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The weaknesses

Posted on June 28, 2015 

​Twitter: #your​

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Michael P, which Listeners group? Is there one in action now? The ones I went to their agenda was to overthrow the current management, whichever one was current.
June 21 at 9:33pm · Like · 1

Today ‪#‎your‬ held it’s first news training, attended by 30 people from all over Los Angeles, and as far as San Diego. Attendees learned how to construct, record, and produce news reports from their neighborhoods for airing on English and Spanish language news shows. Community radio can only be built by communities. The next training will be this Sunday at 2PM at the station. All are welcome. Come make your communities voice be heard!
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​#yourkpfk

I read that Leslie, Fernando Velasquez, Reza Pour and Adam Rice are the trainers.

The stations used to be it, the LSBs and even the PNB and the national office were almost non-existent compared to the more recent years. Every year for various reasons and with various means they grasp more power. T…See More
June 15 at 1:38am · Edited · Like
Sue Cohen Johnson KPFK is doing various podcasts and could do Spanish on one of their monster sub-carrier frequencies (four?), but NOOOOOOOOOOO! That would mean giving up all that money for the sub-carrier lease (that goes directly to National, NOT to KPFK!
June 15 at 1:44am · Like
Sue Cohen Johnson There were about 47 extra onlookers there, some anti-Leslie, some pro-Spanish language programming, and some pro-Leslie, in about that order.
​The addition of 5 hours per week on each Pacifica station between 6 am and 9 pm was passed by the Pacifica National board.

Dear Mr. Proffitt,

If underwriting works so well, why is KPFT still in the same financial trouble as the rest of us?
So programs are only valuable if they fundraise money?  What about American Indian airwaves?  KPFT’s prison show?  The News?  Shows about the disabled? children?  election coverage?
I said that when they are pitching in Spanish, then they switch to English, a small flurry of pledges come in.  What does that tell you?
They tune in to KPFK 21 hours per day and hear English, what are they supposed to think?
We have 3 hours per day of Spanish at KPFK.  Maybe Houston needs to add some Spanish.
We can have podcasts and subcarrier broadcasting to expand our Spanish.  It doesn’t have to be other than that.
But a little honey, introduced in English, makes the Spanish go further, better than vinegar.  If you flop the station directly over to Spanish only you will lose all your money, support, your station.  Are we for the people?  We need a station to reach them.  And the liberals built this station.  And we liberals ​vote in the U.S. and fight for the rights of the communities.
Does no one care that we are selecting and hiring personnel based upon a narrow vision of revolutionary politics when we should be addressing all the needs of the communities, like food, shelter, clothing, clean air, health care, environment, peace, social justice, day care, spirituality, communications, information, cultures, music and so much more?
We should select on these and just as much upon ability to rally workers, ability to handle the bureaucracies, good hiring, delegation of tasks, fundraising, and many other management skills.

The CFO should be under the ED.  Don’t try to take over power of the staff of Pacifica.  The boards, should not have governing power over the staff.  The staff do the work, including the volunteers from the communities, create the content, make the money, talk directly with the listeners, why should anyone else have governing power?  As I see it.  There was a time when the stations would not have put up with hiring interference by the boards.

Sue Cohen Johnson, Former Subscriptions/Membership Dir., programmer/board op, receptionist, phone room
At KPFK since 1983
PacificaKPFK2014.com
‘Racism turns the head of the white workers toward the black workers as being his enemy and he forgets that there is somebody up there in those corporation suites who has his foot on their heads . . . ‘ Angela Davis

cropped-qsolidarity.jpgTHE VOTING FOR THE LSB MEMBERS WILL BE ON LINE.  [sorry, all you older folks like me.]

From the FaceBook page May Day: Please support us, come join the protest at the next Pacifica National Board meeting at 3916 Sepulveda Blvd.Culver City, CA 90230 June 11th-15th…
Please tell the National board and especially it’s leader Lydia Brazon that KPFK DESERVES A REAL MANAGER WITH RADIO AND MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE NOT MORE CRONYISM! ‪#‎MAYDAYKPFK‬‪#‎SAVEKPFK‬‪#‎SAVEOURSTATION‬
http://kpfk.org/index.php/eventcal/icalrepeat.detail/2015/06/11/2189/-/pacifica-national-board-quarterly-in-person-meeting?filter_reset=1#.VXaF8c9Vikp

2007 KPFK Election Notice and Candidate Documents
Shorter version
If you or a friend may be interested in serving on the Local Station Board, please feel free to contact your Local Election Supervisor to get the information necessary to become an LSB candidate.
Candidacy materials are also available on the http://www.pacificafoundation/elections website. Be sure to register with your Local Election Supervisor to learn about upcoming candidate events.
Pacifica Network is the only U.S. radio network with a democratically-elected governance structure. Our noncommercial broadcasting is Listener-supported, and supported as well by more than 1000 staff members nationwide, most of them unpaid staff. This network has survived McCarthyite repression, investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee, and attacks from reactionary forces in this country.
The network is independent of government and corporate control, and thus is able to present unfettered public affairs programming as well as programs on music, the arts and humanities which are diverse and multi-cultural instead of profit driven.
This important network needs the support of all its listeners as never before. One part of that support is to become involved with the election of the Local Station Boards of each station.
Local Station Boards have the following duties and responsibilities:

  • Actively reaching out to under-represented communities to help the station serve a diversity of all races, creeds, colors and nations, classes, genders and sexual orientations and ages. The Local Station Board is also directed to help build collaborative relations with organizations working for similar purposes.
  • Assisting the station in fundraising activities.
  • Conducting at least 2 Town Hall style meetings each year. These are devoted to hearing listeners’ views, needs, and concerns. Performing community needs assessments, or seeing to it that separate “Community Advisory Committees” are formed to do so.
  • Working with station management to ensure that station programming fulfills the purposes of the Foundation and isresponsive to the diverse needs of the listeners (demographic) and communities (geographic) served by the station, and that station policies and procedures for making programming decisions and for program evaluation are working in a fair, collaborative and respectful manner to provide quality programming.
  • Reviewing and approving the radio station’s budget.
  • Screening and selecting a pool of candidates for the position of Program Director at each radio station. The General Manager must make a hire from this pool of candidates.
  • Writing annual evaluations on the job performances of the radio station’s General Manager and Program Director.
  • Screening and selecting a pool of candidates for the position of General Manager from which the Pacifica Foundation Executive Director (ED) must hire.
  • Ensuring that the station works diligently towards the goal of diversity in staffing at all levels and maintenance of a discrimination-free atmosphere in the workplace.

