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

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

KPFA in No. CA also in trouble, read more...

There is an article about Berkely's Pacifica's KPFA :
http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=7957#more*
You may want to first read this to understand the comment made and copied here below:

"as a KPFK person, non SF but LA worker, your article is important, informative and yet seems so slanted to liking or admiring one person that the issue of fairness, election voting and Pacifica's failures seem to be 'side issues' instead.


Like they say, having an "ax that is being ground" promoting a manager that could apparently not maintain enough influence over her cohorts to remain in position of power.


Like every other USA political election that is also "so close" and won by never a big, notable "majority " but barely skims by, like Sup. Court does it's 4 to 5 or 5 to 4 continual big decisions. to then claim "it's a mandate" is the next lie that is never challenged loudly.


The simple majority win is not good enough to indicate that the people affected are in agreement with that Win or Firing or change, as in amendments, laws, bribes, and court decisions over votes not counted too. Could you do a better follow up commentary beyond this article to include other Pacifica stations, how they find their management staff [how they select or appoint those who will chose to anoint ]


....and how the staff once 'hired' is evaluated again after a short time to insure their loyalty to the station and not to other alliances they love more dearly.
Please dont just write this piece and then ignore all else that you left out. thanx"


You may also want to write your own response and spread all our thoughts and responses to what is happening to OUR RADIO STATIONS - managements, programs, finances, et al - as STAKEHOLDERS OF PACIFICA we must be responsible and they must be more transparent and accountable too !

(C) 2010 akpfker

open letter to KPFK re no human response back possible..again

OPEN LETTER TO "PROGRAM COMMENTS" KPFK 's EMAIL SITE:

when anyone write to "comments@kpfk.org" as listed on KPFK website, there is a frequent response that there is a "mail failure" and it is not possible to Get Through to express a suggestion, an opinion, ask a question, or make any inquiry. This is the 3-4th time that the same dysfunction occurrs. Why is it incumbent on the sender of any email to then have to telephone, write another location or follow thru to try so hard to be heard - back ????


the continual problems that arise in a radio station that continually tries to elicit more money from it's usual loyal stakeholders or even new liseners is defeated when there is NO RESPONSE POSSIBLE EVER from anyone at this radio station. All efforts to contact the staff or even many of the programers that are even listed on their website is deflected and there is a deadening effect. This discourages anyone from wanting to pay for such uncaring, distanced, and dysfunctional [in the real world of communications, not just on-air-out-broadcasting ] business.


And never forget that KPFK is and must be a business or else fail, collapse, disappear or keep on sputtering about 'no money!'

the email resent to "Program Comments" and other staff, none which ever respond, but the desire to IMPROVE and help this radio station's workaworld's functioning is here :


ALL THE WORK I DO THAT IS NOT ON YOUR SALARIED JOB TIME IS MY CONTRIBUTION FOR WHICH NO ONE AT KPFK GIVES ME ANY CREDIT OR THANKS...

WHY IS THIS ?

I HAVE 3X BEFORE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM AND ADVISED YOU ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH MAIL FAILURES AT THIS ADDRESS THAT YOU LIST ON YOUR WEB PAGE.

WHY DOES NO ONE EVER NOTICE THAT THEY DONT GET MAIL AT THIS ADDRESS SINCE I PRESUME ALL MAIL IS RETURNED, NOT SELECTIVELY ONLY MINE...

YOUR PROGRAM ER HOPEFULLY DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE, OR DO YOU ALL ????

THE ILL WILL GENERATED BY THESE CONTINUAL FAILURES AND LACK OF RESPONSE TO EMAILS SENT TO THE STATION CREATE THE IMPRESSION THAT 'NO ONE IS HOME AND NO ONE CARES' THEN THE SENDER WILL ALSO SAY ' WHY SHOULD I SEND THEM ANY MONEY IF THEY DONT CARE OR ARE THIS DISORGANIZED ? "

AND THE BAD REPUTATION OF THE STATION BEING NOT UP TO PAR IS EXTENDED AS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THESE FAILURES TO MAINTAIN BASIC SERVICES


THAT THERE IS NO RESPONSES EVER EVER EVER TO COMMENTS IS ALWAYS EXPLAINED BY 'NOT ENOUGH STAFF' WHICH MAY BE TRUE BUT IS INADEQUATE TO INSURE A GOOD PUBLIC IMAGE AND PUBLIC PLEDGE SUPPORT BACK


BESIDES THE FEAR MONGERING THAT KPFK ALSO INDULGES IN WELL DURING PLEDGE DRIVES, WE DONT NEED OTHER MEDIA, WE HAVE OUR VERY OWN TOO.


