>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 22:23:09 EDT >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: [imc-la] Ex-KPFK'ers respond to "Letter to Amy Goodman" > >The letter below was presented to "Democracy Now!" Amy Goodman by Blase >Bonpane of the Office of the Americas last night in Los Angeles at a >National Lawyers Guild dinner when Amy received an award and standing ovation >from the Guild. > >Just prior to the recently concluded KPFK fund drive, a list of >current KPFK staff sent a letter to Amy Goodman regarding her >references to the banned and fired at WBAI. (see the bottom of the >page) > >Some ex-KPFK'ers have recently sent letter to Amy in response to >the one from the present staff. > >Below is a letter signed by a group of people, as well some >individual responses. > >============================ > >An open letter to Amy Goodman from KPFK's FIRED, BANNED, >or DRIVEN OUT: > >Dear Amy, > >We have seen the recent letter sent to you by the programmers of >KPFK, i.e., those who have benefited from the removal, firing and >banning of, by Mark Schubb's own estimate, over 150 programmers >and staff from KPFK since 1995. > >There are a few things you should be aware of when considering >their appeal to you. > >First, KPFK is what you describe WBAI as, the studios of the fired >and the banned. However, it is not the studios of its listeners. >Over the past several years KPFK has seen it's fundraising >revenues nearly double. But total subscribership still remains in the >range of 14,000 subscribers, well below its peak of approximately >16,000 in the eighties, when KPFK made a genuine effort to be a >voice of diverse communities. But money is what matters now. It >is the main measure of success. > >This increase in funding has coincided with: >* Elimination of the station folio >* The decimation of the community calendar (from twice daily to >once weekly now) > * The destruction of the internship program * The loss of a >functioning local news department, with local news replaced by a >third daily airing of the ever more tepid Pacifica Network News > * The removal of all programmers of color from drive-time public >affairs programming, and the reduction of all local public affairs >programming by people of color to fewer than four hours a week >total, in a city in which a majority of people are people of color > >In addition, the station no longer has a program director, a news >director, a development director, or an on-site engineer. > >Where is all the money going? > >Current programmers have been silent about purges that have >taken place at KPFK since the mid-nineties -- purges of Native- >Americans, African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans and >white programmers who didn't appeal to their desired target market. >They do not like your raising the specter of those purges to their >target market. They comfort themselves with the illusion that they >are somehow more professional in their conduct than those who >were displaced to make room for them, and they want the money >to keep flowing in, even though with every additional dollar that >comes in the community seems to get less and less service, and >the audience becomes more and more a commodity. > >Now the public affairs programmers during "peak drive times" -- are >all white with one exception: Earl Ofari Hutchinson, who stepped >happily into the 7 PM Tuesday spot vacated when Ron Wilkins was >banned for attempting to notify the listeners of the purging of >African-American and Latino programmers at Pacifica in 1996. > >Nearly all the 'diversity' of KPFK's broadcasters comes through >music programming. But more importantly, the range of political >perspective represented by the public affairs programmers signing >this letter is so narrow that only they themselves are likely to >imagine it represents a broad swath of political thought. And of >course, there are no signatures from news broadcasters at KPFK >because there is essentially no functioning local news department >at KPFK. > >So yes, they are disturbed that your message to the listeners >about what is being done with their money may be heard. They >don't want the listeners to ask questions about what is being done >to community radio. They want the listeners to buy the product. >The money tells these programmers they are right, and you telling >the truth threatens that money. > >We - those programmers and staffers fired, banned, removed, or >driven out of KPFK - thank you for your courage, and urge you to >stand by your principles and speak the truth without fear. > > In solidarity, > >Blase Bonpane, Ph.D., >Former Senior KPFK Programmer >Focus on the Americas >1969-1995 >Fired for no reason 1995. >(Message of termination received on his answering machine). >Resurrected by News Director, Frank Stoltz to be News >Commentator. 1996-1998. Went on strike after constant >annoyance by management -1998. > >Ken 'Dedon" Carr >1983-1994 programmer and executive producer, "Freedom Now". >Held positions as chair and vice-chair to the Local Advisory Board >and served on the National Board. Purged so Pacifica could make >way for the more affluent westside European-American listener at >the expense of the Africian Self Determination Community > >Wanda Coleman and Austin Straus >Poetry Connexxion 1982 on the air 15-16 years > >Bill Davila Approx 15 years from 1981 - 1996 at KPFK, "Journey >Through the Realms of Music" Fired by the General Manager for >being a white-male producer - who was brought back on-air by the >support of listeners and staff who circulated a petition and wrote >letters. > >Bill Gallegos >Volunteer programmer approx. 