These Local Station Boards also have the following national responsibilities:

  • Electing 4 members to serve as directors of the Pacifica Foundation which manages the radio stations in New York, Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles and Berkeley. The Local Station Board can recall these Foundation directors by a 2/3 vote.
  • The Local Station Board also appoints from its own membership representatives to serve on the committees of the National Foundation which review finances, programming, governance and other matters essential to the operation of the network.

Each individual member of a Local Station Board should expect to attend monthly board meetings and actively serve on Local Station Board committees.
If you are interested in running for these boards, or know folks who you feel would add to the quality of your station by being on the Local Station Board, you should note the following summary timetable for the elections. [not listed here]

            If you are NOT yet a member of your station, please subscribe with at least $25 or volunteer at the station for at least 3 hours by August 31st, 2007.

Now they’re saying that the Pacifica National Board doles out our money to us to run our station!

FROM THE PNB SCHEDULE:  PNB motions:   Motion #2
The PNB Programming Committee recommends to the PNB that all action on the creation of “Program Councils” pursuant to a previous motion from the Programming Committee to the PNB, be held until after the Committee is able to receive and review information about station program operations (pursuant to motion passed by the Committee on 12/19/14) and provides recommendations to the PNB.

The provision of said feedback to the PNB will be a priority of the Committee and our expectation is that the report will be sent to the PNB by March 13, 2015.
Old Program Council Motion approved by 2012 PNB
The PNB directs the executive director to set up Program Councils as management committees, at each station.
The composition of the committee shall consist of 1/3 staff, selected by stv election, 1/3 members of the LSB, also selected by an stv election, and 1/3 listeners, approved jointly by the LSB and the Program Director by a procedure satisfactory to both.  Terms shall be for the maximum of 2 years, or for an LSB member, the term on the LSB, whichever is less.
The Program Councils shall serve to provide a collaborative nexus between the board, the listeners, the staff and the management of the station for the purpose of implementing the programming policies of the LSB and PNB.  Specifically, they shall have the power to review programs and vet new programs, including for compliance with the mission, and recommend changes to schedules. They shall also provide for adjudication of programming issues arising between programmers and management, where no other means of doing so exists.   They will set their own agendas in these regards.
Program directors will serve as non voting ex-officio members of the Program Councils.  The Programming Councils are charged with making recommendations to the Program Director.  If the program director declines to act on such recommendations, he/she shall report his/her reasons and respond to dialogue on the issue from the Council.  Such dialogue shall be made widely available to the listeners.  If consensus cannot be reached on a course of action between the Program Director and a majority of the Council, the Council can appeal the decision to the GM with a vote of 2/3 of its members.
All meetings of the Program Council will be in public session, with the exception of those that are required to be in Executive Session by the Pacifica Bylaws. The Council shall determine by majority vote whether any given meeting must be held as an Executive session.
(Passed in committee 7-0.)
Public Comment 10 minutes
12 noon Lunch
1 pm Board reconvenes

Spanish Language Task Force – 15 min.
IMPLEMENTATION: MOVED BY SPANISH LANG TASK FORCE

Taskforce Motion:
The SLTF urges the IED to direct GMs now to institute the Spanish Language Programming motion and to request a plan of action from GMs by March 15 and implementation by April 15, 2015.

Amendment to be made at the in-person meeting:
The date of action for this motion having passed, move to amend the date for the plan of action

1.    Time : after 6 am and before 9 pm
2.    By the PNB June 2015 meeting to be fully noticed to all radio station managers and PDs
3.    New Spanish language programming committees to be develop right after, no later than 1 week after PNB meeting AT ALL radio signals. Managers make the call for the formation of such committees thru PSAs, websites and thru community forums and organizations.
4.    To be implemented no later than Monday August 31 2015
5.    Be national, to say each radio station should have it
6.    “each weekday in the Spanish language” at least 5 hours additional to existing Spanish Language programming (some radio signals do not have any).
7.    New programming will vary according to the radio signal demographic and geographic, conditions, per example, in Los Angeles might be added to the existing strip of programming, in Washington (if no programming in Spanish is offered at this time) might have to be only at weekends (strips or blocks of programming)  or at any given best day during the week, so each station will decide as long as it is after 6 am and before 9 pm
8.    Each radio have to develop a committee (collectives) in charge of such programming and report to the PNB’s task force as to guarantee that such programming will be permanent.
9.    Brief introduction in English might be considered at certain signals.
10.      Must take in account women, African descent communities, programming for youth and by youth, indigenous,activists, alternative music or art programming, environmental issues, political movements around the continent or the world etc. alternative Health programming, Chicano Mexicano programming as well as Puerto Rican resistance, Central or south American issues, inmigration issues, black liberation movements. white supremacy, gender, race, neo colonialism, culture/art,  poverty, etc. news from all over Latin America with stringers in the USA as well as from Latin America and the Caribbean.
11.    Pacifica outreach committees must develop in coordination with the Spanish Language task force,  management and programming committees a well prepared promotional plan for such new programming as to guarantee self sustainability as much as possible.
12.    Management,  LSBs and parties involved will develop community forums with their respective communities to get the word out.
13.    IF there is any radio signal that needs programming because no collectives are formed yet, such programming can be elaborated and provided by other collectives from sister signals.
14.    National meetings to be planned among Spanish language programmers to be in well coordination and maintain programs improving.
15.    Every new programmer and volunteers MUST be totally willing to raise funds, work in collectives and be part of the of the National Association of Spanish Language programmers and volunteers which will be created to keep always good communications among the new programs.
16.    Existing programmers to provide workshops as needed for those collectives in need.
From me, Sue:  BTW, IT’S INSULTING OF YOU TO ASSUME THAT MOST OF OUR SPANISH SPEAKERS HERE DON’T ALSO SPEAK ENGLISH.​
From me: I’ll be there wearing a red sash across my chest.
Now they’re saying that the Pacifica National Board doles out our money to us to runour station!
Saturday is frequently the big day, decisions in smoke-filled rooms happen before then. Often the board members go home before public speaking time, for the day or for the weekend on Sunday. But mostly it’s hurry up and wait for those who want to speak, for long periods.

