This was written Sept 10, 2012 - after googling ...and finding no events to join, to commemorate, question, memorialize or even recognize that such a huge death-filled event occurred just 11 years ago, wasn't it ?
Time tends to make us humans forget-full, conveniently, for those oligarchic empire rulers, who can then reproduce their agendas for hard times for the populations, the destructions, the war and shareholder corporate games and those lies they used so well after the NYC crisis that surprised 'the rest of us' and produced fear and fear-mongering forever thereafter. The lies that the the Prez and his kin and administration repeated to all media who agreed to repeat those confirmed WMD's stories...
And that was just for 'the first time' when "WAR was The Answer" and the ongoing consequences were more war and > 50% of USA budget going to weapons and military expenses [and projections too ]. And then another WAR - one after another and another - followed the Iraq version and was repeated, using the 9-11 NYC destructions as the 'cause'= the premise for USA's then perpetual aggression - globally - thereafter -and for ever after ? . Notice that the lies were revealed to be lies and the next Prez said "let bygones be bygones" and we dont prosecute or question what the previous administrations did - or we may be questioned later too. hmmmmmm.......
9-11 has not been mentioned one time in all the current political campaigning....heard anything at all ? 9-11 is barely ever mentioned in mass media news any more. 9-11 is put away conveniently so everyone can pretend that ....we are now 'safe' ...and need not think, nor remember, nor dis-cover, nor explore, nor expose and not discuss-talk about what we worry about because it has not been fully investigated nor revealed... "No, dont discuss that's old news !" + "not now, not any more, that's the long ago Past...." they often say so easily & repeatedly. What is wrong with this distracting atmosphere we are breathing in daily ?
There is another article re 9-11 - in la.indymedia.org - that provides resources and inundates us with relevant information ... .so much complied info re 9-11...that we all need to know - much more than is in any current news media or campaigns or distractions so easily continually pressed upon us all...
Such dilligent dedicated work to put all this out here...and we hope all this and more resources & information appear on all the other cities/nation's indymedia's and bloggers pick it up as well, and also attributing to the authors in appreciation for the work done. here, or elsewhere.
Funny or rather strange how silent the mass media and common talk nowadays is about not even noticing we had such a blasting event, regardless of who made the mess and killings.
Notice that not one campaigner noticed that 9-11 is to be remembered even, as if They Dont Care ??? huh?
And dont we wonder why the people = who have questioned + researched + explored + dis-covered + Written + exposed + made movies + tabled with fliers & stickers & events + dedicated umpteen hours alll year long since that horrific time..... are ignored now-a-days....hmmmm
and since the Patriot Act is a mean, cruel, OVERREACHING and encoching on our normal citizen civil liberties as citizens of this USA [ long before that administration decided to convert anyone they chose into "terrorists" and declare "a war on terror" as if the phenomenon/ feeling/state of mind could be warred against...] has been Renewed to continue on and on and maybe forever..
giving anyone who Thinks or claims Authority, by govt or other means, to use discriminantely as they so decide for their own reasons.... or giving anyone who can bribe, join the corrupt-cronies-and-colluders Influence...to maybe take revenge or advantage of anyone else ...what is this so claimed "democracy" with "freedoms" we have now ? gone forever ? never to be retrieved it seems.
And the people in the area who were physically and even more emotionally and mentally negatively affected, some with loss of family and friends, others with polluted air and other conditions condemned then as "safe" but was not...those people are still suffering, and not hardly heard from in news or any media we see or read.
Why has the topic been dismissed and ignored and avoided? Why only in 'outlying' media, like Indy and such as Pacifica is there any continued coverage, disclosures, reminders that we allllll have been damaged as a result of the big huge break-down, of buildings, of govt trust, of belief that we can save our way claimed to be 'democractic' or whatever that is limited to mean by now.
Thank you both author above, all 9-11 workers, past and present. Thank you Indymedia for being available for this place [vs. getting lost in the shuffle of billions of other blogs on net proliferating and thus obscuring many] where such info can be seen, forwarded, and saved.
This is far from over.
The cover ups including Obama's saying we do not 'look back' meaning never prosecute or question your anteceders because they will do that to you later too. The topic has never been clarified, admitted officially in any way, and instead has been dismissed as no longer important or relevant....hoping the rest of the global world too will all agree and 'forget' so conveniently for some few.
9-11 will and is a striking time that has left us scared, for what has resulted more AFTER the killings [disabling exits so fires and throwing oneself out high-rises was only option for many ].
So we now have hidden surveillances, legalized and illegal too. Never admitted until something someone gets hurt, then revealed finally, inadvertently at times.
We now have Patriot [so called anyhow] laws that can sweep up protestors or emailers or those who dare question authority in any form/place/manner/time, and we have FEAR monger and FEAR prevailing, including the main news stories doing the mongering 24/7].
What a world to be born into for the young children !
What a disgraced nation in which to be a citizen now.
What a farce when laws are not enforced except when convenient to the few or corporate moneyed.
What a world has resulted from the ideals of the 60's & 70's...gone, lost, desecrated and decayed.
What a shame we are in this mess, still now.
[this also appeared in http://la.indymedia.org/news/2012/09/255525.php]
(c) mj 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
KPFK finally voices some transparent info re station finally!
{photo of Salton Sea images by photosbyalexandria.com. Thanx}
We finally heard Gen'l Manager and Ian Masters last week [in August 2012] were TRANSPARENTLY talking about Pacifica's and KPFK's finances and how the LSB has been limited and not getting the variety candidates needed to be more representative and more.... We I loved it !
If only they would replay it, even if they were begging for needed funds at the same, some unusual revelations were revealed. Yes, another dreary repetitive fund drive, always demanding more $$$ from us .... continuously, obviously necessary because the staff dont like doing it and members dont want to hear more of it and yet it continues...often, too many times a year.
In this program the GM was exceptional -clear speaking, frank, giving Information, catching any demeaning of others by one programmer who sometimes berates other [different versions of programmers and their paradigms [the truth' !].
Yet this 1 hr was 2 knowledgeable members discussing what we all wanted to KNOW more about and never ever get to hear ...on air... and openly discussed. One time - letting all us paying members know what they are paying for or working for there at KPFK station . The GM was good, and doing the unusual ...and especially for his top GM position too, making the sharing info even more relevant and believable.
And we appreciate Ian a lot, on air at his Hammer Forum programs too, and we also like 911 truthers and all the information they reveal, equally. So some of us are more open-minded than others, not limiting who we hear or like or want to learn from but being curious, explorers of more than 1 dogma or paradigm or 'reality'... but oh well..... while many who listen to KPFK are more selective and limited and stubborn - when they want the station only for their own taste and groups. So what is new about that way of acting out ?
That Conversation, Discussion, Revelation of what is happening with our [pledges, KPFK's income] the $$$... even that bit of confirmation revealed was surprising, admirable, exciting and that information and program needs to be repeated or re-done more to be heard by more people who missed it.
We need to find out how else can this be heard again, transcribed perhaps, or made available to all LSB members, PNB members, contributors to KPFK ? Hopefuly that program was archived - but who knows how to look for it ? So while many members complain [as was then also quoted = some of the many same complaints repeated for yrs now -i.e.
the long exhausting repetitious pledge demands, and the lack of premiums being rec'd after paying - even part of it if on installments
or the exclusive clutching of same old programs/programmers hold power and on-air promos for their own group/friends/tribes, hostile antagonistic programmers towards other ones - who also hold-on selfishly to their spots on station, even for decades !
and [previous to this conversation on air] the continuous lack of transparent info about OUR station - that we all pay for in many ways even more than in $$$. And even more of course !
Re premiums....We've heard from volunteers that people phone in all the time that they did NOT receive their premiums, and are not called back, when they later phone in about it to inquire. And the volunteer pledge takers -[ we know this for sure as we have been doing this work for umpteen yrs, same form, same phone instructions too - are only told to say " it will be received in 6 - 8 weeks" or some such timetable.
But..... no one paying on installment is ever informed how much they have to pay or how much time elapsed Before the premium is sent - and NO ONE ever informs payors that premium is unavailable or will be delayed or why 'it was never sent'
We have met people outside of station who have said same thing to us to our surprise. They did not get premium,, and were mad, and then distrust KPFK. We also hear it when we take a pledges there too - often enough - at least 1-2x/day during pledge drives. While we do tell them to call station directly again, but apparently "NO ONE ANSWERS" the phone in that dept to inform them what happened to their gift or their money either. .
Unfortunately, this is really Bad for KPFK's reputation. They are then seen as dishonest, inept, dysfunctional and not able to communicate forthrightly, except when they ask for $$$...hmmmm...unusual ? So why cant a volunteer be 'drafted' to make calls for premiums unavailable during time period promised ? Why aren't pledge takers instructed t explain When premiums will be sent if on installment - after $25 ? after 3x that $$ deducted ? whatever....anything is better than unavailability and silence.
Why isn't someone being RESPONSIBLE to be responsive instead repeating the usual Excuse of saying: "they didn’t pay up" - which maybe occasionally so, but we doubt that the many people who call have NOT PAID at all !!! That is not our KPFK type.
We have long ago and repeatedly tried telling & asking the Subscriptions Dept and we may get a nod - but no answer- and No Change happens ! Someone somewhere needs to put into effect some improvement. If KPFK wants more money ? The non-profited organization has to - must - give better service to those who pay for it's subsistence. That's simple business plan.
(c) mj 2012
We finally heard Gen'l Manager and Ian Masters last week [in August 2012] were TRANSPARENTLY talking about Pacifica's and KPFK's finances and how the LSB has been limited and not getting the variety candidates needed to be more representative and more.... We I loved it !
If only they would replay it, even if they were begging for needed funds at the same, some unusual revelations were revealed. Yes, another dreary repetitive fund drive, always demanding more $$$ from us .... continuously, obviously necessary because the staff dont like doing it and members dont want to hear more of it and yet it continues...often, too many times a year.
In this program the GM was exceptional -clear speaking, frank, giving Information, catching any demeaning of others by one programmer who sometimes berates other [different versions of programmers and their paradigms [the truth' !].
Yet this 1 hr was 2 knowledgeable members discussing what we all wanted to KNOW more about and never ever get to hear ...on air... and openly discussed. One time - letting all us paying members know what they are paying for or working for there at KPFK station . The GM was good, and doing the unusual ...and especially for his top GM position too, making the sharing info even more relevant and believable.
