Open Letter to interim Program Manager - Alan Minsky

This is a copy of a letter sent, to which there will probably be no reply and may not even read at all...but the good intentions of this writer still exist and are on display here....for anyone else who 'cares' to know:

Sunday, May 16, 2010
Cc: also sent to "KPFK Program Corner for comments" ,
"KPFK comments" , and others involved at the station too.

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Dear Alan et al, assuming you are still iPD,

Being a subscriber since 1960 to KPFK, and having a herstory of finding a few programs that are always 'on the edge' of an emerging important world at this station, let me compliment Roy's show for continuing with 'old dead' people and new ones found that come on so late at night but still heard and appreciated.... by me...and others...

The most varied and informative programs are on Something's happening show, repeatedly and continually....and I find myself daily continually informing some stranger and writing a scrap of paper note to have them find the program and archive to 'give a listen'...to what is played in the dark hours.
Please share this with Roy too. maybe forward it ?

[I have found that even tho email links are on webpage, almost ALL programmers do not respond to my compliments, questions, complaints at all, no acknowledgment of receipt and I have also heard some emails go 'straight to spam' and thus never even read...

and the excuses, many, that 'there are too many emails to respond to', is an exaggeration or lie, as the New Yorker magazine just last week responded to my email and a well known article writer also responded in a 6 line email...amazing me, but forcing me to realize how any response from "volunteers" [also known as payola-ees who get lobbyists, PR, promo people and others to give them returns for being exposed on KPFK airwaves, tho this is never ever acknowledged and pretense is that they work at these programs for free and love of us, the fans/ audience...ahem ! fools we are not ! ]

and I have written various ones over the years to NEVER get any answer, not even you]

also, the difference between Roy's program and other 'inner vision' ones like Lisa or Nita is distinctly different in his not being COMMERCIALIZED, while others dont admit it they are clearly giving their guests lots of $$$ business, even if a bit like a book or seat at workshop is given to KPFK subscriber [cheap trick as it costs almost zilch for much verbal promo by program hosts, with that recommendation being expensive elsewhere].

So Roy's way of sharing info is not selling us stuff or people, but presenting and revealing and sharing teachings or new ideas, different views, and a wider variety than most others...not just because he has more air time either....because of how pro ramming is done as we hear it ...way out here.

Also, I still agree with making many changes to see what works for whom or for how long and not getting stuck in a pattern that repeats and repeats to the few same-old same-old, even if those pay pledges, either out of fear, greed, or buy into 'we are going down !!!' stories that always repeat incessantly. Let's see: 2010 - 1960 = ? and not down yet.

I am also sharing this info you may or not know: since I speak of KPFK or refer it to strangers I meet at least 4x/week or more...maybe 43% already know if it and I ask them which program they like best & listen to ? Just yesterday a woman who works on a KPFK program said " I dont listen at all...I listen to NPR"

this is an often refrain I hear, which does not surprise me but is more often than I would expect. The drift away has been going on for a longer while than just a few months or a year...and we all hope some of these people will check out IF YOU HAVE CHANGES IN PROGRAMS AND PROGRAMMERS and come back to hear this difference...maybe..
I did not expect to hear so much of this so often, and while a bit dismayed I also totally agree with them.

Thought you might want to hear some anecdotal feedback from a very loyal [anyhow] KPFK ideal continuer.

m. = akpfker
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(c) akpfker 2010

Who does what at KPFK ? Who knows anything ?

When it is not 'just listening' as a passive person, but when you as a KPFK STAKEHOLDER, pledge-maker, contributor, volunteer, or wanna-be whatever...
also have asked but could not find out what is occurring "inside" that station,
here is a tid bit of info that helps satisfy that 'wanting needing to know'.

Below is some good information that some of us did and do NOT know or have access too..until we asked:

"It is public information that Chief Engineer Bob Conger is serving as
KPFK iGM at 1/4 salary, that Alan Minsky is serving as both iPD and
probably Senior Producer at a single full-time salary, and that
Margaret Prescod and Ian Masters, previously volunteer programmers,
are temporarily sharing a single full-time salaried position.

It is public information that Ernesto Arce is still on the KPFK
payroll as a news reporter, which is KPFK's main contribution to the
production costs of the California News, which is produced at KPFA and
replaced the KPFK Evening when we laid off most of our local news
staff...."

"Yes, these details are not publicized; but they are not confidential
and have not been hidden. Most of this has been mentioned at public
meetings, which are not well attended. Some has likely been mentioned
on-air at odd moments.


