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Tag Archives: KPFA LSB

White Supremacy Is Baked Into the Cake. Now What?

07 Thu Jan 2021

Posted by ztnh in Anti-Capitalism, Anti-Fascism, Anti-Imperialism, Anti-Racism, Anti-Totalitarianism, Anti-War, Civic Engagement (Activism), COVID-19, Democratic Party (USA), Environmental Activism, Government, Memoirs, Neoliberalism, Police State, Political Prisoners, Political Science, Presidential Election 2020, Prison Abolition, Racism (phenotype), Republican Party (USA), U.S. Constitution

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Democracy Now!, KPFA, KPFA LSB, KPFA/Pacifica Radio internal conflict, KPFK, Pacifica Radio Network, Proud Boys, Revolutionary Communist Party (USA), Robert Bruce "Bob" Avakian (b. 1943), Sunsara Taylor, WBAI, WPFW

All of the Americans, who were shocked or surprised by Wednesday’s actions by Trump loyalists in Washington D.C. and in other locations across the nation, ought to read Dr. Peter Dale Scott’s deep history of the United States, particularly The Road to 9/11 and The American Deep State: Wall Street, Big Oil, and the Attack On American Democracy.  It’s important that Americans understand exactly who is in charge.  For a powerful summary of Trump’s presidency, cf. “American Mythology: The Presidency of Donald Trump”, a seven-part podcast series by the Intercepted podcast, narrated by Jeremy Scahill.

Here’s what free speech radio, as channeled by Pacifica Radio, are saying today, Thursday, 7 JAN 2021, in the aftermath of yesterday’s protest actions, disturbances, rebellion, putsch, insurrection, or terrorist actions, depending on one’s perspective.  Download the Pacifica Radio app for easy access to free speech radio stations across the nation:  KPFA (Berkeley, CA); WBAI (NYC); KPFK (L.A.); WPFW (D.C.); KPFT (Houston)

06:00 PST, KPFA > Democracy Now! [TW]  Basically, what they said…

STORYJAN 07, 2021

White Supremacy in Action: Police Stand Down as Trump Mob Storms Capitol to Disrupt Election Vote

*

STORYJAN 07, 2021

Historian: White Terrorist Groups Attacked Democracy During Reconstruction, They Are Doing It Again

*

STORYJAN 07, 2021

“Americans Are Now Getting a Mild Taste of Their Own Medicine” of Disrupting Democracy Elsewhere

*

07:00 PST, KPFA > UpFront [TW] explored some interesting questions:  “Violent white mob storms US Capitol, incited by Trump politics, social media, law enforcement; Plus: Crisis deepening at California’s unemployment office, we answer listener questions with Daniela Urban with the Center for Workers’ Rights.”

Jan 6 2021 President Trump Rally, Washington DC (Photo: Dannielle Blumenthal, FLICKR)

2-hour UpFront broadcast summary:

0:08 – Trump incites violent white mob at the US Capitol, one day after Georgia Democratic victory tips Senate to Democrat majority

Steve Phillips (@StevePtweets) is the founder of Democracy in Color, he’s host of the podcast “Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips,” and author of the book Brown Is the New White.

0:34 – Unemployment call-in

Daniela Urban is Executive Director of the Center for Workers’ Rights and special counsel to Legal Aid At Work (@LegalAidAtWork).

1:08 – Pro-Trump mob storms the Capitol – what were the signs?

Robert Evans (@IwriteOK) is an investigative journalist with the news website Bellingcat.

1:25 – Was the storming of the Capitol yesterday just a media stunt?

David Pierce (@pierce) is editor at large for the tech news site Protocol. 

1:34 – COVID outbreak at Chowchilla prison hits 25% of population

Aminah Elster (@AminahElster) is campaign and policy coordinator with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners.

1:46 – Continuing our series hearing from the family members of people who are incarcerated inside Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF). Our reporter Lucy Kang (@ThisIsLucyKang) spoke with a woman who only wanted to be identified as “Lisa” about her daughter who recently tested positive for COVID while incarcerated at CCWF. We’re not naming “Lisa” or her daughter’s identities to protect against potential retaliation.

The California Coalition for Women Prisoners is calling for better conditions inside CCWF, here’s more information on the call to action. 

1:52 – Federal prisons denying compassionate release, according to new reporting

Keri Blakinger (@keribla) is a reporter with the Marshall Project – Thousands of Sick Federal Prisoners Sought Compassionate Release. 98 Percent Were Denied, she reports.

07:00, KPFK > Sojourner Truth > sobering coverage of 6 JAN Trump Loyalist actions in DC and across the nation. News Headlines. Cops taking selfies with pro-Trump/anti-democracy protestors.  Expert panelists discuss on Sojourner Truth.

07:00, WBAI & WPFW > common broadcast, speakers were describing details of a woman shot by Capitol Hill police and past history of their brutality.  By contrast, yesterday, said one speaker, Capitol Hill police were holding doors open for the protestors, some of whom were flying Confederate flags.  One woman earlier today (Thursday), perhaps a prof on DN, said not even during the Civil War, did the South manage to fly the Confederate flag in the White House.  But yesterday they did.

FBI is sending out tweets, asking for help in identifying yesterday’s protesters. One speaker questioned whether America can ever have a police force, which is not linked to white supremacist ideology. “There is no equal protection under the law.”

07:15 PST, KPFA:  One speaker reported that Capitol Hill police refused to hold a press conference to answer for enabling the disruption, disorder, and violence, as Trump loyalists marched into the Capitol building.

The KPFA guest was making interesting points. But UpFront host Brian Edwards-Tiekert changed the subject to the Georgia election.  Oh, well.  Georgia is an important topic, as the state has been flipped and has elected its first black senator. So, too, perhaps, is horse-race commentary about the rigged two-party system, or two-party dictatorship.  But, somehow, the broader issue of American fascism seems more urgent.  I dunno.  That’s just me.

07:22 PST, KPFK > Experts interviewed Maurice Cook(sp?) and Zahara Simmons(sp?) react to yesterday’s actions in DC. Then, host also wants to get their take on the Georgia Senate election.

07:25, KPFK > on two-tiered justice system  re: DC actions wedn.  Pre-planning?  Adelle Stan, et al yesterday commented that there’s no way the Trump loyalists could have navigated their way through the underground labyrinth of hallways without assistance or having been enabled.  KPFK guest also said she’d “been to the Capitol many times” and said “it’s very hard to get into the Capitol.”  She noted that members of Congress were considering siding with Trump to stop the electoral vote count yesterday.

KPFK > Sojourner Truth > mobs of Trump loyalists, even kids, on the streets with pro-Trump paraphernalia.  Personally, I saw the same thing, as I looked out my front window after dinner last night.  The kids were riding by taunting and calling out pro-Trump slogans, as they rode down the middle of the street on their bicycles.  That’s definitely Brown Shirt behavior, as various observers noted yesterday.

Many experts agree there is a double standard….  So, now what?  INTERPOL?  International Court?

07:35 PST, WBAI & WPFW:  An eye-witness recounted his experience observing the quasi-stand-down response by the Capitol Hill police.  “I don’t have no idea why they didn’t stop it, with the only exception that they didn’t care to stop it.”  On TV last night, I saw that the Trump loyalists did not “storm the Capitol”, as many have narrated.  The Trump loyalists were strolling in, sparse in number, in the halls of the Capitol building, as a single cop backed up some stairs, as the Trump loyalists advanced slowly, merrily.  The looks on the faces of most Trump loyalists was glee because they knew they were being enabled.  The video evidence basically shows the Capitol police led the Trump loyalists straight to the congressional floor.

07:40 PST, WBAI & WPFW, One speaker made salient points…

Protestors or terrorists?  Yesterday, Sunsara Taylor or a colleague made an excellent argument that there’s no moral equivalence between, say, the Proud Boys and the Black Panthers march on the Sacramento Capitol building.

0745, KPFK > ‘Dr. Pinel Joseph, ‘law enforcement is not the friend of black people.’  Then, one man called in and said that the calls for a bipartisan solution to the problem of the Trump loyalists’ antidemocratic attacks must involve concessions from the right, “not the left”, as the Dems “have been kowtowing all along.  The next man to call in said that America is “being set up for a race war.”  “You’re being gaslighted”, he urged.

Call congress switchboard…

08:00 PST, WBAI > Code Pink Radio: (1) [TW] On Congressional moves regarding the 2021 NDAA (2) Activist youth females speak… (3) [TW] On NDAA, guy from Code Pink, I think.  He mentioned his Substack blog, Rethinking Security, maybe…

09:00 PST, WBAI > Gary Null [TW] > interesting COVID-19 information

One vaccine has “nanoparticles”, Null discussed the details.  Null also discussed a bill in NY, which could mandate covid vaccines, to the point of coming to your house or apartment.  Also, the vaccines still require the vaccinated individuals to mask and social distance. Yet, many people think vaccines will free them from the masking and social distancing.