And we appreciate Ian a lot, on air at his Hammer Forum programs too, and we also like 911 truthers and all the information they reveal, equally. So some of us are more open-minded than others, not limiting who we hear or like or want to learn from but being curious, explorers of more than 1 dogma or paradigm or 'reality'... but oh well..... while many who listen to KPFK are more selective and limited and stubborn - when they want the station only for their own taste and groups. So what is new about that way of acting out ?
That Conversation, Discussion, Revelation of what is happening with our [pledges, KPFK's income] the $$$... even that bit of confirmation revealed was surprising, admirable, exciting and that information and program needs to be repeated or re-done more to be heard by more people who missed it.
We need to find out how else can this be heard again, transcribed perhaps, or made available to all LSB members, PNB members, contributors to KPFK ? Hopefuly that program was archived - but who knows how to look for it ? So while many members complain [as was then also quoted = some of the many same complaints repeated for yrs now -i.e.
the long exhausting repetitious pledge demands, and the lack of premiums being rec'd after paying - even part of it if on installments
or the exclusive clutching of same old programs/programmers hold power and on-air promos for their own group/friends/tribes, hostile antagonistic programmers towards other ones - who also hold-on selfishly to their spots on station, even for decades !
and [previous to this conversation on air] the continuous lack of transparent info about OUR station - that we all pay for in many ways even more than in $$$. And even more of course !
Re premiums....We've heard from volunteers that people phone in all the time that they did NOT receive their premiums, and are not called back, when they later phone in about it to inquire. And the volunteer pledge takers -[ we know this for sure as we have been doing this work for umpteen yrs, same form, same phone instructions too - are only told to say " it will be received in 6 - 8 weeks" or some such timetable.
But..... no one paying on installment is ever informed how much they have to pay or how much time elapsed Before the premium is sent - and NO ONE ever informs payors that premium is unavailable or will be delayed or why 'it was never sent'
We have met people outside of station who have said same thing to us to our surprise. They did not get premium,, and were mad, and then distrust KPFK. We also hear it when we take a pledges there too - often enough - at least 1-2x/day during pledge drives. While we do tell them to call station directly again, but apparently "NO ONE ANSWERS" the phone in that dept to inform them what happened to their gift or their money either. .
Unfortunately, this is really Bad for KPFK's reputation. They are then seen as dishonest, inept, dysfunctional and not able to communicate forthrightly, except when they ask for $$$...hmmmm...unusual ? So why cant a volunteer be 'drafted' to make calls for premiums unavailable during time period promised ? Why aren't pledge takers instructed t explain When premiums will be sent if on installment - after $25 ? after 3x that $$ deducted ? whatever....anything is better than unavailability and silence.
Why isn't someone being RESPONSIBLE to be responsive instead repeating the usual Excuse of saying: "they didn’t pay up" - which maybe occasionally so, but we doubt that the many people who call have NOT PAID at all !!! That is not our KPFK type.
We have long ago and repeatedly tried telling & asking the Subscriptions Dept and we may get a nod - but no answer- and No Change happens ! Someone somewhere needs to put into effect some improvement. If KPFK wants more money ? The non-profited organization has to - must - give better service to those who pay for it's subsistence. That's simple business plan.
(c) mj 2012
Friday, August 19, 2011
KPFK Town Hall date, time, place unknown now...check it out
8/19/2011 a comment was made to article re 9/17/2011 KPFK Town Hall announcement=
see= http://la.indymedia.org/news/2011/08/247385.php
is this happening ??? when ? where? huh ?
The original information as WRITTEN by a KPFK staffer indicated earlier that the Town Hall meeting is Sept 17, as written above. This was emailed out more than once, 2X actually, including this last week also.
The KPFK LSB meeting 2 nights ago briefly discussed this event and seemed to be changing the date and location, with nothing firmed up or decided, so all seems to be up in the air.
Looking at KPFK website, there is NOTHING noted there...the event is not findable nor in Events section of website as of today. So maybe they dont want any us = KPFK $$takeholders and attendees....since Town Hall Meeting is suppose to be in a month from today, or sooner ?
And when the radio station was called today, the response was that there was no available information - as it seems the event’s details have 'not yet been resolved “...whatever that means... this is again a sad sample of how tangled and chaotic OUR venerated and funded-by-listeners radio station actually operates... so if YOU ARE INTERESTED in attending, going to see who is the staff, or having maybe access to someone involved for 1 min for a Question or comment at a Town Hall that is REQUIRED by their Pacifica Bylaws… then you may have to call the radio station at 1 818 985 2711 and inquire.
Or go there directly [see website for address and directions and map ] because all emails will get you and the rest of us no response at all, as usual.
The above announcement was made in our good faith = to include as many people interested and involved in KPFK and it's doings as possible...and the follow-thru we made now indicates that what was trusted to be information from the station to some subscribers was accurate.... and now may NOT BE SO..
Yuk ! Frustration, dismay and anger at the waste of time and efforts on stakeholders who want to participate in OUR station's doings is apparent here and now ... yep.... yuk !
Or will the purported interactive meeting be as chaotic as the station’s staff’s ability to get accurate - helpful - information out and to disseminate it to the public is ? yuk !
check it out if you are interested....we sadly give up on this here.
(C) akpfker 2011
see= http://la.indymedia.org/news/2011/08/247385.php
is this happening ??? when ? where? huh ?
The original information as WRITTEN by a KPFK staffer indicated earlier that the Town Hall meeting is Sept 17, as written above. This was emailed out more than once, 2X actually, including this last week also.
The KPFK LSB meeting 2 nights ago briefly discussed this event and seemed to be changing the date and location, with nothing firmed up or decided, so all seems to be up in the air.
Looking at KPFK website, there is NOTHING noted there...the event is not findable nor in Events section of website as of today. So maybe they dont want any us = KPFK $$takeholders and attendees....since Town Hall Meeting is suppose to be in a month from today, or sooner ?
And when the radio station was called today, the response was that there was no available information - as it seems the event’s details have 'not yet been resolved “...whatever that means... this is again a sad sample of how tangled and chaotic OUR venerated and funded-by-listeners radio station actually operates... so if YOU ARE INTERESTED in attending, going to see who is the staff, or having maybe access to someone involved for 1 min for a Question or comment at a Town Hall that is REQUIRED by their Pacifica Bylaws… then you may have to call the radio station at 1 818 985 2711 and inquire.
Or go there directly [see website for address and directions and map ] because all emails will get you and the rest of us no response at all, as usual.
The above announcement was made in our good faith = to include as many people interested and involved in KPFK and it's doings as possible...and the follow-thru we made now indicates that what was trusted to be information from the station to some subscribers was accurate.... and now may NOT BE SO..
Yuk ! Frustration, dismay and anger at the waste of time and efforts on stakeholders who want to participate in OUR station's doings is apparent here and now ... yep.... yuk !
Or will the purported interactive meeting be as chaotic as the station’s staff’s ability to get accurate - helpful - information out and to disseminate it to the public is ? yuk !
check it out if you are interested....we sadly give up on this here.
(C) akpfker 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
KPFK- finally offers an opportunity - to talk to management
this was posted also on laindymedia.org - reprinted for everyone to see and know, not just those who 'happen to catch it' when it may occasionally be announced on air or those who may go to website on the occasional basis.....
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2011/08/247385.php
"KPFK TOWN HALL MEETING SEPT. 17 2011
KPFK’s Local Station Board is organizing a Town Hall Meeting for Saturday, September 17, 2011. The main objective of the Town Hall is to create a dialogue between Station Management and the listeners, and to provide a forum for listener ideas and concerns.
NOTE: "This activity is required by the Pacifica Bylaws."
[[ or else it would not occur, right ?...
communicating with anyone who works or manages or any one who does programming at this SUBSCRIBER SUPPORTER station is impossible at any other time it seems from experience over many many years....
since emails, voice mails, or attempts to contact any one at all at OUR paid-for station is NOT happening or allowed. This may be the 1 time to be present with management, but with someone In Control at that end MC'g and monitoring...
Some few will be able to at least voice some concerns that are otherwise so easily and consistently IGNORED by all who are suppose to listen...not only to each other ...but to the rest of the loyal $$$hareholders too.....
oh well, in case anyone wants to go, here is what has been
advertised so far]]
"WHERE: Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Westminster Chapel (3300 Wilshire Blvd. @ Berendo)"
[this is in Los Angeles near the Vermont MTA rail station at Wilshire/Vermont - within walking distance from there ]
"TIME: To be announced "
[[Or call the station at 818 985 2711 X 0 during open hours 9 - 5 pm weekdays only
or see website http://www.kpfk.org. ]]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If anyone wants to invite others to also attend and make a good showing of questions, confrontations, compliments, concerns, and 'requests for freedom of information' from the non-profit that we already have all paid for - over so many long years...
... only to still be excluded from any decisions or any knowing of what or how anything is decided - for us...
and accounting for our monies...
how it's spent...
who gets in to positions...
who gets chosen as a 'volunteer' programmer...
whatare other benefits of being an on-air programmer actually - what perks there are [often un-admitted or kept oh so secret to listeners].
Presumably there will NO FEE charged for this event, tho that was not clearly stated in the advisement received and presented above.
A request for more OPENNESS and time + places-for -shareholder- inputs on a regular basis will also be addressed and presented and any similar comments appreciated.
"The American People", the KPFK audience,the Pacifica Shareholders also have come to Distrust those that 'govern' all we own, we who partake in KPFK and it's doings.
We want to improve it, and we want to be PART of all of it ... more than in 'just give us your money' ways.
hope to see you there ! loudly, sincerely, actively, and loyally too.
(C) akpfker
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2011/08/247385.php
"KPFK TOWN HALL MEETING SEPT. 17 2011
KPFK’s Local Station Board is organizing a Town Hall Meeting for Saturday, September 17, 2011. The main objective of the Town Hall is to create a dialogue between Station Management and the listeners, and to provide a forum for listener ideas and concerns.
NOTE: "This activity is required by the Pacifica Bylaws."
[[ or else it would not occur, right ?...
communicating with anyone who works or manages or any one who does programming at this SUBSCRIBER SUPPORTER station is impossible at any other time it seems from experience over many many years....
since emails, voice mails, or attempts to contact any one at all at OUR paid-for station is NOT happening or allowed. This may be the 1 time to be present with management, but with someone In Control at that end MC'g and monitoring...
