Berkeley headquarted Free Speech Radio News announced Monday that the Pacifica Foundation, owner of Los Angeles radio station KPFK, was cutting its funding by $13,500 a month effective immediately. "FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS IN CRISIS: Funding Cuts Bring Popular Grassroots Newscast to the Brink"
http://www.fsrn.org/content/press-release/2517 The half hour weekday Free Speech Radio News runs on KPFK at 6:30 p.m. weekdays. It presents alternative radio news covering the U.S. and the world. It is a collective worker run organization. The program enjoys wide support in the KPFK listening community, though some listeners which it would devote more time to labor struggles within the U.S.
The program faces possible shut down because of the loss. The program cannot raise funds on the air. The stations who run it do not want it competing with their own funding appeals.
KPFK listeners and Pacifica supporters in Los Angeles immediately cited the situation as yet more evidence of the lack of transparency and the secrecy with which Pacifica and KPFK operate the foundation and station.
Reports have widely circulated of financial problems within Pacifica. However, listeners know little of the causes and origins of the problems because the foundation and stations don't communicate outside closed insider circles. They fear that generating grass roots interest and discussion in the problems of the foundation though generating more contributions might undermine their own security.
In Los Angeles, KPFK recently turned off its web listener discussion groups where users might debate such issues. The groups have stayed off as KPFK refuses to turn them on again.
The newly enacted KPFK Committee to Strengthen KPFK slate mailer local station board majority has done nothing to strengthen the local community. Community members continue to ask who funded Grace Aaron's slate mailer.
Cynics asked if the Pacifica Foundation was playing games and trying to eliminate FSRN so it could organize its own alternative weekday news program.
Many people believe the Pacifica problems reflect larger problems of the established political left in the U.S. For years leaders of the U.S. left establishment have formed organizations, advocated causes, conducted marches and demonstrations, provided films and videos, maintained web sites, operated Pacifica, sponsored campaign finance reform legislation, but stayed out of elections, carefully avoiding any political threats to the Democratic party.
However, in Washington policy, it has accomplished nothing, and Bush's wars continue unabated. Because of their ineffectiveness, these leaders have lost their followers, who no longer show up for rallys and ask what good has donating to Pacifica stations done.
Pacifica and KPFK show no interest in organizing a debate on how to turn this situation around or listening to those who say only wide spread independent political action might possibly change anything.
KPFK is now in fund raising. After six days, KPFK has raised $249,540 towards its goal of $1,085,000.
KPFK is facing a funding crisis of its own, thanks primarily to the programming decisions of Armando Gudiño. I would suggest people contact the station to voice our dissatisfaction with the hi-jacking of "our" listener-sponsored radio. If we change it, we may get to keep it. If we just walk away from it, it will perish by its own hand as well as the listeners' apathy.
It sounds like the staff are stressed, defeated, strained, and trying so hard to keep raising funds, even with the programs being repeated over and over ...out of lack of energy or staff salaries ....
it also sounds like KPFK is trying to keep up with it's previous image as a news-breaker or a news-finder in political times when the external events elicited a more cash-friendly response....when people were scared or listeners were worried about something 'out there' to then send in money to KPFK because it seemed [sometimes] to be their 'lifeline' to vital information.
Not now. Not lately. Not much. Not anymore.
Is it the GM lawsuit ?
the worker's comp complaint that was also hidden ? the not having a strong able full time manager on site [interim GM is part time, right ? ]
Or is it because PROGRAMMING IS NOT as stimulating when it falls into it's very old repetitive grove?
Not much new here, at KPFK, that is.
Yes, a couple of new programs about food and the environment, new for now, but still much programming is repetitious...same old Jerry Quickly rants and insults...same old Lisa Garr guest promoters of their workshops and services...same old Palestinian victims wailing...same Spanish Programming that has no money sponsors attached to the programs....same old tired interviewers of another book...same old repeating himself Michael Benner hogging the mike to expose his self when claiming he wants to hear from listeners but there is no more time left for anyone but his boastful self. ...ok...enough of the many complaints overheard and also experienced.
This is one person's brief personal survey and opinion anyhow.
But experience has proven that 1 person's opinion is often not 'only me' or mine, but representative of others who do not bother to write or expose their thoughts here.
Some of the KPFK programs Are Interesting, of course, or everyone would be heading elsewhere more quickly already. But a lot is getting stale by now.
INNOVATION, new IMAGINATION, more CREATIVITY is needed in programming, in management and in how the station presents itself.
Less self serving anger and accusations. More real strong information, education, communications.
If alternative points of view in news are cut out and eliminated to save expenses, or news directors are not also investigative instead of just accepting faxed ordinary info, there is no hope for KPFK's growth or funding.
ok, enough.
We all wish KPFK well, recovery, money, and growth.
It just does NOT seem to be happening, not now. Money is not flowing and it is not only the inflation and blame the 'gas' prices routine. It is more too. And it shows in the decreased number of Volunteers showing up, the stressed staff over-working and being tired [it can even be heard on air], in the repeated programs used to hopefully get another time-slot-group to pay up if the last group did, and yet, this trick is not working and should not be happening.
Not at KPFK.
or is vital relevant live radio dying...fast....?
oh noooooooooooooo................
One opinion is also given here about relevant or interesting programming, it includes :
Roy of Hollywood including Eban Rey, different nites, different topics
Democracy Now - repeatedly reported by strangers as their favorite program and the only one they listen to on KPFK
Ian Masters - Some people complain he is not extreme left enough for them, others only listen to him
Terrance McNally, Jon Weiner, Susie Weisman, and a number others are finding different topics & guests to not be so stuck in the previous programming ruts.And there is more, of course, and lots not-more too.
is KPFK dying ? any emergency workers out there to save this need resource? New Ideas ? New ears to hear new ideas ? New ways to stay current and relevant to 2008 and ahead ? New people to hire ? New ways of sharing what is happening within KPFK so the sponsors can help the station revive, survive?
huh? no ? why not ?