KPFA's battle with Pacifica

Subject: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 10 May 99 - 03:11 PM

Yesterday I was planning to go to the East Bay Pickin' and Fiddlin' Potluck, but while driving I heard there was going to be a demonstration against the Pacifica Foundation's arbitrary firing of the KPFA station manager, apparently because she started questioning the foundation directors' use of funds (15 percent of revenues collected by Pacifica's member stations, all listener supported, go to Pacifica). The demonstration was to feature performances by Laurie Lewis and Tom Rosum, Holly Near, Ronnie Gilbert, and U. Utah Phillips, so I figured I had to check that out, even at the expense of the monthly P&F jam. I managed to chat with--and get aoutgraphs on my banjo head--from Ronnie Gilbert, Holly Near, and Utah (who looks great, by the way) despite my lack of a pen (Wavy Gravy lent me his for Ronnie's signature, someone else lent me a pen for Utah's, and Holly had her own pen). I also chatted with Laurie--apologizing for a stupid joke I had made during one of her performances at the Freight and Salvage, Berkeley's folk music coffee house. She didn't remember it but remembered my introducing myself during the intermission as her niece's photography teacher. Nice people all, great performers--Laurie and Tom are a truly dynamite duet, great singers and great instrumentalists.

There were about a thousand people in Martin Luther King, Jr., park--known during the Sixties and Seventies as Provo Park--to protest what they felt was an assault on free speech, which may be caused simply by board members' attempt to cover their profligate asses, but paranoid old Seed is worried might be a sign of a corporate takeover of our one source of real news.

--seed

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: Mudjack
Date: 10 May 99 - 06:16 PM

So what can we do to Help? I use to listen to Pac/Rad in the LA area(KPFK) but since living in remote area of WA state, can get nothing but top 40 Coun/Westn. I can do something about that, turn it off. I like you would not want to see KPFA programming go by way of the Corporate Knife. I always thought Pacifica was as in tune as the programming itself.

> How can we help?

Mudjack

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: Mike Billo
Date: 10 May 99 - 07:06 PM

The problems with KPFA management have been ongoing for some time. They began downsizing their music programming a few years ago, eliminating live on-location broadcasts altogether. Getting rid of Raina Lee's Hawaiian Music show, Opal Nation's various theme-based music shows (his Banjo Ikey Robinson tribute is one of the treasures of my tape collection), firing Latina community activst Nina Serrano, and a host of other problems that have been going on for years. Unfortunately, they're still the best thing on local radio(where there is already VERY slim pickin's). I still listen, but I'm no longer a supporting member,and wrote them about my concerns when I discontinued my membership. I pointed out that I was a second-generation member, that my dad had mailed a pledge when they first started broadcasting in '49 ( I received no response). I won't become one again until management cleans up their act, since it seems that the language of the $ is the only one they understand. Maybe if other members withdraw their financial support, they'll get the message. In an unrelated matter BSeed, driving my daughter to a job interview prevented me from going to the Berkely Pot Luck last month, and I still want to go to one, so if you could find the time to email me off-list at [e-mail] with details of where and when it's held, I would be very grateful. Thanks

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 12 May 99 - 02:43 AM

Mike, I just got an email with the summer potluck schedule this evening. Here it is Only the June one is difficult to find--and parking might be a problem:

EAST BAY FIDDLIN' & PICKIN' POTLUCKS Summer '99

Sundays, 12-5pm, 50¢ donation covers paper goods, printing, etc. PLEASE, we need your pot-luck food contributions to make this successful NO pets, smoking outside only. Please volunteer to help set up or clean up. Thanks!

Summer '99 Schedule

June 6 N.B. 1st Sunday. Marian Gade 136 Highland Blvd, Kensington, 524-9815. Taking the Arlington north. Go rt. on Westminister, rt. on Kenyon, lt. on Willamette, and lt. on Highland. Park rt. side of street. Coordinators: Jean & Jeff Crossley, 530/795-2906.

