Category Archives: Analysis

2015 United for Community Radio Candidates

Posted on by Webworker1

 

For more pictures and a statement about KPFA from each of these incredible people, click on the names.

 

Scott Olsen

Scott Olsen

Scott Olsen – Board member, Iraq Veterans Against the War, survivor of police raid on Occupy. Has worked in communications for over ten years– addressing both organizational and technical challenges.  Licensed amateur radio operator.

 

Janet Kobren

Janet Kobren

Janet Kobren – current LSB member, Pacifica National Board Director, PNB Secretary (Pacifica Foundation officer), 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla survivor

 

 

Jeremy Miller

Jeremy Miller

Jeremy Miller – Idriss Stelley Foundation program director, San Francisco No-Taser Task Force member, host of Heterotopia on Mutiny Radio, independent journalist with S.F. Bayview newspaper

 

Marilla Argüelles

Marilla Argüelles

Marilla Argüelles – former President of home care workers’ chapter, SEIU, Local 616, editor: “Extracts from Pelican Bay,” former KPFA Labor Collective member

 

 

G. Mario Fernandez

G. Mario Fernandez

(G.) Mario Fernandez – recent SF State political psychology graduate, former Napa Community College Student Body President, former Occupy Oakland volunteer

 

Sharon Adams

Sharon Adams

Sharon Adams – attorney; former V.P. of the National Lawyers Guild, S.F. Bay Area Chapter; instrumental in getting Berkeley to not hold people in city jails for civil ICE detentions.

 

DonMacleayMarch2015Don Macleay – 5 years working for the Sandinistas, 19-year school volunteer, Green Party activist, former union organizer and shop steward Oakland

 

Virginia Browning

Virginia Browning

Virginia Browning – current LSB member, health care researcher, down winder, and longtime KPFA activist

 

 

 

T.M. Scruggs

T.M. Scruggs

T. M. Scruggs – Executive Producer at TheRealNews.com; ethnomusicologist; Professor Emeritus, University of Iowa; volunteer for community radio stations in U.S., Nicaragua and Venezuela.

 

 

 

 

Anthony FestAnthony Fest  – (Staff) Producer/ host, KPFA “Weekend News.” Producer of “Project Censored Show,” “Afternoons w/Andres Soto,” & “Poor News Network.”  (Note: only staff members can vote for staff candidates.)

United For Community Radio also supports:

Richard Hart

Richard Hart

Richard Hart – former natural foods store owner, Berkeley progressive activist, longtime WBAI member

 

Tom Voorhees

Tom Voorhees

Tom Voorhees — 2014 Volunteer of the Year from the National Association of Community Broadcasters (NFCB) membership, National/International engineer for community stations, early KPFA engineering unpaid staff

 

 

Lack of Diversity and Corporate Dominance Characterize NPR

Posted on by Webworker1

 

By:  UCR Candidate Sharon Adams

A recent article by FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting, Inc.) shows the heavy corporate presence and lack of diversity at National Public Radio (NPR) both in the NPR boardroom, and on its airwaves.

Lack of Diversity and Corporate Dominance Characterize NPR Board Members
Seventy-five percent of board members at NPR’s most popular member stations have corporate backgrounds. As shown in the graph, one New York station has a whopping 90 percent corporate representation on its board.

Graph showing corporate dominance in NPR boards. Graph courtesy of FAIR.

Graph showing corporate dominance in NPR boards. Graph courtesy of FAIR.

As the FAIR article succinctly states:

“the inevitable consequence of this is to put legal control of what is supposed to be public radio into the hands of a tiny, highly privileged fraction of the population.”

In addition to the lack of economic diversity, the FAIR study showed a lack of ethnic and gender diversity on the NPR boards. Seventy-two percent of NPR board members are non-Latino whites, and 66 percent of board members are male.

NPR Airwaves Dominated By White Males
Another FAIR study found that, among the regular news commentators, 79 percent were men, and 92 percent were non-Latino whites.

KPFA Must Remain Free of Corporate Control
We at United for Community Radio (UCR)  are committed to increasing diversity in the KPFA boardroom and on the airwaves. The upcoming election for the KPFA Local Station Board gives us an opportunity to do this.  UCR’s platform specifically opposes corporate influence, and supports a mix of community-sourced, local programming.