THERE COULD BE SOME TRUSTED LOYAL VOLUNTEERS WHO COULD FILTER OR SORT COMMENTS AND DIRECT THEM APPROPRIATELY, NOT JUST THE PROGRAM COMMENTS SECTION THAT MAY [AS HAS HAPPENED RECENTLY ALSO] BE SENT TO THE WRONG STAFF WHO CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT TOPIC DISCUSSED.


THERE COULD BE A P.T. PERSON WHO IS PROFESSIONAL ENOUGH AND WANTS TO GET PLEDGE $$ CREDIT FOR THEIR WORK AND DO SOMETHING TO HELP THE STATION HAVE A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH IT'S LISTENERS, NOT JUST THE ONE WAY OUT FROM THOSE HOLY PRIESTS ON THE INSIDE...


THAT THERE IS NONE IS A SHAME, AND POOR RELATIONS WITH ALL KPFK STAKEHOLDERS.


ALSO THERE IS NO COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD THAT REPORTS TO CPB AND IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE FUNDING SOURCE HAS BEEN SO NOTIFIED TO ENFORCE IT'S RULES THAT THE COMMUNITY INPUT BE ACTUALLY REC'D AND UTILIZED, NOT A PRETEND 1 X YR MEETING OF INFIGHTIING.


PLEASE PASS THIS LETTER ON TO WHOMEVER IS 'IN CHARGE' AND IF THEY DONT CARE OR CANT DO MORE EITHER
OH WELLL
DOWN WE ALL GO
YOU FIRST THO

SORRY TO KEEP REPEATING COMPLAINTS, SUGGESTIONS, AND PROBLEMS OVER MANY YEARS, REPEATED, REPEATED, AND NO CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS EVER DONE AND NO RESPONSES EVER RECEIVED EITHER. HARD COPY LETTERS, VOICE MAILS, MESSAGES LEFT, IN-PERSON REQUESTS, NOTHING EFFECTS THE IMPROVEMENTS SO OBVIOUSLY NEEDED.

WHAT A POOR BUSINESS PLAN IS IN EFFECT THAT BECOMES 'INEFFECTIVE' AFTER ALL THAT WAYS KPFK EXHORTS PEOPLE TO PAY PAY SEND MONEY AND THEN....LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF OZ....AND SEE........

oh welll


here it is anyhow.

KPFK to meet to discuss programming and needed are Public Members to attend too

Straight from the KPFK website:

"Listener Forum, Programming Oversight Committee
Sunday, November 22 2009, 5:00pm - 7:00pm by tgoodman Hits : 72

"The Programming Oversight Committee (PrOC) of the KPFK Local Station Board (LSB) will be convening a Listener Forum to discuss the recent programming changes instituted at KPFK. Following a brief presentation by the Interim Program Director, Alan Minsky, the floor will be open for listener questions and comments.

"Sunday, November 22, 2009, 5 - 7:00 pm
Echo Park United Methodist Church
1226 North Alvarado, Los Angeles 90026"

=================================

Remember that PUBLIC MEMBERS can attend LSB open meetings and have a brief time space given in which to voice their comments, concerns, suggestions. The time is shared by how many voices there are that want to speak to those officials who PRETEND they represent US sponsors. [ they are called LSB members]

Since it appears that the LSB crowd doesnt do much of any outreach to get actual information from those who pay for the station's survival, and they dont do surveys, nor polls, nor have any group meetings to gather information from KPFK sponsors and listeners....

and since it appears that each LSB person voices mostly [if not only] their personal views and desires / demands at meetings, it is very IMPORTANT for more interested stakeholders, sponsors, and those of us involved in KPFK, attend and say something of value.

The usual way is that a bit of time, like 30 min is alotted and spread amongst those Public Members who want to have their say divided up equally. Sometimes, it may be 2X 30" periods interspersed within the meeting time. Hopefully the comments given are helpful, relevant and clear.

But dont expect action to be taken on your voiced views ! as this may hardly ever happen.

But just "TO BE HEARD" instead of just be 'passively listening" to those more powerful ones who demand to be heard [on air] is a feat in itself.

I encourage anyone who can refrain from angry outbursts, irrelevant topics and scapegoating acts to attend and see what happens at LSB meetings and to say what is necessary and useful.

Try it, you may not like it ....but you may feel better for having tried to improve OUR STATION as a community coming together anyway.

(c) akpfker 2009

KPFK's Local Station Board Meeting - it IS open to visitors too

June 16, 2009...an official LSB meeting is scheduled for 7:00 pm. huh ?

at 7:15 PM, already 15 minutes into the appointed hour, only about 6 LSB members are present, all the rest arrive...in their own casual time...so the quorum needed to begin being 16 present members is delayed...

