[PAA-Discuss] The heated discussion re Flashpoints

Thu Aug 10 12:26:27 EDT 2006

Sherry,

Could you share what you have seen and heard "behind the scenes" so we can all understand what is going on?  Can you do it in such a way that provides facts and is void of criticisms, conclusions, judgments of persons? Disappointment with the LSB is not a criticism, it is how you feel.

Like you, and after attending one meeting at KPFT three years ago, I decided I was not prepared nor did I have the tools or patients to participate in the environment.

As a member and a listener, I feel compelled to express myself about programming, and conformity to the mission statement from afar. 

Paul
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Sherry Glover<mailto:sglover001 at houston.rr.com> 
  To: 'Herbert Rothschild'<mailto:herbertrothschild at hotmail.com> ; discuss at paa-tx.org<mailto:discuss at paa-tx.org> 
  Cc: ernesto at kpft.org<mailto:ernesto at kpft.org> ; lsb at kpft.org<mailto:lsb at kpft.org> ; dbradley at kpft.org<mailto:dbradley at kpft.org> 
  Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 9:12 AM
  Subject: Re: [PAA-Discuss] The heated discussion re Flashpoints

  Thank you, Herb for this insightful and balanced assessment of the running
  commentary about Flashpoints. Your observations are clear, concise and very
  easy to align with. 

  Personally, I am disappointed in the LSB and what I've seen and heard
  "behind the scenes", and can hardly believe the turmoil generated right
  there. When I became a member of KPFT I wanted to help how I could, but
  after the extreme defensive energy spent on blaming and shaming within the
  station, all the way through the Pacifica foundation. I don't think I'll
  renew my membership. 

  As for the program itself, there are many flavors, and some prefer a strong
  one, others don't take to that style. Pushing an agenda from the board
  membership with programming and seeking alliances behind the scenes among
  the community is a huge turn off and reeks of what I see happening at top
  governmental levels. (You know who you are, lsb members, and you will diss
  me for saying so.)

  The 'listening' of a peaceful person is tuned to peaceful commentary- when
  conflict arises (not a bad thing, but an opportunity to grow, learn, change,
  cultivate peace,) actions become negative, counterproductive and a waste of
  precious time. And it does not promote peaceful listening.

  Thank you for posting this message. I appreciate what you have to say.

  That's my 2cents worth.

  Sherry

  -----Original Message-----
  From: discuss-bounces at paa-tx.org<mailto:discuss-bounces at paa-tx.org> [mailto:discuss-bounces at paa-tx.org] On
  Behalf Of Herbert Rothschild
  Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 3:14 PM
  To: discuss at paa-tx.org<mailto:discuss at paa-tx.org>
  Cc: ernesto at kpft.org<mailto:ernesto at kpft.org>; lsb at kpft.org<mailto:lsb at kpft.org>; dbradley at kpft.org<mailto:dbradley at kpft.org>
  Subject: [PAA-Discuss] The heated discussion re Flashpoints

  Regarding the email traffic in the last few days about Flashpoints, I want 
  to share what I learned--that the KPFT station management is preparing, and 
  will shortly circulate, a statement of its reasons for its decisions about 
  the show.

  Transparency is what the management owes to the station's members, and I 
  have been assured that management is committed to transparency.

  So I would ask people who have engaged in the back-and-forth about 
  Flashpoints to lower the rhetoric pending reception of that explanation.

  Now, when it arrives, people may not find the explanation persuasive, but 
  why assume before the explanation is circulated that the management is 
  betraying the Pacifica mission statement?

  Indeed, every time a programming decision is made, a few people trot out 
  that charge.  When Democracy Now wasn't moved to 7 a.m., we heard the 
  charge.  That was hardly the reason management resisted the request.  It had

  data suggestioning that more people would hear Amy at 9 a.m. than 7 a.m.  It

  also added a second broadcast of DN in the evening.  Does this sound like 
  people who want to betray the mission?

  And even if Bernstein's fans aren't convinced by management's reasoning, 
  frankly I fail to understand why a decision on Flashpoints is a litmus test 
  of management's commitment to Pacifica's mission.  As I review the program 
  schedule, I see program after program that is consonant with the intention 
  to promote justice and peace.

  As for the specific question of programming that calls attention to Israeli 
  oppression of Palestinians, I have never known KPFT to back off.  Just last 
  month, after I was arrested at the second demonstration in front of the 
  Israeli consulate, Renee Feltz, news director, encouraged me to make a full 
  statement about the reason I always carry a sign that reads, "Israel is a 
  disgrace to Judaism,"  at such demonstrations.  I had all the KPFT air time 
  I needed.  No other media outlet in this city has ever even shown a  picture

  of the sign, even though they almost always film it.

  So consistent and frequent is KPFT's airing of opinions sympathetic to 
  Palestinian grievances that its financial support by Jews in this city is 
  meager.  That is a price many peace and justice organizations in this 
  country have been unwilling to pay, and KPFT is to be congratulated for its 
  courage.

  Why must we be so strident in their criticisms?  I realize that, frustrated 
  with our inability to stop the violence and injustice we all oppose, we are 
  tempted to turn on those closest to hand and most likely to listen to us.  
  Thus, the left habitually is torn by in-fighting.

  We surely should be able to agree without jumping to almost maximum 
  contentiousness.

  Maybe it would help if people kept in mind that the station has a large 
  number of stakeholders--10,000 members and 15X that number of current 
  listeners.  Couple that with the awareness that not everyone believes in a 
  single way to promote the kind of social transformation we seek.  For 
  example, Ray Hill's Prison Show is not overtly political in the sense 
  Flashpoints is, but it has a place of pride on the programming schedule.  
  Music is a powerful force for social transformation.  Etc.  Not everyone 
  wants a steady diet of the same thing.

  Let's cut each other some slack, folks.

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