Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Various comments and findings here to expose all that can be found, for now.



Trying to provide others as info is dis-covered or locatable to EXPOSE and help the lack of transparency that has pervaded KPFK forever and is just now loosening up in crumbles ....only because of the precarious financial and adminstrative problems therein now...as before but worse, here are some findings:


       from some emails received online : 

 


all programs can be heard on the WEB too, later, for maybe 65-90 days [not all are same time available, so check it out or call station 818-985-2711]. KPFK can be heard streaming live online at http://www.kpfk.org/ and click on ‘Listen Live.’ Times are PST- then look for program name and program time


[sent Nov 2 - here excerpted]                 "AUDIO ARCHIVES

Many KPFK programs, …are archived on http://www.kpfk.org “…after broadcast for listening on demand. …. To get to audio archives. click on ‘audio archives.’ Times listed are the  PDT or PST time …. Translation: you can listen to the show any time of the day or night on demand. Be sure to check out the 2 very convenient search engines on the top of the audio archives.
                                                "VITAL LOCAL BOARD ELECTIONS 

The elections are proceeding as you might have heard candidate statements on the air. Don’t fret – you won’t have to rank and vote for every one, which would be a gigantic undertaking. But if you hear someone who seems to be bringing something to the station, make note. Also there are slates of candidates which are announced on the statements by members of the slates. Some are good guys, some are bad guys. I consider good guys as people who are bringing some skill or knowledge to the station. The bad guys as wanting to force their philosophy or club or particular insanity or desire which will continue the downfall of the station under the disguise or illusion of fixing it. 

The board has some good members, but the majority, now way over their normal time of office, has not been beneficial to station operations for years and many have gamed the system to gain power to do whatever they plan. At this point that includes cutting the staff to ½ time and trying to bust the union. (not very progressive even if they claim the title) We need our listener-sponsors to hang in, hang on, and keep us alive while we’re under reconstruction.”

  [and sent on oct 29]         "LAST WEEK OF OCTOBER FUND DRIVE       

As of ... Oct. 29, our total is approximately $436,515 (the people who know how to work the fund drive computer program are out sick, hence the approximation). We will proceed until Friday November 6.
  
                                            "KPFK LOCAL BOARD ELECTION (CRUCIAL)

The ballots were sent out 3rd class on Oct. 15 so if you're a subscriber (as of Sept.) you should have or be getting your ballot soon. Voting will be carried out all month. It is crucial that we get a quorum so the local board can be cleansed of destructive forces which currently control the majority. 

Two different candidate slates have been mailed to all voters - to help make your choices, check the endorsements of the slates. Everyone 'supports the station' but some don't. Everyone wants 'better programming' but to some this means more of their friends and fellow ideologues without reference to the listener preferences. 

Everyone wants less on air fundraising, but some would cause more fundraising by ignoring listener preferences for their own tastes and desires. Some mean well but are tools for those who have a history of destructiveness and self-serving.

 Our entire local board is waaaayover the time of service they were elected for (if indeed they were elected) They gave KPFK a $500,000 budget deficit and offered to raise $5000 to ease the burden. They gave us several managers but haven't been able to select a permanent program director for years. 

One slate complains we are overburdened with 'health and spirituality programs' but they constitute about 5 1/2 hours per week during the days and evenings and are a major part of listener interest and support. One slate wants a KPFK with mostly volunteer programmers with just a few staff to help out - well, we have over 90 volunteer programmers and 4 paid staff programmers. What do they want?? This is a serious election - the board wanted it to be ignored, but it is happening anyway.”


[and sent on Oct 28th :]       "OCTOBER FUND DRIVE CONTINUES       

The October fund drive will spill over into November and is scheduled to end on Nov. 6 so we get as close to the goal of $750,000 as possible. ...., but we do have the responsibility of doing our part while canceling a minimum of programs.”


