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

[Randy Scott]

I'm not at all surprised that Flashpoints is being cut.

While the news they present is still important, the sensationalistic, whiny, cry-baby,
sack-cloth-and-ashes, "Tammy Fay Baker" way that Bernstein "wails" it is an embarrassment to
anyone who calls themselves a journalist.

Kick out Bernstein and replace him with a REAL news reporter and it will be 1000x better.

Randy



--- threetrillion at yahoo.com wrote:

> 
> ** 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...  
>