qwarvsImperialismFYI All but one of KPFK’s paid staff have signed a LETTER asking Proffitt to delay and reexamination of this ‘hire’. And now many of the volunteers have signed it also:
May 9, 2015
John Gladney Proffitt, Executive Director, Pacifica Foundation, Berkeley, CA
Bolding added by me:
Dear Mr. Proffitt,
We the undersigned KPFK Paid, unpaid staff,  managers, volunteers and programmers implore
you to put the current KPFK GM appointment on hold until you have the opportunity to
evaluate and make a professional and patient decision to choose an appropriate manager for
this station.
We are taking time away from the fund drive in progress, a very important drive in our
struggle to get ahead of our current financial challenges, to express to you ourextreme
distress at the last-minute hiring of Leslie Radford as the general manager of the station
by the outgoing interim ED Margy Wilkinson.
We want this last-minute maneuver reversed and we are asking you to do so upon your arrival
in Berkeley and assumption of the executive director position. It should be pointed out that
the decision did not include any input from staff or programmers. In the past the candidates
came to the station to meet the staff and get input from the staff and programmers.
On the most basic level, Pacifica posted a requirement for this position of 3-5 yearsof
management experience in radio or related media required, non-commercial radio preferred.
This job requirement is fair and necessary to succeed in this challenging position.
Despite any probationary status, Pacifica’s bylaws make it very difficult to fire
“permanent” general managers. We know that first-hand after the lengthy period we
experienced under former general manager Eva Georgia, whose multiple employee harassment
suits dragged on for years through a prolonged separation period.
We stand behind the current interim manager to continue with his current vision for the
station. We are also united in our support for Anyel Zuberi Fields to be considered for the
permanent position.
This current rush to place a new GM has overwhelmingly united a vast majority of the staff
and “factions” here at the station in support of the current iGM and in opposition to
placing someone who has no demonstrable radio or managerial background to run this station.
There are numerous points to merit his accomplishments here in his short time as iGM,
including rallying the staff and raising morale to one of its highest points in years in
spite of the current financial crisis. For example he arranged the current sustainer
program, which raised an outpouring of money that is unprecedented in an emergency fund
drive.
Zu’s prior experience as Operations Manager for eight years also increases his
qualifications to manage the station.
Please roll back this decision on Monday. We ask that you personally review all of the
resumes, interview all of the candidates and – along with KPFK staff input, per the
tradition at our station – personally select the individual you honestly feel is the most
competent and skilled to lead KPFK and work under your supervision.
KPFK deserves no less.

Thank you.

[in alphabetical order:]  [more have signed since then]  [611 have signed on Change.org]

  1. Lalo Alcaraz – host of Pocho Hour of Power
  2. Jonathan Alexander – IT Director
  3. Ric Allen – Host of Digital Village
  4. Ankine Antaram – Producer of The Insighters
  5. Ernesto Arce – News Department
  6. Betto Arcos – host of Global Village
  7. Maria Armoudian – programmer/host of The Insighters
  8. Michael Barnes – KPFK music host
  9. Doran Barons – Host of Digital Village
  10. Tony Bates – Volunteer
  11. Christine Blosdale Senior Producer/AFTRA-SAG Union Rep
  12. Blase Bonpane – host of World Focus
  13. Tracy Bullard – interim Business Manager
  14. Tim Carpenter – Host Experience Talks
  15. Sue Cohen – Subscriptions Department
  16. Bob Conger – Chief Engineer
  17. John Cromshow – Host of Politics or Pedagogy? –LSB Member
  18. Richard Drapeir – Volunteer
  19. David Feldman, progammer/host
  20. Brittany Gallagher – Host/Producer with Digital Village
  21. Lisa Garr –Host of The Aware Show
  22. Lila Garrett – host of Connect the Dots
  23. Antonio Gonzalez – host of Strategy Session
  24. Terry Guy – Subscriptions Manager
  25. D’angelo Jones – Board Op
  26. Sonali Kolhatkar – Host of Uprising with Sonali
  27. Roz Lahrman – Host of Folk Scene
  28. Jeehyun Lee – Board Operator
  29. Maggie LePique – Music Director/Development
  30. Ali Lexa – Web Director/Production Volunteer
  31. Jolie Mason – Host of Access Unlimited
  32. Julio Martinez – Host of Arts In Review
  33. Ian Masters – host of Background Briefing
  34. Mark Maxwell – Production Department
  35. Alan Minsky – interim Program Director
  36. Stan Misraje – Production Manager
  37. Rita Neyter – Subscriptions Department
  38. Barbara Osborn – host of Deadline LA
  39. Matt Perez – Traffic Director
  40. Derek Rath – host of Global Village
  41. Nadia Richarson – Board Operator
  42. Teddy Robinson – interim Volunteer Coordinator/Board Op
  43. Mansoor Sabbagh – Board Op and Volunteer
  44. Madeline Schwab – Accounting Volunteer
  45. Yatrika Shah-Rais – host of Global Village
  46. Bipasha Shom – Producer of Uprising with Sonali
  47. Michael Slate – Host of The Michael Slate Show
  48. Henry Slucki – Host of Access Unlimted
  49. Barry Smolin – KPFK music host
  50. Janee Taylor – Subscriptions Department
  51. Andrew Tonkovich – Host of Bibliocracy
  52. Mark Torres – Archives Manager, host of Travel Tips for Aztlan
  53. Roy Tuckman – Overnight host, programmer
  54. Donna Walker – Film Club Coordinator
  55. Steve Weatherwax – Front Office Manager
  56. Suzi Weismann – Host of Beneath The Surface
  57. Jon Wiener – host of Four O’Clock Wednesdays

1kpfkbillboardcropMark

The following is totally FROM MY POINT OF VIEW (although it includes plenty of information and statements from many other people):

KPFK power play factional hire?
5-24-15 CAPS on keywords had been added for readability, but now I can do bolds.

I just heard that KPFK is instructed to make a 50% hire, I presume by the majority on the PNB.  That’s a PURGE!
She has said this is a goal-less FunDrive.
She has said she wants to go closer to and all-volunteer station model.
So if we make less money she has even more excuse to lay off who she wants to regardless of our Union.
Last time we had a purge, Pat Scott laid off all our good open hire affirmative action hires, kept them off for a year so they didn’t have to be recalled, then hired all new replacements.

The next KPFK Local Station Board elections:  Nominations start June 15, 2015, end July 14th.  You must be a paying Member of KPFK by July 14 to vote or to run for a seat on the board.
The voting will be on line, many of our existing members don’t have computers, their average age is 62,

The next Pacifica National Board meeting starts Fri.  June 12 at the Anagnos Center in Culver City.

