Dear Mr. Blankfort,
Thanks for your response. I just switched over to streaming KMUD.
Sincerely,
Scott M. Peterson
Mendocino
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Subject: Re: [Kzyxtalk] Listener Request
To: scottmartinpeterson at hotmail.com; eric.sunswheat at gmail.com
From: jblankfort at earthlink.net
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2016 14:03:42 -0700
Hello Scott,
For some reason, this is the first email I received from you and
the message from Eric, even though apparently properly addressed,
did not arrive. Other than writing that letter to the AVA
regarding the distortions contained in the letter by Kathryn
Massey, (all of which I stand by) I have not been involved in the
disputes around the finances of KZYX nor do I intend to and it has
nothing to do with not biting the hand that feeds me.
From 1993 to 1999, when I moved to the county, I was heavily
involved in exposing and fighting far more serious grievances on
the part of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Radio Network
that included testifying before the CPB in Washington in 1997
(with which, it turned out, it Pacifica was in cahoots) compared
to which the allegations against KZYX's management don't even make
an impression on the scale. After wasting too much time, in
retrospect, in the struggle to save Pacifica and Berkeley's KPFA I
resolved never to involve myself in any issue concerning a public
radio station and intend to keep it that way.
Although I had my differences with the previous management, which
were expressed on our programmer and staff listserve, I believe
everyone at the station was doing his and her best to make it work
as well as possible whereas, from my viewpoint, certain of its
critics, most notably Sakowicz, were out to destroy it, much like
that US commander in Vietnam who said he "had to destroy the
village in order to save it."
I don't want to play any part in doing that here.
Best,
Jeff Blankfort
On 6/24/2016 4:06 PM, Scott Peterson
wrote:
Dear Eric,
I know how hard things have been for KZYX programmers.
Especially the really good ones. Including Mr. Blankfort. But
I also understand that topnotch investigative journalists
can't report on everything. And that it's generally unwise to
bite the hand that feeds you.
If the true financial health of the station isn't relevant
to most people, then there's no reason to hide it. But
anything that's hidden draws attention to itself. Especially
when it's money. And the future of Mendocino County's only
high-power public radio station.
I've got no pithy pit bulls here, Eric. Only fact. And the
need to deliver it. To honest journalists like Mr. Blankfort.
With no demands. Only a request. To consider it. And to do the
right thing.
Sincerely,
Scott M. Peterson
Mendocino
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2016 15:04:13 -0700
Subject: Re: [Kzyxtalk] Listener Request
From: eric.sunswheat at gmail.com
To: scottmartinpeterson at hotmail.com
CC: jblankfort at earthlink.net
OFFLIST - Scott, perhaps you don't understand that the
programmers had to almost clean the boots of the General
Manager to be on the air.
The true financial health of the station was not
relevant, as the demographics pushed more listeners to
news on KMUD.
KZYX gambled on being NPR superstation for poverty
stricken Lake County with syndicated automation replacing
some local shows of the dissenters. which is
yielding results.
Don't blame Jeffrey, he did what he needed to do in
order to survive, to bring his valuable radio reports to
the community.
Haven't you heard of dog eat dog. It's a tough road
to hoe if your radio show gets gutted. And Mr. Blankfort
has donated years of his time to the cause.
There may be paper shuffling card sharks out there,
but please keep your pithy pit bulls on a leash,
unless you feel this is absolutely necessary, to
maintain the status quo.
I hope Jeffrey straightens this out, and you Scott,
get a new crease to your bow tie.
Eric
On Friday, June 24, 2016, Scott Peterson <scottmartinpeterson at hotmail.com>
wrote:
Dear Mr. Blankfort,
I'm a regular listener of your program,
'Takes on the World' on KZYX.
I appreciate the time and attention you put
into your program. As well
as all the research. I do, however, have a
request for you.
My request is this: Please look into three
things about Mendocino
County Public Broadcasting, Inc. Number
one, the corporation's net
assets over the past ten years. Number two,
its debt over the same
same time period. And number three, its
policy toward public
disclosure of that information. You
can find the Form 990s here:
http://nccsweb.urban.org/communityplatform/nccs/organization/profile/id/680050440/popup/1
You can find the latest audited financial
statement here:
http://kzyx.org/Board/audits/MCPB-Audit-Report6-30-15.pdf
And the latest unaudited financial
statement here:
http://www.kzyx.org/index.php/about-us/volunteering-at-kzyx/102-station-business/249-mcpb-2016-budget-as-passed
What you'll find is this: (1) that MCPB's
net assets have dropped from
$350,000 in 2007 to $11,000 today; (2) that
MCPB's corporate debt
has nearly doubled over that time period,
and; (3) that MCPB actively
concealed Form 990s from its Board of
Directors. That's gone on for
the last five years. In a policy described
in 'Schedule O' toward the end
of the Form 990s themselves: "No review was
or will be conducted."
This policy blinded MCPB's Board from what
many would agree was a
catastrophic decline.
It also blinded many talented and
well-intentioned programmers to
excoriate those who tried getting to the
truth. Particularly MCPB's
own Treasurer, Mr. John Sakowicz. I first
reported this policy back in
October of 2013 here:
http://theava.com/archives/24569
I don't know of anyone who'd reported this
before me. I'm pretty
sure that I was the first. In fact, I
remember telling Mr. Sakowicz
about it on the telephone. Shortly after
that, he got elected to the
Board of Directors and began asking for the
Form 990s. To see what
MCPB's financial position was. But his
request was refused. And the
policy continued.
After that, Mr. Sakowicz -- and four other
members -- filed a grievance
with the FCC over that and other issues.
But instead of reversing that
policy, MCPB hired an expensive Washington,
DC law firm to discredit
Mr. Sakowicz. Something it couldn't really
afford. But didn't realize.
Because the Form 990s were being hidden.
After that grievance was filed, MCPB posted
a handful of documents
that appear to be audited financial
statements on its website. Most of
them supposedly prepared by an accountant
named Frank X. Gloeggler.
Who'd also prepared the Form 990s. And
swore on each and every one
of them -- under penalty of perjury -- that
no such audits had been
prepared. I've since reported this
discovery as well. In the Anderson
Valley Advertiser.
I just found an editorial of yours from
2014 there. Speaking unkindly
about Mr. Sakowicz and his grievance with
the FCC. That was mainly
about MCPB's policy of hiding financial
information from Directors
and Officers. Like Mr. Sakowicz. I can
understand your confusion. But
I'm the one who broke the story to him. And
to the rest of the world.
That hiding financial information from the
public was MCPB policy.
If you find my research to be credible, can
you take another request?
To consider retracting that editorial? You
can find it here:
http://theava.com/archives/32856/comment-page-1#34
Thanks for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Scott M. Peterson
Mendocino
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