Though many of us have been taking time and work to learn all above that WE DID NOT know at all.. does that mean there are KPFK people smarter than us ?

more connected to the in-crowd, staff, management, money players than us ?

pay more for their pledges and thus gain info too?

go to parties we dont or dont even get invited to ?

sneak in and read private station info docs that we dont know how to get to ?

or what ?

Maybe if we repeatedly tolerate to attend LSB meetings and LSB Finance Committee meetings so info is found therein

The informer of this information also said nicely:

"I respect your concerns and I recognize how mysterious normal station affairs can look like from afar, especially when various actors pick pieces of information to spin in support of their special interests."

Yes, that person understands our frustrations in just trying to get basic information about "what in this world is going on in there ! ? ! ? "...that black hole where our money goes and what comes out seems to be...well you describe it...as some programs are offensive, some are informative, some are creative and others are mainly FEAR mongering while complaining about everyone else in media doing just that....trying to get benefits, money, influence by emphasizing the horrors that 'could happen'....maybe...worse than what occurs INSIDE our station.

this is from a stakeholder of long ago, with lots of cash, time, effort and love invested in those 4 call letters....
K for kaput....
P for political ...
F for ['you know what in past tense and present also'] ...
K for .....kkkkk ??? Komodo dragons who are those strange creatures that look scary [see pix here: http://www.arkive.org/komodo-dragon/varanus-komodoensis/description.html]

Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world ~ KPFK has a big signal too ....and with weird wild ancient heritage ! just like KPFK which has been around for 50+ yrs..... then more similarities also are apparent....

so conjure up the stuff of the dangerous eat-'em-up legends. Thekomodo's essential body is long with stocky legs and a long muscular tail ~ so like the macho-tough-image KPFKers prefer to display....

then the animal's scaly skin is inpenetrable and hard with no access, pretending invulnerability ~ KPFK style is same.....

Komodos also have a well-developed sense of smell so like KPFK's searching for any scary or wild drama and pretend-prophetic projections to arouse and also maybe get funds for sharing that virtual fearful experience.....

and the komodo's fancy long, forked yellow tongue which resembles the mythical, fire-breathing dragons ~ so the programs emanating from this KPFK beast is also always trying to be as fierce, as influential,as fear-provoking, as daring as any fire-fierce-producing uncapturable creature-of-old.


not a good analogy ? OK, then make a better one up for us all instead. What other creature, animal, natural image can KPFK in it's essences be conjured up to be similar to ?

(c) 2010 akpfker


+++++++++++++


and also see the recent la times article:

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/27/entertainment/la-et-onthemedia27-2010mar27

with Alan Minsky's reply below

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/31/opinion/la-oew-minsky31-2010mar31



"to know the way and not practice is to be a soup ladle in the pot and not taste the flavor of the soup." jack kornfield

which also means KPFKers who Want to Know and cannot find their way are stuck in some heating up the frog gradually in watered down soup. ahem !

Pacifica's NY - WBAI stewards exposed misinformation that needs corrections...see here ..learn!

"Justice and Unity faction tries to sabotage WBAI Fundraiser"

this repost was rec'd on Thursday, July 16, 2009 7:54 AM was originally sent to:

WBAIelections@yahoogroups.com NewPacifica@yahoogroups.com, PacificaRadiowaves@yahoogroups.com

“On or about Wed Jul 15, 2009, the WBAI USOC Stewards wrote:
A group of people based in California, with the cooperation of local cohorts, have recently staged a coup at WBAI. “

reponse & corrections: A group of people based in New York, with the cooperation of cohorts in other station areas, have had a stranglehold on Pacifica until recently, and that stranglehold almost destroyed the Pacifica Foundation. The Pacifica Foundation, based in California, with the support of the Pacifica National Board consisting of Directors elected from all Pacifica station areas and with representation from Affiliates, under a democratic structure wherein listeners and staff use proportional voting methods to elect delegates, has facilitated a change in the management of New York station WBAI, which has been operating at a deficit for several years, subsequent to a majority request for such change in management by the democratically elected representatives of the radio station's local membership, who are in the categories of listener-sponsor members and staff members.