Null cited Catherine Austin Fitts about “the Great Reset”. (Cf. Unpacking Mr. Global.)  Small businesses will be decimated, smashed.  Big business will further consolidate.  Someone yesterday commented that many prisoners are being released, which is good for them and the families waiting at home.  But it will also mean an even more depressed job market.  Where’s Dr. Kelton’s, and MMT”s job guarantee programme when you need it, right?

10:15 PST, WBAI > Caller “Sanaan”, a man, boldly raised the obvious historical parallel, which many of us are afraid to mention.  The storming of the Reichstag in Germany and also the Proud Boys being reminiscent of the Brown Shirts.  Gary Null minced no words earlier during his broadcast.  But, of course, Pacifica, et al have “banned” him.

10:00 PST, KPFA > Letters and Politics > Sasha Abramsky [TW]

KPFA > Letters and Politics [TW]

11:00 PST, KPFA > The Talkies [TW]. Kristina Aanestad spoke with s doctor about the science of the new covid variant and the realities our medical system and society can expect in the near future, and what to do about it.

11:35 PST, WBAI > Gary Null > interesting health and science info, building the immune system, a very relevant topic in a time of covid.

11:40 PST, WPFW [TW]

12:00 PST, [TW]  KPFA News Headlines.  Then, Behind the News with Doug Henwood. Viju Krishnan on farmer’s strikes. 2. Unionizing Google

12:10 PST, KPFK is playing interesting music, a bit new agey-sounding. This is typical of KPFK and the stressed out nature of life in SoCal or something. That’s the impression I get.

12:19 WPFW (DC):  sultry jazz music; they must be really stressed out over there, too

12:20 PST, WBAI, [TW] Resistance Radio:  relevant analysis on Trump loyalists… John Mouse(sp?) and Ariel Pink joined Trump loyalists. “It was an alliance…”

13:00 PST, Meanwhile, KPFA was broadcasting their usual sleepy edition of Cover to Cover with Richard Wolinsky.  Well, I can’t lie some episodes of CTC do hook me in.  Today’s topic seems to be about Italian films, John Houseman’s play of Native Son.  And they did mention the CIA and film noir.  So, that’s cool.

13:00 PST, WBAI > DN! News Headlines > 13:18 PST, up next > Sunsara Taylor, “Insurrection Response Special”, ‘a fascism mob broke through and raided […] and it was spearheaded by the man in the White House. There’s no way around it.’

Antisemitism was also represented among the Trump loyalists, as some were wearing shirts with 6MNE or something, which is a slogan saying the ‘six million Jews killed by Nazis was not enough’.  Also, one elected rep in the U.S. House of Representatives joined the Trump loyalists, got on mic, and quoted Hitler. The congresswoman said Hitler was right about one thing: If you get the youth, you can be victorious.

13:25 PST, meanwhile WPFW must be super-stressed out over here.  They playin’ a whack ass soft jazzy version of The Delfonics’ classic, “La La Means I Love You”.  I dunno.  I can’t lie.  They played some good jazz after that.  But WBAI has their finger on the pulse. Let’s go back to Sunsara Taylor.

13:27 PST, WBAI > Sunsara Taylor takes live call ins [TW]

13:55 PST, WBAI > News Headlines:  only about a dozen arrests. [Sunsara Taylor, et al reported earlier on Pacifica Radio that, by contrast, about 14,000 anti-Trump, pro-BLM protestors in the summer of 2020.]

14:00 PST/17:00 EST, Driving Forces, relevant analysis

14:00 PST, WPFW > relevant analysis (health care)

14:00, KPFA > Caroline Casey(?), coyote lady(?) > environmental focus, testimony from Native Americans on destruction of arctic by oil profiteers

c. 14:20 PST, interesting interview with Casey Layman, author of How To Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America

14:27, KPFA > Caroline Casey(?), coyote lady(?) > environmental focus, testimony from Native Americans on destruction of arctic by oil profiteers

1427,WBAI, covid, vaccines, and prison populations

15:00 PST, WBAI > News Headlines [TW]  Rep. Lindsey Graham, “Yesterday, they could have killed us all.” But no mention of police opening doors and ‘standing down’.

15:00 PST, Rising Up

16:00 PST, KPFA > Hard Knock Radio > on Georgia (USA) politics

16:30 PST, WBAI > The Jimmy Dore Show > [TW] relevant analysis, cites Greenwald.  Dore said, a more competent dictator will lead the fascist mob next time’.

16:40 PST, WPFW [DC] > jazz music, straight ahead jazz

16:45 PST, KPFA [Berkeley, CA] > Hard Knock Radio > [TW] a chilling audio collage of news footage clips, corporate news reporting, and violent mayhem in the streets.  Chilling chanting, “USA!! USA!! USA!!”, nationalism, white nationalism, and white supremacist vibes.  16:48 PST, “This Is America” by Childish Gambino, very apros po.

“This Is America” by Childish Gambino

KPFA > Hard Knock Radio > upon closer listen, maybe it was an updated remix version of “This Is America”.  16:52 PST, from death row, a communique from political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal addressed the plight of prisoners, such as “Maroon”, who are at risk of “death by incarceration.”  Mumia’s call was recorded by Noelle Hanrahan for Prison Radio.  16:56 PST, another very apros po musical selection, “My Petition” by Jill Scott.

“My Petition” by Jill Scott

17:00 PST, WPFW [DC] > more jazz music, slow tempo (sax, vihes, horns, upright bass, drums, piano)

17:00 PST, KPFA > [TW] Flashpoints > audio of Trump speech, “My only goal was to defend the integrity of the vote.”  Sorry, but that’s bullshit because the entire electoral vote recount was baseless, and should never have even taken place, as many expert observers commented yesterday.  Trump closed with, ‘Our journey is only beginning.’

17:05 PST, Flashpoints > Host, Dennis Bernstein spoke with Prof. Francis Boyle (Univ. of Chicago Law), a noted human rights lawyer.  “We have a seditious conspiracy going on here. […] And, so, we have to take this very seriously.”  Boyle said, ‘Congress should have been in emergency session all day. Instead, they went on recess until January 20th.’  Wow.

Prof. Boyle: ‘We have a prima facia case for sedition by Trump, et al,, coordinated by Holly and Cruz, et al. But we need more investigation on that to confirm the co-conspirators. But there was no security at all. It was like a 9/11 stand-down scenario. Democrats are just as feckless as the liberal Germans after the burning of the Reichstag.’

Next Flashpoints guest addressed the ongoing prison hunger strikes in America.  He also described various abuses and inhumane conditions in Alabama prisons, citing a letter of plea from a prisoner published on the SF Bayview Newspaper recently. “We have historical dialectical materialism.  There is no rule of law.”  ‘The evidence on the ground,’ he said,’is telling us we’re in trouble.’

17:50 PST, KPFK > [TW] Background Briefing. At the end, Ian Masters reported an upcoming LSB meeting. Pacifica Radio bosses, said Masters, have been running roughshod over KPFK and are trying to ouster or “fire” Sonali Kolhatkar (Rising Up) and him.

18:00 PST, KPFA Evening News [TW]

18:15 PST, WBAI > music, theater, and the arts in a time of covid, white supremacy, and fascism.

18:19 PST, WPFW [DC] > more jazz; no breaking special programming on fascism in DC

18:25 PST, KPFA Evening News [TW], BET clip on Trump loyalists, “Bellingcat” (cf. Grayzone coverage of Bellingcat)

19:00 PST, KPFA > Apex Express > on “the racist internment policy” against the Japanese in the USA during WWII.

19:00 PST, KPFK [L.A.] > retrospective focusing on indigenous activist Carey Dan, Mary Dan, et al., Western Shoshone Project, nuclear waste on Yucca Mountain.

19:00 PST, WBAI [NYC] > on the tradition of folk music and Joan Baez

***

COLUMNJAN 07, 2021

Trump’s Insurrection Requires His Immediate Removal

By Amy Goodman & Denis Moynihan

Throughout his life, Trump has fanned the flames of white supremacy. He owes his one-term presidency in large part to his cynical exploitation of racism and fear.

Learn more at DEMOCRACY NOW!