Not written by me:   Just wanted to remind folk that ANYONE can attend and JOIN any LSB committee.  You do NOT need to be an elected LSB member to be invited to join the membership of a committee.
Committee membership is regulated by the chair and LSB member of the given committee.
The easiest way to join a committee is to attend the very first committee meeting after the beginning of a new calendar year.
A Volunteer asked me about this the other day so it occurred to me that we need to remind listeners and staff members that they can attend, and often join any LSB committee.
The next Finance Committee meeting is at the station at 7:00pm on Tuesday the 16th.

• Susan Weissman STUDIO CITY, CA (3o+ years socialist and more on Beneath The Surface show)
“Zuberi accomplished the unbelievable–he earned the support wildly opposed factions with his positive, upbeat can-do approach to addressing the woes of KPFK.”

By me: Radford said she would fix the station in a matter of months. Bulloney.  Now she says this is a ‘Goal-less fund drive’.  – expect layoffs.  (Then she can hire her friends [after a year according to the union].)  Now they say it’s extended yet another week! Why?  To alienate the existing listeners and staff even more?

The Something’s Happening, Roy of Hollywood show, the highest-moneymaking, in the country, highest-audience from midnight to 6 am show, except maybe Coast to Coast, on KPFK for 43 years, bringing a full-featured selection of material from political to health and spirituality, Alan Watts, women’s issues, old radio and more, was pre-empted last night midnight to 1 am and this morning 5 am to 6 am by a music show. He usually plays Thom Hartmann with Bernie Sanders from 4-6 am.  Pictured on left in 1985 KPFK paper Folio/program guide.

kpfk85stafffolio (2)

From a long-time Programmer:  “What co-workers say about a colleague who’s been given the boot is often overblown because that’s the polite response in such situations. But not in this one. All the good words and support you’ve received could be multiplied by a factor of three or four and still be modest when we look at the whole picture of your service to KPFK starting with your years as Operations Mgr and continuing thru the months of your being interim General Mgr.
In the few days since this action was taken, there may have been further developments correcting the blunder. It would not surprise me because those mistaken decisions were made by intelligent people who have the capacity to review what they’ve done — and to undo it.
You’re a classy man, Zu.”

________________________________________
From: Sonali Kolhatkar
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2015 1:17 PM
To: staff
Subject: Change.org petition
Folks – if you want to make yourself heard about what’s happening at KPFK with respect to the GM decision, here is a Change.org petition you can sign:
https://www.change.org/p/john-proffitt-executive-director-of-pacifica-radio-reverse-kpfk-s-general-manager-hire?just_created=true

Qblackhoodiedayoct22

From me:
1. The hire was not posted on the bulletin boards of KPFK as a matter of policy-Michael
2. The LSB voted to Exclude any unelected Listeners from the hiring committee
3. The finalists were never disclosed to the KPFK permanent paid staff caucus
4. The finalists were disclosed to Carolyn Birden
5. The LSB approval meeting did not have quorum-9 members
6. The LSB does not have legal members, having all termed out
7. The hiree does not have managerial experience, only administrative, and not in radio or tv

From an LSB member: ‘The hire was a total SHAM….It was totally a majority faction hire.

From me: Give LESLIE A CHANCE? What about ZUBERI’S CHANCE?

From me: Tracy’s ‘faction’ has jumped on to ‘our bandwagon’ in favor of Zu, for factional partisan reasons. See “Pacifica in Exile”.   They knew about Zu and Lesliebefore the KPFK paid staff did.
From TR’s email blast: The KPFK staff and programmers have been demanding a meeting with the station’s local board and so far the board is refusing to meet with the workers to discuss the sleight-of-hand hire of Radford. ED John Proffitt offered tofly down to LA for the meeting, but the Siegel-Brazon faction that dominates KPFK’s local station board has been intransigent and refuses to schedule or attend the meeting. A public petition was launched at Change.org and now has 573 signatures.[Then]
Uprising host Sonali Kolhatkar sent out the following appeal: From: Sonali Kolhatkar
To: LSB
“Subject: Re: Calling an Emergency Meeting of the KPFK LSB
Dear KPFK LSB members,
On behalf of the KPFK staff (and I believe also a huge chunk of programmers), I am asking you to hold an emergencymeeting on KPFK’s premises sometime in the next week. As you well know, the recent decision by iED Margy Wilkinson on the GM hire has caused an unprecedented wave of anger, panic, and heartbreak at KPFK. In my 13 years as a staff member I have never seen this level of outrage at any decision. As the representatives of listeners and staff, you need to hear what we have to say. If we are supposed to be democratically run, then you will not ignore this”.

From a former LSB member Israel Feuer: ” The GM search committee was indeed put together at a public session of the LSB (I was there), but the actual final list of recommended GM nominees was approved at a later date in an LSB executive (non-public/closed) session which ARGUABLY LACKED QUORUM legitimacy (I was outside the meeting and noted several non-participating LSB members there also).”

QtimessquareFerguson

From a loyal volunteer who was there:
“Several mentioned that they have spoken with her and that she wants to return the station to an ALMOST ALL VOLUNTEER model. “
From me: I guess this would mean the elimination of stripped, (Mon. or Tues. through Friday) programming. What would happen to Sonali’s show? And Sojourner Truth? and Background Briefing? Prevailing radio wisdom is that strippedprogramming builds listenership.

THE FOLLOWING WAS NOT WRITTEN BY ME:
KPFK Self Dealing etc.
Subject: election violation of by-laws and self-dealing
1. There were only 9 members of the LSB who voted on the final pool of candidates for GM. That is not a quorum. The process was illegitimate.
2. The PNB was mandated to have an election a year ago, starting March, 2014. The present entrenched PNB majority declined to do so, thereby extending their seatson the PNB for another year.
3. The election for 2015 was supposed to start April 1, schedule attached. It has not, thereby extending the present PNB majority’s seats on the PNB indefinitely. Or perhaps they plan to ignore any public announcement pre-election.http://elections.pacifica.org/wordpress/
4. A NES was hired January, 2015. Why has she not started the election? Was she hired just to give cover to the self-dealing PNB majority so the public will not sue?  [National Election Supervisor i think-SueCJ]
5. All members of the PNB from KPFK are essentially illegitimate, as are former Chair/iED Margy Wilkinson and Director Janet Kobren from KPFA. KPFK did not achieve quorum in the 2012 election. Therefore, Rodrigo Argueta who was elected in 2009, Lydia Brazon and Brenda Medina, both elected in 2010, have served 5+ and 4+ year terms already. They extended their own 3-year terms by their own votes to delay or not have an election. Every member of the LSB is also presently termed out of their 3-year term, thus making KPFK’s LSB also illegitimate. This is called self-dealing. The Attorney General does not look favorably on self-dealing from a Board of Directors of a Charitable organization that they oversee.