The 6 conscientious people who are ON TIME are made to wait, unnecessarily, while the remainders -
who come at their convenience - all have some excuse or reason or attitude that allows them to come as late as they do. Yet no reprimands, no instructions, no requests are made to "please be on time" ...even if the oh-so-common "LA Traffic !" is always a handy answer, even when it so. But why not leave wherever earlier or call to inform they are coming late ? No. It's the usual: latecomers have the power of choice over those more responsible members who work harder to make it a point to courteously arrive at the meeting time scheduled.

Finally the meeting can actually start: LATE LATE LATE...those who patiently waited are not given any rewards for having had to sit there holding the space for the rest. Who did not seem to care either way.

7:20 PM, another member slaunters into the meeting. 7:40 & 7:45 PM another 4-5 arrive. "Absent members" are announced and recorded by the secretary as well. Then some of these do arrive, later yet. The apparently newest LSB member of only being seated a few months ago finally arrives at 8:40 pm, and distracts two other members already seated to meet and greet them unnecessarily. Maybe that person thinks this is a party or an unimportant gathering ? Those still absent do not have their not-present legitimating reasons explained to the members, so maybe any excuse is good enough ? who is to know ?

The new "local election supervisor" gives brief information about the dead lines for the upcoming LSB elections. Hopefully new members will be more responsible in their attendance and contributions. But they may just follow the example of prior members as they do their thing on this evening.

For it seems that no one is financially compensated in any way for attending these required meetings of elected LSB members...yet the purpose of competing hard to be elected means the LSB member has something, maybe the power and influence over what happens at the KPFK radio station. There may be other side benefits not openly admitted to the public stakeholders or else probably the competition and infighting to be on the LSB would not be so fierce and feisty.

But who will tell?

Fortunately about 6 "public members" were also present here, and because the Pacifica bylaws state that about 30 minutes total must be allotted to public comments, these stakeholders were given 1 min or 2 minutes at various points to give an opinion. However, an adamant bold and rude male public person decided he wanted to give his loud opinion at an inappropriate time, so he just burst out shouting that he would do so regardless of the [formal] rules or the being called upon by the LSB chairperson.
He tried.

And over his outburst others also shouted him down till finally whatever he thought he was somehow privileged & special to give a "shout out" to the LSB members, whose meeting this was, his message was lost in the scramble of loud voices. Maybe some people heard him. Most probably did not. His intimidation was a terrible example of a KPFK listener, maybe or not a paid-sponsor, who was taking advantage of his male pride and ethnicity to take over a meeting when it was NOT his turn. He was out of turn and totally inappropriate. Who he thinks he represented besides his aggrandized self was not clear but if this is an example of the KPFK audience, then the station is in sad shape.

Brief discussion was held about forming a "working group" to set up procedures, etc. for "student volunteers". This was discussed with various LSB members volunteering to do this extra chore. However it was not yet clear what the "student" volunteers would be allowed to do at the station... when other adult long-time pledge phone volunteers are not allowed to do anything besides answer phones at KPFK. This exclusion has been unstated most often but the premises are clearly and carefully patrolled to keep out the riff raff [the stakeholders and wanna be volunteers too, except when money is being solicited, or a very limited selected task is to be done] and even those with good skills and talents that could help the lack of staff at the station currently as not given the opportunity to "volunteer" for free. Strange hidden unspoken rules there.

Some people have often asked the staff there to work at KPFK for free in their own time, with own transportation, with absolutely no rewards given, and most and there have been many, have been passed off as not needed or else no clear explanation is given as to why they are not utilized, which is curious as the station is clearly understaffed now.

KPFK is always strained, stressed and limited because of finances and people-power to do what is actually much needed. But volunteers are very strictly scrutinized, sorted, or denied entry to do even some of the most menial petty tasks. With no explanations for these attitudes towards those who want to genuinely help for free. Not the crazies, not the homeless, not the needy, not the greedy, but the actual even paid-up stakeholders are not or under-utilized, if at all.

Receptionists is the position sometimes open to work for free, but even these volunteers are totally out of any loop and not informed of some of the info they need to handle that easy job. Whatever.... KFPK loses out and the would-be volunteers go elsewhere to give away their hours, love, and attention. So what !

Those who want to be elected as part of the incoming LSB will be informed about the 3 ways they can qualify, in ways perhaps many volunteer KPFK members do not know is available. It will hopefully be announced over the air. LSB nominees can qualify if they are listener-sponsors [stakeholders] having sent in their money, of course. Or volunteered 3 hrs already, even answering phones during pledge drives [this was questioned, but apparently this may be a qualifier ...maybe] or someone can come to station to fill out forms that give them some official 'waiver' if they 'cannot afford' to pay the minimum $25 pledge or even give 3 hours of their own time. This last qualifier is not often known and appears to be a free bee for many to take advantage of - by claiming they can not spend 3 hours of their precious personal time for free but they can come to LSB meetings every month on time and be responsible contributors ? hummmmmm.....