Some few will be able to at least voice some concerns that are otherwise so easily and consistently IGNORED by all who are suppose to listen...not only to each other ...but to the rest of the loyal $$$hareholders too.....
oh well, in case anyone wants to go, here is what has been
advertised so far]]
"WHERE: Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Westminster Chapel (3300 Wilshire Blvd. @ Berendo)"
[this is in Los Angeles near the Vermont MTA rail station at Wilshire/Vermont - within walking distance from there ]
"TIME: To be announced "
[[Or call the station at 818 985 2711 X 0 during open hours 9 - 5 pm weekdays only
or see website http://www.kpfk.org. ]]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If anyone wants to invite others to also attend and make a good showing of questions, confrontations, compliments, concerns, and 'requests for freedom of information' from the non-profit that we already have all paid for - over so many long years...
... only to still be excluded from any decisions or any knowing of what or how anything is decided - for us...
and accounting for our monies...
how it's spent...
who gets in to positions...
who gets chosen as a 'volunteer' programmer...
whatare other benefits of being an on-air programmer actually - what perks there are [often un-admitted or kept oh so secret to listeners].
Presumably there will NO FEE charged for this event, tho that was not clearly stated in the advisement received and presented above.
A request for more OPENNESS and time + places-for -shareholder- inputs on a regular basis will also be addressed and presented and any similar comments appreciated.
"The American People", the KPFK audience,the Pacifica Shareholders also have come to Distrust those that 'govern' all we own, we who partake in KPFK and it's doings.
We want to improve it, and we want to be PART of all of it ... more than in 'just give us your money' ways.
hope to see you there ! loudly, sincerely, actively, and loyally too.
(C) akpfker
Monday, July 4, 2011
Is it OK to Video Record a KPFK LSB meeting and not share ?
To clarify one more opinion about the videotaping of all attending a KPFK LSB meeting, here is one by Terry Goodman [not an attorney]:
"The law requires that recording be allowed at public meetings so long as this does not interfere with the proceedings. The law does not require that those recording identify themselves or make their recordings publicly available.
A meeting can have a reasonable expectation of privacy, so by their attendance I think there is a legal presumption that they have waived any right not to be filmed or recorded.
The conflict I referred to in passing is created by a section of the Pacifica Bylaws that says that persons cannot be required to identify themselves to qualify to address Pacifica boards during the mandated public comment periods.
That the Pacifica Bylaws specifically provide a protection for public anonymity at meetings suggests that Pacifica should take measures to protect the public's anonymity at meetings if it can, such as by discouraging the filming of persons who don't want to be filmed -- but the public meeting laws suggest that any such limitation imposed upon recordists might be a violation of their rights, so Pacifica must be careful and get a legal opinion on this before acting."
Yet the concerns of those who attend a meeting and are recorded by those who do not appear to represent a media organization makes some uncomfortable. Then to not have access to the results recorded at all - by having no identification visible from or on the Recorder - makes some of us nervous.
Yes, we have all heard it repeated: "when you are in a public space, you can be photoed, recorded, copied, [ your invaded private space is taken, and taken for granted] and the results should not be used for commercial purposes."
But who knows if they are ?
Who is ever asked "can we record you and your speech ?" but recorders not on telephone just assume they CAN because they purchased the equipment [or borrowed it]. Many photographers act as if the world is theirs for the taking - of any pictures of you or yours, any time, any where - free images to just take.
In fact, the camera acts as the badge of authority proving they can 'take you' because they OWN the machine and are directly in front of you or zooming subvertly from afar. The invasion of personal space and what was once considered politely as our "privacy" of person no longer exists. Maybe it never existed before either.
But the more cheap gadgets available that record and then transfer our personal images and words [or which we assume is limited to one pubic event] make anything expressed open to any use- makes us vulnerable.
And so much easy software that then changes reality into any propaganda or slant or demeanment desired is making this proliferation of 'us' pretty scary too. We have no more control or even knowledge of how 'we' are being portrayed or being used, nor even by whom. No one is required to ask or identify themselves or disclose their purposes either.
Does this prevent some speakers from voicing opinions or suggestions in public?
Can there be rules or requests for recorders to state where their results can be reviewed or accessed ?
Is there any social responsibility by those with gadgets, obvious or hidden, to inform those whom they are 'using' for their own purposes?
Is all interpersonal trust and accountability lost and long gone ?
Perhaps.
(c) akpfker 2011
"The law requires that recording be allowed at public meetings so long as this does not interfere with the proceedings. The law does not require that those recording identify themselves or make their recordings publicly available.
A meeting can have a reasonable expectation of privacy, so by their attendance I think there is a legal presumption that they have waived any right not to be filmed or recorded.
The conflict I referred to in passing is created by a section of the Pacifica Bylaws that says that persons cannot be required to identify themselves to qualify to address Pacifica boards during the mandated public comment periods.
That the Pacifica Bylaws specifically provide a protection for public anonymity at meetings suggests that Pacifica should take measures to protect the public's anonymity at meetings if it can, such as by discouraging the filming of persons who don't want to be filmed -- but the public meeting laws suggest that any such limitation imposed upon recordists might be a violation of their rights, so Pacifica must be careful and get a legal opinion on this before acting."
Yet the concerns of those who attend a meeting and are recorded by those who do not appear to represent a media organization makes some uncomfortable. Then to not have access to the results recorded at all - by having no identification visible from or on the Recorder - makes some of us nervous.
Yes, we have all heard it repeated: "when you are in a public space, you can be photoed, recorded, copied, [ your invaded private space is taken, and taken for granted] and the results should not be used for commercial purposes."
But who knows if they are ?
Who is ever asked "can we record you and your speech ?" but recorders not on telephone just assume they CAN because they purchased the equipment [or borrowed it]. Many photographers act as if the world is theirs for the taking - of any pictures of you or yours, any time, any where - free images to just take.
In fact, the camera acts as the badge of authority proving they can 'take you' because they OWN the machine and are directly in front of you or zooming subvertly from afar. The invasion of personal space and what was once considered politely as our "privacy" of person no longer exists. Maybe it never existed before either.
But the more cheap gadgets available that record and then transfer our personal images and words [or which we assume is limited to one pubic event] make anything expressed open to any use- makes us vulnerable.
And so much easy software that then changes reality into any propaganda or slant or demeanment desired is making this proliferation of 'us' pretty scary too. We have no more control or even knowledge of how 'we' are being portrayed or being used, nor even by whom. No one is required to ask or identify themselves or disclose their purposes either.
Does this prevent some speakers from voicing opinions or suggestions in public?
Can there be rules or requests for recorders to state where their results can be reviewed or accessed ?
Is there any social responsibility by those with gadgets, obvious or hidden, to inform those whom they are 'using' for their own purposes?
Is all interpersonal trust and accountability lost and long gone ?
Perhaps.
(c) akpfker 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
another OPEN LETTER to new KPFK General Manager
This is another OPEN letter because there has been no responses to various emails sent to the KPFK General Manager at his corrected address.
And though this is not unusual to all listeners' previous attempts at corresponding with any staff at KPFK. there should be a two-way communication with any place that takes in our money - it must be possible. Yet sometimes it becomes only a 1-way attempt to make connections - that are not even acknowledged. So are they received ? We dont ever find out. No response may mean 'dont care' ?
Who knows if the emails sent are opened or read ?
Who knows if the words and thoughts are not even opened - to find out for whatever is expressed - even if these writers put forth efforts with good intentions, thought-out suggestions, precious time and persistence ?
Who knows what goes on in the internal bowels of the free-speech radio station called KPFK we financially support, anyhow ?
And because we $stakeholders CARE enough to persist in our dedications to making contact, and to being a PART of what we pay for, and we are diligent in not being just ignored until 'fund-raising' re-occurs, we write or call one more time.
So here it is, this email was sent well over a week ago - and now is OPENed to any interested reader here as well:
June 18,2011
"Hi Bernard
We saw you recently at the LSB meeting. We are glad to have you present and hopefully to be able to solve the many problems that have been noted and commented upon in prior emails to the station staff, and some unsolved procedures that continue to persist at the station. We are sure you know what you are getting into. We wish you strength, focus and good hard work at making improvements as well. Glad you have arrived to help manage OUR station, for us.
We are separately forwarding the 2nd recent email we sent - that was not delivered because the WEBSITE LISTS the "GM" address differently [than one a friend revealed as the corrected one: bduncan@kpfk.org - so there was another 'mail failure.' Luckily we were able to ask someone else who knew more of the internal workings at KPFK - who gave us this address for you instead.
That kind of negligence and unaccountability and lack of access to you by KPFK members is typical of the alienation we have from staff and programmers at KPFK - from those of us who actually pay and support the station - and so these glitches are inexcusable. So we assume you will now supervise those who appear to be neglecting their job and duties, even while being paid for the work ?
Why doesn't someone know that there are errors that continue to appear on KPFK's website ? This is the 2nd main way of accessing information or programs from the station. Or are those workers that you have joined are not even noticing the changes ? The $stakeholder members and volunteers all need to be acknowledged and openly so, so when correspondences are not just 'lost', but may be put aside, ignored, or left unread or unanswered, we wonder. Some [any] acknowledgement is surely due to all those who pay membership /shareholder fees towards your and other staff salaries too. Hope it is OK to mention money, as when it is fund drive time that is all we hear...but then later what we dont get is...
oh, you know.
I sure hope you have someone helping you now, as an assistant or secretary, to attend to those sincere attempts to communicate with you from KPFK supporters. And more so with all the other changes and improvements needed in there too.
We also am asking [and others are too]this:
that the 2 videographers who did not identify themselves at the June LSB meeting, advise you and LSB chairperson as to who they are - or how to access the videos they took - or tell us all what is done with those videos ? The videographers should not be so sly and silent - but be open and share their product's [media's] availability - especially with anyone responsible at station, and especially to those LSB members. Even if not divulged to the rest of us attendees present there, the LSB members can inform us too - because the videos will now be exposed in ways we did not ask to be. Public meetings are not anonymous ones. Privacy is not honored.
Do you even know how you will be exposed on those videos too ? And how open LSB meetings are presented or where ? Do you know anything about this ? We wrote the LSB chairperson as well to ask about this.[Tho there has been no answer from there either so far.]