***

[Raw notes will be expanded as time constraints allow.  Please consider alternative sources of media, and monitor right-wing media…]

***

[7 JAN 2021]

[Last modified on 7 JAN 2021 at 21:55 PST]

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2016 KPFA Local Station Board Candidate Forum, Live On-Air Broadcast #3

08 Thu Sep 2016

Posted by ztnh in Anti-War, Civic Engagement (Activism), collective bargaining, Free Speech

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

2012 Pacifica Financial Recovery Plan, KPFA, KPFA Local Station Board, KPFA LSB, Leon Sykes, Pacifica National Board, Pacifica Radio Network, PNB, Ramsés Teón Nichols (UCR), SaveKPFA, T.M. Scruggs (UCR), Tom Vorhees (UCR), transcript, UCR, United for Community Radio (UCR)

"ProjectCensored" by Project Censored - This image has been downloaded from the website of Project Censored at www.projectcensored.org.. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ProjectCensored.png#/media/File:ProjectCensored.pngLUMPENPROLETARIAT—Free speech radio KPFA held its On-Air Forums this week for the 2016 KPFA Local Station Board (LSB) elections, as part of the nationwide Pacifica 2016 Elections.  KPFA’s LSB is a deliberative governing body.  Like other Pacifica Radio LSBs, it is tasked with providing checks and balances to the station management hierarchy as well as helping sustain KPFA through fundraising. [1]

During this On-Air Forum, candidates were supposed to be given equal access in a formal debate fashion.  But any fairness in respective on-air time lengths, especially when only one side showed up for the debate, is overshadowed by the inadequacy of the measly three one-hour broadcasts KPFA devoted to their democratic governance.  KPFA listeners still haven’t been introduced to all of the candidates, as not all of the candidates participated in these three On-Air broadcasts.  If anything, supplemental coverage of the 2016 LSB Elections could have, and must, be made available online for listeners, who are unable to attend any public candidate forums, or simply wish to revisit them to strengthen understanding.

But, instead of a real commitment to media democracy, listeners got the minimum.  These 2016 LSB Candidate Forum broadcasts were not meaningfully announced, advertised, or promoted.  The democratic governance structure doesn’t seem to be embraced by all.  Candidates’, and listeners’, call-ins were restricted to one-minute responses.  Talk about sound-bite format.  And this comes in the context of a free speech radio station, which seems to have long abandoned its Managers Report to the Listeners broadcasts, which were borne of a time when management felt obliged to appear accountable to the listeners.  Managers Report to the Listeners was broadcast every month or so; and the station manager would go live, on air, and address staff and listener-member concerns, including taking calls from the listenership.

During tonight’s broadcast, host Leon Sykes, delivered another generic performance seemingly intended to drain the life out of the democratic process by dragging out every step of the way, forcing callers to repeat their questions, ultimately, wasting more time than otherwise.  Like last night’s broadcast and the night before that, when the host kept insisting on restricting and curtailing the candidates’ and the callers’ participation to under one minute.  And his over-emphasis on the time regulations was often clumsily handled, and often undermined the spirit of the debate. [2]

As we commented before, what was sorely missing from the first LSB Candidate Forum broadcast was a sense of context or historical background to how KPFA and the Pacifica Radio Network came to have a democratic governance structure and why it is so important to protect and sustain.  Even your average KPFA listener may happen upon these LSB Candidate Forum broadcasts and be left wondering:  What exactly is going on?  KPFA listeners deserve to be treated with respect and provided with that crucial information.  Indeed, one listener called in to complain.  “I feel disrespected, as a listener,” she said, as the tongue-tied Mr. Sykes mechanically deferred to the candidate responses.

Callers again explicitly asked for historical context and for differentiation between the two political factions thus far represented: SaveKPFA and United for Community Radio.  Some of the candidates were able to point out that the SaveKPFA slate reflected a political faction, who tended to more ‘top-down’ and authoritarian in their organisational approach.  By contrast, the United for Community Radio slate tended to be more community orientated and grassroots activist-based.

If you’re a free speech radio KPFA listener, and you’ve received a ballot to vote for this next round of candidates to KPFA’s governance board, know that the SaveKPFA slate is toxic to KPFA/Pacifica’s principles of socioeconomic justice, which are enshrined in its Mission Statement.  You may have already gotten that sense, if you heard all three nights of the Candidate Fora.  SaveKPFA represent a clique of people, who have historically associated themselves as Wellstone Democrat partisans with associated moneyed interests, and have attempted to run roughshod over anyone to the left of their centrist circle at KPFA, or anybody who comes to free speech radio with any degree of sincerity and curiosity about the wizards of oz behind the green curtain. [3]  Listen (and/or download) here. [4]

Messina

***

[KPFA archive page programme summary.]  [5]

KPFA—[8 SEP 2016]  Tune in to 94.1 FM or hear it live on kpfa.org or listen later on the archives.  Listeners may call in 510-848-4425, or 800-958-9008 with questions.

Learn more at KPFA.

***

[Working draft transcript of actual radio broadcast by Messina for Lumpenproletariat and KPFA Radio.]

KPFA —[8 SEP 2016]  [clears throat] “Good evening.  I’m your moderator, Leon Sykes.  You are tuned in to the final day of a three-day Local Station Board Candidate Forums for 2016.  We are currently holding two separate parallel elections for delegates to the KPFA Local Station Board.  Listener members will vote for listener candidates.  Staff members will vote for staff candidates.  There are nine vacant listener and three vacant staff seats on the KPFA Local Station Board.  For more information, you can go to Elections.Pacifica.org.  Ballots must be received by the ballot company, TrueBallot, by September 30th.  Please note:  That is not ‘postmarked by’, but received by TrueBallot by September 30th.  Online voting will end at 8:59 pm Pacific Time on September 30th.

“If you have not received your ballot, please email les-kpfa2016@pacifica.org or call 510.848-6767, extension 605.

“If you have lost, damaged, or misplaced your ballot and need a replacement, please email les-kpfa2016@pacifica.org or call 510.848-6767, extension 605.  [clears throat]  Please let us know whether you would like a paper ballot printed and mailed to you, or whether you are fine with receiving an email with your secure PIN for voting online.

“Candidates were asked to submit up to 500 words when turning in their candidate nomination paperwork.  They were also invited to submit up to 200 words as well as a complete candidate questionnaire, which was optional.

“Those answers can all be found at Elections.Pacifica.org.  In particular, please click on the KPFA candidates’ statements link, Elections.Pacifica.org/wordpress/kpfa-candidates.  (c. 2:52)

“If you would like a candidate pamphlet printed and mailed to you, we need to receive it by—we, we need to receive your request by September 12th [2016].  Please email les-kpfa2016@pacifica.org or call 510.848-6767, extension 605.  Please note:  Candidate pamphlets only include the 200-word statements.  [Last minute ballots can be submitted by voting online using your individual voting PIN.]

“Now, we will introduce our candidates and get an opening remark up to two minutes from each candidate.  There is more information available at Elections.Pacifica.org.

“We are now going to get an introduction from our candidates today.  Please remember, we have—you have up to two minutes for an opening statement.

“T.M., we’ll start off with you.”  (c. 3:34)

T.M. SCRUGGS (UCR candidate):  “Hi.  I’m T.M. Scruggs.  I grew up in Millbrae [San Mateo County], across the [S.F.] Bay.  But I’ve lived outside it for almost all my life, returning a few years ago.  I’m an educator, musician, and long-time social activist, involved in community and non-profit media for, mm, about 30 years now.  I have volunteered at community radio in every city I’ve lived in since high school.  It’s helped to give me a comparative perspective on all the different forms, that community radio can take, and what is common among all of them, which is non-commercial commitment to serve the community not represented by corporate media.

“Here, I attended local board meetings to learn about how I could help this treasure, that we have here, a true gem, linked to four other stations, nationally.  I was elected to fill out a one-year term last year.  So, I’m up for re-election.

“We had a successful retreat at the Local Station Board this year.  And I wanna build on the understandings of unity and purpose, that we share from that.

“This is the only community station, that I’ve seen with such a large paid staff.  This has, from what I understand, expanded up until we hit the Great Recession of 2008.  And, now, we’ve inherited a challenging budget.  We just received the resignation of our professional accountant.  We face real challenges on how to confront some truly dire economic circumstances.

“You know; terrestrial radio, broadcast radio is in gradual decline across the country.  We have an aging audience here, that desperately needs to be refreshed.

“Now, the faithful listeners, who are following the candidate forums, and other members, should know that everyone in the United for Community Radio [UCR] wants to save KPFA.  And everyone, either, participated in, or agrees with, the original use of the name [Save KPFA] for the 1999 struggles, that helped to keep our beloved Pacifica Foundation democratic.

“Reaching back and claiming that name does confuse people.  But everyone in UCR, Tom [Voorhees] and I and Ramsés, and no doubt independent candidates as well as others want to save KPFA.  Thanks.”  (c. 5:37)

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.  We have Tom.”

TOM VOORHEES (UCR Candidate):  “Yeah.  I’m Tom Vorhees.  I’m a longtime builder of new community radio stations throughout the United States and south of the border.

“First, I want to explain my view of the major issues, that’s been promoted as infighting between the two major factions [at KPFA].  I see the SaveKPFA folks as, generally, oriented towards a top-down form of organisation with a programme director, that’s now starting to exercise censorship, disregarding Pacifica’s longtime history of debating controversial issues.