                         “KPFK LOCAL STATION BOARD ELECTIONS (CRUCIAL!!)
Help is on the way. Two candidate slates have sent mailers to all voters (at their own expense) to help you in choosing. Be sure to also check the supporters of the candidates to insure the validity of your choice. It won't be necessary to rank EVERY candidate. What is urgent is that we get a quorum (10 percent) of votes in to insure that the election will be counted.           Those who look forward to the demise of Pacifica hope deeply that you will ignore this election and allow their tools to remain in power.”
                                      ###



like KPFK : this depicts the drying out and death of a radio-mark, almost drained out, dessicated, destroyed....going... going... but there may be a chance of replenishment still..maybe ?  oh, wait.... it has...................



then there are also other versions of reality and events and facts to check out here- but how do we  figure out whose truths and truthsayers are most believable?  

check out what there is time for and decide and  inquire further - to dis-cover what is the Validity of the conflicting claims, accusations, and all declarations - that can [or not] be substantiated: 

 



“Well written article with lots of attacking - but thus more, informative, dissenting, & varied information presented.   Best place of discussion I've yet found anywhere on net, or have I missed some better discussion sites? 

Why are the inner workings of KPFK and it's apparent demise so difficult to local on internet?
Is it mostly a secret to donors-stakeholders and only the fighters in-the-know? 

And having attended many, too many, LSB meetings, as any public member is left mostly confused, out-of-loops, and felt ineffective and unheard, even in my 1.5 min comment in 5 hr meetings.   But  It is  understood that it was the LSB and it's committees that  selected and then approved the KPFK managers and others. 

If so, is the LSB also responsible for the many lapses, ineffective or unprofessional work done by these GMs?   

Who would be the responsible people for placing those poor GMs and PDs and staff in place?

And then  who also were the LSB majority or most members that "passed" those  budgets -- that were  only presented that hour of that day - by every GM ? With no previously examined, or any items up for question, but the budget thus  presented at that meeting for a "pass this budget now" -- even  when some very few dared to question even the obviously erroneous info and figures ?

It made no sense. No examination of budget and how it was created, what it contained, if figures added up, but just projected on a bumpy wall in LSB meeting for passing, with numbers barely readable And this was year after year, not just 1x.

So who is responsible and who are accountable for all those debts, mistakes, miscalculations, by GMs selected by the same LSB groupies who did not reveal to the public their divisions nor alliances, to make sense of what was being observed.

Strange results that do not surprise. If Boards claim when asked that they don’t have power and then have or use voting motions and passing budgets power, where is Reality and some accuracy ? 

So many who have visited LSB have never returned. Others come repeatedly - to vent their particular issue,  or support programmers, or declare their personal prejudices and say so -- in public comments section.  

But the many donors, volunteers, audiences have no power nor visibility of  what else happens that strains or drains the KPFK station's stability. Attending anything KPFK is to give more money or to watch dysfunctional processes that keep silent on salient problems.

Until recent eruptions, staff reductions and firings, those OUTside did not know, could not participate, did not vote and would not know the failures of those they had voted for before.  Now, revelations are dribbling out, revealing the morass and messes that have long been in the dark halls of KPFK, and other Pacifica stations.         
 
Still, information is not straight forward, believable, and in continual angry dispute, opposite sides vehemently attacking the other without giving the rest of us Full and Factual Data nor Information we can believe or trust.    What a waste of what once, long long ago, was apparently "a good station" to pay for.

                                                   ######

          and here below are bits from some others’ relevant comments there:

 

"It looks like the station is censoring Sonali’s program because she aired dirty laundry. On the KPFK archives you can see Tuesday’s and Thursday’s programs, but not Wednesday’s. Of course this could be a coincidence. But this has happened before. They pulled the same stunt in 2003 when they censored Democracy Now because Juan Gonzalez went on the air and quit because of the hijacking that was going on. They also verbally abused Amy Goodman at the station and locked her out of WBAI and canceled Pacifica’s flagship program (DN!). That’s why when the Free Pacifica movement won Amy insisted on having her own independent studios.            

