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<font size=3><b>Please send in letters of support of people of color and
diverse programming at KPFA to:<br><br>
Arlene Engelhardt/Pacifica's Executive Director
arlene@pacifica.org<br>
and<br>
Ahmad Anderson/KPFA Interim Manager
ahmad@pacifica.org<br><br>
<br><br>
</b>November 1, 2010<br>
<br>
TO: KPFA Listeners/Supporters<br>
<br>
FROM: Programmers of Color/KPFA<br>
<br>
RE: KPFA Programming for Communities of Color/Diverse
Communities <br>
<br>
Throughout its more than 61 years of existence KPFA has served as an
outlet for diverse communities whose voices otherwise would not have
access to the medium of radio and especially listener sponsored radio.
The formation of the Third World Department in 1973 came after a bitter
strike and walkout by programmers who felt that the voices of their
diverse communities were not being represented at KPFA. The strike and
lockout of 1999 was directly responsible for the establishment of both
Apex Express (focusing on the Asian Community) and Hard Knock
Radio (a drive-time hip-hop talk show). These
programs represented the culmination of months of struggle that included
demonstrations, arrests, and meetings by KPFA supporters. <br>
<br>
We are all painfully aware that KPFA is currently undergoing both
financial and program challenges that threaten to dramatically affect the
type of programming and staff that is part of KPFA radio. These
challenges will require that the KPFA paid and unpaid staff work together
as hard as possible to ensure the survival and growth of listener
sponsored KPFA radio. The programs and programmers that represent diverse
communities and communities of color can play a crucial role in
engaging new listeners and broadening the base of KPFA. <br>
<br>
As programmers and staff of color who represent diverse communities we
are very concerned that programming and staffing decisions will be made
without the type of transparent dialogue that best ensures our collective
unity, survival, and growth of the radio station. The use of
radio rating systems (Arbitron) to assess the listenership of KPFA
programs, especially those that might have a larger appeal to diverse
communities, is flawed and not in the best interest of the growth and
mission of KPFA. It also gives validity to a system that was summarily
sued by Attorney Generals in several states including NY and Florida and
by urban outlets from all over the country because it has not reflected
the diversity and full impact of minority communities. Why would KPFA ,
of all stations, use such a tool with a shoddy reputation? Flawed radio
rating systems are not an effective tool to evaluate or build our
audiences and programming. <br>
<br>
The attempts to arbitrarily change the 7PM weekday time slot and the
attempts to eliminate the host of Transitions on Traditions are specific
examples of unhealthy and undemocratic process. We are alarmed that other
major changes are being proposed that will eliminate programmers of color
without a process where the programmer, a program council, union, or any
other internal KPFA body would be involved in the decision process. The
potential elimination of Hard Knock Radio is a political insult to our
communities and the mission of Pacifica Radio. Hard Knock Radio has
existed for more than a decade as the most prominent program addressing
the hip hop generation and underserved communities. Its outstanding
reputation is both national and international. <br>
<br>
The programmers of color who work at KPFA have long standing contacts in
the broader community and had have worked and supported KPFA in a variety
of capacities. We are concerned that program changes, for diverse
programmers of color, are being proposed and made as KPFA is in the
process of selecting a new General Manager and installing a new local
station board. <br>
<br>
The programs that speak to our diverse communities include a wide range
of public affairs, music, arts, and news programs. These programs and
their hosts provide multi-dimensional programs that include music,
interviews, analysis, news updates, and direct participation by our local
and national communities. Programs such as Point of Departure, Africa
Today, Transitions on Traditions, Music of the World, and the Women’s
Magazine will be essential if we are to grow and build a new audience. An
inclusive process that takes advantage of the wealth of skills and
contacts that we have at the station will be essential to strengthening
the station to all of our best interests. These programs are NOT simply
music programs or single issue focus programs but represent in the
broadest sense programs that reflect the diversity of the KPFA listening
community. As we consider the “aging out” of public radio we need to use
all available tools to strengthen our collective mission. <br>
<br>
The voices of our diverse communities of color and gender should not fall
prey to untransparent and undemocratic programming dialogues and thus
face exclusion and elimination that would ignore the long history of the
need for our voices to be represented on the airways. KPFA and
Pacifica must continue to be one outlet of media that is cognizant of the
issues of race, gender, and underrepresented communities. The best method
for achieving this goal is to have a transparent, inclusive, and honest
set of processes that is respectful of our diverse communities and our
collective struggle as a radio station. <br>
<br>
Under no circumstance should we see these diverse voices as expendable or
less valued in our process of “restructuring.” Management proposed
syndicated programs, however excellent, cannot replace these voices,
which are deeply connected to grassroots struggles of underrepresented
and marginalized communities in the Bay Area. Our communities have fought
for, sacrificed for, and worked hard for KPFA, and the station’s budget
must not be balanced on their backs. They deserve and demand to be
represented fairly and honestly. If we are to stand on principles of
diversity and anti-racism then those voices and those communities need to
be treated with respect on KPFA/Pacifica airways. <br><br>
<br><br>
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