“Us, UCR folks, generally, believe in democracy from the bottom-up with a programming commitment that includes community, Local Board, paid- and volunteer-staff representatives.

“I believe this conflict in style resulted in the now-dormant 2012 Pacifica Financial Recovery Plan, which is still ready and waiting to solve today’s financial crisis.  Callers, check out the plan at mediafire.com/pacificarecoveryplan2012.”  (c. 7:12)

LEON SYKES:  “Alright.  Thank you.  On the phone, we have Ramsés.  Hello, Ramsés.”  (c. 7:19)

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  “Yeah.  Hi.  Can you hear me okay?”

LEON SYKES:  “Yes, indeed.  You have two minutes.  Let me know when you’re ready.”

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  “Alright.  Thank you.  Hi, everyone.  Good evening.  [SNIP]  ”

[Ramsés is a SF Bay Area labour organizer; UCR candidate running for re-election.]

LEON SYKES:  ” [Moderator informs candidate that his time to respond has expired.]”

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [SNIP]  Thank you.”

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.

“We will now get into our series of five questions, that we would ask each candidate.  Each candidate’s allowed one minute to respond.  Our first question:

The Local Station Board reviews and approves the station’s budget and makes quarterly reports to the foundation’s board of directors, regarding the stations’ budget, actual income, and expenditures.  How will you help the Local Station Board carry out its responsibility?

“Tom, we will start off with you.”  (c. 10:00)

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “I would implement the 2012 Recovery Plan, which takes care of most of those.”

LEON SYKES:  “Are you going?  Keep going.”

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “No.”

LEON SYKES:  “Okay.  Thank you very much.

“Next,  Ramsés?”  (c. 10:27)

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [Ramsés says he has experience with financial organization and planning.]

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.  T.M.?”

T.M. SCRUGGS (UCR candidate):  “First of all, I just want to say.  I want to recognise that Ramsés is calling in from Colombia—”

LEON SYKES:  “Absolutely.”

T.M. SCRUGGS (UCR candidate):  “—in South America.  I think that’s a good example of dedication.

“Well, you know, we need realistic budgets.  And when we’re in a period, where there’s a surplus, we need to save up for the future.  And, within the LSB, I’ll continue to insist on accurate and timely production of budget information, which we have not been the best at.  With a treasurer at the PNB [Pacifica National Board], or at KPFA, delivering the report like a half hour before the meeting, it’s hard to read a spreadsheet that fast.

“I’m very opposed to corporate underwriting because that’s a slippery slope, that can lead to self-censorship, knowing that big brother with a checkbook is looking over your shoulder.

“It’s unconscionable that we, Pacifica, have lost the large funding we qualified for from the U.S. government, the CPB, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  And, so, hopefully we can get our books in order, so that we will be able to qualify from here on out.”  (c. 12:40)

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.

“The Local Station Board works with station management to insure that station programming fulfills the purposes of the foundation and is responsive to the diverse needs of the listeners and communities served by the station and that station’s policies and procedures for making programming decisions and for programme evaluation are working in a fair, collaborative, and respectful manner to provide quality programming.  How will you help the LSB carry out this responsibility?”

“Ramsés?  We’ll start with you.  And, remember, you have one minute.”  (c. 13:13)

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [Ramsés says he appreciates this aspect of KPFA and Pacifica.  There are many people involved in this from the CAB (Community Advisory Board) and the LSB (Local Station Board), as well as staff.  He wants to have an inclusive environment, which allows input from all interested parties.] (c. 14:22)

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.  T.M.?”

T.M. SCRUGGS (UCR candidate):  “I strongly support the variety of progressive political views.  I don’t, necessarily, agree with everything I hear.  But I want to make sure that we provide a platform for a variety of really progressive politics.

“I know at other community radio stations and, earlier here, there was a community programming committee, which can be a vehicle to successfully bring in people, to give their input. [6]

“I speak Spanish; and much of my activism has involved Latino communities.  The [S.F.] Bay Area has a huge Latino population.  And we don’t need to have Spanish language programming to reach out to them.  With a continued onslaught of gentrification in the [S.F.] Mission [district], we should realise that the new Mission is becoming Richmond and San Pablo—right over here on the East Bay.

“So, I really look forward to pushing to represent those communities as much as we can within our programming, and having an active involvement with the people on the ground there.”  (c. 15:21)

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.  Tom?”

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “I support Article Seven (3)(g), of the [Pacifica] Bylaws, which provide for involvement of the Local Station Board ‘making programming’.  And I’ll just leave it at that.”

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.

“Also, I would like to remind our listeners that we will be having a calling-in section.  Please call 1.800.958-9008.  Once again:  1.800.958-9008.  An if you’d like to find out more information, go to Elections.Pacifica.org.  Once again Elections.Pacifica.org.  If you wanna call in:  1.800.958-9008.

“The Local Station Board assists with station fundraising activities.  How will you help the LSB carry out this responsibility?

“Tom.  We’ll start off with you.”

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “Can you repeat the question?”

LEON SYKES:  “Yes, I can.”

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “What was the responsibility—what?”

LEON SYKES:  “The Local Station Board assists with station fundraising activities.  How will you help the LSB carry out this responsibility?”

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “Um, by supporting local outreach, different community gatherings, and stuff.”

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you very much.  T.M.?”  (c. 16:59)

T.M. SCRUGGS (UCR candidate):  “Well, I feel that we need to recognise that we’re swimming in a capitalist sea.  And we can’t live in an ideal bubble.  We need to follow some of the successful examples right here  in the [S.F.] Bay Area, like the magazine, Mother Jones, has an annual dinner, that raises a lot of money—some kind of gala event is long overdue.  Other non-profit radio stations, like I keep hearing, you know, on classical stations, used car donations available. [7]  And we could also have more music and cultural events.  We have really nice Crafts Fairs.  Those are nice.  And the [inaudible] is really good.  Of course, we’re always in Berkeley.  We could expand to other places in our listening area.

“But we need to recognise that a high budget means a high wall to climb each year.”

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.  Ramsés?”  (c. 17:46)

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [Ramsés offers ways to help contribute and raise funds.  Also says LSB must explore options for fundraising, perhaps, even, ‘tinkering with underwriting’, even though he says he doesn’t like underwriting.]  (c. 18:57)

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you very much.  Once again, please call in, if you have any questions for our candidates.  1.800.958-9008.  And, for more information, go to Elections.Pacifica.org.

“The Local Station Board actively reaches out to underrepresented communities to help the station serve a diversity of all races, creeds, colours, and nations, classes, genders, and sexual orientations, and ages, and to help build collaborative relations with organisations working for familiar purposes.  How will you help the LSB fulfill this responsibility?

“We’ll start out with Ramsés.”

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  “I’m sorry I did not hear part of that question.” (c. 19:44)

LEON SYKES:  “I’ll repeat it for you again, no problem.”

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  “Thank you.” (c. 19:48)

LEON SYKES:  “The Local Station Board actively reaches out to underrepresented communities to help the station serve a diversity of all races, creeds, colours, and nations, classes, genders, and sexual orientations, and ages, and to help build collaborative relations with organisations working for similar purposes.  How will you help the LSB fulfill this responsibility?”  (c. 20:14)

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [Ramsés draws on his experience in community organising and labour organising to help reach out to expand KPFA’s listenership.] (c. 21:19)

LEON SYKES:  “Time.”

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [Ramsés finishes his sentence.] (c. 21:23)

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you very much.  T.M.?”

T.M. SCRUGGS (UCR candidate):  “Yeah; I think those are great ideas.  A couple things, I think—you know, we need to advertise more.  We need to reach out beyond our already established base in, both, print and, especially, social media, try and get out there more.

“And the other major way we can get out there is the more we can be on the ground, be on-the-ground reporters of local activism and actions, then we not only offer journalism, that you can’t find elsewhere, but we expose KPFA to people, who are active in the social movements now and, frankly, are younger than the average KPFA listeners.

“And this type of connection can also come from more coverage of local cultural events of all kinds.  I mean it’s just the kind of intersection between a radio station and local populists, that defines community radio, that makes it dynamic, and helps people see it as their own.”  (c. 22:17)

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.  Tom?”

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “I support the participation of local community members in a programming committee, that does not presently exist. [6]  It was ended a couple of years ago.  And I support the return of that programming committee for making major programming decisions.”  (c. 22:46)

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.

“The Local Station Board insures that KPFA works diligently towards the goal of diversity in staffing at all levels and maintenance of a discrimination-free atmosphere in the workplace.  How will you help the LSB fulfill this responsibility?

“T.M.”  (c. 23:07)

T.M. SCRUGGS (UCR candidate):  “Well, we’re always there as a sounding board for people, who are, both, volunteers and paid staff—you know, unpaid staff and paid staff—to be able to come and be a way—besides, also, the union for the paid people—I wish, however, representation we could arrange for non-paid people, in case there is some kind of problem at the station.