WABIers claim : The interim Pacifica Executive Director, Grace Aaron of Los Angeles, has engaged in a series of politically-motivated firings and bannings of longtime station and network staff in violation of due process and human decency.

reponse & corrections: The interim Pacifica Executive Director, Grace Aaron of Los Angeles, elected Chair of the Pacifica National Board by vote of its Directors and appointed iED by vote of its Directors, has taken steps to implement resolutions of the democratically elected National and Local Boards. Except for General Manager removals at WBAI and WPFW, employment actions at all stations have been at the direction of the unit managers. Most of these employment actions have been staff layoffs to reduce expenses, made necessary by operating deficits at WBAI in New York and at KPFK in Los Angeles. Pacifica is attentive to due process in its employment actions and treats its employees with decency.

reponse & corrections: The major reductions in Pacifica's network staff occurred months before Grace Aaron was made interim Executive Director. Pacifica's National Office is funded by payments from its broadcast stations and both WBAI and KPFK were behind in their payments to the National Office. Most of Pacifica's national staff was laid off in response to this loss of critical funding.

WABIers claim :In New York, General Manager Anthony Riddle has been forced out and replaced by LaVarn Williams of Berkeley, California.

reponse & corrections: LaVarn Williams is an experienced financial analyst and served for several years as Treasurer of the Foundation, elected by previous Pacifica National Boards. She was appointed interim CFO by the PNB in January and her double-duty as interim WBAI General Manager is both saving the Foundation money and placing financial oversight where it is most needed.

WABIers claim : Longtime WBAI Program Director Bernard White was fired as he returned from major surgery and banned from the station and airwaves, as was Ayo Harrington ­ education activist and a producer of "On the Count" ­ our criminal justice/prison rights" program.

reponse & corrections: Bernard White, as WBAI's Program Director, shares major responsibility for the station's declining listenership and poor financial performance in recent years. Ayo Harrington served as Bernard White's assistant for some of this period.

WABIers claim :Acting Manager Williams has ignored Ayo Harrington and the Unpaid Staff Organizing Committee's asking for Ms. Williams' reasons for her actions against Ayo Harrington.

reponse & corrections: If Ayo Harrington was dismissed in connection with her service as Assistant to the Program Director, then she does not have union representation in that dispute. If Harrington was dismissed in connection with her subsequent service as WBAI Premiums Manager, then her representation in that dispute should come from the paid staff's union. USOC stewards, who may or may not represent a recognized unpaid staff bargaining unit at WBAI, are interfering where they have no reasonable claim of authority; and Ayo Harrington had no business serving as a USOC steward when a Pacifica employee if she has done so.

WABIers claim : Additionally, host Mimi Rosenberg and newscaster Don Debar have been removed from WakeUp Call for their opposition to the coup.

reponse & corrections: Because the management changes at WBAI are supported by the station's Local Station Board consisting of delegates elected by vote of the station's local membership, those changes cannot accurately be characterized as a "coup." Volunteers Mimi Rosenberg and Don Debar have been removed from WakeUp Call not for their opposition to these changes but for other reasons. USOC stewards may represent these volunteers in their disputes with the station, but USOC does not control the station's programming decisions or station management's enforcement of Pacifica's programming policies.

WABIers claim : In Berkeley, after a baseless, public smear campaign, Chief Financial Officer Lonnie Hicks was fired.

reponse & corrections: Former CFO Lonnie Hicks is claiming such a campaign in his lawsuit against the Foundation; but, in fact, the Pacifica National Board had good cause to implement this dismissal and would have had equally good cause in previous years.

WABIers claim : In Los Angeles, KPFK Program Director Armando Gudino has been fired, as have News Director (and "Informativo Pacifica" producer) Fernando Velasquez,and programmer Jerry Quickley.

reponse & corrections: I do not know the details of Armando Guidino's exit at KPFK, but Fernando Velasquez and Jerry Quickley were both laid off, not fired. None of these KPFK employees are being replaced anytime soon, and there were additional recent staff cuts at this station.

WABIers claim : In Washington, D.C., General Manager Ron Pinchback was fired and humiliatingly escorted from the premises.

reponse & corrections: It is normal practice for separated employees to be escorted from the premises. Ron Pinchback was also serving as that station's Program Director. WPFW's financial performance has been better than that of WBAI and KPFK in recent years, but the station has not been raising enough funds to finance a move that will be required upon expiration of its studio lease. The Pacifica Foundation does not currently have the funds to rescue WPFW and finance its move when that time comes, so WPFW must substantially improve the performance of its capital campaign. Specifically, it must match a $1 Million pledge over four years or it may lose all or part of that donation.