We at UCR believe the NPR approach is the wrong approach.  This is in contrast to our opponents running in the upcoming election.  Our opponents suggest that KPFA should become “more like NPR”. The opposition’s desire to make KPFA more like NPR will lead to exactly what is happening at NPR — an increased corporate zeitgeist that will control the news and views expressed on KPFA.

LET’S LIBERATE MEDIA TOGETHER!!!

Keep KPFA free from corporate control and influence.
Vote for the UCR Candidates in the upcoming election for the KPFA Local Station Board.

United for Community Radio Members Propose Resolution to KPFA to Improve Local Community News Reporting

Posted on by Webworker1
Black Lives Matter members speak at NAACP event on race, equity and gentrification. Over 200 people attended. KPFA did not cover the story.

Black Lives Matter members speak at NAACP event on race, equity and gentrification. Over 200 people attended. KPFA did not cover the story.

 

United for Community Radio (UCR) member Andrea Pritchett proposed a resolution to the KPFA Local Station Board (LSB) to build a powerful news and public affairs network that is broad based and well coordinated.

Carol Wolfley, a member of the KPFA Community Advisory Board, worked with KPFA listeners,  members of local organizations and with Andrea to develop the Resolution below. This Resolution has been presented to the LSB, and is scheduled to come up again at future LSB meetings.

UCR and its candidates believe we need to speak truth to power. We want community-sourced, local, daily, prime-time programming—where we are making news together. For example, the NAACP recently had a community forum on race, equity and gentrification (see photo above). We at UCR believe this type of event should be covered by KPFA.

Local, community sourced programming would address issues of profiling and violence directed at people of color, and discrimination based on race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. It would cover what people are doing in the face of police militarization, and housing, health, water, economic, educational, and environmental depredation. We need programs that tell these stories, locally, regionally and globally.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION:
The Local Station Board asks that KPFA General Manager and staff work with community members to develop a coordinated station-wide plan for providing local news and public affairs programming in alignment with KPFA’s mission to cover local events and topics with a depth, insight and broad signal range that no other station can do.

This may plan may include exploration of possibilities to:
Increase access to information from the community such as:

  1. Organize an electronic bulletin board to share and utilize news and public affairs information resources from the KPFA community, local organizations and the public
  1. Establish a list of people involved with social justice, political, economic and environmental issues from our local geographical areas who we can invite to contribute to local news and public affairs programs as citizen journalists
  1. Expand recruitment and training of program interns for news and public affairs. Articulate requirements for becoming an intern and make these requirement broadly known and available on our website so that volunteers outreaches can assist in finding volunteers.
  1. Develop and communicate a system for programmers to be able to receive and use recorded segments from community members for news and public affairs programs.
  1. Utilize Twitter, Facebook and live stream channels to get up to the minute information for news and public affairs programs

Coordinate a station-wide system for providing local news and public affairs programming

  1. Create daily programs or parts of programs that focus primarily on local community news and public affairs at predictable and regular times during the work week
  1. Coordinate KPFA programming in relation to topics to avoid repetition from one program to the next.
  1. Increase programming that includes listener phone in time.
  1. Develop a protocol that clarifies when/how to cover breaking news in our signal range and to pre-empt programming in significant and emergency situations.
  1. Expand use of video channel and live streaming channel to cover local news and public affairs and cultural events.

Communicate regularly with listeners and viewers about local news and public affairs.

  1. Develop outreach materials to let people know about station coverage of local news and public affairs programs and feature it on the website, the video channel, Twitter and Facebook. Include information about all the station resources including KPFA, KPFB, KPFA video channel, KPFA Facebook, KPFA Twitter, KPFA on You Tube and kpfa.org with program archives.
  1. Post written local news and public affairs stories on the KPFA website so that they can be accessed easily through computer searches
  1. Increase (through training and recruitment of volunteers) our capacity to provide responses to emails and calls that are received at the station.

LIBERATE MEDIA TOGETHER!!!

