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From: Michael Novick <antiracistaction_la@xxxxxxxxx>
Date sent: Sun, 29 Jan 2006 22:01:33 -0800
Subject: [freekpfk] Re: [kpfklsb_comments] KPFA website false
statements in
fundraising drive
Send reply to: freekpfk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
C'mon, Jim. There may be an argument to make against seeking matching funds
that certain employers give when their employees make charitable donations,
but this isn't it. A corporate sponsor buys air time, (or more accurately,
buys access to the audience) in order to put their own message out and to
control the message aired by the broadcaster. A corporate underwriter
donates to a non-commercial broadcaster in return for influence over the
programmer and for (increasingly lengthy) corporate promotion over the
airwaves as an underwriter of a show. None of that happens when people who
happen to work for big businesses (members of the working class, y'know)
contribute to KPFK and insist that their bosses follow up on generalized
commitments to match donations. There is no on-air acknowledgment, no link
between the corporate matching funds and any particular show. There are
much more believable and meaningful struggles to be raised about KPFK
and Pacifica's fundraising, including accepting CPB money, running
"premium-driven" fund-drives that sound like people are hawking the
premiums for sale, and to what extent Pacifica or the stations should seek
grants or engage major donor campaigns off the air to raise funds outside
of the listener-sponsor route.
Your scathing comments about the solicitation of new station-ID slogans is
off the mark, too. KPFK is not revolutionary radio, and ought not to bill
itself that way. (That IS false advertising!) "Fiercely independent" is an
annoying holdover from the Schubb regime, when things were a whole lot
worse than they are today, regarding grassroots community voices on the
airwaves, censorship of programmers and listeners, and a lot of other
measures. KPFK is NOT the voice of a revolutionary party or social
formation or government, such as FMLN radio, or Zapatista radio, or Cuban
or Venezuelan broadcasts might be. Pacifica is an amalgam of eclectic
programming that includes programmers across a very side political spectrum
including Democrats, "progressives," Greens, anarchists, socialists,
communists, probably some libertarians, various spiritually-oriented
programmers, world music aficionados, etc etc. Those of us interested in
making space for grassroots, community oriented, poor and working class
programming from oppressed people and their movements of resistance and
liberation will have to struggle constantly for those goals and that
transformation, not least by promoting really good radio that attracts
listeners from various nationalities and social strata because of its
hard-hitting, eye-opening, problem-solving nature, information and
connection to the grassroots. But berating a "sow's-ear" for not being a
silk purse is pointless, fruitless and probably counter-productive unless
its sole purpose is make some people feel "holier" than others.
At 09:52 PM 1/28/2006, Jim DeMaegt wrote:
> The current KPFA website opens with a "banner" on which is written:
>
>------------------------------------------
> Join/renew securely on line today or call 1-800-439-5732
>
> KPFA WINTER FUND DRIVE IS UNDERWAY
>
> * No corporate sponsorship
> * No underwriting YOU ARE OUR LIFEBLOOD!
>
> To volunteer, call 510-848-6767 ext. 618
>
>---------------------------------------------------------
>
> Isn't this clearly false advertising?
> Shouldn't the banner be changed to state that there is, in fact
>corporate sponsorship and underwriting {and then it can be explained that
>this is really not a problem etc. as we have learned on the Pacifica related
>listservs).
> It might also be explained that "You" (meaning listener-sponsors) are
>not really the full "lifeblood" but that the corporate sponsors and the
>underwriters are also part of the "lifeblood" of KPFA and of Pacifica in
>general.
> Why the heck did KPFA get the idea that not only are corporate sponsors
>and underwriters bad but that advertising that KPFA does not have them is
>somehow important to KPFA and those who might be willing to donate to KPFA
>and become listeners-sponsors? Why the heck doesn't KPFA proudly state
>loudly and clearly the they do have corporate sponsors and that they do have
>underwriters? Having corporate sponsors and having underwriters is a very
>good thing as we have learned on the Pacifica related listservs and KPFA
>would surely get more support if it proudly advertised that it has such
>corporate sponsors and underwriters.
> Yea - corporate America and its partners KPFA and Pacifica.
>
> Jim D.
>
New Pacifica Working Group
http://www.egroups.com/group/NewPacifica
'Save Our Stations!'
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