Mention was made that an LSB committee was not meeting because the chairperson was not able to be present, which seemed to be a poor reason to cancel the necessary work to be done by any committee, as if the chair were the actual doer instead of the facilitator. When that method for cancelling or postponing meetings was questioned, it was immediately denied, but since the programming oversight committee, for example, has not met or even been marked on the KPFK event calendar as meeting, many concerned listeners have wondered why the exclusion of this group has then kept the public stakeholders from learning what they are suppose to be doing or not doing - about programming and such important arenas.

Then as a report was being given, another LSB member seemed to ask a question which of course turned into a comment/ and a long discourse that meandered off the point - which left the person reporting hanging, waiting, confused... and after much loud squabbling and antagonistic of blaming others, then everyone turned into a chaotic mob, bickering and arguing and claiming to be righteously allowed to do so.

The end of the LSB meeting was reflective of dysfunctional families where everyone wants to have the longest and last word, to be the final authority on any topic, to be confrontive of others they disagree or do not like personally, and to gladly refuse the chairperson to close the meeting in an appropriate manner.

A question of this meeting being representative of how the radio station operates as well in this manner was brought up with no response, obviously.

Bickering, quarrelling, disagreeing, goading, emotionally reacting in a personal manner, and coming in and leaving with an old and personal agenda [undisclosed and unadmitted if asked] was the main procedural method of this meeting. As it may be of other LSB committee meetings at times also.

The final breakup was discourteous and as the lights in the room were quickly extinguished to get people out of the facility, small groups met momentarily outside the bldg, concluding with a few others what was not possible to say or accomplish or reveal in the actual official LSB meeting.

More public members or curiosity seekers should attend these LSB meetings and their committee meetings... and not only voice their opinions in the brief time allotted to them, but also help the elected 'official' members stay on topic, be productive, reduce their antagonisms and alliances, and get some more actual work & decisions done.

Maybe the public members may not help and coming may be a waste, but it is better than most action movies where someone else does the shoot-em-up.Yet here everyone walks out satisfied with not having accomplished more than to try to be a "star"...of the LSB show, at least be noticed... here.

KPFK and LSB is not the only place that has such unproductive for the time allotted 'events' ...but it appears that there is more freedom to act out and malign and accuse and deny loudly here than in more conservative courteous places of business. But then, if much business of what needs to be done does not get done, who will be surprised ?

And who will continue to fund a station that has "representatives" that act in these ways ?

And who does each elected LSB representative represent besides themselves ? Most cannot define nor say. So why do so many want to run and be elected ? For this show ?

Note our new URL now improved: kpfk00commentators

For those who could not easily find us, we have decided to improve our visibility to be more effective in how we help suggest improvements and occasionally challenge our favorite radio station to CHANGE for the Better :

and be more Efficient, in it's daily functions

be more Transparent in it's operations and intentions,

be more Responsive to it's stakeholders, in communications, in acknowledgements,

and be more fair and honest in all the KPFK Pacifica radio station dealings.

This means input is needed from all who read here, to put in and take out what is HELPFUL and Positive - our purpose always to be of help and assist, even if often the there is little or no appreciation of any [including our] efforts outside their closed locked doors.

But like any bureaucracy or corporation, there is a lot that needs to be addressed, exposed and questioned, especially by those who fund the station with their earnings,
their time and caring, their promoting the station to non-listeners, and their dedication to the welfare of what is still unique, tho sometimes beleaguered as well.

the "00" are the EYES of those who watch as well as listen to how the station operates in the service of those who have paid for their stakes in this facility in any way.

the call letters are deliberately not to intend or state that this blog site is in any way part of the official station or any of it's doings, policies, or staff.
This is a totally SEPARATE and non-official open site in which those who genuinely Care and Dedicate their time and monies for the benefit of "their" station, and it's betterment.

There is absolutely no attempt to ride on the image or fame of the station's name, in any direction they may suggest.

There is no intent to mislead or malign in any way the station, while still using the freedom of speech and freedom of mind to question, suggest, complain occasionally, and offer observation and alternative ways to handle all matters of interest.

We here hope to be able to contribute our share of media light and information that will further help our preferred radio station to become what it also claims it wants to be, as per it's bylaws, it's on-air claims, their promotions and intentions. We also want to be assisting better communications in both ways, in and out, as it is assumed that the station's desire is to "serve the community" by also listening to what parts of the entirety of listeners [a diverse huge community] alsohas to say back.

Please share your thoughts and concerns, your compliments and complaints, your heart-felt concerns and logical thoughts as well, without spamming, without anger or insult, without being mean-spirited or malicious...

we want to stay civil, communicative, clear and helpful at all times.


(c) by writers of http://kpfk00commentators.blogspot.com 2009