“Besides that, the First Voice Apprenticeship Program is the most successful programme in that respect, here, at KPFA.  It deserves all the support we can give it.

“We need to recognise that only by extending KPFA into the future and expanding the space can what we have survive and grow and improve.  And, maybe, the staff can even learn from these interns some more on how best to maximise and increase our outreach.”

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.  Tom?”

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “Can you repeat the question?”  (c. 24:01)

LEON SYKES:  “[clears throat]

“The Local Station Board insures that KPFA works diligently towards the goal of diversity in staffing at all levels and maintenance of a discrimination-free atmosphere in the workplace.  How will you help the Local Station Board fulfill this responsibility?”  (c. 24:17)

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “[clears throat]  Well, generally, by not discriminating.  And I think that’s all I have to say.”

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.  Ramsés?”  (c. 24:33)

[Ramses recalls experiences on the LSB, which fell short of that stated ideal and he suggests transparency, trust, and accountability are needed to help remedy such issues.]

LEON SYKES:  “Time.”

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [Ramsés continues speaking, apparently, trying to finish his sentence.]

LEON SYKES:  “Time.”  (c. 25:39)

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [Ramsés finally finishes his sentence.]  (c. 25:43)

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you.  We will now open up our phone lines to our callers.  Once again, remember, if you would like to call in, you have one question to address all three candidates to answer.  Each candidate will be allowed one minute to answer.  And if you are thinking about calling in, or getting ready to call in, call 1.800.958-9008.  Let’s get our first caller on the line.  Hello, caller.  How are you doing?”

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER:  “Is that me?”

LEON SYKES:  “Yes, indeed.”  (c. 26:12)

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER:  “Oh.  Well, I’m liking what I’m hearing from the candidates.  But, I would like to, um, say that, um, I feel disrespected as a listener.  And I have been a subscriber before.  But I don’t anymore because I feel that there’s not a free exchange of ideas and that we are being preached to.  And there’s kind of a badge of so-called progressive beliefs, that are not really vetted, I feel, and that we could—you know; I’m a compassionate person.  But I would like to—I don’t—my beliefs are not exactly like what I hear the main programmers always saying.

“My question is: How would you get more debate and just more opinions?  I feel like we’re kind of limited and managed in our opinions at KPFA.”  (c. 27:03)

LEON SYKES:  “So, you wanna open up the—more opinions?  Okay.  Definitely.  T.M.”

T.M. SCRUGGS (UCR candidate):  “Well, you know, that’s something, that the United for Community Radio and all the community radio stations, that I’ve been at, that’s one of the great things of community radio that it’s, compared to corporate radio, free form, in the best sense of the word, not crazy, anarchic, the microphones are falling apart.  You know, whatever.  But it’s open to an expression of various ideas.

“And I notice that Mitch Jeserich started a call-in programme.  And I like that feel.  I mean I liked his programme before.  And I like the one now because it has more of a reference to the rest of the community. [8]

“I’m hoping that we can kind of keep bringing in more and more, not necessarily professional, but amateur, so to speak, in the best sense of the word, community voices in, so that we could have the broadest expression of what’s out there.  And without censorship.  If something’s crazy; alright, it’s on, it’s off.  You know?

“That’s just how we should do it.”  [moderator’s timer buzzer trilled.]  (c. 28:15)

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you very much.  Ramsés?”

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [Ramsés encourages feedback to the LSB about KPFA’s programming from listeners.  He also reminded listeners that the CAB, or Community Advisory Board, is another avenue for feedback about programming.]

LEON SYKES:  “Time.”  (c. 29:23)

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [Ramsés continues speaking, apparently, trying to finish his sentence.]

LEON SYKES:  “Time.”  (c. 29:30)

RAMSÉS TEÓN NICHOLS (UCR candidate):  ” [Ramsés continues speaking, apparently, trying to finish his sentence, as somebody lowers the volume on his voice.]  (c. 29:33)

LEON SYKES:  “[Moderator laughs under his breath, as the volume is faded down on Ramsés audio.]  Tom.”

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “Yeah.  I’m sorry.  I’m not hanging on to the questions very well, here.  Can you repeat that again?”

LEON SYKES:  “Uh, the caller wanted to know about getting more opinions and more variety of thoughts on these station. [sic]”

TOM VORHEES (UCR candidate):  “Well, the first thing I’d say is we need to do something with the current management plan.  We’re waiting to do something with the current management, programming manager, and her philosophy of censorship.  And we need to go back to debating issues, rather than cutting out pieces of them.”

LEON SYKES:  “Thank you very much.  T.M.?”

T.M. SCRUGGS (UCR candidate):  “I already answered.”

LEON SYKES:  “Excuse me.”

T.M. SCRUGGS (UCR candidate):  “That’s okay.”

LEON SYKES:  “Excuse me.  [someone interjects: “Keep going.”]  We’re gonna go to our next caller.  And, again, if you’re thinking about calling in, 1.800-958-9008.  And if you want more information, please go to Elections.Pacifica.org.  Caller?”

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER #2:  “Hello?”

LEON SYKES:  “Hello, there.”

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER #2:  “Am I on?”

LEON SYKES:  “Yes, you are.”  (c. 30:52)

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER #2:  ” [SNIP]

[(c. 44:00) Host Leon Sykes responds to a caller’s query, confirming that KPFA will only make the audio archives of the LSB Candidate Forums for two weeks, unlike most other public affairs programming, which are made accessible to KPFA listeners in perpetuity.]

[SNIP]

[SNIP]  (c. 59:59)

Learn more at KPFA.

[This transcript will be expanded as time constraints, and/or demand or resources, allow.]

***

[1]  Also see Pacifica Radio Network’s ‘Frequently Asked Questions‘ regarding the Local Station Boards.

UPDATE:  After further reconsideration, Lumpenproletariat is still withholding all support from the SaveKPFA faction.  Listener candidate Kris Stewart sounds promising, but, somehow, she seems opposed or unaware of the partisan divide between United for Community Radio (UCR) and SaveKPFA.  Here are Lumpenproletariat‘s ranked picks for the KPFA Local Station Board:

  1. T.M. Scruggs (UCR)
  2. Aki Tanaka (UCR)
  3. Carol Wolfley (UCR)
  4. Marilla Argüelles (UCR)
  5. Tom E. Vorhees (independent?)
  6. Ramsés Teón Nichols (UCR)

[2]  Although, at times, Mr. Sykes appreciated the rewards of trading off a bit of leniency with the time constraints, going easy on LSB candidate Ramsés, who seemed incapable of timing his responses within the time-constraints like the other candidates.  Mr. Sykes was more lenient.  But, then, Ramsés comments weren’t as critical of the SaveKPFA faction as the ones Mr. Sykes did cut off firmly.

[3]  We will have to provide some historical context here, as time constraints allow.  In the meantime, see the following:

  • “Stealing Save KPFA” by Curt Gray, San Francisco Bay View, 20 SEP 2010.

[4]  Terrestrial radio broadcast, 94.1 FM (KPFA, Berkeley, CA) with online simulcast and digital archiving:  Special Programming, this one-hour broadcast hosted by Leon Sykes, Tuesday, 8 SEP 2016, 19:00 PDT.  [For some unfortunate, antidemocratic reason, very important KPFA LSB broadcasts are removed from public access two weeks after initial broadcast, according to Leon Sykes.]

[5]  Yep, that’s all the information listeners were given.  This kind of thing shows how little certain people at KPFA think of having a democratic governance structure.  The prevailing powers in charge did not even provide a link to the current to Elections.Pacifica.org, much lest to past, or contextual LSB Candidate, information.

Even callers were asking if these broadcasts, infant examples of broadcast media democracy, would be archived.  The moderator, Leon Sykes, simply stated that the archives would be made available to the public for only about two weeks, after which they’d be buried away, lest listeners realise the circularity of the issues plaguing KPFA and free speech radio, generally, and learn from those mistakes.

During these 2016 discussions, which nobody would qualify as debates, the question of online presence came up as a way to increase listenership, funding, and community support.  What nobody mentioned is that LSB candidates have raised this issue for years, since KPFA and Pacifica won a legal battle, which awarded them a democratic governance structure.  But certain KPFA partisans have resisted this.  Indeed, online presence was a key campaign issue on the Voices for Justice slate, in which I ran as a Listener Candidate in 2010.  Years later, when I began archiving news and information at Lumpenproletariat.org, and readership started growing, KPFA’s gatekeepers arbitrarily blocked your author from posting comments on KPFA’s website.  Yet, free speech media audiences have been grateful for the increased online presence of free speech content.  I’ve emailed KPFA’s General Manager Quincy McCoy about this, but have only been ignored.  Instead of KPFA’s listener-members/owners learning from the mistakes of the past, listeners wash ashore to KPFA’s LSB, find internal conflict at KPFA, suggest the same common sense solutions as others in years past, then shrivel away in defeat, usually unaware that others have tried and failed the same way, as the faction with the deepest pockets, SaveKPFA, holds strong to their turf within KPFA and on the LSB.  SaveKPFA will abuse Robert’s Rules of Order to have its “top-down” way on the LSB, as one candidate said during tonight’s broadcast.