From a KPFK LSB Member: “ I believe there were about ten members on the committee which included LSB staff representatives. At the present time NO PAIDstaff members are members of the KPFK LSB. There were unpaid staff members on the committee including the KPFK LSB chair. The rest were listener members.  The LSB voted in public session (I was there at the LSB meeting) NOT to include any un-elected members of the listener public to serve on the committee due to confidentiality concerns.”

Taking the Moral High Ground: Allan Coie– To me this issue is always the same: A group who wants to make a listener supported radio station into some purist voice of revolution and those who look for a slightly broader perspective where all leftists can find something they want to hear. Ed throws terms around like glitterati which is an excuse for exaination. So it causes me to look into what may be a narrow agenda, a PURGE if you will….
KPFK is ARGUABLY THE STRONGEST station in the network. Perhaps with more interference from the national board, they can turn it into another WBAI.”

From the creator of the Petition on Change.org : “….Zuberi Fields had INHERITED a station whose BOOKS WERE IN DISARRAY and had spent MONTHS painstakingly CLEANING UP house, while at the same time winning the confidence of the station’s paid staff and large pool of unpaid programmers and volunteers. ….” Signers are up to 611 now, 6/16/15.

Richard Wolinsky– Leslie Radford was ADMINISTRATOR of the Oklahoma Theater Organization before getting involved in Pacifica. Since that time she has been a PROFESSOR, insofar as I can figure out….She does have administrative experience in a non-profit, albeit several years ago….”

qblacklivesmatteralllivesmatter

From me: The Arbitrons are racist & ‘classist’, and they depend upon good Branding, which KPFK does not have. ONE WAY THEY JUDGE US IS by our bad-looking Arbitrons.  These could be improved by a consistent on-air slogan for all IDs, with feeling.

From a volunteer who was there: “Kim is still on the LSB, not the PNB any longer. …
If Jim Lafferty, Ankine or one other LSB member had attended the meeting they would have made quorum. Some LSB members are HABITUALLY ABSENT for various reasons.”

Out of  Radford’s writings, in something called “Black Spring”:
”… will be active and visible throughout the region. ….We have some re-tooling and stabilizing work to do,” she said, “but I anticipate that IN A MATTER OF MONTHSKPFK will a major media player throughout Southern California, promoting social justice events and actions, local artists, and news as it happens, along with the progressive analysis of regional, national, and international issues that KPFK is known for.”
ALL CAPS added by me.
From me: In a matter of months reinvent the station? ridiculous

Article:  http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/28824-crises-at-pacifica-radio

Allan Coie– As I understand it there is a PROBATIONARY period. Likewise the hiring doesn’t comply with the bylawrequiring 5 years of STATION MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE. [It’s in the job description, not the bylaws-Sue]

By a long time KPFA listener volunteer: “It was your LSB that gave her candidates, so if staff wasn’t involved, you should be asking your STAFF REPS why not….

*From me: Who’s going to do OPERATIONS/Facility maintenance?
Who’s going to carry on with Zu’s GRANT APPLICATIONS and development projects? You can’t present your politics without a radio station.  I guess with big layoffs the station won’t need so much money.

From a KPFK LSB member: “She was the hand picked selection of Lydia Brazon, essentially picking someone just like her….. ….A meeting that did not reach quorum cannot conduct business, therefore cannot submit a list of finalists, and the 11th hour hire of Radford has no legitimacy.”…. Finally, she is not a “communications professor” as Wilkinson so falsely claims. She is itinerant Speech 101 teacher,moving from campus to campus, the lowest possible rank “ADJUNCT professor” having been unable to upgrade her status in fifteen years. Wilkinson should have talked to some of her students to find the reasons why…..”

Sue Cohen Johnson– One thread of this is that they are using the excuse of KPFK’s current financial troubles are an excuse to ‘take over‘ KPFK. Zu’s improvements don’t produce results over night. Fundraising:  Info is power, moneyis unfortunately also power.  When KPFK can help bail out other stations they don’tmess with us.  Let there be Light! (information)

Sue Cohen Johnson BTW, Lew Hill also thought we, the supposed intelligentsia should be giving the word of truth and knowledge down to the masses. He was good but not perfect. None of us are.  I think that now we are better than he envisioned.

Now that KPFA’s drive is over all the calls must be HANDLED AT KPFK.
Hottest times are 7:20 am through 6:00 pm weekdays.
And 7:30 am until 2 pm sundays.
And whenever a hot tape is being played on Saturdays.
Anger is good, it produces action.
Spelling out the technical difficulties only makes everyone understanding and aware. Knowledge is the best thing. Don’t treat us like mushrooms, tell everyone how things work.

And she thinks politics will fix everything, she doesn’t have to bother with running a company, a radio station (my estimation).

From me: You are all TAKING SIDES based upon which sides you chose in the Summer controversy! This is a new issue! Think, don’t just rally and follow!
That’s the trouble with Pacifica, we do things out of POLITICS, not good radio management. Both are essential. Things are too desperate to do things this way, the wrong way.

“Pacifica Network” may own the licenses, but the listener-sponsors own Pacifica.  Act like a Member/Stakeholder! Vote! Volunteer! Run for a seat on the LSB!

• It turns out that the ThankYouGifts take 8 weeks after the drive for delivery. And the pledgers have been more or less putting up with it for years. Zu was trying to fix that but it takes time.
• Zu has been working hard on income other than from on-air drives. It takes time to develop these things. I am working on a list of his changes/accomplishmentsduring his short tenure.
• He has brought in grants and large donations.
• And it takes time to persuade and enlighten the listeners that the old troublesome Summer is gone, and a new mgr. is here who can be trusted and invested in.
• There’s a long delay on info on pledges to KPFK from KPFA, Zu has been trying to fix this.
• Yes, this FunDrive is doing less well than it should, or needs to.
So you don’t think National doing bad things to us is Doom and Gloom? I think it is. Like installing Radford to FIX us when we’re weren’t broken?
The new phone system doesn’t display how many calls are waiting at this time. During a rush, we can’t know it because of these technical difficulties. We (Jonathan and and Zuberi and Terry) had to get this new system up and running DURING A FUNDRIVE! Amazingly they did so. I hope we can add more bells and whistles in time. So folks MISTAKENLY THINK IT’S NOT THAT BUSY, but during rushes it is. But we are trying to bring in the MONEY that is ringing in Now, RIGHT NOW, can’t wait.
So EVERYONE is needed right now in the phone room, our budget, jobs, electricity, independence depend upon it. And National and everyone think they can BLAME us and tell us what to do because we are “failing financially”. So our FREEDOM depends upon the income, the phone room.  Now that Zu and staff did all this, Radford can come in andReap the Benefits, and claim the credit for bringing in the money.
Politics are great but without our station we can’t tell anyone about them.