VOTE FOR ALL UCR CANDIDATES IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION TO THE KPFA LSB

More photos from NAACP event:

NAACP President Mansour Id-Deen and VP Barbara White

NAACP President Mansour Id-Deen and VP Barbara White

Community members at NAACP forum

Community members at NAACP forum

Richard Hart

Posted on by webweaver2
Richard Hart
Richard Hart

Richard Hart – former natural foods store owner, Berkeley progressive activist, longtime WBAI member

My name is Richard Hart. Voting for the UCR team will do the most for KPFA, please vote for us.  I am originally from New York and have come to live in Berkeley some years ago.  My Family and I have been listening to Pacifica, WBAI NYC for over 50 years.  We are passionate adherents of truth, justice and peace and have been working and donating our time and money to what Pacifica stands for– a most important voice that it is and can be.  I have co-produced with Robert Knight at WBAI on a solar energy and technology show and have worked the KPFA crafts fair here in SF.

While in New York I owned a natural foods store in Greenwich Village.  I have a strong interest in how essential alternatives are for people, enabling them to be healthier and free from unnecessary infirmity.  I’d like to see more practical health informational airings on KPFA for said reasons but only if it serves and appeals to the listenership.

If selected as a board member I pledge to be committed to enhancing cooperation at KPFA, a most important aspect of our station’s health.  KPFA needs to heal the divisiveness that hampers what KPFA could and should be.  If I can make a difference in this respect, then it will be worthwhile for me to be on the board.  That is my purpose.

The station must become financially responsible before it is too late.  Financial responsibility is more important than ever in our modern world and it is a critical aspect of KPFA’s ability to do what must be done for our community.  That must be a major priority.  We do not want KPFA sold or leased under any circumstances and I stand strongly against anyone or any group that would consider such an option.  Censorship as well must not be tolerated at our station by any management decision.

The world is rapidly changing and KPFA cannot be left by the roadside.  New and more creative ways of generating income via patronage, grants, concerts, etc. must be developed with less reliance on airtime funding.

Programs must be fresher with broadened listener appeal and with sensitive and intelligent guidance, oversight and listener feedback.  Good to have an up to date tech and computer show as they have on WBAI with caller questions about computers and cell phones giving expert advice.  A show for pet owners, for the disabled.  More classical music, which is lacking on radio in general now, will enrich the station. Make it easier for people with financial issues to donate and feel better about supporting KPFA with smaller monthly amounts that anyone can afford.  Make streaming of KPFA benefit talks available after the talks are given for those not able to attend for a minimal fee.  I support a better mix of news that is more locally relevant.  Time cannot be wasted with lack of co-operation back biting, and factionalism or with selfish, self-interested management.

Official Q & A

In what ways are the station moving in a positive direction, that you would want to continue or perhaps improve?
The potential is here!  Now is the time, without a doubt to insure unity and co-operation; this must happen now. Let us not fiddle while Rome is burning or before we know it we will be burned out of a most valuable resource, KPFA our beloved station that we do not want to live without.  What ever it takes unity and co-operation must happen now.  I am committed to that for all of us.  That is what we want for the good of all.  We have what it takes!
In what ways are the station moving in a negative direction, that you would want to stop or change? What changes would you work for?
We cannot afford the current dis-unity, it is counter productive and self destructive.  We cannot tolerate self serving and must embrace truly working together now before we lose this wonderful resource. Censoring cannot prevail here by anyone or any group.  Unity and co-operation can happen and must happen now period.  I take a powerful stand to achieve such workability.
What key experience, connections, skills or traits would you bring to the Local Station Board to advance the station’s mission?
My skills are in business and management.  As a business owner I know financial data must be properly considered and acted upon responsibly.  KPFA cannot live in an irresponsible dream world in any way now.  Our world is moving faster and old ways must be streamlined and revised; we must be financially prudent and careful.  With care and co-operation we can do this; without these essential elements we will not survive.
What ideas do you have for helping the station and the Pacifica Foundation meet the financial challenges currently being faced?
Basic responsible transparent financial procedures must be observed so as to use our financial resources properly and to insure that that is being done with careful oversight.  With creativity untapped resources must be explored by a small team devoted to doing this.  More and bigger events, concerts, patrons, grants, endowments etc, these means are out there to be gotten and they can be.  I will support these endeavors

UCR Supporter Diana Bohn Explains Why “Save KPFA” Can’t Be Trusted

Posted on by Webworker1

By: Diana Bohn

Diana Bohn at UCR Garden Party/Fundraiser August 9, 2015

Diana Bohn at UCR Garden Party/Fundraiser
August 9, 2015

 

KPFA Local Station Board (LSB) elections are coming up soon.  I’m a proud supporter of the candidates running on the United for Community Radio (UCR) slate. UCR has a great platform, and a strong candidate lineup. In fact, I support UCR so much that I have been working to help UCR candidates win in the upcoming election. As shown in the photo to the left, I volunteered at the recent UCR Garden Party/Fundraiser.