While all staff at the station appear to be clearly stressed, they are also are hard-workers, dedicated and also often seem to be in conflict with one another - for their different viewpoints or beliefs. They are all commendable for what they can do - as good "workaholics" - and they must put in lots of hard work, there being so few staff available or funded - and also it seems they yet cant or haven't made the improvements so badly needed [ problems known for so long and repeatedly reported to KPFK too ].
We will not enumerate for you all the prior and continuous concerns, complaints and requests we alone have made or attempted to communicate - that have NEVER been addressed, improved or even responded to...for the longest time...but we have concluded that 'it cant be done' and we kinda left the station, separated out and decided we did not want to drop down - as all seemed to be happening deep inside there.
PLEASE ALSO NOTE: Alan Minsky the iPD - is extremely able, competent, smart, workaholic, dedicated and now in more recent times he is making necessary CHANGES in programming. He should be commended for his daring courage and willingness to make improvements - that can make KPFK not the same-old-same-old haranguing repetitious voices of the few.
Many people we also meet OUTside the station have also complained and drifted away to KPCC [as have we, most often] because of the repeated same messages by same people who cling on to their KPFK program spot = their demanding air time for their pet ideas and personal slants. ugh.... So the iPD's changes may bring us all back to KPFK as some innovation is now being attempted and accomplished too.
The prior Pgm Manager was someone who was obviously using cronyism and somehow seemed maybe prejudiced or biased, and very limited in his willingness to open to other than his selected voices - and tho he stayed for years in place - and he did not communicate well with many. Lots of us were glad to see Alan take his place.
The difference in competence and courage and willingness to even experiment with different programming to see what works better is enormous. And we are not 'friends' of Alan's at all, but 'just' we do volunteer and are good observers and occasional listeners and fund contributors too.
We are sure you will hear many sides complaining about the others, each of the pet alliances insisting on their being the only ones to be heard or allowed on air... and pressures from each faction to dominate with their
Many want to be given air time - yes, especially all those who never ever mention aloud the word "payola" - - that many listeners already know that happens - tho not in the old-radio corrupt ways - but as side benefits obviously [sometimes financial too ] accrued by those 'volunteer' programmers. There is so much regular repeated hype, spin, PR and promo's that 'go along with' the banner of some community information being given. Yet no fools listen to KPFK who dont realize the selling promotions advertising under any other name that occurs constantly, tho never ever admitted. No ! never ! Those many programmers who do not do what they do for just 'altruistic service' - tho so they like to present such - like to claim it so. Liars.
Some are more obvious than others in the PR and promos on air that are presented as 'interviewing' and many are especially and notably so at the fund drives. The contributors of free premiums to the station make out cheaply for so much air time for them and their products, so obviously. The pretense it is all only for the funding of the radio station. But such 'other' alliances are profitable in more than in just money grubbing ways as well, as access and benefits occur in other 'corporation businesses' also. KPFK is not as pure as presented and pretended either. As elsewhere, no one will admit or say this though. The fear of being treasonous or betraying the station they fear may collapse keeps silence at a premium, well funded too.
That this is a hidden feature - and has always been so - that the value of getting a program on air, and yet it is denied, never admitted. But this pretense of being just idealistic, altruistic, sharing information, is also often a fake front that most listeners or even volunteers dont want to 'believe' - because they just dont want to be seen as betraying KPFK, for being so cynical. Ideals are hard to chip into.
No need to expose it all. Yet we believe in not being hypocritical
[like KPFK does on air - when criticizing NPR etc for their sponsors - even while KPFKers too are getting other helpful alliances or positions , special accesses, and other hidden benefits from this privilege they have of being on air on KPFK - for themselves - much more than for the generic station itself ].
This may sound hard and critical, and yes, we are writing it openly here , but this 'secret' is not only denied but prohibited from mention anywhere near the station or it's LSB also. Having been affiliated with KPFK since 1960's continuously to now,
we have volunteered mostly at fund drives, and on occasion other chores, and have come to observe folks while in there.
But even while being good observers, communicators and exposers of what we do perceive, we continue on loyally anyhow, in spite of our concerns of what happens there that is never addressed as far as we know.
Note also : the latest LSB Chairperson was so exceptionally good at facilitating that LSB meeting - we were delighted, having had such horrific and scary experiences in past meetings [last one attended may have been 2008 when we felt physically threatened by 1 LSB member while all other members who colluded and enabled such behaviors, were not admitting or helping or stopping it ]. This man's skills and his being willing to do this hard work is commendable [We wrote him so already]. This makes such a big difference ! We are glad he is in charge of these meetings and admiring of his skills too.
Another staff programmer that keeps many other people[who are often strangers met somewhere] is Roy Tuckman's late night or archived programs. The variety and relevance of much of that programming is a draw that cannot be found elsewhere...while much of the political versions may also to be heard elsewhere - even if not in so extensive time slots. And of course Amy Goodman is heard by many even if they dont listen to any other KPFK program, we hear said.
You should also know that the many slanted complaints to get rid of Ian Masters is not heard from listeners outside the station ...at least we have never heard this. But instead find that listeners appreciate his intelligence and his guests on air. This cohort of anti-Ian demanders were a startling 'attack' on a person not present obviously. These demanding listeners are not a majority but were surprising at LSB meeting to be very vocal and maybe unified ? When 'talking behind someone's back' - doing maligning easily - it might be their way to try get THEIR views on air or influence you instead. This display of anger may be something to check out further to inquire which other programmers are resented or wanted replaced by a few cohorts.
We are glad you are here now, and willing to work hard on the dysfunctional family that holds KPFK together. It all is looking very different from the listening-on-air-outside than what is experienced on the inside-closed-doors.
So we can imagine what it may be like for you entering this scene- and we do look forward to complimenting you whenever possible later.
if we can be of any service please let us know."
(C) mj 2011
And though this is not unusual to all listeners' previous attempts at corresponding with any staff at KPFK. there should be a two-way communication with any place that takes in our money - it must be possible. Yet sometimes it becomes only a 1-way attempt to make connections - that are not even acknowledged. So are they received ? We dont ever find out. No response may mean 'dont care' ?
Who knows if the emails sent are opened or read ?
Who knows if the words and thoughts are not even opened - to find out for whatever is expressed - even if these writers put forth efforts with good intentions, thought-out suggestions, precious time and persistence ?
Who knows what goes on in the internal bowels of the free-speech radio station called KPFK we financially support, anyhow ?
And because we $stakeholders CARE enough to persist in our dedications to making contact, and to being a PART of what we pay for, and we are diligent in not being just ignored until 'fund-raising' re-occurs, we write or call one more time.
So here it is, this email was sent well over a week ago - and now is OPENed to any interested reader here as well:
June 18,2011
"Hi Bernard
We saw you recently at the LSB meeting. We are glad to have you present and hopefully to be able to solve the many problems that have been noted and commented upon in prior emails to the station staff, and some unsolved procedures that continue to persist at the station. We are sure you know what you are getting into. We wish you strength, focus and good hard work at making improvements as well. Glad you have arrived to help manage OUR station, for us.
We are separately forwarding the 2nd recent email we sent - that was not delivered because the WEBSITE LISTS the "GM" address differently [than one a friend revealed as the corrected one: bduncan@kpfk.org - so there was another 'mail failure.' Luckily we were able to ask someone else who knew more of the internal workings at KPFK - who gave us this address for you instead.
That kind of negligence and unaccountability and lack of access to you by KPFK members is typical of the alienation we have from staff and programmers at KPFK - from those of us who actually pay and support the station - and so these glitches are inexcusable. So we assume you will now supervise those who appear to be neglecting their job and duties, even while being paid for the work ?
Why doesn't someone know that there are errors that continue to appear on KPFK's website ? This is the 2nd main way of accessing information or programs from the station. Or are those workers that you have joined are not even noticing the changes ? The $stakeholder members and volunteers all need to be acknowledged and openly so, so when correspondences are not just 'lost', but may be put aside, ignored, or left unread or unanswered, we wonder. Some [any] acknowledgement is surely due to all those who pay membership /shareholder fees towards your and other staff salaries too. Hope it is OK to mention money, as when it is fund drive time that is all we hear...but then later what we dont get is...
oh, you know.
I sure hope you have someone helping you now, as an assistant or secretary, to attend to those sincere attempts to communicate with you from KPFK supporters. And more so with all the other changes and improvements needed in there too.
We also am asking [and others are too]this:
that the 2 videographers who did not identify themselves at the June LSB meeting, advise you and LSB chairperson as to who they are - or how to access the videos they took - or tell us all what is done with those videos ? The videographers should not be so sly and silent - but be open and share their product's [media's] availability - especially with anyone responsible at station, and especially to those LSB members. Even if not divulged to the rest of us attendees present there, the LSB members can inform us too - because the videos will now be exposed in ways we did not ask to be. Public meetings are not anonymous ones. Privacy is not honored.
Do you even know how you will be exposed on those videos too ? And how open LSB meetings are presented or where ? Do you know anything about this ? We wrote the LSB chairperson as well to ask about this.[Tho there has been no answer from there either so far.]
While all staff at the station appear to be clearly stressed, they are also are hard-workers, dedicated and also often seem to be in conflict with one another - for their different viewpoints or beliefs. They are all commendable for what they can do - as good "workaholics" - and they must put in lots of hard work, there being so few staff available or funded - and also it seems they yet cant or haven't made the improvements so badly needed [ problems known for so long and repeatedly reported to KPFK too ].
We will not enumerate for you all the prior and continuous concerns, complaints and requests we alone have made or attempted to communicate - that have NEVER been addressed, improved or even responded to...for the longest time...but we have concluded that 'it cant be done' and we kinda left the station, separated out and decided we did not want to drop down - as all seemed to be happening deep inside there.
PLEASE ALSO NOTE: Alan Minsky the iPD - is extremely able, competent, smart, workaholic, dedicated and now in more recent times he is making necessary CHANGES in programming. He should be commended for his daring courage and willingness to make improvements - that can make KPFK not the same-old-same-old haranguing repetitious voices of the few.
Many people we also meet OUTside the station have also complained and drifted away to KPCC [as have we, most often] because of the repeated same messages by same people who cling on to their KPFK program spot = their demanding air time for their pet ideas and personal slants. ugh.... So the iPD's changes may bring us all back to KPFK as some innovation is now being attempted and accomplished too.
The prior Pgm Manager was someone who was obviously using cronyism and somehow seemed maybe prejudiced or biased, and very limited in his willingness to open to other than his selected voices - and tho he stayed for years in place - and he did not communicate well with many. Lots of us were glad to see Alan take his place.
