KPFK's elections for LSB have few voters, so who represents us ?

this is a quote from the KPFK home page, and it sounds like people maybe DONT CARE... or just dont vote... or are jaded and alienated from their radio station. Why is this happening this way? How can the station sustain itself financially if there is such a lack of involvement or interest in the way the station is run and managed ? [ There was no date to that posting, as most items on the website are not easily identified. ]

http://www.kpfk.org/ as accessed on October 19, 2009.

"Over 17, 000 ballots were mailed out to our eligible KPFK Listener-Membership. LESS THAN 1,200 BALLOTS HAVE BEEN RETURNED! All ballots are due back to KPFK by Thursday, October 15th. [snip] Your vote is your voice... Even if you do not agree with our democratic election process... YOUR VOTE STILL COUNTS! Speak out by simply returning a blank ballot... It's THAT IMPORTANT."

from the main Pacifica site, here is what LSB duties are required as listed=
http://www.pacificafoundation.org/elections/the-candidates/lsb-duties.html



[All those who are finally elected should be held to account for how each and every one of them adheres and accomplishes those duties and responsibilities listed below, or else they must be reprimanded, put on temporary probation or then removed if failing in their responsibilities. It is not just an ego-trip of title but actual work accomplishment that MUST BE DONE WELL to remain 'representing' the rest of those who cannot be on the LSB themselves.


Also, members must inquire, go out to become informed about many many various communities, elicit information of relevant groups, and then attempt to fairly and honestly REPRESENT those views and needs to the rest of the LSB membership. Discussion and agreements come out of INFORMED members, not those who like to vent their own personal political slants and ambitions.


Any member who does not actually extend their base and input beyond themselves should be admonished and left without a vote since it may be only a '1 person vote' that is negligible and uncountable. Do not allow the LSB become a private club of people who voice only their own desires, while merely pretending to represent any other large group[s]...hopefully more than merely one group at that. ]

"Local Station Boards have the following duties and responsibilities:

• Actively reaching out to under-represented communities to help the station serve a diversity of all races, creeds, colors and nations, classes, genders and sexual orientations and ages. The Local Station Board is also directed to help build collaborative relations with organizations working for similar purposes.

• Assisting the station in fundraising activities.

• Conducting at least 2 Town Hall style meetings each year. These are devoted to hearing listeners' views, needs, and concerns. Performing community needs assessments, or seeing to it that separate "Community Advisory Committees" are formed to do so.

• Working with station management to ensure that station programming fulfills the purposes of the Foundation and is responsive to the diverse needs of the listeners (demographic) and communities (geographic) served by the station, and that station policies and procedures for making programming decisions and for program evaluation are working in a fair, collaborative and respectful manner to provide quality programming.

• Reviewing and approving the radio station's budget.

• Screening and selecting a pool of candidates for the position of Program Director at each radio station. The General Manager must make a hire from this pool of candidates.

• Writing annual evaluations on the job performances of the radio station's General Manager and Program Director.

• Screening and selecting a pool of candidates for the position of General Manager from which the Pacifica Foundation Executive Director (ED) must hire.

• Ensuring that the station works diligently towards the goal of diversity in staffing at all levels and maintenance of a discrimination-free atmosphere in the workplace.

These Local Station Boards also have the following national responsibilities:

• Electing 4 members to serve as directors of the Pacifica Foundation which manages the radio stations in New York, Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles and Berkeley. The Local Station Board can recall these Foundation directors by a 2/3 vote.

• The Local Station Board also appoints from its own membership representatives to serve on the committees of the National Foundation which review finances, programming, governance and other matters essential to the operation of the network.

Each individual member of a Local Station Board should expect to attend monthly board meetings and actively serve on Local Station Board committees."

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