Imagine my surprise when I recently discovered that my name is listed as an “Endorser” of the opposition, Save KPFA (SK).

As shown in this screen shot from the opposition’s list of endorsers, taken on August 13, 2015, my name is listed as a “Listener Endorser” of SK:

DB_endorser4

This caused me to look at other so-called “endorsers” of SK, where I learned that at least one of these so-called endorsers, singer Jon Fromer had actually passed away back in 2013. I’m not sure how many other “endorsers” of SK are incorrectly listed, as I was.

Lesson learned: take everything you read on the SK website with a grain of salt.

I’m trusting UCR candidates in this election, and voting for all of the UCR candidates: Scott Olsen, Sharon Adams, Don Macleay, Virginia Browning, Jeremy Miller, Janet Kobren, Mario Fernandez, T.M. Scruggs, and Marilla Arguelles.

You can learn more about the UCR candidates on the UCR website: http://www.unitedforcommunityradio.org/.

UCR Candidates Support KPFA’s Live Streaming Team & the Global Media Revolution

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by Carol Wolfley

Live streaming with interactive media connections has been identified by members of United for Community Radio (UCR) as a key platform issue in the upcoming KPFA Local Station Board election.   People involved in United for Community Radio have initiated and participated in the KPFA Live Streaming team.   And, United for Community Radio supports greater community participation and increased visibility of real-time events live steamed to the kpfa.org website.

Live steaming Sign by Ron Mader #buzzwordbingoJanet Kobren is working to establish procedures for all Pacifica stations and affiliates to coordinate and consolidate live streaming on a national level.  She is a United for Community Radio Local Station Board incumbent candidate, a Pacifica National Board member and the Foundation Secretary and a live streamer herself.

Janet and Local Station Board member Frank Sterling have persevered in support of live streaming at KPFA Local Station Board meetings.  Frank is also a UCR representative.   Both have faced strong opposition from Save KPFA-aligned program director Laura Prives.

The KPFA Live Stream Team is a group of live streamers, media specialists, street journalists and activists committed to providing up-to-the-minute news, public affairs and cultural events coverage through KPFA.org and KPFA-stream.   They are volunteers who provide audio-video access in real time for smart phones, pads and computers.  They want to provide regular live streamed material broadcast from KPFA’s website and/or archived as video on kpfa.org.   These live on-the-spot broadcasts help those who want to follow what’s happening and what people are doing in the streets about all kinds of issues.

Archive of KPFA’s live-stream from the February 7, 2015 Oakland Rally for Real Climate Leadership, the largest anti-fracking rally in U.S. history.

The team defines themselves as part of community (local and global) actions, working in solidarity with others around the U.S. and the world.

Locally, the team streamed the 2014 Block the Boat and other Port of Oakland pickets to support ILWU Local 10 longshore workers to refuse to work Israeli ZIM line ships, and on May Day of 2015, covered the Port of Oakland shut down for Black Lives Matter.  The team was at the Real Climate Leadership March, the “Shell No[3] ” blockage of the Port of Seattle and the May 24th Break the Curfew event at Oscar Grant Plaza.

The team is reaching out geographically and into diverse communities to help people participate in events through live streaming and social media. To get an idea of what larger scale live streaming resources look like, go to Global Revolution.

United for Community Radio and the KPFA Live Stream Team would like to see one-click live stream access on kpfa.org and to expand with much more real-time news on KPFAstream.

Please support this effort by voting for Janet Kobren, Scott Olsen, Sharon Adams and all of our UCR candidates in the upcoming KPFA Local Station Board Election.

—————–
Carol Wolfley is a retired Berkeley U.S.D.  teacher, does mediation and is a member of the KPFA Community Advisory Board and Outreach Committee.
Live Steaming graphic by Ron Mader