With limited money there’s even more pressure for the GM to lay off staff.
Networks are good because they have reputation and clout, but in our case bad, because unlearned people ‘have the authority’ to tell us what to do.

Qcommunism

From a loyal volunteer:  Chris Condon is one of the LSB members that almost never attends meetings and has not been present for the last 4-5. The LSB has NOT made quorum for the last three meetings.

Not by me: On the hire process; the LSB formed a committee (9 members) to examine all the GM candidate applications and to whittle them down to a pool of 5 which was eventually expanded to 6. The final list is then forwarded to the iED and she chose Ms. Radford.
Yes, Tracy R. and friends were against the Zu hire until Radford was made GM. Tracy R. was refereed to Zu on a public blog as a “glorified janitor.”
Everything at Pacifica is political. Under the present system LSB elections have important consequences, but the listeners, and staff did not vote in sufficient numbers to make quorum. So what did the present LSB do to correct the situation? Lower the quorum threshold for future elections.”

Edwin Joseph Jesús Johnston– The thing that seems odd to me is that today Carolyn Birden made a statement that apparently Kim Kaufman or Tracy Rosenberg, in Birden’s words, provided her the resumes of the TOP 3 candidates for the KPFK gm position.

•From me:  BTW, there used to be barely any national office, no Exec. Dir., and the stations did all their own hiring and budgeting and everything, in the earlier days of Pacifica. I’m sure KPFA would have raised the roof if “National” had tried to meddle, interfere. For a long time the stations made all their own hires.

From me: This is not KPFA, this is the Summer Reese/Tracy Rosenberg faction (Pacifica in Exile, United for Community Radio):
They are on Zuberi’s side in this strictly for factional reasons.
She is always good at skewing things totally to the side of her faction, but she has some good info you should check out:
“Beware The Last Days
Board chair Margy Wilkinson pulled a fast one a day and a half prior to new ED John Proffitt’s arrival by appointing factional crony Leslie Radford…..”
View on http://www.unitedforcommunityradio.org/?p=2261
Preview by Yahoo”

kpfkIllegalImmoralLots & lots of info from lots of people, older stuff toward the bottom-

THE FOLLOWING WAS NOT WRITTEN BY ME:
Motion passed by PNB to hold elections 2014.
Whereas, The Pacifica Foundation Radio By-Laws, in Article 4, Section 3, specifies that “Elections of Delegates shall be staggered over a 3-year period” (notice the strength of the word “shall”); and by a less stringent direction, “with elections for 3 Staff Delegates and 9 Listener-Sponsor Delegates held in the first year, elections for 3 Staff Delegates and 9 Listener-Sponsor Delegates held in the second year and no elections in the third year.” And,
Whereas, it is the intent of the Pacifica Foundation Radio Board to follow these By-Laws as closely as physically and financially possible. And,
Whereas, the Foundation has had demonstrably business altering circumstances, beyond its control; for example Hurricane Sandy, in New York City, and with the station in Washington D.C. losing its lease because its old station location is being demolished to make way for a hotel on the site. And,
Whereas, due to these unavoidable circumstances, the Foundations funds level is not sufficient this year to fund a Delegates Election. And,
Whereas, this Board fully endorses democratic elections of Delegates (both listener and staff), and fully wishes to maintain the strongly worded, “Elections of Delegates shall be staggered over a 3-year period.”

Therefore, this Board hereby authorizes maintaining the required two (2) Elections in a three (3) year period, but that the sequence of our Elections for this three (3) year period (2012-2014); shall be the first and third year, rather than the first and second year.

________________________________________
Tentative 2015 Election Timeline
Election Promotion Period ……………………………………..…………………………………………….……..………………………………… 60 Days
NES Recommendation: April 1st – May 30th
•Air PSA’s informing listeners and staff of upcoming election, date of record for voting eligibility and solicitation of candidates.
•Send listeners and staff with email addresses electronic election newsletter to promote the election, upcoming election dates, STV voting procedures and candidate recruitment information.
Candidate Nomination Period ………………………………………………..………………..…….……………………………………………… 30 Days
NES Recommendation: June 1st – June 30th
•Election promotion continues.
•Candidates solicit petition signatures to support their candidacy.
•NES hires Local Election Supervisors (LES’s) approximately midway through nomination period.
•LES’s validate candidate eligibility.
Date of Record for Voters …………………………………………………………………………………Approx. 60 days before ballot mailing                [Obfuscate much? You have to be a paid member by July 14th to vote or to run for a seat]
NES Recommendation: June 15th
Validation of Candidates’ Qualifying Documents………………………………………………………………..………………..Approx. 7 Days
•LES’s verify all required documents, including petition signatures.
Campaign Period ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………….… Approx. 60 Days
NES Recommendation: July 1st – September 30th
•Stations air candidate forums, PSA’s continuing promotion of the election reminding listeners and staff of election deadlines.
•LES’s hold in-person candidate forums and enforce fair campaign provisions.
Voting Period …………………………………………….…………………………… 45 – 55 Days (depending on mailing method chosen)
NES Recommendation: August 15th – September 30th
•Printed ballots mailed to eligible voters and online voting opens.
•PSA’s and emails reminding listeners and staff to vote and candidate campaigning continues.
•LES’s continue to enforce fair campaign provisions and process replacement ballots.
Ballot Count Period ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Up to 15 Days
NES Recommendation: October 15th
(will be 15 days after extended Ballot Return Date if a station does not meet required quorum)                            [What the heck does this mean?]

qcornelWest2

Sue Cohen Johnson– You can google Leslie’s students’ responses. I have high regard for Leslie and her activism, but at KPFK we finally have a good one after my 30 yrs there, no excuse to turn him out.
Margy has done good things so far, but this time she’s just being politcal, factional. Has she even been to KPFK? Margy is good but she just doesn’t know/understand.

Allan Coie– I agree, Mark, and, in this case, keeping a broader audience is uppermost in Zuberi’s agenda. Taking cognizance of the group for which Leslie has historically favored, they are of the purist stripe. I see this as just another failed experiment in the making.

