[Kzyxtalk] The elephant in the room?

[Cindy Swan]

On Feb 17, 2015, at 1:20 AM, Liz Helenchild <deejayliz at yahoo.com> wrote:

> What is a lover of community radio to do? Support the station so it stays on air, each according to her/his ability! 

> Hang in & work for change. Elect active, engaged Board members, establish communications with them, & insist on their accountability to the wishes of members. Burning down the house may be sexy, & serial down-&-dirty conflicts sell newspapers, but when our local on-air alternative to mainstream/corporate radio is gone, we can expect disconnection unto chaos. 

> I hope for some skillful means of balancing the authority that keeps the station on air day after day with the effective radiated power of listener/member input. 

Thanks, Liz, for your wise words.

I had been withholding my financial support of 
Mendocino County’s Public airwaves
until I saw changes in Board composition….
and here’s why:

Sako’s presence on the Board has only served
to stimulate and justify the “closed door” attitude
he so decries . . . 

I cannot imagine that anyone 
enjoys 
His verbosity and bullying tactics
(displayed in every form of media county-wide)
that only discredit the very sincerity
of concerns held by programmers, listeners,
members and fellow board members alike . . .
concerns perhaps even held by staff,
in facing the challenges of aging equipment,
as well as the rising costs of travel 
to the mothership in Philo for far-flung programmers,
stagnant membership #s, and reduced listenership?

And when he jumps on “taking over” honestly expressed
suggestions as to how station operations could be
re-structured . . . it tars people's sincerity with
the black brush of his own penchant
for discord, rather than encouraging 
respectful dialogue and
true community involvement, imho.

If the man truly wants the station to survive and thrive,
he would immediately resign 
from his “At Large” seat on the Board,
allowing both (current “At Large"candidates)
Ed Keller and Doug McKenty
to bring their considerable skills to the Boardroom.
Having met both, I do not see their visions for the station
to necessarily be incompatible . . . and would like to see them 
working together with other caring board members 
who have, to date, been cowed by Sako’s grandstanding.

This would certainly allow for more honest
respectful, and intelligent dialogue that the station so badly needs
in order to come up with creative solutions to the problems
that have always existed in running a station  
that is mandated to serve
the geographically isolated set of unique communities
that make up Mendocino County. (i.e. It ain’t easy, 
but with a little cooperation, and a lot less bully pulpit
it could be so much more fun!)

I, too, am weary of discord-driven politics,
generated to bring attention to the station (?)
that only serve to drive listenership away . . .
and
were JS to take the above suggestion
and (humbly, quietly) resign at this juncture. . .
(and, instead, expend his efforts on syndicating his 
independently produced show, and sharing it w/other airwaves,
much like “Radio Curious” and “TUC” are shared 
with other community stations across the nation);
He would prove to all of us that his actual agenda
is to improve the quality of the airwaves, not shut them down.

And, I suspect . . . that there would be many others besides myself
who would (once again) feel comfortable supporting
KZYX/Z . . .Mendocino County’s only community-owned
public radio station that is capable of reaching ALL of our ears.

~C.

P.S. Here are some visual aides to assist your considerations of what
the current brou-ha-ha over licensure is all about?

KZYZ: 91.5 Coverage area; license (already)renewed until 2021


AND. . .Still up for renewal; 
the FB Translator K201HR 88.1FM
(license expired 12/2013):


As well as KZYX, 90.7 FM, whose license expired 12/2013;
and is also still being contested by Sako for renewal,
even though, with all three in place, we’d enjoy complete 
and enduring county-wide coverage?

 

On Feb 17, 2015, at 1:20 AM, Liz Helenchild <deejayliz at yahoo.com> wrote:

> What is a lover of community radio to do? Support the station so it stays on air, each according to her/his ability! 
> 
> As Sheila Dawn eloquently points out, volunteering is a powerful way to do so. Hang in & work for change. Elect active, engaged Board members, establish communications with them, & insist on their accountability to the wishes of members. Burning down the house may be sexy, & serial down-&-dirty conflicts sell newspapers, but when our local on-air alternative to mainstream/corporate radio is gone, we can expect disconnection unto chaos. 
> 
> I was a devoted fan of my erstwhile KMFB colleague Marco's Memo of the Air, & when I served on the PAC, urged that it be heard on KZYX in a late night slot. I hoped for an agreement. The escalation of discourtesies in communications saddens me. 
> 
> Who & what kind of programming deserves airtime? I am still pondering. I would hope to hear the creativity, braininess, zaniness, wisdom, & diversity generated by & relevant to our lives in N CA.
> 
> I hope for some skillful means of balancing the authority that keeps the station on air day after day with the effective radiated power of listener/member input. 
> 
> Naturally, change is gonna come.
> 
> Liz AKA Bessie Mae Mucho
> 
> 
> 

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