8 years, " Read All About It" >At the time the only early morning Chicano programmer. >His program was put on "hold" without discussion or notice. > >Lyn Gerry >Former production engineer, union steward >and independent producer from 1988 - >Sept 1995 (fired and banned) > >Lee Siu Hin >Former KPFK Los Angeles, WBAI New York Reporter/Programmer >1992-1999 >Walked away from KPFK in solidarity with John Martinez in >October, 1999 > >Vince Ivory >Tuesday Community Calendar' >14 year volunteer purged for exercising free speech outside KPFK >December, 1999 > >Miya Iwataki >"East Wind" >13 year volunteer >KPFK Producer/Programmer/Staff >Purged for, among other reasons, not confining program to Asians- >only (Management insisted on sitting in studio for my last program >so I wouldn't blast KPFK) > >Roz & Howard Larman >Folkscene >After almost 31 years at KPFK, we were >cancelled for only the greed of Mark Schubb. >If there was a format change, we >could live with the cancellation. > >Arturo Lemus >Volunteer programer for the Colectivo Latinoamericano from >1981 to 1985 and a coordinator for a program called "Flor Y Canto". >The Colectivo Latinoamericano spanish programming was >dismantled by the then KPFK station manager, Susan Anderson, >in 1985 > >John Martinez >'Radio Chicana' >7 Year Volunteer KPFK Producer/Programmer/Staff >Purged for Airing a Half-Hour Documentary on the Pacifica Crisis >October >1999 > >Loraine Mirza >Islamic Perspectives >and newsroom reporter for KPFK for 5 years >January 1995 > >Oly Mogollan >Long Time Volunteer >1986 - 1994 "Producciones Pajaro Latino" >1994 -1999 "Enfoque Latino" >Cut in the middle of on air interview and censored for political >content > > >Shel Plotkin >Southern California Federation of Science >15 years at KPFK, "The Wizard Show" >Was given a time-slot they could not accept - 8am Sunday >morning. This was a science show and they gave him the gospel >hour. > >Raymundo Reynoso >Alternative Media Agency Trade Editions (AMATE) >and a former producer at KPFK > >Robin Urevich >KPFK News volunteer between 1992 and 1999 >and, a contributor to Pacifica Network News from 1993 til 1999. >barred from the station after publishing an article critical of KPFK >and Pacifica. The offending article was published in the "Random >Lengths" > >Fernando Velasquez >20 years KPFK >Programmer/Producer >Spanish-English News/Public Affairs >Purged in 1999 after participating in a protest in front of KPFK in >solidarity with the KPFA Free Pacifica Community". > >Ron Wilkins >Continent to Continent: An African-Issues Magazine >1983- February 26, 1996 >Banned for Speaking on Air about African-Americans >and Latinos being purged from the Station > >In memory of MIchael Taylor From hIs frIends >News Room Intern >FIred 1995 > >======================== >Individual Letter from Al Huebnerm former host of "The Health >Department" > >An Open Letter to Amy Goodman. > >Dear Amy, > >You are to be congratulated for the excellent job you do on >Democracy Now!, a program that is must-listening for me. I'm >aware that you are working under difficult conditions, to say the >least. I hope my words will assure you that your efforts are deeply >appreciated. > >I saw a copy of the letter that some current KPFK broadcasters >sent you before the recent fundraising. It was nauseatingly >sanctimonious, self-serving, and worst of all, lacking in concern for >a comrade under attack. > >Let me describe my background at KPFK. In 1995, after more than >21 years of doing a program on the politics of science and health, >my program was terminated. I had closed my one-hour broadcast >with a four-minute commentary on the sudden disappearance of the >Station Manager and the Program Director. The LA Times reported >in a brief, easily missed piece that they had been fired, the acting >Station Manager wrote in the program guide's "report to the >listener" that they had resigned. Workers at the most anti-labor >corporation are treated no worse. In my commentary I went on to >deplore the fact that it was chiefly, but not exclusively, the listener- >sponsors who were deceived by the new management. >Remarkably, management didn't seem to see any contradiction >between this deplorable behavior and the concepts of free speech >and progressive politics that the station purports to serve. > >As for the other Pacifica stations, I would have no idea of what's >going on at KPFA and WBAI except for reports and commentary in >The Nation, Extra!, Toward Freedom, Censored Alert (Project >Censored), and The Humanist, two of which I write for. Even your >remarks about the banned and the fired, and comments by Michael >Moore and a few other guests, would remain obscure to me had I >not read material from non-Pacifica sources -- that apparently >means sources that can't be censored by Pacifica. > >I admire your courage and I hope you win both your near-term and >long-term struggles. > >Best, > >Al Huebner > >==================== > >Below is the letter that the responses above are in answer to: > >5/15/01 >To: Amy Goodman >From: The On-Air Programmers of KPFK >Re: Up-Coming Summer Fund Drive > >Dear Amy, > >We're writing to ask for your full, unequivocal support during our up- >coming fund drive. We are concerned that the past four months you >have signed off your show, "Democracy Now," by declaring that >your broadcast had come "from the embattled studios of WBAI -- >the studios of the banned and the fired." > >We are convinced that for you to continue signing off in this manner >during our up-coming fund