From me: But regardless of all that if they did a factional hire, it’s wrong and needs to be dealt with

From me: THAT’S NO EXCUSE! Not posting it in the station, how is that in the spirit of the Mission? smoky rooms?wrong.
Trying to EXCLUDE us much?
From me, Sue: By the by-laws it may or not be strictly illegal, but it’s immoral to exclude the workers and listeners. We have a Mission. Thwarting that isCORRUPTION in the network, ‘unconstitutional’.

From me- You all at National just don’t know KPFK, no reason why you should. And it’s patriarchal to assume that the National knows more and that should be in authority over the stations, the workers, in the trenches, hearing directly from the listeners. Many “WELL QUALIFIED MANAGERS have come to KPFK and turned out to be bad.
From me- I thought/hoped that the activities of Summer would unite the stations to work better together, guess not.
Sue Cohen Johnson- Enlightened worker-management theory is that the workers are the ones who know, they interact directly with the buyers, or in our case the listeners. Why is Pacifica in the dark ages?The stations create the content, raise the money, hear the listeners, why should anyone else have any say?

The following is compiled by me, Sue Cohen Johnson,from many different staff, volunteers and stake holders:

THERE ARE MANY MORE TESTIMONIALS FROM STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AT THE END OF THIS-
Some discussion from Facebook: Sue Cohen Johnson Thank you Peter, I didn’t expect it from you. You can google Leslie’s classes. I have high regard for Leslie and her activism, but at KPFK we finally have a good one after my 30 yrs there, no excuse to turn him out.
Sorry, you just don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re trying to be factional about this instead of understanding managerial issues. All but 1 paid staff, maybe more by now, have signed the letter/s, and now that we know, many of the rest of volunteers are signing also.

From a long-time KPFK listener: “And now they’ve hired someone who many in the KPFK community had at one time widely suspected was a police agent…..
It should also be noted that Renteria and Radford strenuously objected to having anystaff representation on either the local or national boards……..”

From me: Unfortunately, health & spirituality shows bring in more money, faster, and mostly NEW listener-supporters. How can you turn that down? first bring them in, then enlighten and politicize them. what more could you want? To preach to the converted?

Hank Lamb– Yes, but I asked why Margy was hiring lately, when Profitt has been around a while now. I feel sure both can improve things if the long timers of the two factions don’t disrupt ther work or fire them asap.

And from another Facebook critic: “ And you forgot to answer my question regarding your clear support for the crony hire of Leslie Radford after claiming earlier that you did not take sides. And answer another question. With 57 staffers at KPFK signing a letter opposing the hire of Leslie Radford how well do you think she is going to be able to manage the station?”

Qevolutionoconsciousness

From me: In response regarding weak fundraising:  KCRW is all about trendy music with a few NPR headlines. Such a single format is much easier to fundraise around. KPCC is all talk, Small Things Considered, BBC and light stuff. Single format, easy to fundraise around.
They also have single slogans, much easier for listeners to identify on Arbs. KPFK has long had the problem of each show having its own slogan/identifier.
Scheer is wonderful. Weekly he is on KPFK on Truthdig, now with the other brother and a new name, but still Scheer the father comes on.
This group (Facebook and others) should be about discussion, arguing all sides of issues. So I think responding to crazy dissenters is sometimes appropriate.  And it hones our arguments.
Sue Cohen Johnson– Pacifica Network should be a benefit to the stations, the listeners, the nation. If it is not, it should be reorganized or let loose. the clout of a national network is a good thing, but having people who don’t know things mess up people who do, is a bad thing. Pacifica network should be more loose, not governed. We, the workers and the listeners should have the say.

From Allan Coie, long-time listener, volunteer, and volunteer Receptionist. A thankless job, he has to hear all the complaints:  “The view from LA of those active in working at and supporting the station is that “Zu” is the most active and “on top of things” GM we have seen in many years. there’s a suspicion from those I’ve talked to, and which I agree with, that certain folks (whom we might call the troglodites) are uncomfortable at seeing some moves such as programs moved around, and suggestions from the IGM that older programmers who have been around since God should give some thought to bringing up some younger blood to move the ball. It is widely believed here that there is a group on the LSB who believe and act as if the station is their personal juke box and they will stand in the way of any strategic changes even those well calculated to expand our listenership. The point being that we see this issue to be not as simple as justifying the move by what someone’s qualifications may look like on paper, but equally important is the organics of the situation. Zuberi is well liked and is showing us some good moves both in fund raising, programming and personnel moves. I find it somewhat ironic that none of the participants appearing in this thread seems to have a clue about what is happening on the ground at KPFK. A big part of KPFKs problems is that the National Board has some pre-conceived notions about what KPFK should look like at a time when Pacifica has enough problems of its own to deal with. KPFK is arguably the strongest station in the network. Perhaps with more interference from the national board, they can turn it into another WBAI.”
“There must be more to it, David, because ‘Margy made a decision’ doesn’t explain anything. “

From me: “FYI some programmers have been taken off. Life is lots more than politics. Food, shelter, clean air, health (& healthcare) Environment, transportation, information, social justice, peace, science, disabilities, childhood, day care, Music, arts & literature, spirituality & philosophy, to name a few.

Allan Coie– I guess what I’m dying to put down here is that people don’t like to be jerked around. Zuberi is not somebody who just parachuted in. He came to us years ago with outside radio experience and stuck around working various positions, has been a person staff could count on. He consults with people, has ideas. Although he hasn’t been IGM that long, maybe 4-5 months, things have picked up, no brawls in the halls, his emergency fund drive quickly brought in the needed funds and listeners appreciated the way it was presented. Jerked around, that’s how it feels. No two ways about it.

By me: Bernard Duncan, IED, former GM of KPFK, hired Zuberi as IGM. He knew Zu would be good and he turned out to be good. Duncan was GM of KPFK, not someone in some other city.

• Dan Fritz SUN VALLEY, CA
Having worked with Zu Fields for nearly a decade, I’ve seen him consistently step up at KPFK and tackle the hard jobs,earn everyone’s respect, and effectively lead our station in a time of crisis. Zu has been the heart and soul of KPFK, and he deserves fair consideration. Through various general managers, Zu has kept the station together. Please, Mr. Proffitt, place the good of the station above politics.

• bipasha shom STUDIO CITY, CA
Zuberi Fields has passionately advocated for KPFK as Interim General Manager. He has implemented more in his short tenure than so many general managers that have come before him. Zuberi’s vision and fundraising efforts are critical to sustaining KPFK.