WABIers claim: Thus, the current leadership of WBAI/Pacifica is undermining the principles that Pacifica promises to its workers and preaches to others.

reponse & corrections: The current leadership of WBAI/Pacifica is attempting to rescue WBAI, KPFK, WPFW, and Pacifica from financial catastrophe while improving those station's and the network's adherance to the Pacifica Mission and those station's and the network's service to its listeners. Pacifica is the first national broadcast network in the United States to adopt a democratic governance structure in order to be responsive to its listener members. When progressive changes occur in response to the legitimate demands of a majority for improvement, the minority is expected to complain. In Pacifica, however, such complaints should represent honest dissent and should not be based upon lies and distortions.

The USOC Stewards who authored the letter to which this is a response, Ayo Harrington, Ken Nash, Marquez Osson, Louis Reyes Rivera, and Cerene Roberts, share in the overall responsibility for WBAI's and Pacifica's financial problems, because they have repeatedly acted, individually and as members of a local faction, to resist needed reform at WBAI during the years of that station's declining performance under every measurable standard. If USOC is to be again recognized as bargaining agent for the members of the Unpaid Staff Bargaining Unit at WBAI, a recognition that has arguably lapsed and/or may be withdrawn, then these "stewards" should resign or be recalled by the Bargaining Unit members in support of the positive changes occuring at the station under its transition management.

Due to the Unpaid Staff Organizing Committee's failure as a committee to organize an unpaid staff organization at WBAI and obtain recogntion of that organization from station management, however, I would like to see a legitimate WBAI unpaid staff organization finally formed using the talent and services of a more conscientious and responsible committee of organizers.

NOTE: these “responses & corrections” were supplied & written by --Terry Goodman [ a very knowlegable and dedicated Pacifica and KPFK member whom some of us trust more than most writers ]

What Fairness Doctrine, again ? lost it.....

No Candidate, No Fairness Doctrine and No Equal Time

Broadcast Law - 27 July, 2008 - 19:38

[reposted here from http://pacificana.org/ ]

The New York Times ran an article about how certain African-American radio hosts were acting as cheerleaders for the Obama campaign, and contrasting that to past elections where talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh gave a boost to Republican candidates on their programs. How is it that these programs can take political positions without triggering requirements that opposing candidates get equal time? Under FCC rules, unless a candidate' recognizable voice or image is broadcast by a station, there is no right to equal opportunities. In the past, until the FCC abolished the Fairness Doctrine by declaring it to be unconstitutional, even without a candidate appearance, the station would have had an obligation to give both sides of a controversial issue of public importance, such as an election, free time to respond to on-air statements by an announcer. When the doctrine was abolished, stations were free to air pointed programs taking positions on issues, giving rise initially principally to the conservative commentators, and more recently to their more liberal counterparts such as those heard on Air America radio.

The abolition of the Fairness Doctrine also allowed broadcasters to editorialize, even endorsing candidates for political office without having to give the opponent of their favored candidate equal time, just like print media can do. Similarly, a station can take a position on a ballot issue, or on another controversial issue of public importance in their communities without having to provide time to those with opposing viewpoints - allowing stations to fully participate in their communities political life. Under the Fairness Doctrine, stations even had to give time to those with viewpoints opposed to parties who bought time on a controversial issue if the opponents could not themselves afford to buy time. The occasional discussion of reviving the Fairness Doctrine ignores these issues.

The one aspect of the Fairness Doctrine that has never been officially abolished is the Zapple Doctrine, a rule that required that supporters of a major-party candidate be able to get time to respond to broadcasts by supporters of the opponent, effectively "quasi-equal opportunities." The doctrine was argued by supporters of John Kerry in their request for equal time when Sinclair Broadcasting threatened to run the Swift Boat "documentary" during the 2004 Presidential election. Perhaps fearing that the Zapple Doctrine had continuing validity (or perhaps fearing bad publicity), the film was never run in its entirety, so no decision was released as to whether the Zapple Doctrine had continuing validity after the abolition of the Fairness Doctrine. Presumably, this policy, even if still valid, would not be applied to talk shows, as the statements of talk show hosts, while certainly biased and pointed in one political direction or another, rarely state outright "go vote for candidate X." Of course, any application of the Zapple Doctrine, or any reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine, would no doubt bring about a constitutional challenge to the regulatory scheme. Given the recent deference of Courts to the First Amendment rights of broadcasters, supporters of the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine should get the message.