Doug wrote: That's one of the nubs of the issue - a fight between those who want to reach a larger audience and those who think Pacifica's task is to serve "the community," meaning (I think - the word is a floating signifier) people who listen already. Attempts to woo a larger audience are dismissed as commercialism or selling out, and amateurism (which is different from merely being unpaid or barely paid) a marker of authenticity.
---- Pacifica *has* been reaching a larger audience, in the last five years there has seen the arrival of articulate and dynamic producers and programmers like MT Karthik and Sonali Kolhatkar at KPFK, Hark Knock and Gun and Butter and, to be sure Against the Grain at KPFA. Meanwhile Amy Goodman's Democracy Now! ( a program that was the brainchild of the late Samori Marksman) has only gained more of an audience for itself and by extension Pacifica, it has even bravley branched out into TV land - a medium that is either inaccessible to progressives or neglected by them. Certainly, the huge response from the listeners at fund drive, suggests that there is significant audience growth since it must be new listeners compensating for the inevitable donaor fatigue. The problem at Pacifica is not programming, there is lots of talent around. The problem is the governance and management structure and that is what needs to be fixed.
Joe W.