The difference in competence and courage and willingness to even experiment with different programming to see what works better is enormous. And we are not 'friends' of Alan's at all, but 'just' we do volunteer and are good observers and occasional listeners and fund contributors too.
We are sure you will hear many sides complaining about the others, each of the pet alliances insisting on their being the only ones to be heard or allowed on air... and pressures from each faction to dominate with their
Many want to be given air time - yes, especially all those who never ever mention aloud the word "payola" - - that many listeners already know that happens - tho not in the old-radio corrupt ways - but as side benefits obviously [sometimes financial too ] accrued by those 'volunteer' programmers. There is so much regular repeated hype, spin, PR and promo's that 'go along with' the banner of some community information being given. Yet no fools listen to KPFK who dont realize the selling promotions advertising under any other name that occurs constantly, tho never ever admitted. No ! never ! Those many programmers who do not do what they do for just 'altruistic service' - tho so they like to present such - like to claim it so. Liars.
Some are more obvious than others in the PR and promos on air that are presented as 'interviewing' and many are especially and notably so at the fund drives. The contributors of free premiums to the station make out cheaply for so much air time for them and their products, so obviously. The pretense it is all only for the funding of the radio station. But such 'other' alliances are profitable in more than in just money grubbing ways as well, as access and benefits occur in other 'corporation businesses' also. KPFK is not as pure as presented and pretended either. As elsewhere, no one will admit or say this though. The fear of being treasonous or betraying the station they fear may collapse keeps silence at a premium, well funded too.
That this is a hidden feature - and has always been so - that the value of getting a program on air, and yet it is denied, never admitted. But this pretense of being just idealistic, altruistic, sharing information, is also often a fake front that most listeners or even volunteers dont want to 'believe' - because they just dont want to be seen as betraying KPFK, for being so cynical. Ideals are hard to chip into.
No need to expose it all. Yet we believe in not being hypocritical
[like KPFK does on air - when criticizing NPR etc for their sponsors - even while KPFKers too are getting other helpful alliances or positions , special accesses, and other hidden benefits from this privilege they have of being on air on KPFK - for themselves - much more than for the generic station itself ].
This may sound hard and critical, and yes, we are writing it openly here , but this 'secret' is not only denied but prohibited from mention anywhere near the station or it's LSB also. Having been affiliated with KPFK since 1960's continuously to now,
we have volunteered mostly at fund drives, and on occasion other chores, and have come to observe folks while in there.
But even while being good observers, communicators and exposers of what we do perceive, we continue on loyally anyhow, in spite of our concerns of what happens there that is never addressed as far as we know.
Note also : the latest LSB Chairperson was so exceptionally good at facilitating that LSB meeting - we were delighted, having had such horrific and scary experiences in past meetings [last one attended may have been 2008 when we felt physically threatened by 1 LSB member while all other members who colluded and enabled such behaviors, were not admitting or helping or stopping it ]. This man's skills and his being willing to do this hard work is commendable [We wrote him so already]. This makes such a big difference ! We are glad he is in charge of these meetings and admiring of his skills too.
Another staff programmer that keeps many other people[who are often strangers met somewhere] is Roy Tuckman's late night or archived programs. The variety and relevance of much of that programming is a draw that cannot be found elsewhere...while much of the political versions may also to be heard elsewhere - even if not in so extensive time slots. And of course Amy Goodman is heard by many even if they dont listen to any other KPFK program, we hear said.
You should also know that the many slanted complaints to get rid of Ian Masters is not heard from listeners outside the station ...at least we have never heard this. But instead find that listeners appreciate his intelligence and his guests on air. This cohort of anti-Ian demanders were a startling 'attack' on a person not present obviously. These demanding listeners are not a majority but were surprising at LSB meeting to be very vocal and maybe unified ? When 'talking behind someone's back' - doing maligning easily - it might be their way to try get THEIR views on air or influence you instead. This display of anger may be something to check out further to inquire which other programmers are resented or wanted replaced by a few cohorts.
We are glad you are here now, and willing to work hard on the dysfunctional family that holds KPFK together. It all is looking very different from the listening-on-air-outside than what is experienced on the inside-closed-doors.
So we can imagine what it may be like for you entering this scene- and we do look forward to complimenting you whenever possible later.
if we can be of any service please let us know."
(C) mj 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
OPEN LETTER to KPFK new General Manager
Open Letter sent to New General Manager Bernard Duncan
June 21, 2011
Dear Bernard Duncan -
[You may care to delegate the responding to this if you care to, but I would appreciate a response either way please ]
It is bad public relations when "our" KPFK website is preventing any access to staff from $TAKEHOLDERS = all those who pay to keep KPFK going on" - by only showing the wrong e-address for you. The continual listing of gm@kpfk.org is not operational and there you are now, hired, in charge and still there is 'mail failure' when any attempt to communicate with you is made. Please make the corrections necessary.
I had to go to another KPFK source to find your correct email, which is now:
"GM Bernard Duncan KPFK"
but also
For a long time there was a "comments" for general comments to be used as the email address a while back - that was not attended nor responded to ever ! There was long ago an automatic email acknowledgment sent back, and then even that was discontinued. No one apparently monitored or read those emails that we made efforts to write, to communicate, to make suggestions, or to ask questions of OUR station/ staff. Then even that small courtesy was soon discontinued so there was NO response at all to emails sent to that address listed for years on the KPFK website.
And yet there was no access to our giving info / suggestions/ concerns to staff or to be able to make complaints either.. and now there is NO such email address at all, with only a phone extension # listed on website. We all know that an answering machine is inhuman and unresponsive. No human calls back either. Is this a pretense or is anyone at KPFK responsible back to those who make their good efforts to contact the station ?
the "program comments" corner email, as it is called, is monitored by receptionist at front desk - only to send mail on to the proper program ....But it is apparently not going to anyone who cares about how stakeholders, listeners, pledgers respond to programs or to the radio station - and have no input at all as to how & where their money goes.
There is no actual ACCESS to communicate with anyone there at KPFK...for years and years the 'freedom' to communicate is not possible. At all. Programmers do not respond from their separate addresses either. I've tried. Failed. Not OK.
that there has never been responses, to emails, to voice mail messages and thus a total hard cold wall has created a lot of poor - very poor - to no good Public Relations. Nor has there been access to anyone for positive communications from those who care about what occurs in and on air at KPFK ... and I am not talking about the cranking angry venting cursers -- but about those who do care and want to say something and at least receive a"thank you for your comment" automatic response - IF nothing else is affordable ...for now.
what do you think ? With your having been a PR person yourself ? This may not be an urgent chore but one that definitely needs your attention, hopefully. Please dont relegate the connection to all those who work, send money, listen and promote KPFK to the least attended concern for station management.
only because I have in past too often spoken directly to GMs, to staff, to programmers - when I am at station working as pledge taker - only then have I ever been able to briefly even voice a good suggestion - or help ssomeone in charge notice the errors that occur. Problems that seem unnoticed or unattended, whether on website, or on-air- disparagement of one programmer about another,and various other glitches and off-putting occurrences that affect KPFK's proper overall functioning, etc.
It seems necessary to make any and all other poor practices visible & audible to all [called 'transparency'] ... to make errors known to then be corrected -is part of good management. Or else the ongoing poor PR and poor inter-relations with all our $$upporters of the station is bad for all concerned - including the then results being the persistently strain [frustrating to all] of prolonged fund raising. You know this already, right ? .
thanks for checking on this - and passing these concerns on to whomever has authority, is responsible, cares enough to do more than their usual chores - and to MAKE all necessary corrections.
And if you agree with any part of this letter - and make observable changes - or maybe even let me know you have read this effort to communicate with you - as the next incoming manager - or if you pass it on to someone else who can do some work for you, that's acceptable too. But if the silence is deafening, as it has been at prior efforts to communicate - our many attempts to suggest, express concerns, etc. - then the funding becomes, of course, that much more difficult too.
The overall inaccessibility has been a concern of many $supporters and is also a reason for resistance of listeners to then helping this non-profit corporation - one that seems to ignore it's contributors, until money is demanded, that is.
I presume and hope you get a good 'secty / assistant' who helps you fulfill all these details and makes your work more productive overall too. I wish you good experiences and effectiveness in improving and managing this long-valued radio station in LA.
(c) mary j. 2011
June 21, 2011
Dear Bernard Duncan -
[You may care to delegate the responding to this if you care to, but I would appreciate a response either way please ]
It is bad public relations when "our" KPFK website is preventing any access to staff from $TAKEHOLDERS = all those who pay to keep KPFK going on" - by only showing the wrong e-address for you. The continual listing of gm@kpfk.org is not operational and there you are now, hired, in charge and still there is 'mail failure' when any attempt to communicate with you is made. Please make the corrections necessary.
I had to go to another KPFK source to find your correct email, which is now:
"GM Bernard Duncan KPFK"
but also
For a long time there was a "comments" for general comments to be used as the email address a while back - that was not attended nor responded to ever ! There was long ago an automatic email acknowledgment sent back, and then even that was discontinued. No one apparently monitored or read those emails that we made efforts to write, to communicate, to make suggestions, or to ask questions of OUR station/ staff. Then even that small courtesy was soon discontinued so there was NO response at all to emails sent to that address listed for years on the KPFK website.
And yet there was no access to our giving info / suggestions/ concerns to staff or to be able to make complaints either.. and now there is NO such email address at all, with only a phone extension # listed on website. We all know that an answering machine is inhuman and unresponsive. No human calls back either. Is this a pretense or is anyone at KPFK responsible back to those who make their good efforts to contact the station ?
the "program comments" corner email, as it is called, is monitored by receptionist at front desk - only to send mail on to the proper program ....But it is apparently not going to anyone who cares about how stakeholders, listeners, pledgers respond to programs or to the radio station - and have no input at all as to how & where their money goes.
