secret strategies -- to do a 'make over'  --of both KPFK and KPFA - the only 2 viable of 5 national radio stations under Pacifica. The revelations are only after-the-facts are done and thus create turmoil, distrust and difficulties for everyone else.

The next posting here to this is the 1967 editorial,shared to elicit thinking, questions, & openness- all that is prohibited from KPFK  to those outside their halls,  now in August 2015. 

On Aug 17 an akward 'report to the listeners' from this controversial GM to those who happen to listen at that 8:30 pm hour, accidentally mostly, was revealing anyhow. The stiff manner of speaking and not responding to 5 listener-call-in-questionners allowed their bare minimum comment or question was difficult to hear and accept. The ways questions were slipped away from and going to the 'next caller' immediately to prevent having to actually say anything other than "it is not for me to ...."  

The whole dismal surprise pretense of being Open and Receptive to Listeners was heard to be a sham and disaster. It can be found in the Radio Archives on line at that time slot if anyone is interested in listening or transcribing and sharing that word for word sad display of avoidance and defensiveness. 

Where is there any discussion, a viable feedback loop,  or the possibility of communicating with staff or management at KPFK ?  

ohhhhh... it is no where found - even tho it has been requested repeatedly for years.  

Is all already lost ? Is KPFK Un-improvable ?  Wasted ? away....? Done and almost gone?   already ? 

 (c) 2015  bt 

Is KPFK like KPFA in the robbers' bag being stolen Away from stakeholders ?

Some More Questions ... About The KPFA Foundation”     

 

a repost from:      http://pacificainexile.org/archives/1041

----

KPFA seems to be a precursor for what will or is happening to other still viable radio stations within Pacifica - again, as a decade ago -a few secretly operating to take-over-take-away for whatever beliefs they may have to feel 'righteous' about their hide-from-others'-eyes-actions, they are Stealing under pseudo-legal shenanegalings. [ = stealing under cover of hiding their actions and collusions ]

 

while wanting to look like a holy place, not KPFK nor KPFA are not, 

they are mere radio stations  being grabbed by clever PNB members and their attorneys

But this could not be done as easily had the stations being taken off of public-ownership been handling their affairs with enough transparency and feedback from their stakeholders before getting into such dire conditions.

Blame is not just in 1 or 2 places but equally shared throughout =tho in different %'s. Those who denied and gagged all info about each station's management and dealings and problems were hiding and thus put themselves into this precarious position. 

Those who had no knowledge but kept putting their $$ into failing entities without asking them to be responsible and open about their status lacked courage to ask or were easily pushed aside as irrelevant-questioners. 

Those who did the accounting, such as it was, or not done, as audits were apparently not presented openly nor on time as required for legal & financial payments were or not supervised or allowed to shlub their paid job duties. 

Those who were doing their tax businesses on KPFK's time and computers should have been dis-covered and fired long ago and not allowed to mis-use the station's meager funds for their personal gains.

(c) 2015 mj 

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 ]