[6]  For more on the KPFA Program Council, which was opposed by the SaveKPFA faction, see the following:

  • “Program Council at KPFA” by Tracy Rosenberg, United for Community Radio, 22 OCT 2015, originally published circa 2009.

[7]  Point of information:  Longtime KPFA listeners, and listener-members, will recall that KPFA used to broadcast CARTs, which advertised for used car donations  And longtime KPFA LSB observers will recall that used car donations was also a fundraising strategy, which used to be addressed on the KPFA LSB.  Apparently, it has not been employed as a fundraising opportunity recently.

[8]  KPFA used to feature many more call-ins during their broadcasts.  For example, back in the late ’90s, Larry Bensky would take calls toward the final quarter of his midday radio show Living Room.  And Wendell Harper used to do the same on his evening show, What’s the Verdict.

***

[9 SEP 2016]

[Last modified 15:45 PDT  30 SEP 2016]

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2016 KPFA Local Station Board Candidate Forum, Live On-Air Broadcast #2

07 Wed Sep 2016

Posted by ztnh in Anti-War, Civic Engagement (Activism), collective bargaining, Education, Free Speech

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Akio Tanaka, Craig Williams, KPFA, KPFA Local Station Board, KPFA LSB, Leon Sykes, Pacifica Radio Network, Pacifica Unity Pledge 2015, SaveKPFA, transcript, United for Community Radio, Virginia Browning

"ProjectCensored" by Project Censored - This image has been downloaded from the website of Project Censored at www.projectcensored.org.. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ProjectCensored.png#/media/File:ProjectCensored.pngLUMPENPROLETARIAT—Free speech radio KPFA is holding its On-Air Forums this week for the 2016 KPFA Local Station Board (LSB) elections, as part of the nationwide Pacifica 2016 Elections.  KPFA’s LSB is a deliberative governing body, like other Pacifica Radio LSBs, tasked with providing checks and balances to the station management hierarchy. [1]

During this on-air forum, candidates were supposed to be given equal access in a formal debate fashion.  During tonight’s broadcast, host Leon Sykes, seemed to do better, in terms of organisation.  Yet, somehow his performance was worse than last night, when he kept insisting on restricting and curtailing the candidates’ and the callers’ participation to under one minute.  His over-emphasis on the time regulations, which were often clumsily handled, often undermined the spirit of the debate.  Sometimes, it’s worth trading off a little leniency on the time constraints when the dialogue is exponentially richer.

Oh, but beyond being stingy with the time during debate rotations last night, when the SaveKPFA candidates would “defer” or “pass” on a question, which they, either, didn’t bother to prepare for or preferred to ignore and downplay, and there was spare time, the host didn’t bother to take advantage of that spare airtime to allow the other candidates to speak.  Instead, our hired host simply ended the entire broadcast over five minutes early, which in radio time is a huge amount of time, and which the candidates who actually had something to say could have utilised to better inform the KPFA listener-members.

Fortunately, tonight, there were some stronger candidates and stronger callers than last night.  And they were demanding that somebody shed some light on the proceedings.  It’s pretty amazing that one of free speech radio’s most popular shows is literally called Democracy Now!.  (Notice that the title is a demand.)  Yet, the same audiences who understand the need for a truly democratic society, and who are fans of economist Dr. Richard Wolff and his advocacy for democracy in the workplace, allow certain people at KPFA to treat KPFA’s LSB elections as marginal.  KPFA listeners, as evidenced by the callers, have been left in the dark about the important history of KPFA and of its internal factions, some who have done very un-KPFA-like things in the past, but are still at KPFA working to monopolise free speech radio and block independent voices and grassroots activists from participating.

As we commented yesterday, what was missing from the first LSB Candidate Forum broadcast was a sense of context or historical background to how KPFA and the Pacifica Radio Network came to have a democratic governance structure and why it is so important.  KPFA listeners deserve to be treated with respect and provided with that crucial information.  You’ll notice the dramatic difference in the level of sincerity when the KPFA/Pacifica history is presented by the SaveKPFA side, which usually employs SaveKPFA partisan Matthew Lasar, or by others, such as Project Censored.

Callers were explicitly asking for historical context and for differentiation between the two political factions thus far represented:  SaveKPFA and Independents United for Community Radio.  Another caller, who many of us who have been part of the KPFA extended family for many years may recognise as, Virginia Browning challenged SaveKPFA’s illegitimate usage of the name SaveKPFA for their slate.  Indeed, the SaveKPFA faction has been caught engaging in various types of politricks and dirty dealings, such that they’ve had to change their slate name various times over the years.  Years ago, they called themselves “Concerned Listeners” (even though this political grouping was led by entrenched staffers) and before that “KPFA Forward“, if memory serves me.

If you’re a free speech radio KPFA listener, and you’ve received a ballot to vote for this next round of candidates to KPFA’s governance board, know that the SaveKPFA slate is toxic to KPFA/Pacifica’s principles of socioeconomic justice, which are enshrined in its Mission Statement, because they represent a clique of people, who have historically associated themselves as Wellstone Democrat partisans with associated moneyed interests, and have attempted to run roughshod over anyone to the left of their centrist circle at KPFA, or anybody who comes to free speech radio with any degree of sincerity and curiosity about the wizards of oz behind the green curtain. [2]  Listen (and/or download) here. [3]

Messina

***

[KPFA archive page programme summary.  Yep, that’s all the information listeners were given.  It kind of shows how little certain people at KPFA think of having a democratic governance structure.]

KPFA—[7 SEP 2016]  Tune in to 94.1 FM or hear it live on kpfa.org or listen later on the archives.  Listeners may call in 510-848-4425, or 800-958-9008 with questions.

Learn more at KPFA.

***

[Working draft transcript of actual radio broadcast by Messina for Lumpenproletariat and KPFA Radio.]

KPFA—[7 SEP 2016]  “Good evening.  I’m your moderator, Leon Sykes.  You are tuned in to Day Two of our three-day Local Candidate Forums for 2016.  We are currently holding two separate parallel elections for delegates to the KPFA Local Station Board.  Listener members will vote for listener candidates.  Staff members will vote for staff candidates.  There are nine vacant listener and three vacant staff seats on the KPFA Local Station Board.  More information can be found at Elections.Pacifica.org.  Ballots must be received by the ballot company, TrueBallot, by September 30th.  Please note:  That is not ‘postmarked by’, but received by TrueBallot by September 30th.  Online voting will end at 8:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on September 30th.

“If you have not received your ballot, please email les-kpfa2016@pacifica.org or call 510.848-6767 extension 605.

“If you’ve lost, damaged, or misplaced your ballot and need a replacement, please email les-kpfa2016@pacifica.org or call 510.848-6767, extension 605.  Please let us know whether you would like a paper ballot printed and mailed to you, or whether you are fine with receiving an email with your secure PIN for voting online.

“Candidates were asked to submit up to 500 words when turning in their ballot nomination paperwork.  They were also invited to submit up to 200 words as well as complete a candidate questionnaire, which was optional.  [sniffs]

“Those questions—those answers can all be found online at Elections.Pacifica.org.  In particular, please click on the KPFA candidates’ statements link, Elections.Pacifica.org/wordpress/kpfa-candidates.  (c. 2:11)

“If you would like a candidate pamphlet printed and mailed to you, we need to receive your request by September 12th [2016].  Please email les-kpfa2016@pacifica.org or call 510.848-6767, extension 605.  Please note:  Candidate pamphlets only include the 200-word statements.

“Now, we will introduce our candidates and get an opening remark up to two minutes from each candidate.  There is more information available at Elections.Pacifica.org.

“Now, we will be introducing our candidates.  Each candidate will have up to two minutes for an opening statement.  I will be starting off with [a SaveKPFA candidate, like I did last night, but this time it’s] Craig Williams.”  (c. 2:51)

CRAIG WILLIAMS [SaveKPFA slate]:  “Hi, my name is Craig Williams.  And I’m a candidate with the SaveKPFA slate.  (c. 2:58)  [SNIP]

[Four ideas on how to increase listenership]  [4]  (c. 4:50)

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “Thank you.  Next we have Aki Tanaka.”  (c. 4:55)

akio-300x225

Akio Tanaka (United for Community Radio slate; Green Party)

AKIO TANAKA [United for Community slate]:  “Uh, my name is Aki Tanaka.  And I’m running with the Community for—[laughs]—United for Community Radio team.  And I’m a retired engineer.  And I have been County Counselor for the Green Party.  And, also, I served on the KPFA Board for six years.  And significant is that both organisations do not take corporate money.