• Manuel Ortiz CLAREMONT, CA
I am a KPFK listener and sponsor who believes transparency and not politics is what should prevail. The volunteers and employees of KPFK should have a voice as to who will help KPFK’s future by filling in such an important role.
All politics should be set aside and the longevity and livelihood of KPFK should go first!

Steve Weatherwax LOA ANGELES, CA
Zuberi has been the most committed GM I’ve experienced in my close to 20 year tenure at KPFK.
He has also done more to turn the station arou   [oops! sorry]

Qfascismposter

• Sandy Childs L.A., CA
I’ve worked at KPFK to help keep it on air for at least 15 years. It’s my home away from home and my surrogate family. I love the station and staff. And I’ve seen quite a few GMs. Zu is the best I’ve known. He brings energy, enthusiasm and hope. He was just turning it around from the disaster we were left in by the recent ED debacle. Please, reverse this decision. And even if you, for whatever reason, decide against Zu for the GM job, please do not hire Leslie Radford. I have not heard one good thing about her and I hear that feeling is mutual from her toward our staff and programmers. I hear she doesn’t even have experience in radio. I have heard that this will be the end of the station and she will be an unmitigated disaster for us. Please, reverse this hiring.

Betto Arcos LOS ANGELES, CA
We cannot accept a decision by an outgoing executive director who did not consult with the staff by hiring someone without the experience needed to manage a station

• Mark Maxwell LOS ANGELES, CA
I care deeply about the continued survival of Pacifica and feel that on so many levels this change (at this time and handled in this manner) is extremely ill-advised.

• Christine Blosdale STUDIO CITY, CA
This news has crushed my heart. I have worked at KPFK for over 13 years and I know the incredible job Zuberi Fields has done as General Manager. This is a tragedy and must be reversed!

• Santana Westbrook CARSON, CA
I’ve volunteered as a programmer for over a decade. I’d never seen a prior GM believe and dedicate themselves to Pacifica’s plight the way that he has in such a short span of time. IF a permanent ED is supposed to take office today5/11/15. Why would that person not assume full responsibility for the appointment of such a vital position?
At a time when Pacifica’s & KPFK’s past reputation is really the reason for it’s decline, an undeniable sense of unaccountability and lack of solid leadership sits high on the list of complaints about the station and foundation. THE COMMUNITY doesn’t support the legacy of ineptitude that is constantly on public display. Everybody involved with the decisions being made about this station need to post their resumes that outline why they should be decision makers. Re-appoint Zuberi, effective immediately!

• joyce walker SAN DIEGO, CA
we’re moving in the right direction and cannot risk possible failure from an unknown with no experience other than teaching a speech class.

• Margaret LePique GLENDALE, CA
The future of the station depends on it..

• Teddy Robinson (Clinkscales) STUDIO CITY, CA
The station has been set on a positive, unified path with a person who already has transformed change, positive change,

• madeleine Schwab LOS ANGELES, CA
I’m signing this petition because–as a person involved in various capacities at KPFK since the 1980’s, I agree with every word!!!!

• jonathan ALEXANDER LOS ANGELES, CA
because this is pure chronyism-: partiality to cronies especially as evidenced in the appointment of political hangers-on to office without regard to their qualifications-

• Roy Tuckman LOS ANGELES, CA
KPFK should be given a chance.

• Barbara Osborn SANTA MONICA, CA
Zuberi has brought new focus to addressing the station’s problems and has energized the station’s program staff. Why not proceed with what’s working?

• Michael Barnes STUDIO CITY, CA
I want Zuberi to be our GM and I want Pacifica to live up to it’s ideals…

• Matt Perez VAN NUYS, CA
I highly agree Zuberi has done an extraordinary job as GM and this change is incompetent and politically corrupt

• Miguel Paredes LOS ANGELES, CA
I’ve been a programmer for 10 years at KPFK and Zuberi Fields is the best GM the station has ever had!

From the creator of the Change.org petition (a fuller version, or complete on Change.org):
“….Zuberi Fields had inherited a station whose books were in disarray and had spentmonths painstakingly cleaning up house, while at the same time winning the confidence of the station’s paid staff and large pool of unpaid programmers and volunteers. His vision for KPFK’s financial sustainability while building on a legacy of progressive news and analysis, arts and culture, had buoyed all those involved in the station. After years, it felt like KPFK would not only survive the budgetary woes that all public media outlets are facing, but thrive, with Fields at the helm.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Fields, who is African American, hails from a working class background and served as KPFK’s Operations Manager for 8 years before stepping in as interim General Manager in July 2014.
His positive vision for the station galvanized staff and volunteers like never before in recent memory, and brought together factions that often stood on opposite sides of local battles. Under his leadership KPFK successfully reintroduced a sustainer program of donors, and courted “Advocates” for the station who could donate more generously. He implemented a much needed advertising campaign of bench ads around Southern California. He pioneered KPFK’s multi-media reach through the acquisition of camera equipment, and cultivated closer relationships with listeners through a regular email dispatches. With a skeletal staff he began to make use of the full spectrum of social media outreach to increase KPFK’s visibility. Most importantly, Fields saw KPFK’s radical and progressive roots as crucial to the political conversations happening around the US as racial injustice, police violence, increasing wealth inequality, and international wars consume our political discourse.
Instead of Zuberi Fields’ powerful leadership guiding KPFK into the next era as an influential media outlet, Pacifica replaced him with Radford, a white academic whose only credentials available publicly seem to be teaching communications as an adjunct professor at a local community college, and sitting on the Local Station Board of KPFK for many years. She appears to lack the “3-5 years of management experience in radio or related media required” as mentioned in the job posting. KPFK’s staff and programmers were given no opportunity to meet with and question the candidates for the job, as had been the standard practice. Insider politics seems to have won out once more, over common sense and the station’s integrity….”

Qfirsttheycame4thSocialists

From me: Our average age listener-supporter is 62.  Sad, but Zu was trying to better this.  She wants to bring in a lot more young programmers in a hurry (“in a matter of months“).
So if she disses all our current donor base (rather than slowly add to it), we’ll have even less money, and less responsiveness to our existing communities, that have been keeping us going all these years.  They paid for something that they are now not going to get?
Loyalty, fiduciary responsibility, integrity.

BTW Houston is in The South. It has the mentality of a small Republican city in the South.

Badness from 2000:
http://morc.info/MORC_Pacifica.html

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