 BTW, Ian Master was completely OK with how Amy and the rest of the programmers were treated back then. He was on the same side as Nation Institute’s Marc Cooper and station GM Marc Schaub (sp?). Reminds me of the old adage: “the weaver in his own web”!”

and  another commentator wrote:                                       
“A similar thing happened 12 years ago and many were let go because their “aired dirty laundry on the air”. We formed the Free Pacifica movement and kicked the GM, Mark Schub , and a few other people out. Looks like the beast is rearing its hideous head again. We need to organize and form a movement again. KPFK has been moving to the right and increasingly identifying with the Democratic Party. So there is no room for independent and radical hosts such as Sonali.        BTW, Ian Masters was one of the hosts that was in bed with Mark Schub at the time. He sold the station down the river and instead of being kicked out, because of his charm, was promoted to 5 hours a week!            
We demonstrated outside KPFK for a whole year and organized with the staff who had integrity in order to topple the old regime. Sonali is not the first to go and I believe she will be fired altogether                       and        
What a shame that the new management is destroying this wonderful station. I started listening during the Iran Contra Hearings and this helped me complete my transition from the right to the left. I never received my pledge drive gifts and will not contribute to KPFK again until trust is restored. What a shame that a successful station was dragged down by totally selfish beings whoever they are. “     ######
OTHER COMMENTS LOCATED RELATED TO KPFK with comments included :




It is important that all readers, writers SHARE and reveal what can be un-covered about the doings at KPFK, or others will remove it from it's public radio status to privatize, slant in their only chosen direction - be it commercial, political, or racial.

While Google is a great search engine - but still cannot select past the huge slew of programmers and programs - all that brand-publicize-promote themselves. And these pages on pages of self-advertising thus obstruct the more important "news" and comments and questions and suggestions, etc. = all that is more important than their PR moves.

Where can any balanced, or fact-checked information be located ?

Who is neutral and loyal enough to KPFK to not be fighting 'them others' and be believable?

In the vast terrific proliferation and availability on the Internet, the search is difficult, and time-consuming.   

So any verifiable or thoughtful, even creative questioning  websites known can be SHARED so all who have long been donating $$$ and time can make more honest choices, and less be 'led by' either of the apparent 2-factions fighting on line and elsewhere too. 

Help us. Join "the conversation" [the latest faddish cliche]. Help the Solution[s]. Free up whatever information can be known. 

Help assist every other donor, member, stakeholder -  before another blind election results in more in-fighting, or lawsuits, or the forming of antagonistic ganging together of cronies- as repeats when those who exclusively select only what suits their versions of 'reality' at KPFK holds all the seats and powers too. 

Or those who will  create their own version of what they want. Not what is necessary for re-creating that a varied, multi- attitudinal, open-to-creative-reporting  and programs at KPFK - more as how we have known and liked to listen there ....before.

Express what else is to be considered - or who  and why to vote for in the current elections.
Names without matching descriptions of their proposed solutions and verified expertise dont  help a lot,  While a list =. a slate of one side - and that is virulently opposed to another side - and both advertising that their names must be just checked off, - so all that becomes no-choice. 

And without knowing any actualities of the people on the current ballot- so we are stupidly marking ballots without any actual knowing who is what. Just like in some governmental elections  - which turn out 'wrong' after we learn of the candidates  -  past their easy advertised promises. .

The radio blurbs have been hard to discern when the name is barely understood on air and the message gives little validatable facts. 

                Questions to ask ourselves when voting for LSB now:

What have these people DONE FOR KPFK or another radio station before ? 

Where else did they produce valued work and what affiliations do they claim ? 

Are they allied with a political point-of-view that is admitted or even open-to-dissent?

Are their motives for running for boards more than promoting 'their owngroup and views' or acquiring power ?

What experiences can they claim that gives them VALUE as a LSB member now, not in long ago past times when the world, USA, LA and KPFK was different & in different circumstances?  

What can anyone wanting to Represent US KPFK donors show that they have earned that trust or that recognition?

and mostly;  Who and How Many community KPFK stakeholders do they actually truly REPRESENT and that now  back them, instead  having of just a 'few friends' who may just as well  vote for them ?    

Remember, the LSB members must have been on the local board for a year [not sure of exact time period] before they can be nominated, or self-nominate, to be on the Pacifica Nat'l Board PNB, where apparently more important political, financial and other powered moves occur.