“Second of all, where corporations own the media and control both political parties, the voice of KPFA and Pacifica is more crucial than ever.  We need to preserve the network for the younger generations.

“But, first, we must end the internecine battle within KPFA.  We should acknowledge that the current financial crisis was over, sort of, of our own making.  Between 2000 and 2005, we more than doubled the payroll.  And, then, there was the financial crash thing; and we were caught off guard.  And we’re still, you know, paying the price for that situation of the boom-and-bust.

“And, uh [pause], the staff and the management have to resolve the gap between the income and the expense, as difficult as that might be.

“Then, over the past five years, under the SaveKPFA [faction], we’ve been in a situation where in 2013, -14, and -15, we lost CPB funding.  And, then, also, you know, the General Manager is saying that we are in dire straits; we couldn’t continue operation.

“So, I think it’s time to change the direction and we cannot take any corporate funding.  But let’s not break up the [Pacifica Radio] Network for short-term gain.

“Please vote for me, Aki Tanaka and the rest of the United for Community Radio team.  Thank you.”  (c. 6:53)

carol-e1469128105702-300x300LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “Thank you.  [clears throat]  Next, we’ll have Carol Wolfley.”  (c. 6:58)

CAROL WOLFLEY [United for Community slate]:  “Thank you, Leon.  And hello, listeners.  I’m Carol Wolfley.  I’m a retired teacher, a California mediator, a union negotiator, a permaculture and media activist.

“As KPFA and the world are at great risk, we need to develop our precious media resources as powerful alternatives to corporate media monopolies, that deny, distract, and disparage.  I want brave journalists, visionary writers, and multimedia activists to bring us accurate and timely news.

“As a member of KPFA’s Community Advisory Board, I’ve gathered input from thousands of listeners from San Jose to Sebastopol and beyond.  And I advocate for coverage of the issues, that you care about, like the struggles against high-profit development projects and covering protests against police murders of people of colour, and inspiring activists in Puerto Rico, in Haiti, North Dakota, and here.  I want to bring the community back into KPFA by organising a massive membership drive and re-opening our volunteer phone room.  And let’s bring KPFA.org into the global media revolution using social media, news segments, live streaming of events, and podcasts of diverse music and culture to help us connect with youth and community organisations.

“We, especially, need more posting of your events on KPFA.org’s Community Calendar.  Please, help us protect community media by voting for me, Carol Wolfley, and the United for Community Radio candidates.

“Y también quieremos amplificar la programación en español con—”  (c. 9:04)

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “Carol, we’re out of time.”

CAROL WOLFLEY [United for Community slate]:  “—Unidos.”

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “Thank you very much.  Now, we will be moving on to a a series of five questions we have from the moderators. [5]  And we will be opening our phone lines up for listeners.  Please call in at 1.800.958-9008.  We’ll be getting into the call-ins a little later.  Once again, if you have any questions, please call in to 1.800.958-9008.

“And, please remember, we need you to ask only one question, please, one direct question. [clears throat] [6]

“So, now, we are going to start.  Each candidate will be given one minute to answer.  Our first question is:

“The Local Station Board reviews and approves the station’s budget and makes quarterly reports to the Foundation’s board of directors regarding the station’s budget, actual income, and expenditures.  How will you help the LSB carry out this responsibility?”  (c. 10:04)  [SNIP]

[SNIP]”

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  ” [pending] ”  (c. 32:09)

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER:  “I’m fine.  I’m on.  And I would like to know what is the difference between the two slates:  SaveKPFA and United for Community Radio.  I’d like the candidates to talk about why they are on the slate, that they have chosen and, also, does your slate have a website where we could get more information about your platform and so on?”

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “So, we have to keep it to one question.  So, you wanna know why they’re on that slate, that they chose.  Correct? [7]”

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER:  “Um—uh—what, what are the differences between the two slates?”

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “Okay.  Thank you very much.  Uh, we’ll start off with [Independents candidate] Aki Tanaka.”  (c. 32:55)

AKIO TANAKA [United for Community slate]:  “Well, I think the reason I am running with Independents for Community Radio is that I think that it’s very crucial that we stay as a [radio] network, that just because we’re having a financial problem in one area, that we sacrifice the network just, you know, for the interest of some local needs.

“And, so, I am, sort of, of the belief that the Pacifica Network is crucial to our country, that it’s not just crucial to our local area.  And I think that is the difference between us and SaveKPFA.”  (c. 33:.34)

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “Okay.  Uh, Craig?” [8]

CRAIG WILLIAMS [SaveKPFA candidate]:  “Um, well, I became involved in SaveKPFA when [the SaveKPFA faction radio show] The Morning Show was taken off the air, which was, to a lot of people, a very asinine decision. [9]  It was our best show, in terms of fundraising.  It was probably our most popular show. [10]  And it was just a devastating decision.

“But what’s happening right now is that the two factions, that exist are starting to work a lot more together.  There’s a thing called the Pacifica Unity Pledge. [11]  And I think this is the solution for the future, that we’ve worked out our differences and, you know, move forward.”  (c. 34:19)

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “Thank you.  Carol?”  (c. 34:22)

CAROL WOLFLEY [United for Community slate]:  “Um, thank you, Mara, for the question. [12]  Um, my feeling is that United for Community Radio members of the slate, and all the people working in it, are very community-oriented, in organisations in the community, wanting more activist radio, wanting more people from the communities on the radio submitting podcasts, submitting information, opening it up, keeping the phone room open, and our website is UnitedforCommunityRadio.org and our Facebook is United for Community | Facebook.

“And you can see lots of independent media people posting on our Facebook, sharing media.”  (c. 35:13)

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “Thank you.  Once again, I wanna urge listeners to call in:  1.800.958-9008.  Once again, 1.800.958-9008.

“Let’s take our next call, please.  Hello, caller?”

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER #2:  “Hello.”

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “How’s it goin’?”

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER #2:  “Fine.  Thank you.  Yes, I would like to follow up on the very last question, that we heard the answers to.  Could you give us a little history of how these two slate organisations came to exist?  What’s the background of it?  I still don’t quite understand how to choose between the two slates of candidates.”

LEON SYKES [moderator]:  “Alright.  Thank you.  Um, we’ll start off with Carol?” (c. 36:05)

CAROL WOLFLEY [United for Community slate]:  “Um, well, I can say that, looking at the history, I mean I know some of the endorsers, if you go to the website, you can see some of the UCR endorsers.  And there are people, like Davey D, Dennis Bernstein, Peter Phillips, um, Mickey Huff, Bonnie Faulkner.

“So, these are people out in the community, doing a lot of community activities and working and building—Andres Soto.  [brief pause]  Thanks.  [brief pause] (Is that?  Oh, I have some more time?  Sorry.)

“So, the history, you know, public radio is different from community radio.  And I think we’re more community radio-oriented and have been.  And I think that public radio is a little more NPR-type.  And I think, you know, we wanna stay away from that.”  (c. 37:06)

[SNIP]

[SNIP]  (c. 59:59)

Learn more at KPFA.

[This transcript will be expanded as time constraints, and/or demand or resources, allow.]

***

[1]  The more authoritarian types, such as the SaveKPFA partisans, attempt to curtail the scope and authority of the LSB.  And you hear this in the rhetoric of the SaveKPFA candidates, as during this evening’s broadcast.  And the more sincere types, virtually all of the non-SaveKPFA candidates and partisans, understand the important role the LSB plays in the cyclical operations of KPFA.  Such candidates do not wish to shrink it down to a size, which can be flushed down a toilet bowl.

One non-SaveKPFA candidate during last night’s forum pointed out that much of the “financial crisis”, which KPFA and Pacifica currently find themselves in is due to certain people at KPFA simply not filing the necessary documents needed to stay in good standing with their Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funding stipulations.  This apparent sabotage of KPFA sounds typical of the SaveKPFA partisans at KPFA and on KPFA’s Local Station Board.

Factional struggles aside, KPFA, and its spin-off Pacifica Radio Network, provides probably the world’s only example of democratic free speech radio with democratic governance.  This democratic governance structure was hard won through listener resistance in the late 1990s to the top-down management style of the Pacifica National Board executives, who were bent on, either, NPR-ising KPFA/Pacifica or selling it off.  But, instead, that all-powerful form of governance, where elite executives could unilaterally decide the fate of KPFA/Pacifica Radio, was replaced by a National Pacifica Board comprised of representatives from each Pacifica station’s Local Station Board.  But some within KPFA didn’t like that.  So, the struggle between opposing viewpoints continues.  And you could see it in this LSB Candidate Forum.  The SaveKPFA faction, including the accountant-type candidate, promote austerity politics being imposed on KPFA and view the Pacifica Radio Network of stations throughout the country as a drag and dead weight to be cut off, rather than an invaluable asset, which needs to be saved and expanded.

