I second what Diane said.<div><br></div><div>Also, I will look this up but I heard FSRN is back up as of last month. I prefer it to Democracy Now myself and hope it can rally.</div><div><br></div><div>Doug<br><br>On Monday, May 19, 2014, Diane Paget <<a href="mailto:dpaget@mcn.org">dpaget@mcn.org</a>> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Tim,<br>
<br>
Your own numbers tell the story: a weekly drop of 5.5 hours of local<br>
public affairs programming in the last five years; and I'm willing to<br>
bet an even greater drop in the last 10, 15 and 20 years.<br>
<br>
Might be a good idea to distinguish between "NPR haters" (of which there<br>
are some) and "local public affairs fans" (of which there are many) --<br>
rather than painting both with the same brush.<br>
<br>
Local music programming is not being threatened by anyone.<br>
<br>
Isn't management being a bit disingenuous when it says that it is so<br>
hard to find local public affairs programmers. This is a radio station<br>
-- either the PD or the GM could produce a PSA recruiting people for<br>
training and/or to submit program proposals and play it at the times of<br>
day when such people are likely to be listening. Yes, they would then<br>
have to deal with the drama kings and queens and the nut cases as well<br>
as people who really could produce good shows. But unfortunately DK&Q<br>
are part of running a community radio station and maybe people who<br>
aren't willing to deal with them are not well suited to be community<br>
radio staff.<br>
<br>
Free Speech Radio News did not die from lack of personnel (and did deal<br>
with its share of DK&Qs) -- it died of funding problems.<br>
<br>
Diane<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Tim Bray wrote:<br>
> Seven member committee... decision by consensus... if no consensus,<br>
> Mary decides. That pretty much spells out why the previous PAC<br>
> incarnation did not work.<br>
><br>
> I could get behind a proposal for a three-person PAC, whose reviews<br>
> and recommendations would be public, if we can figure out a good<br>
> process for selecting them and setting criteria for their work. (From<br>
> watching the previous committee, I would have to say this is much<br>
> harder than it seems.) Then the Program Director could still have<br>
> authority to make the decisions, and the whole process would be more<br>
> open than at present. Such a PAC would operate largely independently<br>
> from staff and require as little staff time as possible.<br>
><br>
> Basically what I am hearing is that a number of people simply don't<br>
> trust the current Program Director to make these decisions. I'm not<br>
> sure that's fair, but having an independent PAC to introduce some<br>
> public input might be a way to alleviate that concern.<br>
><br>
> Do you have an alternative to "NPR-haters?" NPR-dislikers just<br>
> doesn't sound good to me. :) As for preferring different news<br>
> sources, KZYX runs at least four: DN, Hartmann, PRI, and NPR, plus a<br>
> little bit of local news (and I know the management is really hoping<br>
> to expand that). If you are not in favor of eliminating NPR, then<br>
> what do you propose? Basically we get Morning Edition, All Things<br>
> Considered, and Fresh Air, plus a few shorter weekend shows (Wait<br>
> Wait, LRC, On the Media). If you want to eliminate one or more of<br>
> those, let us know which. If not, then why are we discussing it? Did<br>
> I misunderstand, and it is some other syndicated programming to which<br>
> you and others object?<br>
><br>
> Now, as to the mix of public affairs vs. music programming: I will<br>
> provide those numbers, but first, I have to admit to some sensitivity<br>
> about this. I think music programming is important and makes valuable<br>
> contributions to our community, and KZYX has some standout music<br>
> programmers whose contributions are sometimes ignored when the focus<br>
> is on public-affairs programming. I am doing both, having taken on a<br>
> monthly production of Ecology Hour, and understand the two types of<br>
> programs require different kinds of effort, skills, and commitment.<br>
><br>
> Note: This is pasted from an Excel spreadsheet table. Depending on<br>
> your e-mail reader, and the Listserv settings, the formatting might<br>
> not work.<br>
> hrs/wk 2009 2014<br>
> NPR 28 32.5<br>
> Other Synd PA 42.5 43.5<br>
> Synd Music 3 7<br>
> Local PA 17.5 12<br>
> Local Music 77 73<br>
> Total 168 168<br>
><br>
><br>
> As to the demographics, I don't think it can be disputed that they are<br>
> changing, though maybe it can be overstated. In any case, I don't<br>
> think it is realistic to expect that KZYX programming would not change<br>
> as well.<br>
><br>
> Tim<br>
><br>
><br>
> On 5/18/2014 6:45 PM, doug mckenty wrote:<br>
>> Ok,<br>
>><br>
>> A lot to get around to.<br>
>><br>
>> The construction of the PAC was interesting. One member elected by<br>
>> the board, one by the programmers and one by the community advisory<br>
>> board. These people were to get together with the program director<br>
>> and choose three more according to a matrix of needs. The seven<br>
>> member committee makes programming decisions by consensus, though<br>
>> if consensus is not found the pd gets the last word. Any conflict<br>
>> should be reviewed by the grievance process. I thought it was a good<br>
>> start. My sense of the story is that it started off pretty strong<br>
>> but the air went out of the tires when word came down after John C.<br>
>> became general manager and the decision was made that the consensus<br>
>> of the group was not binding, and the group was only advisory in<br>
>> nature. That interpretation of the documentation won the day and,<br>
>> neutered of any real power, the PAC because redundant because there<br>
>> was already a CAB. That is the story as I have interpreted it from<br>
>> speaking with people who were involved.<br>
>> Oak & Thorn <<a href="http://oakandthorn.wordpress.com" target="_blank">http://oakandthorn.wordpress.com</a>><br>
> Facebook: Oak and Thorn<br>
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