(c) 2015 RR     

 

Saturday, October 31, 2015

VOTE ! if you have contributed to KPFK at all this last year. Please. VOTE !

                                     [foto from Hollywood Cemetery ]



 Day of Dead offerings = to the radio-life forces to keep KPFK from melting, dying, decaying, and being stolen.



If any reader here has paid monies or volunteered time to KPFK, radio [90.7 FM and at KPFK.org] 
you are suppose to receive a paper ballot to VOTE for new BOARD members – to chose who will vote for the management, and issues that run this radio station. If anyone has paid  $25/ yr OR given their 3 hrs of volunteering –these are the minimum requirements to be a Listener-Sponsor.

And if you do not NOT receive your ballot, please !!! phone, write and insist that the management comply with their required duties and mail the ballot to you NOW.  

Call 818-985-2711  or 818-985-KPFK between 9 am and 5 pm.
Or email at any time any place from their website : www.KPFK.org

Do not let others chose for you. Tho there are 2 very divided factions claiming their whole slate be voted in, you, Reader, can pick and chose from those or individualize your selections. There is  not requirement to buy any whole package offered, unless you so chose.

The  Pacifica National Board  [PNB ]has failed to carry out its obligations to have elections in a proper and timely manner. This act of  negligence has led to  it’s board members holding their prized seats way past the expiration of their elected-time terms. So, this results in  one faction which controls both the [LSB] local board at KPFK, and the Nat’l Board as well. The other faction has been sidelined, vilified and maligned with lots of angry words flagging many websites that address the management and operations of Pacifica and it’s 5  radio stations.

Elections have been avoided, denied and excuses are  invalid for undemocratically elected boards - extended their terms .


There has been many sleights of hand moves  within both KPFK and Pacifica –  notably by avoiding following their own rules & bylaws -  as in their we-Must-Have-Our-group-prevail – and  in long delays to having elections of its Board Members.

The requirements are that there must be elections …..
According to Pacifica’s bylaws, this entity is supposed to have elections 2 out of every 3 years. No exceptions. But they haven’t had any for an extended time.

So then the legitimately-elected-terms of more than 1/2 of the people currently sitting on the  PNB Nat’l Board have already expired.

And KPFK  also hasn’t conducted an election since 2010. This means that everyone now on this LSB board is not legitimate nor should be seated.

Due to the  elected-terms expired =  those in that attrition, those waiting-alternates, are then seated – but they were never elected.  Thus by failing to hold required elections,  those members  previously on the board  have cleverly then  extended their own terms in office and are cleverly keeping themselves in control of all concerns in Pacifica.

As a result, the network's status is in dubious condition as a non-profit and the Corp Public Broadcasting grants have not been given due to lack of proper or timely audits as well as the precarious and mis-managed funding, lack of sufficient audiences and important factors that Validate these radio entities.

To be put in the position of being Distrusted, Questioned with few or no answers provided, even while the divided are  in 2 fractious, attacking, oppositional groups that want Control and Board majorities means both KPFK and it’s umbrella nat’l board have lost the basics:  

Monday, October 26, 2015

KPFK's "Global Village" music programmers left behind an audience- to which they claimed to be loyal? Really ? ?

Have any KPFK programmers ever admitted what they GET back in exchange - for grasping & holding on to that slot ON AIR  - they to use that access to a radio audience, and also where  others who want to reach that audience have that access?
                                            


                                        Image result for violin pix free



So who is playing which tune now ?   Who has tuned out ?  Who have deserted their favored on-air-access media programs for richer sounds elsewhere ?  And given their public reasons in a quickie letter is not all, tho admits openly some of the many serious hurdles KPFK has to play smoothly anywhere, even on radio waves.






When the recent 3 Global Village music programmers left [ a sinking station ? ] after many many years of playing good music, and also always lauding & promoting their guests and artists, did they take with them their audience elsewhere ?  

Image result for violin pix freeOr find better music to play where now ? Or going to earn incomes beyond what benefits [never admitted] they received at KPFK for so very long ?
  


programmers do not 'work' for free, even if not paid salary or cash.