July 11 Alice Green, 2220 Sacramento, Berkeley, 849-4929. South of

University Ave. Near Allston Way. Coordinators: Jean & Jeff Crossley,

[phone]. {Special Thanks to Ed Hilton & Jean Rosen for switching with Jean & Jeff and coordinating in June. }

Aug. 8 Alice Sharp, 1535 Grant, Berkeley, 843-8259. Between Cedar & Vine. Coordinators: Mark Berkley, [phone]: Lynn Wilde, [phone].

Sept.12 Marv Sternberg, 1713 Cedar St., Berkeley, 527-3224. Between Edith & McGee. Coordinators: Laura Stallone, 704-1943; Shelby Sampson, 237-1960.

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 12 May 99 - 02:56 AM

Mudjack, check the savepacifica.cjb.net website:

Click here

If this works it'll be my first little blue clicky thingy. Wow! Imagine! Even old --seed can learn, Joe.

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: Mike Billo
Date: 12 May 99 - 11:28 AM

Many thanks for the info BSeed. I hope to see you there. I'll try to make a point of wearing my Mudcat Tee Shirt. Come up and say hi.

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: northfolk/al cholger
Date: 12 May 99 - 10:39 PM

The worst betrayals are the ones where our "friends" betray us or our shared principals...

I know very little about the discharges at KPFA/Pacifica,

I do know that Pacifica is broadcasting a program that I am very enthused about, JUNE 6, 12:00 EST from WBAI in NY.

The broadcast will be transmitted on both the Pacifica Ku Satellite, and the NPR Satellite...and will be picked up in most major markets, by willing Pacifica and NPR outlets.

The subject will be a panel discussion of JUST Healthcare, with leading authorities from the US and Canada...

The final verse is:

Pete Seeger and other Folks are also doing a fund raiser... same issue May 17, in NY NY...thought I better include a music reference or I might be accused of more BS. Now if I could just learn about the blue clickie thing... I could help you lead yourselves astray...

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: gargoyle
Date: 12 May 99 - 11:53 PM

KPKA "Frisco" is associated with the Pacifica sister station KPFK in "Los Angeles."

The station manager was not "fired," she was released.

Let go. Tune in - Turn on - and Drop out..... famous words of the KPF orginal sisterhood of the '60's.

The name of the station itself involves "PEACE" brother - soooo....don't be up-tight brother B.S.

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: Banjer
Date: 13 May 99 - 12:48 AM

This seems to be a current trend in Public Radio these days. It is not really Public Radio anymore but Them What Has The Most Money Radio! I also withdrew my support of our local PR station, WMNF 88.5, Tampa, when they cut back the Bluegrass from a 3 hour daily time slot to two hours Monday night and one hour Saturday morning, all in teh name of MONEY! I sent several letters to the station management trying to explain that folks that truly listen to Bluegrass (and its roots, Appalachian Mountain music) are not traditionaly the most affluent people on the block. I know I ain't! But the money that demamded more Reggae and Hip Hop type music prevailed, so I chose to withdraw my support, as did many others. The station has today, in my opinion, "gone to hell". BTW no one ever answered my letters either!

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 13 May 99 - 03:01 AM

Before you made your judgement, Gargoyle, did you trouble yourself to click the blue thingy? --seed

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 May 99 - 03:25 AM

Banjer: me, too! KUWR at the University of Wyoming is totally indistinguishable from any other station on the dial except for its news programs.

They took off the Saturday opera which had been on the airwaves in Wyoming ever since I and my family can remember; relegated all classic to the evening hours in direct competition with primtime tv viewing; those were/are the only available on-air classical music programs in Wyoming; moved Thistle & Shamrock to Sunday evenings; we get Car Talk TWICE(!); and, even their decent local shows have been dumbed down to a horrible mix of NOT THE BEST of bluegrass, country, and folk, with a tiny bit of Celtic thrown in.

They compete directly with the top 40 stations by playing hits and then play former hits, but not by the original artists, NO, they play lousy renditions by people I've never heard of.

My husband, Roger's theory is that ever since they joined in the NPR "you can buy the music you hear on here through our 800 number" is when their playlist became narrowly defined and it really SUCKS.

They started this two years ago. I called the station manager and went round and round with him, wrote letters to the editor and sent them to him. Withdrew my monthly monetary support and never tune in except for BBC news and a couple of other news shows, plus Prairie Home Companion.

