[GPSCC-chat] KPFA in Danger!

[eameece at sfo.com]

I'll consider this;
meanwhile, I hope any greens who are members of our local community
station KKUP will vote against the current Board. KKUP faces a similar
problem, except that it is far more severe. The current Board and General
Manager are oriented only to their own interests, and are depriving the
station of many programs that used to make the station great. They are
stuck in their ways and won't innovate. Their membership is dominated by
corporate engineers. If you are a member, please vote for Allen Leinwand,
who should bring a fresh voice to the KKUP Board.

Eric the Green

> I know nothing about this except what is in the email
> below.  If anyone has more info, I would like to hear
> it.  Others on the list probably would too.  It appears
> to be a rather serious problem.
>
> Greg Jan agrees with the writer, Akio Tanaka, on this.
>
> Gerry
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Please post ASAP!: Help Keep KPFA Community Radio - Become a
> Voting Member Before June 30!
> Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:26:16 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Greg Jan
>
>
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
>
>
>
> Dear Fellow Greens (and allies),
>
>
>
> I need your help in the coming days to help secure the future of a vital
> media organization: KPFA radio. As you know, a small number of
> corporations now control most of the media, and even “public” media
> like
> NPR fail to challenge the dominance of corporations and the military
> machine. I'm proud to be associated with KPFA, an institution that does
> stand uncompromisingly for peace and social justice.
>
>
>
> Since KPFA's 1999 crisis was resolved, the station has been governed by
> a Local Station Board (LSB) elected primarily by subscribers. Having an
> elected board makes KPFA a more democratic organization than most other
> media. However, in recent elections, there's been a close struggle
> between advocates of preserving KPFA's status as a community-based
> institution, versus those who want to make the station more like NPR,
> and dilute its progressive voice. I and my allies on the Board belong to
> an alliance called Independents for Community Radio (ICR).
>
>
>
> Our opponents in recent elections have called themselves the “Concerned
> Listeners.” Now they've dropped that title and are using a new name,
> “Save KPFA.” Little wonder they've changed their name this year, given
> their record. While they held a majority on the LSB in 2008 and 2009:
>
>
>
> - They ratified budgets that let KPFA operate in the red, quickly
> depleting a six-figure cash reserve that had taken years to build.
>
>
>
> - They stubbornly backed an inept General Manager who lost a $375,000
> donation by letting the check go undeposited.
>
>
>
> - When Berkeley Police attacked and injured a KPFA volunteer on station
> premises, they reacted by blaming the victim and blocked a Board
> investigation.
>
>
>
> - They supported an attempt to break the Unpaid Staff Organization, the
> only collective representation for KPFA's volunteer staff (who produce
> the majority of the station's programs).
>
>
>
> - They tout “professionalism,” but ignore the many outstanding
> programs
> created by unpaid community-based programmers, such as Africa Today,
> Guns & Butter, Pushing Limits and Bay Native Circle. Nor have they
> supported the paid staff who create Flashpoints and Hard Knock Radio.
>
>
>
> In short, “Save KPFA” won't abide by their name, because they're
> undermining the qualities that make KPFA great. What KPFA needs to be
> saved from ..... is them!
>
>
>
> The group that I support, Independents for Community Radio, recognizes
> that good radio need not be “professional;” we support the numerous
> excellent programs produced by volunteers (such as La Onda Bajita,
> Voices of the Middle East, and many more). We want to see a Board and a
> management that will promote unity between the paid staff and unpaid
> staff, instead of trying to divide them. And we stand for responsible
> budgeting, to keep KPFA on the air despite the dismal economy. Our 2010
> team of candidates will be assembled soon; in the meantime, to read more
> about us, see our 2009 campaign site, www.indyradio2009.org
> <http://www.indyradio2009.org/>.
>
>
>
> Last year we won a slim majority on the Board, and the station is now in
> the process of hiring a new General Manager. But there's much more work
> to be done. Please help us by supporting ICR in this year's election. If
> you've subscribed to KPFA since last July, you'll be eligible to vote in
> this year's election. If not, please subscribe now! June 30 is the
> deadline to subscribe in time to vote. A basic annual membership is only
> $25 - go to www.kpfa.org <http://www.kpfa.org/> to subscribe with a
> credit card (if you mail a check, it must arrive by June 30 at KPFA,
> 1929 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704.)
>
>
>
> Thank you,
>
>
>
> Akio Tanaka
>
> Member, KPFA Local Station Board
>
> County Council member, Green Party of Alameda County
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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