Has any music programmer at KPFK ever acknowledge GETTING any kinds of programmer-benefits ?   Not those gross direct bribes,  or payments to play -- but all the other affiliated goodies that come-with being the Presenter of goods, sounds, words, recordings.... that require an advertising budget to pay elsewhere?

Or what other or any kinds of gifts, rewards were traded, offered, given, hidden by any and all programmers at KPFK  ?  Why is this such a deep dark secret unadmitted but easily assumed based on how 'business is done' everywhere else... and KPFK is not that different at all. 

Contrary to it's claims, based on what has been now recently revealed of its poor business practices that helped trip this place into debt or bankrupcy.

How about having secret special  Contacts-Connections provided , for networking, working with, getting favors from, et al...  could these also be the obvious  BENEFITS of  controlling - having a set space, program with on-air accesses, ?   


All musical and even author interviews and even 'discussions with preeminent-prominent  academics in their 'specialties',  and then all of which are related to those money-making industries...  corporations, companies, business..all those that need and use on-air media access for PROMOTIONS and "public-relations"  audibility. 

Having On-Air Access is a prize, a prime benefit, something to never-let-go or share, it seems.  But at KPFK this  is never openly admitted though. 


The KPFK  on-air programs give  each and all of them a huge audience, as all media visibility does [and such media access is also known as:  PR,   promotions,   advertising, marketing, and other euphemisms saying  that the SELLING of brand, name, product, et al  is happening ]. 

All is done also  in the service of  promoting more sales of their merchandise, their Brand visibility, for popularity and  rising academic prestige. Or  used in presenting a particular political-news Point Of View, even some that may be lacking in  general mass media, where there may be less access for these to blare & show-off their wares and smarts. 

To dissimulate and pretend that all KPFK programmers are just wanting to 'share' their findings or to "organize and unite others together" is a collateral benefit but far from the only or main benefit of getting and holding-on [for decades at times] to On-Air Radio time.   

Yes, these ideals are included and exalted as "our only reason for being here", but it is doubtful that a slim slice is the whole truth and the implied programmer's self-aggrandizement is just that. 


Other media at least admit to 'employees' or 'contractors' or 'free-lancers' get paid for their work in programming duties.

Other radio or media do not hide behind this goodie exaggeration and as if this Pacifica- innocent-altruistic self-presentation - is real, as it is continually Sold too listeners at KPFK, and even some other non-profits do so globally also.

The other media admits to having alliances, political pressures and aims, paid [and intern] staff that are supervised and directed by administrations. KPFK does not admit this in any way. The pretense of a free-for-all-and-any because of their quaint Mission which is barely actually followed, leaves plenty of questions to any Thinking Person, those they want to claim as Pacifica's audiences. 


And  have we, can we ever know of whatever other goodies these long-clinging-to-their-spot programmers, plus many others also,  may have accrued over their long years at KPFK on-air-programming ? This would, of course, be in lieu of or beyond monetary compensations from wherever they have 'contacts',  that is.  Much like the "sponsors"  that are admitted elsewhere - and where "lobbyists" or "PR people" operate in similar and more commercial  media areas as well.

We must be curious, while knowing humans to not be so  good nor generous as KPFK folk claim to do,  with their time or sharings, nor are they so altruistic as to provide the KPFK listeners with music -  just to pleasure us -  and sustain the radio station. Then, their sudden, quickie, exit gives more rise to many Questions - that are not explained sufficiently by their public self-promoting as above-the-fray  all along, as they exit.  Their statement listed here below:

 a Letter found on line by 3 KPFK programmers - tho this info was not openly mentioned earlier, for the decades they have been using the airspaces to do their 'thing' there. [copied below FYI]

"People are asking why I, Derek Rath, Beto Arcos and Yatrika have left “Global Village” at KPFK. This is our joint statement to the management which pretty much explains it. It was a very, very hard decision to make and uproots a significant part (both time-wise and in importance) of my life.