[2]  We will have to provide some historical context here, as time constraints allow.

[3]  Terrestrial radio broadcast, 94.1 FM (KPFA, Berkeley, CA) with online simulcast and digital archiving:  Special Programming, this one-hour broadcast hosted by Leon Sykes, Tuesday, 7 SEP 2016, 19:00 PDT.

[4]  It would be funny, if it weren’t so painful to hear this newcomer to the KPFA LSB scene go on with his “strategy for expanding KPFA listenership”.

[5]  “[…] from the moderators”?  What?  Isn’t he, Leon Sykes, the moderator?  Here, the host mysteriously defers responsibility for the character and nature of the question prompts.  But who wrote these decontextualising and sterile questions, which avoid the much more interesting and crucial questions.

[6]  Your humble author considers myself a pacifist.  He meditates and works to live mindfully.  But Leon Sykes, here, is just being a douche, dimishing the openness of the dialogue.  Who cares if a caller asks a multi-part question, as long as the air time is kept fair across the candidates, and the candidate does her, or his, best to respond to the caller’s questions?

I’ve been listening to free speech radio for decades now, and calling in from time to time over many years now.  And, sometimes, usually the less radical, the less open-minded, radio hosts would try to manipulate, twist, manage, and control my comments and those of other callers.  Often, such radio hosts, take the attitude, like Mr. Sykes here, that callers should only call with a question, as if this were Jeopardy.  Often, I would make a comment designed to give listeners some context, and then pose my challenging question.  But, when certain broadcasters are taken to task, they don’t like that.  So, they try intimidate, dominate, and wield their authority over listeners and try to stifle free speech and dissent against the moneyed interests at KPFA, such as the SaveKPFA slate, the only slate, which doesn’t sweat spending tens of thousands of dollars sending out professional-looking campaign propaganda mailers.

[7]  Your humble author considers myself a pacifist.  He meditates and works to live mindfully.  But his response to Leon Sykes, here, is:  What a douche bag!  It seems Mr. Sykes is a SaveKPFA partisan, who is running out the clock when he does stuff like this.  And it’s bad radio.  First of all, the caller had already asked her question.  And who cares if it’s a multi-part question?  It seems like he’s just giving any caller, who is critical, a hard time to discourage critical thinking around the KPFA LSB Elections.  It just seems like Mr. Sykes is trying to run out the clock, so that the SaveKPFA candidates will have less time on the hot seat, risking callers challenging them on air.  This sort of thing just seems anti-democratic.  And it happened throughout the first and second broadcasts.  It’s an injustice to KPFA listeners and to the spirit and mission of KPFA and its spin-off, the Pacifica Radio Network.

[8]  Notably, host Leon Sykes seems to be on a first-name basis with SaveKPFA candidates, unlike with the Independents United for Community Radio candidates.  Mr. Sykes’ more casual rapport with “Craig” seems consistent with Mr. Sykes overall performance, which seems subtly slanted in favour of the SaveKPFA faction.  Usually, the SaveKPFA faction has more clout within the station and is able to determine many aspects of KPFA Board election processes, including who will host the On-Air Forums, which questions will be asked, and the terms of the proceedings.

[9]  This SaveKPFA candidate reveals their primary concern, which is controlling programming.  Indeed, this is an important consideration for everyone involved because KPFA can continue to open its airwaves to radical voices of dissent, or it can begin to water down its perspectives by opting for an NPR-lite bastardisation of its historically radical radio character.  But the SaveKPFA faction has usually opposed anyone to the political left of their Wellstone Democrat center-left position.

But it’s important to note how SaveKPFA is just as interested in the future of KPFA’s (and Pacifica’s) programming.  They may try to be coy, like the current chair Carole Travis (or the past one Margy Wilkinson, if memory serves me) and play innocent, as if they’re simply trying to protect the station and its finances, when they always have Macchiavellian ulterior motives.  (For example, consider some of your author’s past experiences with attempting to participate at KPFA.)

[10]  Right-wing radio is super “popular”, too.  But that doesn’t mean KPFA should start having a right-wing morning show.  The Morning Show was replaced by a collective of volunteers due to a paid staff restructuring, if memory serves me.  That volunteer collective was called The Morning Mix, which was also very popular and provided a diversity of perspectives throughout the week.  But, then, the SaveKPFA faction was able to wrest control away from The Morning Mix and replace it with Brian Edwards-Tiekert and the SaveKPFA faction’s UpFront, followed by SaveKPFA ally Sonali Kolhatgar’s Los Angeles-based Uprising, which is now called Rising Up with Sonali.

[11]  Pacifica Unity Pledge 2015:

Pacifica Radio has a storied reputation as the nation’s largest progressive radio network. Over the years it has reached millions of listeners with hard-hitting reporting, community voices, critical analysis, cutting edge arts, culture and music. Many consider it the most valuable progressive media asset in this country: the broadcast licenses it holds have the potential to reach tens of millions of people.

Yet Pacifica is in a crisis that threatens its very existence: years of bitter infighting and unstable leadership have paralyzed programming innovation and the move to emerging platforms; they have decimated our network’s finances, lost us millions in public funding, and brought down scrutiny from the California Attorney General, who has the power to place the network in receivership.

This Spring, a group of staff and listeners from opposite sides of the factional divide at Pacifica’s Northern California station, KPFA, began meeting to discuss the nature of Pacifica’s crisis, and how to get out of it. Although we have not resolved many of our differences, with some surprise and real gratification we have found ourselves able to talk productively about the problems and seriously consider major structural changes.

We now believe the current governance structure of Pacifica shares much of the blame for our crisis. Pacifica’s current bylaws were created in reaction to a takeover by an unaccountable board, and intended to prevent such a takeover from happening again. But the complexities created as safeguards have created their own problems. The current setup has proven ineffective at advancing Pacifica’s mission; it is costly and acrimonious; and it tends to devolve into warring factions more inclined to blame each other for problems than to work together on solutions.

There is very limited time to change course–less than a year before California’s Attorney General could intervene. In that year, we are calling for a network-wide consensus-building process with the goal of overhauling our network’s bylaws and governance system to advance sound fiscal management and the production of mission-driven programming.

We have ideas, but not a specific proposal: that must come from a larger and more inclusive group than us. But we are calling on everyone in Pacifica to join in, and are proposing that all of us as active members of Pacifica, and in particular people or slates running in the upcoming board elections formally endorse the Unity Pledge.

Pacifica Unity Pledge

I am committed to participating
in a network-wide consensus-building
process with the goal of reforming
Pacifica’s governance to make it simpler,
effective, smaller, and calmer.

Sign The Pledge

Here is an explanation of these principles:

Simpler. The rules we operate by should be simple enough that members, boards and staff can understand them without a major commitment of time or recourse to lawyers, so they can focus their energy on the business of re-building our radio stations;

Effective. Our structure needs to clearly establish and delineate authority, so that there are clear lines of responsibility and accountability;

Smaller. Smaller boards are less inclined to factionalize, less expensive to convene and support, and more conducive to effective problem solving;

Calmer. Overall, we need to explore decision-making processes and voting methods that will promote stability, deescalate conflict, and lead to creative solutions rather than narrow victories.

This Pacifica Crisis Statement and proposed pledge was prepared and agreed to after a series of discussions this spring involving Aileen Alfandary, Virginia Browning, Susan da Silva, Peter Franck, Adrienne Lauby, Nicole Milner, Lewis Sawyer, Sally Sommer, Carol Spooner, Brian Edwards-Tiekert, Carole Travis, & Margy Wilkinson.

[12]  Notably, this apparently female caller was never identified.  But, apparently, Carole Wolfley is referring to longtime KPFA, and KPFA LSB, supporter Mara Rivera.  Your author recognised most of the speakers’ voices (by recognising their voice tones, timbres, and personalities).  But your author did not, initially, recognise Mara Rivera’s voice.  So, it is possible that this is a different “Mara”.

(Your author also ran for the KPFA LSB back in 2010, alongside Dr. Sureya Sayadi and SF Bay Area Labour Journalist Steve Zeltzer, who currently hosts the labour radio show WorkWeek on KPFA.  If there were any justice at KPFA, they’d make all that past information, past candidate statements, past On-Air LSB Candidate Forums easily accessible online.  Then listeners wouldn’t be so in the dark about who is who and who has done what and whose corrupt union has decertified the Unpaid Staff Organization, and who has sued who, and who has threatened who with violence, arbitrarily called the police on listeners and volunteers at KPFA, and so forth.  Listeners would find that the SaveKPFA now, and in the past, has been a corrupt bunch of partisans connected to the Democratic Party and other moneyed interests.)

***

[8 SEP 2016]

[Last modified  01:43 PDT  10 SEP 2016]

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