There is no actual ACCESS to communicate with anyone there at KPFK...for years and years the 'freedom' to communicate is not possible. At all. Programmers do not respond from their separate addresses either. I've tried. Failed. Not OK.
that there has never been responses, to emails, to voice mail messages and thus a total hard cold wall has created a lot of poor - very poor - to no good Public Relations. Nor has there been access to anyone for positive communications from those who care about what occurs in and on air at KPFK ... and I am not talking about the cranking angry venting cursers -- but about those who do care and want to say something and at least receive a"thank you for your comment" automatic response - IF nothing else is affordable ...for now.
what do you think ? With your having been a PR person yourself ? This may not be an urgent chore but one that definitely needs your attention, hopefully. Please dont relegate the connection to all those who work, send money, listen and promote KPFK to the least attended concern for station management.
only because I have in past too often spoken directly to GMs, to staff, to programmers - when I am at station working as pledge taker - only then have I ever been able to briefly even voice a good suggestion - or help ssomeone in charge notice the errors that occur. Problems that seem unnoticed or unattended, whether on website, or on-air- disparagement of one programmer about another,and various other glitches and off-putting occurrences that affect KPFK's proper overall functioning, etc.
It seems necessary to make any and all other poor practices visible & audible to all [called 'transparency'] ... to make errors known to then be corrected -is part of good management. Or else the ongoing poor PR and poor inter-relations with all our $$upporters of the station is bad for all concerned - including the then results being the persistently strain [frustrating to all] of prolonged fund raising. You know this already, right ? .
thanks for checking on this - and passing these concerns on to whomever has authority, is responsible, cares enough to do more than their usual chores - and to MAKE all necessary corrections.
And if you agree with any part of this letter - and make observable changes - or maybe even let me know you have read this effort to communicate with you - as the next incoming manager - or if you pass it on to someone else who can do some work for you, that's acceptable too. But if the silence is deafening, as it has been at prior efforts to communicate - our many attempts to suggest, express concerns, etc. - then the funding becomes, of course, that much more difficult too.
The overall inaccessibility has been a concern of many $supporters and is also a reason for resistance of listeners to then helping this non-profit corporation - one that seems to ignore it's contributors, until money is demanded, that is.
I presume and hope you get a good 'secty / assistant' who helps you fulfill all these details and makes your work more productive overall too. I wish you good experiences and effectiveness in improving and managing this long-valued radio station in LA.
(c) mary j. 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
9-11 demolition facts are questioned on KPFA-KPFK radio
Guns and Butter presented a radio program about 9-11 titled - "The Economics of Politics 9=11
'Demolition Access to the World Trade Center Towers" with Kevin Ryan
A brief description of program has been written up as :
"WTC tenants, both companies and employees; security and design firms and their board members involved in redesigning and implementing the new security system after the 1993 basement bombing; companies and individuals involved in the clean-up of ground zero. Who had the means, access, motivation...
the radio program was played on KPFA and replayed on KPFK
titled - The Economics of Politics 9=11 :'Demolition Access to the World Trade Center Towers' with Kevin Ryan as speaker.
A description of program was written up as:
" WTC tenants, both companies and employees; security and design firms and their board members involved in redesigning and implementing the new security system after the 1993 basement bombing; companies and individuals involved in the clean-up of ground zero. Who had the means, access, motivation...
"Kevin Ryan is the former Site Manager for Environmental Health Laboratories, a division of Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Mr. Ryan, a Chemist and laboratory manager, was fired by UL in 2004 for publicly questioning the report being drafted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on their World Trade Center investigation. In the intervening period, Ryan has completed additional research while his original questions, which have become increasingly important over time, remain unanswered by UL or NIST.
"Through interviews, presentations, and his work as co-editor at the online Journal of 911 Studies, Mr. Ryan works to bring out the truth behind the events of 9/11/01."
Program comes thru KPFA,
http://www.gunsandbutter.org
Produced by Bonnie Faulkner.
(Bio from http://www.ultruth.com )
Program was played on and available some more from KPFA,
Program download: http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/66755
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On the KPFA website:
a comment on Jan 28 2011 said:
" Listening to replay of program on KPFK in LA in deep dark middle of night, I sat up and listened well ! Of course, I also want everyone else to hear it, know it, and read transcript of talk too. Thanks to Bonnie for playing it and for Roy of Hollywood in LA for sharing it to us local So Cal folk.
Does anyone know of a text transcript available ?
Or do I have to type it up and offer it ?.... in time....
This definitely needs various formats to share it for those who like to read more slowly, or listen, or need to be lured into info by some other 'sly' means ?
billboards, posters, placards, postcards, what else ?
who is doing some of this ?
please someone - inform us all
9-11 is debated by various programmers on KPFK, some who call those who are interested or just share info or play a program are labeled "fringe" elements and are wished away from the station, and others who very occasionally play a program, conference, lecture seem to have-to even 'apologize' to the management ?
or the listeners ?
or to those who may be higher-stat used at KPFK station ? dunno
but it is strange censorship attempt at free-speech non-transparent Pacifica, other claims notwithstanding.
We need more exposure of info, of facts, of questions, of discussions, of alllllll that has been or is still wanted to be SUPPRESSED so only one sided propaganda exists....instead of the multiple varieties of propagandas and Rashomon stories become exposed, wikileaker style.
who is doing this on 9-11 more so now a days ?
give us some more info, here or tell us where else to look...
KPFK does not have a website that allows comments or responses. reverted back to 17th Cent. style and is the less transparent place no matter how much I or others try ...fail...to badger, shame them into revealing more about what happens in, around, within, station. No access allowed !
No comments allowed there either...been trying, failing to get station mgement or staff to change...for years....oh well....
they replayed this program anyhow !
[note to Bonnie of "Guns and Butter": you need to do basic update of your website cuz none of the headings opens into anything other than same request for money, which is listed as '2010' and '2008'...unless you deliberately dont want to hear anything or share any info, such as "about" or "contact" either ?? ]
another person wrote:
"Yes it is a lot of info. These may help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOsZFmqgO5k
http://911review.com/articles/ryan/demolition_acc "
You may want to listen with fascination to this pertinent information about doubts many people still have and speak about with a bit of worry about the 'truth' OUR government provides us about 'what did happen' and what makes sense from the published publicized versions provided via main street public media. Many have become more and more concerned about the honesty of 'facts' and slants of information allowed 'out'. Many more are still scientifically and crefully researching to unearth and dis-cover reliable verifiable 'facts' that confirm any 'theories' as without a basis in our physical actual reality, many more people now than ever before have serious concerns and doubts.
The distrust of OUR government, which all is paid and maintained by every single taxpayer in this USA, has expanded, exploded and become a 'problem' for all government staff and officials...more and more "independents", 'tea party' groupers, and others no longer accept what PR speeches and disclaimers and cliche slogans are regularly offered up to dispell our distrust.
The 9-11 related subsequent questions that remained are still unanswered, unexplained, and also more often just ignored, which makes the USA "Amercan People" wonder just who was "home" and "providing public security" both in 2001 and in 2011 also.
"conspiracy" is repetitious word used in an attempt to discount and demean those who ask legitimate questions, thus officials and deniers are suggesting only they have good answers and "theories" - and is why the "Official" Govt PR versions are claimed as the ONLY "truths" that exist.
Many people,today as before, are not so sure.
(C) akpfker 2011 "
'Demolition Access to the World Trade Center Towers" with Kevin Ryan
A brief description of program has been written up as :
"WTC tenants, both companies and employees; security and design firms and their board members involved in redesigning and implementing the new security system after the 1993 basement bombing; companies and individuals involved in the clean-up of ground zero. Who had the means, access, motivation...
the radio program was played on KPFA and replayed on KPFK
titled - The Economics of Politics 9=11 :'Demolition Access to the World Trade Center Towers' with Kevin Ryan as speaker.
A description of program was written up as:
" WTC tenants, both companies and employees; security and design firms and their board members involved in redesigning and implementing the new security system after the 1993 basement bombing; companies and individuals involved in the clean-up of ground zero. Who had the means, access, motivation...
"Kevin Ryan is the former Site Manager for Environmental Health Laboratories, a division of Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Mr. Ryan, a Chemist and laboratory manager, was fired by UL in 2004 for publicly questioning the report being drafted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on their World Trade Center investigation. In the intervening period, Ryan has completed additional research while his original questions, which have become increasingly important over time, remain unanswered by UL or NIST.
"Through interviews, presentations, and his work as co-editor at the online Journal of 911 Studies, Mr. Ryan works to bring out the truth behind the events of 9/11/01."
Program comes thru KPFA,
http://www.gunsandbutter.org
Produced by Bonnie Faulkner.
(Bio from http://www.ultruth.com )
Program was played on and available some more from KPFA,
Program download: http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/66755
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On the KPFA website:
a comment on Jan 28 2011 said:
" Listening to replay of program on KPFK in LA in deep dark middle of night, I sat up and listened well ! Of course, I also want everyone else to hear it, know it, and read transcript of talk too. Thanks to Bonnie for playing it and for Roy of Hollywood in LA for sharing it to us local So Cal folk.
Does anyone know of a text transcript available ?
Or do I have to type it up and offer it ?.... in time....
This definitely needs various formats to share it for those who like to read more slowly, or listen, or need to be lured into info by some other 'sly' means ?
billboards, posters, placards, postcards, what else ?
who is doing some of this ?
please someone - inform us all
9-11 is debated by various programmers on KPFK, some who call those who are interested or just share info or play a program are labeled "fringe" elements and are wished away from the station, and others who very occasionally play a program, conference, lecture seem to have-to even 'apologize' to the management ?
or the listeners ?
or to those who may be higher-stat used at KPFK station ? dunno
but it is strange censorship attempt at free-speech non-transparent Pacifica, other claims notwithstanding.
We need more exposure of info, of facts, of questions, of discussions, of alllllll that has been or is still wanted to be SUPPRESSED so only one sided propaganda exists....instead of the multiple varieties of propagandas and Rashomon stories become exposed, wikileaker style.
who is doing this on 9-11 more so now a days ?
give us some more info, here or tell us where else to look...
KPFK does not have a website that allows comments or responses. reverted back to 17th Cent. style and is the less transparent place no matter how much I or others try ...fail...to badger, shame them into revealing more about what happens in, around, within, station. No access allowed !
No comments allowed there either...been trying, failing to get station mgement or staff to change...for years....oh well....
they replayed this program anyhow !
[note to Bonnie of "Guns and Butter": you need to do basic update of your website cuz none of the headings opens into anything other than same request for money, which is listed as '2010' and '2008'...unless you deliberately dont want to hear anything or share any info, such as "about" or "contact" either ?? ]
another person wrote:
"Yes it is a lot of info. These may help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOsZFmqgO5k
http://911review.com/articles/ryan/demolition_acc "
You may want to listen with fascination to this pertinent information about doubts many people still have and speak about with a bit of worry about the 'truth' OUR government provides us about 'what did happen' and what makes sense from the published publicized versions provided via main street public media. Many have become more and more concerned about the honesty of 'facts' and slants of information allowed 'out'. Many more are still scientifically and crefully researching to unearth and dis-cover reliable verifiable 'facts' that confirm any 'theories' as without a basis in our physical actual reality, many more people now than ever before have serious concerns and doubts.