The other thing they do is blatantly take news items from the paper and read them as news, the day after the story has been in the paper! It is a sad, sad state of affairs. Now I listen to Internet radio almost exclusively. In the car, I gave up and tune in mostly to the oldies, sometimes to the top 40; I do love those Bare Naked Ladies!

The dumbing down of public radio....bringing it down to the lowest common denominator.

katlaughing, but not very much!

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: Banjer
Date: 13 May 99 - 06:16 AM

Kat, and others, try what I did. Take time to go through all your old LP's and 45's (and yes even the 78's, if you have any) and record them onto cassettes. Then carry them with you in the vehicle and you will never have to listen to anything you don't want to hear on commercial radio! I have several tapes made up this way with songs from the 60's such as Puff The Magic Dragon, Blowin' In The Wind, etc. Other tapes include some of the early C&W I like. This way I avoid all the commercial advertising that is found on the airwaves. It is also a good way to preserve some of the records that may have seen better days.
I can't pinpoint exactly when the decline of our PR station began' but it seems to coincide with several of the volunteer DJ's leaving. One whom I knew personally was told "she would play no songs by a certain group, play more more songs of another group which she didn't think really fit in the format of the show, and was also told to cut out the chatter," (in which she would tell about the background of the song, which was very interesting and made her show unique). She also did this neat feature, playing music from her private collection where she would play all the songs in a series such as The Great Speckled Bird, I Didn't Know God Made Honky Tonk Angels, It wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels, etc...Nettajeane moved back to Alabama and last I heard from her she was doing another show on the local PR up there. Our loss was their gain!

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: northfolk/al cholger
Date: 13 May 99 - 01:57 PM

I agree with all of your thoughts and some of your remedies, except, the airways still should be accessable to all of us...not just those who can pay the "commercial" costs. There are many issues that deserve wide public discussion. TV is out of our cost range, although we should get a chance there too.

I think it is censorship, based on our ability to pay...

An interesting note is the issue of what I think are called Narrow Band radio stations, widely under attack here in Mich...about the only place that Detroit area bands get air time...(mostly Rock and Rollers) but I started out on that and then moved on to the harder stuff!

What do you think?

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 May 99 - 02:03 PM

Oh, Banj, ya gota have a cassette player on deck before that'll work. My old Subaru ain't equipped, but it is a good idea.

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: Bob Schwarer
Date: 13 May 99 - 04:04 PM

I gave up on WMNF also. They do a pledge drive every 6 months (or whenever they need more money for something) And tell you to give or this program(the one asking at the time) may be gone. So you donate. The program you favor makes its goal. Safe for another 6 months you think. HAH! Not if they decide to dump it.

Banjer is right.

Bob S.

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: gargoyle
Date: 14 May 99 - 12:07 AM

Oh....I "twanged the magic twanger Froggy."

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: gargoyle
Date: 14 May 99 - 12:13 AM

I reclicked, "just to be sure we were on the same planet." So what is BS gripe? The statement of 05/10 pretty well sums up my sentiments. Frisco has always considered itself "above" the rest of the plebians.

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: gargoyle
Date: 14 Jul 99 - 09:46 AM

Sister stations are reporting that Tuesday night, July 13 40 people were arrested, ten of whom were staff.

The fifty year station is in position to be sold.

Today's programing is all canned tapes.

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 03:40 AM

Right you are, Gargoyle: the station which founded Pacifica is being torpedoed by the foundation. The station of which I have been a supporting member for many years, 18 percent of my contributions ending up in the hands of Pacifica. I'm glad the station is finally taking the foundation to court, a move I suggested back at the time I started this thread, although I suggested a membership suit: it's our money, our station. --seed

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: Legal Eagle
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 06:55 PM

Er - if you want a tape to play in your car, go and buy it. Artists have to eat. Most countries' copyright laws do not have a "private purposes " exemption, and I happen to thing that is right.

Subject: RE: KPFA's battle with Pacifica
From: Mudjack
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 10:22 PM

Legal Eagle, pay who? the artist or the big business faction who insist on pulling their share out of the pot. I go to a live concerts and put my money on the table, buy the CD. How much more support can one give? Tap the blank tape sorce and see how much goes to the artist in need.
Mudjack