drive, would not only be antithetical to >our money raising efforts, but put you squarely in the camp of >those seeking to sabotage those efforts. We ask therefore, that >you stop discussing Pacifica' problems on-air, and do nothing >detrimental to our fund drive. > >As a Pacifica veteran, you know that this rule has existed for >decades -- and for good reason. Our listeners support us because >we are a bastion of truth and alternative politics and culture, one of >the few left in a broadcast medium in which almost else operates >under the thumb of a homogenized, monopolistic corporate media. >In this age of George W. Bush, we are, as you yourself regularly >put it, the one "exception to the rulers." > >As you are also aware, only the dollars of our listener-sponsors, >the hard work of our tiny, low-paid staff and the goodwill of our >hundreds of unpaid volunteers, enables KPFK -- and we, its >programmers -- to remain on the air. Unlike yourself, many of us >are also unpaid; and devote uncountable hours to KPFK because >we passionately believe in Lou Hill's anti-war vision of social- >justice, and of a radio station answerable to no one other than its >own listener-sponsors. > >As we're sure you're also aware, your one-hour show, "Democracy >Now," airs twice daily in and around prime drive-time on our station, >and a substantial amount of the money we raise at KPFK goes to >support your show and pay your salary. > >That is one big reason why we're convinced it would be exceedingly >harmful for you to do anything less next week than give our fund- >drive your whole-hearted support on-air, and to mention supporting >KPFK by name as our fund-drive unfolds. A full commitment is >needed from all of us, of course, because of our proud refusal to >accept any corporate underwriting; and -- with the exception of a >small grant from the federally funded CPB -- to exist solely on the >funds we receive directly from our listeners. > >But there's another reason we expect your full cooperation. For the >past several years now, a small group of dissident picketers have >appeared outside our studio on the first day of our fund drive; >determined to undo our hard work, and our struggle to make KPFK >a relevant force in Southern California. This time, however, this >group is also calling for our listeners to engage in an economic >boycott of our station. > >In a letter dated just four days ago, for example, your former >colleague, Juan Gonzalez, sent a letter to many of us literally >urging that we sabotage KPFK's summer fund drive. "Do not work >overtime to find attractive premiums," wrote Gonzalez, "shave off >minutes from your actual time pitching funds[and] privately >encourage listeners who are friends of yours to withhold their >contributions." > >Such calls are new, but not the rumors, lies and distortions that >have already been denounced in a letter signed by 90% of KPFK's >staff about 18 months ago. The biggest of those lies is that we -- >the station's programmers -- are being censored by the >management of KPFK. > >Although you occupy 10 hours a week on our airways, you're 3,000 >miles away in New York, and therefore have no direct knowledge of >what takes place at KPFK. So we'd like to take this opportunity to >set the record straight and ease any doubts you might have on this >issue. Other than the very few occasions of out-right, on-air, racism >and anti-Semitism, and violations of the dirty laundry rule, >management has never once interfered with the content of our >shows. Nor would we tolerate such interference. > >Those of us at KPFK fortunate enough to speak for millions of >voiceless people living here in Southern California take our >responsibility very seriously. We feel that to let internecine politics >and power plays interfere with our mission at a time when all that >Pacifica stands for is under great threat, is myopic and >irresponsible. > > >That is why we are taking our up-coming fund drive so seriously, >and are urging you to do the same. > > >Sincerely, * > >Joe Domanick -- "Beneath the Surface" > >Beto Arcos -- "Global Village" > >Jon Wiener -- "Beneath the Surface" > >Robert Mora -- "The Root" > >Yatrika Shah-Rais > >Marc Cooper -- "The Marc Cooper Show" > >Sergio Mielniczenko -- "Global Village" > > Susan Weissman, Beneath the Surface > >John Retsk, "Car Show" > >Jay Kagelman -- "Sound Exchange > >Art Gould -- "Car Show" > >Barbara Osborn -- "Deadline LA" > >John Beaupre -- "Up for Air" > >Barry Smolin -- "The Music Never Stops" > >Hector Resendez -- "Canto Tropical" > >Earl Ofari Hutchinson -- "Tuesday Live" > >Simeon Pillich -- "Global Village" > >_______________________________________________ >IMC-LA mailing list - [EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://regenerationtv.net/mailman/listinfo/imc-la > >To Unsubscribe: >1. go to regenerationtv.com/mailman/listinfo/imc-la >2. at the bottom of the page, enter your email address >3. on your options page, you can unsubscribe here. >4. if you have forgotten your password, enter your >email address and you will be mailed a copy of your password. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN-ANNOUNCE: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network - Event Announcements --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?subject=laamn-news> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn-announce> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- <http://home.labridge.com/~laamn> | LAAMN | <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your use of Yahoo! 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