The distrust of OUR government, which all is paid and maintained by every single taxpayer in this USA, has expanded, exploded and become a 'problem' for all government staff and officials...more and more "independents", 'tea party' groupers, and others no longer accept what PR speeches and disclaimers and cliche slogans are regularly offered up to dispell our distrust.
The 9-11 related subsequent questions that remained are still unanswered, unexplained, and also more often just ignored, which makes the USA "Amercan People" wonder just who was "home" and "providing public security" both in 2001 and in 2011 also.
"conspiracy" is repetitious word used in an attempt to discount and demean those who ask legitimate questions, thus officials and deniers are suggesting only they have good answers and "theories" - and is why the "Official" Govt PR versions are claimed as the ONLY "truths" that exist.
Many people,today as before, are not so sure.
(C) akpfker 2011 "
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
join KPFK's new Program Advisory committee= apply there now
We just heard Alan Minsky, iPD announce on radio that they are forming a NEW committee called "Program Advisory"....
all can apply by August 8 by emailing him [see www.kpfk.org for address] or calling station at 818 985 2711 x 0 and leaving your name there.
He did not explain how people will be accepted or chosen or by whom either. Tho all the staff will know who is applying was stated in his announcement.
We sure hope lots of "sensible" and courageous people will apply and be chosen to prevent the same-old-tired-repetitive crowd from monopolizing the station - and it's management and staff remain with the same stuck versions of how this KPFK radio station sounds. Aren't some changes and innovations due about now ?
Want to check in and do something that may [maybe not ] be effective finally ?
We never know what is a waste of our time or becomes valued time ? This may be the occasion to be able to give actual INPUT now ? or something else might be learned by entering into the process of change ?
Check it out for yourself.
Want to make KPFK better and have it make POSITIVE CHANGES too? why not ?
(C) akpfker 2010
all can apply by August 8 by emailing him [see www.kpfk.org for address] or calling station at 818 985 2711 x 0 and leaving your name there.
He did not explain how people will be accepted or chosen or by whom either. Tho all the staff will know who is applying was stated in his announcement.
We sure hope lots of "sensible" and courageous people will apply and be chosen to prevent the same-old-tired-repetitive crowd from monopolizing the station - and it's management and staff remain with the same stuck versions of how this KPFK radio station sounds. Aren't some changes and innovations due about now ?
Want to check in and do something that may [maybe not ] be effective finally ?
We never know what is a waste of our time or becomes valued time ? This may be the occasion to be able to give actual INPUT now ? or something else might be learned by entering into the process of change ?
Check it out for yourself.
Want to make KPFK better and have it make POSITIVE CHANGES too? why not ?
(C) akpfker 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
KPFK makes BIG decisions, finally...for a change, real changes !
this is re posted from LA OBSERVED:
KPFK to make 'urgent changes' in programming
BY Kevin Roderick • July 21 2010 12:15 PM
All programmers at KPFK just received a long email from the boss asking them to either urgently grow their audience (and their money-raising for the station) or to voluntarily take their shows off the air or cut the length.
"I along with the current management team see an urgent need to make changes in the programming in the afternoon, evening, and weekend," says the note from interim program director Alan Minsky. In other words, mornings are OK. Minsky hints at the fractious politics of KPFK's listener base, which may see this as a move against the Pacifica station's progressive bent.
No specific shows are named, but some that air in the mentioned slots are among the most political. Many also are some of the longest-running programs on Los Angeles radio, such as The Car Show, Folk Scene, The Music Never Stops and Uncle Ruthie. Deadline L.A., the local media show hosted by Barbara Osborne and Howard Blume, airs Fridays at 3:30 p.m. The entire memo is [below]after the jump.
From: Alan Minsky Sent: Wed 7/21/2010
To: programmers; staff Cc: Bob Conger; Jennifer Kiser; Alan Minsky
Subject: Important Letter to KPFK Programmers
Dear KPFKers,
We've reached a critical point at KPFK, as the painful length of our recent fund drive betrayed.
At the beginning of my time as iPD, I was instructed by the National Office to increase the station's listeners; in particular, as measured by the Arbitron numbers. This has occurred. Through the beginning of June, the listenership for the station had steadily risen from 120,000 before the fall 2009 programming changes up to a plateau of 180,000. This is great.
However, the increase in audience is weighted almost entirely in our Monday through Friday morning programming - in essence from 6am until 1pm - while 5pm is also substantially out-performing what was there before. With only a few exceptions, the afternoon, evening, and weekend programming is dramatically underperforming by this measurement.
Furthermore, this is true not only in terms of Arbitrons but also in fundraising - as we consistently have to pre-empt our afternoon, evening, and weekend programs in order to raise money. This is unacceptable. Lew Hill, Pacifica's founder, understood that listeners would pay for what they value; that compelling programming would elicit the financial support required to sustain such an ambitious media project and broadcast operation; that the ability to fundraise would necessarily be a factor in determining what shows remain on the air.
Indeed, the fact that so many of our shows are not contributing to fundraising for KPFK is a major factor in the unacceptable length of our fund drives.
Therefore, I along with the current management team see an urgent need to make changes in the programming in the afternoon, evening, and weekend.
In the next few weeks, we will be making some very hard decisions. We have about eight to ten new hours of Mission-driven programming that we believe will dramatically improve our listenership and our fundraising in the coming year. In order to make room for these new shows, we need some of the underperforming shows to step aside.
Therefore, we are asking all KPFK programmers to take a hard look at their shows and decide themselves whether they can make a positive contribution to the station by increasing their audience size and raising money for the station in fund drives. If you recognize that your show cannot make such a contribution than we, the management team, would encourage you to either:
1. offer to cut the length of your show (e.g. from one hour to 30 minutes a week)
2. move your show off-air to a web-based show available on KPFK.org
3. end your show
We will wait to hear back from programmers for one and a half weeks (until 07-30), after which time we will begin to make the decisions about which shows to cut back and which to excise in order to free up the time to introduce new programming onto KPFK Radio. Please reply directly to myself, Bob Conger and Jennifer Kiser.
This is a difficult process, but essential for the greater good and health of the station and foundation.
++++++++++++++++++
commentary
While KPFK staffers and managers have always claimed 'good intentions" and often meant it sincerely when stated, tho the effects have not always been "good enough for many" but for only a few select viewpoints, political slants, and special-interest-groups....
yes even those labeled "liberals" or "progressives" or "radicals" or "left" and with all the self-right-ousness that is always Denied but Displayed have very personal Special Interests and access- contacts=allies to protect and use too....
the need for more dramatic and actual CHANGES in this radio's processes has long been needed and avoided.
Finally, due to money-inadequacies, some of the other desires, demands, and dedicated-old-loyalties are being challenged. Finally.
So hopefully thru trial-and-errors too the changes will make this valuable radio outlet become less held-hostage by old-time- programmers or by those who claim special-privileges and demand access because they are slightly different than heard/ found elsewhere on radio anyhow...
that some will MOVE OVER AND EVEN OUT because there is no more welfare charity available to insure they have hold over these airwaves.
Time for Changes ! does it take no-money-left to make changes in a radio station that claims it is vital to current relevance and is in the forefront of social changes ? But internally refuses to budge or share or shift from the same old messages of long ago.
No, this does not mean old social discrepancies have been solved and make equal. It does mean that the same harangues, same shouts, same angry exhortations, same blame games and same clinging-to-a-payola- too-good-thing folks will move and give some other ones an Equal Opportunity ...finally ! ...... maybe......
Surely many complaints and lawsuits and threats and more angry accusations will be heard on-air as well as on any media available ...especially on indymedias and internet blogs too. That is expected and part of the game-plan-to GET MORE even get-back as in getting and holding on and hoarding access to radio airwaves and spiteful get-backs.
Surely to find the right programs that will increase SPONSOR STAKEHOLDERS that pay up to keep all the incurring expenses paid up will not be quick nor easy nor immediate...but hopefully, if the management has COURAGE and PERSISTENCE and a willingness to "let go" finally of even "my favorite programs" if that is what it takes to survive honorably, so be it.
Let the ones that cant support themselves get off of being paid for by other programs and get off of this corporate [even if non profit] welfare. We all know KPFK is a "non profit corporation" right?
If "my favorite programs" can improve, gain audiences, gain income by more than begging on air and holding up air programming randsom extortioner f
Note that "subscriptions" does not mean anything more than getting to vote for some wild angry manipulative and vehement LSB members, nothing more...no input into any KPFK radio station processes at all...no benefits other than keeping radio ON air.
Let the CHANGES BEGIN and the chaos, turmoil, angry outbursts and insults and name-calling begin, for surely no one ever wants to give up their own BENEFITS [ even those not-admitted extra & secret benefits of having that program on air] or even share time or space or anything else...
KPFK folks are Not More Generous than anyone else you or I meet daily. Sorry, idealistic political ideas do not make a
"good kind generous person" actually. It takes other and more qualities for that wish to become real & true.
Please: ENCOURAGE all who work to keep KPFK on air and financially stable and workable to do whatever it takes and then do the next step and next and next too.
Please: Help protect the staff/ management from those who will act-out their greed and demands elsewhere in media by responding logically, reasonably, and honestly about how everyone- has-to-help in making KPFK viable and survivable now and in the future.
Please: Be PATIENT. Realize how human the actual KPFK workers are and how vulnerable, how battered they will be, how much they need your support in every & any way [not just with money !]. Write them, call and leave a voice mail as they are often unavailable. Hard copy a card or note to state you recognize the difficulties they face... for us who only listen or pledge at times.
And hope for the best that can come up with these twists and turns of CHANGE. No straight lines in life, only shifts and shape changes and evolvements.
Hope does not mean hope-as-dream-from-afar... it means expect and wish fervently in your own way that KPFK becomes more and better and different and still essentially provides what it has for so long...
as some of us know from 1960 or so....
(c) 2010 akpfker
KPFK to make 'urgent changes' in programming
BY Kevin Roderick • July 21 2010 12:15 PM
All programmers at KPFK just received a long email from the boss asking them to either urgently grow their audience (and their money-raising for the station) or to voluntarily take their shows off the air or cut the length.
