[PAA-Discuss] Fw: [themissionmatters] Flashpoints to Be Canned on KPFT

[Brenda Fackler]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <threetrillion at yahoo.com>
To: <themissionmatters at lists.riseup.net>
Sent: Friday, August 04, 2006 10:18 PM
Subject: [themissionmatters] Flashpoints to Be Canned on KPFT


>
> ** PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY **
>
>
> An open letter to the KPFT Houston community
> From: the Flashpoints team
> RE: The cancellation of Flashpoints during the expanding US-Israeli war
against Lebanon and Gaza
>
> August 4, 2006
>
> Dear listener-supporters of KPFT Houston,
>
> It comes as a total shock to the Flashpoints team that the management of
KPFT has decided to spike Flashpoints from the airwaves in the midst of the
expanding US-Israeli wars against the people of the Middle East.
>
> As we're sure many listeners to Flashpoints realize, one of our key
focuses has been the ethnic cleansing of Palestine and the destruction of
Iraq. Now, for over three weeks, we have featured daily frontline reports
from the South of Lebanon from a group of human rights activists, reporters,
and citizen journalists. We believe no other daily national newsmagazine has
come close to our frontline coverage, particularly when it comes to the
silenced plight of over a million and a half Palestinians locked down in
Gaza and under daily attack.
>
> No one from Flashpoints has been contacted by the management of KPFT to
let us know that the show is being spiked, despite the expanding wars that
we have covered so thoroughly and consistently. We on the Flashpoints team
believe now more than ever that the people of the Middle East deserve an
unfettered voice and a platform to speak from to counteract the biggest lie
of all: that every Palestinian is a terrorist, every Middle Eastener is
Osama bin Laden, and Israel needs to be defended at all costs.
>
> It is Friday morning, August 4th, and Israel continues to bomb Lebanon,
killing, most recently, 23 farm workers in the South. Four more Palestinians
in Gaza were killed just hours ago. Why Duane Bradley and the KPFT
management would cancel Flashpoints at this time is hard to comprehend. We
wish they would call us back and let us know what they have in mind that
will replace the work that Flashpoints does, or perhaps even give us an
opportunity to work out an alternative to total censorship and the killing
of a show that so many of you have expressed strong support for.
>
> We thank those of you who have sent us a flurry of letters and emails to
let us know what KPFT's management did not see fit to communicate to us in a
professional manner. We urge you to listen to the show on the internet and
through podcasts and to do all that you can to prevent this media injustice
from taking place.
>
> With the greatest respect,
>
> The Flashpoints Team
> www.flashpoints.net
> 510.848.6767 x260
>
>
>
>
> On 8/4/06, Corazon526 at aol.com <Corazon526 at aol.com> wrote:
>
> Dear Flashpoints -
>
> First of all thank you Dennis and Nora and staff for your broadcasts.  I
have listened to your show for many years on KPFT fm90.1 Houston.  Even when
they moved you to the ghetto of 11pm, and cut one day a week - i continued
to find you.  (actually, i must admit, your program played very well in the
late pm, at the end of my day.)
>
> But now KPFT has announced plans to cut Flashpoints from the schedule.
>
> I am very sorry to learn of this, and have sent the following letter of
protest to the kpft PD and LSB.  (copied below)
>
> If the cancellation indeed happens i will continue to seek out your
reporting through the web stream.  But it will be a terrible loss to the
airwaves of Houston, where the information you provide is particularly
needed.
>
> So, thanks again, please keep up the very fine work that you do.
>
> In solidarity,
>
> Chris Murphy
> Houston, TX
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Corazon526 at aol.com
> To: lsb at kpft.org
> Sent: Fri, 4 Aug 2006 9:27 AM
> Subject: RE: Flashpoints cancellation
>
>
> (cc: Ernesto)
>
>
> I strongly object to the cancellation of Flashpoints.
>
> That show has been an invaluable last refuge of non-MSM reporting on
Haiti, Palestine, Venezuela, etc.
>
> But you know that very well.
>
> There are many other ways to juggle the kpft schedule which would not
sacrifice invaluable, unique, and rare investigative reporting programming
such as Flashpoints.
>
> The PSA for the change even touts Pacifica's cutting edge investigative
reporting.  How ironic it is then to cut some of the best such reporting
from the airwaves, in favor - not of the new show - but in favor of non-news
musical entertainment programs.
>
> I understand how difficult and controversial any schedule change will
inevitably be.  But this one is particularly offensive to me personally, and
i am sure to many other longtime, dedicated KPFT listeners as well.
>
> (kpfti programming is totally irrelevant to this discussion.  I can stream
Flashpoints direct from kpfa if i want to hear it on the web.  The issue
here is KPFT's local airwaves, nothing else.)
>
> The cancellation of Flashpoints is the worst schedule change since the end
of the Ganter junta.  PARTICULARLY NOW - AS WAR RAGES IN THE MIDEAST, with
little or no alternative perspectives offered anywhere but Flashpoints.    I
respectfully urge you to reconsider.
>
>
>
>
>
> PS - copied below ias the first reply i got from a member of the KPFT LSB:
>
> Forwarded Message:
> Subj: Re: Flashpoints cancellation
> Date: 8/4/2006 9:47:51 A.M. Central Standard Time
> From: AUGWEST
> To: Corazon526
>
>
>
> no worries - the mel gibson hour (in spanish) is going to take the place
of flashpoints...
>