[NewPacifica] Michael Novick replies to Jim DeMaegt re: KPFK funding / KPFA website



What's it going to be Pacifica more anti-revolutionary multiculturalism or a
return to The Sixties revolutionary ethic?  That's the Old Left  (status
quo) vs the New Left (change) distinction that must be acknowledged to be
seen.    /R

-----Original Message-----

From: NewPacifica@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:NewPacifica@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On

Behalf Of CraigGingold

Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2006 11:40 PM

To: NewPacifica@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: [NewPacifica] Michael Novick replies to Jim DeMaegt re: KPFK

funding / KPFA website



------- Forwarded message follows -------

To: kpfklsb_comments@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Copies to: <RealPacifica@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,<freekpfk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,

<kpfklsb_comments@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,<LewHillproject@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

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.








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