"I along with the current management team see an urgent need to make changes in the programming in the afternoon, evening, and weekend," says the note from interim program director Alan Minsky. In other words, mornings are OK. Minsky hints at the fractious politics of KPFK's listener base, which may see this as a move against the Pacifica station's progressive bent.
No specific shows are named, but some that air in the mentioned slots are among the most political. Many also are some of the longest-running programs on Los Angeles radio, such as The Car Show, Folk Scene, The Music Never Stops and Uncle Ruthie. Deadline L.A., the local media show hosted by Barbara Osborne and Howard Blume, airs Fridays at 3:30 p.m. The entire memo is [below]after the jump.
From: Alan Minsky Sent: Wed 7/21/2010
To: programmers; staff Cc: Bob Conger; Jennifer Kiser; Alan Minsky
Subject: Important Letter to KPFK Programmers
Dear KPFKers,
We've reached a critical point at KPFK, as the painful length of our recent fund drive betrayed.
At the beginning of my time as iPD, I was instructed by the National Office to increase the station's listeners; in particular, as measured by the Arbitron numbers. This has occurred. Through the beginning of June, the listenership for the station had steadily risen from 120,000 before the fall 2009 programming changes up to a plateau of 180,000. This is great.
However, the increase in audience is weighted almost entirely in our Monday through Friday morning programming - in essence from 6am until 1pm - while 5pm is also substantially out-performing what was there before. With only a few exceptions, the afternoon, evening, and weekend programming is dramatically underperforming by this measurement.
Furthermore, this is true not only in terms of Arbitrons but also in fundraising - as we consistently have to pre-empt our afternoon, evening, and weekend programs in order to raise money. This is unacceptable. Lew Hill, Pacifica's founder, understood that listeners would pay for what they value; that compelling programming would elicit the financial support required to sustain such an ambitious media project and broadcast operation; that the ability to fundraise would necessarily be a factor in determining what shows remain on the air.
Indeed, the fact that so many of our shows are not contributing to fundraising for KPFK is a major factor in the unacceptable length of our fund drives.
Therefore, I along with the current management team see an urgent need to make changes in the programming in the afternoon, evening, and weekend.
In the next few weeks, we will be making some very hard decisions. We have about eight to ten new hours of Mission-driven programming that we believe will dramatically improve our listenership and our fundraising in the coming year. In order to make room for these new shows, we need some of the underperforming shows to step aside.
Therefore, we are asking all KPFK programmers to take a hard look at their shows and decide themselves whether they can make a positive contribution to the station by increasing their audience size and raising money for the station in fund drives. If you recognize that your show cannot make such a contribution than we, the management team, would encourage you to either:
1. offer to cut the length of your show (e.g. from one hour to 30 minutes a week)
2. move your show off-air to a web-based show available on KPFK.org
3. end your show
We will wait to hear back from programmers for one and a half weeks (until 07-30), after which time we will begin to make the decisions about which shows to cut back and which to excise in order to free up the time to introduce new programming onto KPFK Radio. Please reply directly to myself, Bob Conger and Jennifer Kiser.
This is a difficult process, but essential for the greater good and health of the station and foundation.
++++++++++++++++++
commentary
While KPFK staffers and managers have always claimed 'good intentions" and often meant it sincerely when stated, tho the effects have not always been "good enough for many" but for only a few select viewpoints, political slants, and special-interest-groups....
yes even those labeled "liberals" or "progressives" or "radicals" or "left" and with all the self-right-ousness that is always Denied but Displayed have very personal Special Interests and access- contacts=allies to protect and use too....
the need for more dramatic and actual CHANGES in this radio's processes has long been needed and avoided.
Finally, due to money-inadequacies, some of the other desires, demands, and dedicated-old-loyalties are being challenged. Finally.
So hopefully thru trial-and-errors too the changes will make this valuable radio outlet become less held-hostage by old-time- programmers or by those who claim special-privileges and demand access because they are slightly different than heard/ found elsewhere on radio anyhow...
that some will MOVE OVER AND EVEN OUT because there is no more welfare charity available to insure they have hold over these airwaves.
Time for Changes ! does it take no-money-left to make changes in a radio station that claims it is vital to current relevance and is in the forefront of social changes ? But internally refuses to budge or share or shift from the same old messages of long ago.
No, this does not mean old social discrepancies have been solved and make equal. It does mean that the same harangues, same shouts, same angry exhortations, same blame games and same clinging-to-a-payola- too-good-thing folks will move and give some other ones an Equal Opportunity ...finally ! ...... maybe......
Surely many complaints and lawsuits and threats and more angry accusations will be heard on-air as well as on any media available ...especially on indymedias and internet blogs too. That is expected and part of the game-plan-to GET MORE even get-back as in getting and holding on and hoarding access to radio airwaves and spiteful get-backs.
Surely to find the right programs that will increase SPONSOR STAKEHOLDERS that pay up to keep all the incurring expenses paid up will not be quick nor easy nor immediate...but hopefully, if the management has COURAGE and PERSISTENCE and a willingness to "let go" finally of even "my favorite programs" if that is what it takes to survive honorably, so be it.
Let the ones that cant support themselves get off of being paid for by other programs and get off of this corporate [even if non profit] welfare. We all know KPFK is a "non profit corporation" right?
If "my favorite programs" can improve, gain audiences, gain income by more than begging on air and holding up air programming randsom extortioner f
Note that "subscriptions" does not mean anything more than getting to vote for some wild angry manipulative and vehement LSB members, nothing more...no input into any KPFK radio station processes at all...no benefits other than keeping radio ON air.
Let the CHANGES BEGIN and the chaos, turmoil, angry outbursts and insults and name-calling begin, for surely no one ever wants to give up their own BENEFITS [ even those not-admitted extra & secret benefits of having that program on air] or even share time or space or anything else...
KPFK folks are Not More Generous than anyone else you or I meet daily. Sorry, idealistic political ideas do not make a
"good kind generous person" actually. It takes other and more qualities for that wish to become real & true.
Please: ENCOURAGE all who work to keep KPFK on air and financially stable and workable to do whatever it takes and then do the next step and next and next too.
Please: Help protect the staff/ management from those who will act-out their greed and demands elsewhere in media by responding logically, reasonably, and honestly about how everyone- has-to-help in making KPFK viable and survivable now and in the future.
Please: Be PATIENT. Realize how human the actual KPFK workers are and how vulnerable, how battered they will be, how much they need your support in every & any way [not just with money !]. Write them, call and leave a voice mail as they are often unavailable. Hard copy a card or note to state you recognize the difficulties they face... for us who only listen or pledge at times.
And hope for the best that can come up with these twists and turns of CHANGE. No straight lines in life, only shifts and shape changes and evolvements.
Hope does not mean hope-as-dream-from-afar... it means expect and wish fervently in your own way that KPFK becomes more and better and different and still essentially provides what it has for so long...
as some of us know from 1960 or so....
(c) 2010 akpfker
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Roy's show still a favorite for many, how about you ?
Roy's Shows is heard by many and here was another surprising FEEDBACK example:
Sitting on Venice Boardwalk yesterday at a political info sharing table {only Free Speech and non-selling table on whole Oceanfront Walk ! ] a man approaches to ask "do you know about KPFK ??"
two women sitting there smile as he proceeds to talk about living in San Diego, having just pledged for a DVD about the wizard of Oz [?] and that he fervently listens ON LINE.
Further questioning revealed that he became an "insomniac in 1990's" from listening to Roy Tuckman's programs and how many 'videocassettes' he made to copy the programs that he has saved and collected [before archives & technology was available, of course]
this man was a Vietnam helicopter pilot and then a private oil company pilot providing supplies to on water platforms. Very concerned about state of his country, and has been. Talked also about liking "Stockwell" and others...
but this kind of response is frequent and may NOT BE KNOWN by KPFK staff ...and maybe no one there cares either. as there is only a 1 way info flow in or thru this supposedly transparent station.
Many other strangers I meet when I mention "do you listen to KPFK ? " as it becomes an association to the conversation we are having, at Hammer museum, in a grocery store, on Venice boardwalk, at any misc location I happen to be as I talk to strangers and they to me often...the more common response these last few years has been "I used to but I dont any more..."
and when I pursue to ask "why, what is it you like or dont like ?" there is a nebulous vagueness that is not specific enough to inform me, thus inform you. But somehow many no longer find the station as relevant or innovative and has become very repetitive, "except for Amy Goodman" which is a cue to finding this station.
This same week at the Hammer I also met a woman from Houston and when I mentioned "a station that..." she said "is it the one with Amy Goodman ? we have one in Texas..." and she listens there. This too was a 1x only meeting with a stranger who may have like-mindedness to have this contact and conversation take place.
Thought you may want to know about what happens outside KPFK's walls or meetings or those who do still pay and pledge, after so much begging and harranguing. Many are surely loyal and like the same-old same-old ways of the daytime programming, tho one person also said he was "glad the spanish programming is all together....dont like when they do English and Spanish translations....gets boring..." and tunes out when the languages change for sure.
The variety of topics and the often more innovative edgy emerging personalities and experts show up on SOMETHING'S HAPPENING shows, also because it contains so much programming time, but more so because of Roy's long time willingness to present what the "liberal, progressive, radical, rebels, et al" refuse to allow or they censor out what does not conform confirm their own limited points of view.
At least my impression is that Roy has always been more courageous to present a wider variety of points of view, even ones that other KPFK programers [yes payola counts for many 'volunteer programmers' tho that dirty word is never uttered nor the actions referred to either] refuse to give voice to on daytime programs.
One more important mention:
Some people have given a large chunk just because of Roy's programming and consistency to presenting the most innovative interesting & otherwise-almost -unavailable platform for voices suppressed elsewhere.. In the thousands of dollars in one lump giving sum, but that has been treated by KPFK's management as a 1x gift and the donor is expected to pledge another year and is given no long-term credit nor do they remain a stakeholder sponsor past that year. I know this for sure.
There is no 'subscription" proportionality for large givers, which may even discourage such actions, when wealth is not always available for repeat funding the station. Why is this lack of recognition continued at KPFK ?
The giver may presume and think of themselves as a multi-year subscriber, if maybe they had access to a sum of cash and not that much for continued sharing, but KPFK drops them from the list of belonging after 1 giving.
(C) akfpker 2010
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