Dear Leslie and Alan,

We, Derek, Betto and Yatrika, are issuing this joint statement to give you notice that, as of today, September 30, 2015, we are effectively resigning from our respective Global Village programs.
This decision was not made lightly. As you well know, we are all three veteran programmers at KPFK. Betto founded the Global Village twenty years ago, Derek and Yatrika have programmed their respective shows for 18 years.
During this time, we have weathered all the ups and downs of the station, the changing of the guards, the financial woes and the incessant fund drives, pulling our weight and working to deliver our best, while trying to remain optimistic and positive.

However, given the recent ever-growing poisonous factionalism at Pacifica and the station, the incessant fund drives, the non-fulfillment of premiums and non-responsiveness to member calls, the plummeting of listenership, the staff and salary cuts and the sorry morale of the station and staff, we can no longer in all good conscience continue to be on the air and raise money for the station.

This joint decision has been the result of deep soul searching which has led to the conclusion that we have major ethical issues requesting money from listeners whose premiums do not get fulfilled and whose favorite programs get cut or are regularly interrupted or put on hiatus.

Furthermore, we believe that Pacifica is no longer living up to its mission, and that power play and internal politics are wreaking havoc with the station and have undermined quality programming. Our first obligation is to the listeners who fund this station and unfortunately their interests are no longer being served.

It has been a privilege to serve the station and our southern California audience for so many years and we thank KPFK for giving us the opportunity to bring music rarely heard elsewhere to the airwaves. But given the current situation, time has come for us to move on.

Sincerely,
Derek Rath, Betto Arcos and Yatrika Shah-Rais"

Always, more questions must be asked, considered, and yet seldom does anyone answer those who have paid for KPFK's sustenance.



It may not be that questions have easy or apparent answers,  and that even an informative site like  pacificainexile knows it all or promote it's versions... and yet...sometimes the revelations bring even many more concerns and questions up  - to critical thinking minds- while not even expecting the answer to 'just appear for donors view.  

Most KPFK  info is not available anywhere in LA or in Google search either.

And active and loyal listeners thus miss any, many, KPFK on-air comments -  that suddenly have appeared now,  as 24 hrs or even 8 hrs of listening is beyond most people's interest and capacity.      So learning of what is happening 'inside there' by reading out here is our only tid bit of news of KPFK  troubles and even stability, and to learn of where our money disappears in there.

                             to  Reader: 

please attempt any search to see why there are pages and pages of KPFK programs and programmers and barely any, almost none, emerge describing what enormous financial, administrative, management, staff and  other PROBLEMS are not being exposed...a hidden slow burn perhaps, into extinction.    

Little TRANSPARENCY of a non-profited publicly paid-for radio station means there either is much to hide and manipulate...or..... the hypocrisy of what is repeated on-air about 'free speech' and 'we are depending on You !' to sustain their funding needs are LIES.

Why is it so difficult to obtain information of where and how our donations are being spent or wasted or mis-allocated in non-audited books at KPFK and Pacifica - the umbrella nat'l office that requires a high monthly payment for it's maintenance also ?

Google is bare of actual information about the financial conditions, the lawsuits filed or already paid, the Board members who act unethically or may be playing to KPFK's dissolution ?

As usual, not surprising but still startling, in this big media world in USA, there is difficulty in finding OUT what occurs inside even in institutions of which WE STAKEHOLDER DONORS are said to be the major contributors.   There is 1 site mentioned previously also, that provides information regularly, and is commendable for what is revealed there, as it is not elsewhere:
pacificainexile.org   to read or subscribe to any reader's email box. 

and there are a few other sites that disagree, or explain or exhort their views too. It is difficult to find a central or neutral sources of factual, actual,  legitimate  transparent Information.
see some other found sites:  LA Progressive    &  SaveKPFA    
and there must be more somewhere?    

And then here, there are more Questions, Concerns, Doubts, and Critical Thinking offered to promote and share what can be dis-covered here too. 

Where else has any Reader found that provides, even opposed views, that clarifies and informs all those who WANT TO KNOW REALITY as it is happening...to KPFK...to our donations ?

(c) 2015   Rr