[Kzyxtalk] Loyalty

[Tim Gregory]

media is just package deals, from each producer into a calendar week, itself the
product of a local non-profit. we listeners are one market. being an npr affiliate
actually means somewhat less here [kzyx] than many other places. try to remember
that, because if you wish to upgrade some part of the schedule, you must be
persuasive on behalf of some equally satisfying content instead.
---


the conundrum to me


Tim, could you more fully describe the NPR conundrum.

On 9/4/2016 1:52 PM, Tim Gregory wrote:
> i understand your reasoning, doug. i dislike your example of marco's latest
> 'rejection', though. while i believe marco is grounded enough not to be another
> sako
> in the ranks of the station, granting him airtime COULD have similar fallout.
>
> obviously the 900lb gorilla, NPR, is not fully understood in its pros and cons,
> nor
> are all sane suggestions for improving our calendar week. 'npr worldview' is not
> only here, it keeps up with the times enough to know its demographic and go with
> the
> flow.
>
> some listeners admire that, too.
>
> i grew frustrated with both callers and hosts on thurs call-in hour...called to
> separate personal tastes v. concerns about autocratic content decisions...might
> have
> said it better...
>
> we're all on our learning curves...
> ---
>
>
>
>
> I feel compelled to respond to a post last week from Marco where he revealed an
> email from the current Program Director at KZYX stating that the organization was
> not interested in working with him as they were only looking for volunteers who
> would, in her words, express a "loyalty" to the radio station.
>
> What does that mean?
>
> KZYX is meant to be a community organization that, according to its mission
> statement, produces programming that is open to "all points of view."  In other
> words, those with different, and opposing, perspectives, should be able to use the
> station as a communication hub where these differences can be hashed out in an
> open
> and transparent manner and the radio station should operate as a common resource
> shared by all members of the community.  The bylaws and policies of the station
> clearly dictate that differences in opinion concerning station governance and
> programming decisions should be made in a similarly transparent and democratic
> fashion.
>
> About 10 years ago, a few entrenched members of the stations hierarchy chose to
> disregard many of these policies in order to enforce upon the station a "NPR
> formula" which minimized the influence of members of the community interested in
> discussing alternative or activist opinions that strayed too far from what I would
> describe as the "NPR worldview."
>
> As a result, community support for the station plummeted and the stations net
> worth
> dropped from $350k to almost zero.  The station has lost an average of $3000 a
> month
> during that time, despite the fact that the CPB grant increased by nearly 100%.
> (Though the amount has been reduced over the last two years.)
>
> Those who advocated for a return to the democratic spirit expressed in the
> stations
> policies often coincided with their desire to discuss alternatives to the
> NPRcentric
> perspectives of those who unilaterally took control of the programming were often
> simply pushed out over time.
>
> While it seems obvious that many in our community wish to hear more alternative
> beliefs, and the expression of those beliefs on air would result in more community
> financial support for the station, those who have taken control of the programming
> simply accuse those who seek democratic change over hierarchical control of
> disloyalty to the institution itself.
>
> >From my perspective, those who have taken control of the programming to impose
>> their beliefs, at the expense of the rest of the community, are the ones who act
> out of disloyalty to the institution, and those of us attempting to democratize
> the
>> process in order to save the station financially, are the ones loyal to the
>> spirit
> of community radio with respect for the shared, common resource it is meant to be.
>
> The accusation of "disloyalty" seems to be yet another excuse to silence the
> voices
> in our community who believe that the radio station should be open to "all points
> of
> view."
>
> Doug
>
> Sent from my iPhone
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