[lbo-talk] KPFA (was MALIK RAHIM: Yesterday's Radicals Devolve....)

[Joseph Wanzala]

I'm glad Doug and I agree on some basic things and of course I also join the 
general call for more lucidity. Where I disagree with Doug is on the idea 
that the LSB is seeking to 'expand its power over the entrenched'. That is 
certainly a view held by many members - though certainly not all staff. All 
the LSB is trying to do in my view is carry out its duties pursuant to the 
provisions of the Pacifica bylaws. ( 
http://www.pacifica.org/governance/PacificaBylaws-new.html ) . Reasonable 
people can of course disagree about what the LSB duties and responsibilities 
are or should be or how effective the current LSB is etc., but the LSB is 
definitely not trying to expand its power.  Indeed, without staff buy-in to 
the legitimacy of the LSB it is difficult for the LSB to exercise what power 
it has. The idea that the LSB is 'overreaching' is a reflection of the fact 
that many at the station would just as soon be done with democracy and 
listener involvement.

In my view the main problem facing KPFA in has to do primarily with an 
inherent conflict between objective differences in staff and listener 
interests and secondarly with other things like content and some of the 
race/class contradictions that the left has not yet been able to resolve.. 
There is always going to be a segment - perhaps even a majority segment of 
the listeners that are passive and just want to be able to turn to 94.1 FM 
to seek refuge from the mainstream and are generally happy with what they 
hear. There is also an active segment of listeners, perhaps a minority, who 
feel that listeners - KPFA is listener-sponsored - should have some say in 
what is on the air, and that even if what is on the air is good - there is 
always room for improvement. The travails of the 1990s activated this latter 
group (who were mainly responsible for saving the network from the 
hijackers) who decided in their collective wisdom, that the only way to 
prevent future subtefuge and make sure that KPFA remains true and 
accountable to its listeners and its mission to to create democratic Local 
Station Boards where both staff and listeners have input. (there are 5 staff 
representatives on the 25 member board). This way you can always throw the 
bums out (including yours truly) if you don't like the direction in which 
things are going. Its not perfect, but it is better than the old vanguardist 
model.

For me, as long the process is democratic, it provides a potentially level 
playing feild for the many competing visions, rather than letting whoever 
happens to be on staff pretty much decide everything. I do encourage all of 
you who can to get involved, run for election to the board or encourage 
people you know to do so, join committees, etc. Despite all the apparent 
insanity, its really worth it.

Joe W.


>From: Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com>
>Reply-To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] KPFA (was MALIK RAHIM: Yesterday's Radicals 
>Devolve....)
>Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2005 14:08:13 -0400
>
>Joseph Wanzala wrote:
>
>>People should of course be aware that Doug Henwood as a WBAI programmer 
>>has a stake in what happens at KPFA (since both stations are partof the 
>>Pacifica network and whose fates are linked since the local board informs 
>>policy decisons at the national level) and is an indirect participant in 
>>the ongoing drama at KPFA. He is a confederate of 'Against the Grain' 
>>producer/host Sasha Lilley who herself is one of the key dramatis personae 
>>and is a regular guest on KPFA's Morning Show.
>
>All that is true. Which is why I'm especially concerned to keep the 
>environment as sane as possible. Joseph is part of a contingent at KPFA 
>that wants to expand the power of the local board over what they refer to 
>as "entrenched" staffers. From extended observation of the Pacifica scene 
>for almost 15 years, that prospect frightens me. But I urge all listmembers 
>in the Bay Area to look for themselves and report back.
>
>Doug
>___________________________________
>http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk

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