[Kzyxtalk] KZYX info

[peace at pacific.net]

Hi All,
 About 2 weeks ago I heard one of the NPR news people interviewing a man
from  some Koch brothers' funded think tank.  The news person mentioned
at the beginning of the interview that NPR gets some funding from the
Koch brothers.  I was only a little surprised to hear that.

We here in the U.S. seem to have  both the best democracy and the best
media that money can buy.

Sandy Turner



> I don’t think the membership does control the programming through
> dollars or anything else. The station lost half of its community funding
> between 2004-2006 because of a shift to NPR programming and away from
> locally produced radio. The loss of funds only caused KZYX to double down
> on NPR.
>
> I think what happened at KZYX is a small number of NPR fanatics took
> control of the station and will not let go despite the obviously flawed
> business model. They are breaking literally nearly every by-law and past
> board directive to do so, as well as nearly running the station into the
> ground financially as NPR is not what many in this community want to hear.
>
> Doug
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Feb 13, 2018, at 1:17 PM, Tim Gregory <tgregory at saber.net> wrote:
>>
>> Doug and Kelly...
>>
>> Doug, you know i’m eternally grateful for your in-house efforts. (With
>> none left for
>> the ad hominem wielding detractors)...kzyx is not a public utility,
>> though, rather
>> it’s the frail, flawed non-profit business you left. kzyx is a vestige
>> of true
>> community radio, and yet its employees are not the enemy.
>>
>> Likewise, neither cpb nor fcc control its content. The membership does,
>> through
>> dollars, and we can be sure the parasitic relationship to npr is part of
>> that.
>>
>> So the begging bowls come out again and sure enough the scorched-earth
>> tin-pot
>> reformers. Mike Sweeney nails candidate Bruce Anderson, but so many new
>> to the
>> footprint may not see the hazards of an even MORE disfunctional BOD.
>>
>> So, Doug, if sabotage is still in the air—how do you stand now?
>> —-
>>
>>
>>
>> Then what?
>>
>>
>> Here's a ten-point plan:
>>
>>
>> 1. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) should immediately
>> demand the
>> resignations of the current Board of Directors. The CPB should also
>> immediately
>> terminate the current GM and his salaried cronies...the other paid staff
>> at the
>> station.
>>
>>
>> 2. The CPB should hold new elections that it oversees. The newly elected
>> Board
>> should hire new staff, starting with the GM.
>>
>>
>> 3. The new Board should strongly consider adopting a new business model,
>> a la KMUD,
>> that mandates real inclusiveness and ensures the integrity of public
>> representation
>> in a truly "public radio station".
>>
>>
>> 4. The new Board should review all by-laws, policies and procedures, and
>> their
>> enforcement.
>>
>>
>> 5. Old programmers should be termed out, if they have have hosted shows
>> for ten
>> years or more. Again, no cronyism.
>>
>>
>> 6. Past IRS Form 990s from the last ten years should be reviewed for
>> accuracy,
>> truthfulness, and completeness.
>>
>>
>> 7. The new Board should order a complete audit of of the station's
>> financials,
>> especially the inconsistencies among the station's balance sheets,
>> income
>> statements, budgets, tax returns, and so-called "audits".
>>
>>
>> 8. The new Board should order a review of the banking relationship with
>> the
>> Mendocino Savings Bank.
>>
>>
>> 9. The new Board should recruit a new Program Advisory Committee and
>> Community
>> Advisory Board that is truly inclusive and truly representative of the
>> public, and
>> that is not stacked with the friends and family of former Board
>> directors, staff,
>> and programmers...again, no cronyism. This effort should also be
>> overseen by the
>> CPB.
>>
>>
>> 10. The FCC should be advised of these changes in governance and
>> management.
>>
>>
>> As a footnote, if KZYX/KZYZ/Mendocino County Public Broadcasting can't
>> be rescued
>> and turned around, and if the Board of Directors, Program Advisory
>> Committee, and
>> Community Advisory Board cant be made to be truly inclusive, and if the
>> station's
>> management and finances can''t be made to be truly accountable and
>> transparent, then
>> the station's two FCC licenses, KZYX and KZYZ,  should be transferred to
>> other
>> public radio stations in the area, like KMUD or KMEC, or, in the
>> alternative, a new
>> Mendocino County-based public radio station should be incorporated and
>> it should
>> apply to the FCC for these licenses.
>>
>>
>> Public media is a privilege, not a right. And it is a sacred trust.
>>
>>
>> Respectfully submitted,
>>
>>
>> John Sakowicz
>> ---
>>
>>> On February 13, 2018 at 10:58 AM Kelly Grimes <grimie at mcn.org> wrote:
>>>    Then what?
>>>    On 2/13/2018 10:41 AM, John Sakowicz wrote:
>>>>        The CPB should immediately defund KZYX and KZYZ/Mendocino
>>>> County Public
>>> Broadcasting. The FCC should consider suspending the station's licenses
>>> pending a
>> full investigation. I speak as a former member of the Board of Directors
>> and Board
>> Treasurer of the station.
>>>>        Current GM, Jeffery Parker, is as secretive and autocratic --
>>>> and
>>> arrogant -- as former GM, John Coate...who belongs in prison. Public
>>> dollars
>> disappear through waste, fraud, and corruption. Conflicts of interest
>> and
>> self-dealing are rife at the station.
>>>>        John Sakowicz
>>>>>            On February 12, 2018 at 6:02 PM doug mckenty
>>>>> <dougmck at gmail.com>
>>> mailto:dougmck at gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>            Seems like not much has changed. Anyone can read the
>>>>> bylaws and
>>> discover that the current board is not following any of it. How
>>> these “rubber stamp boards” can not only take control of
>>> public utilities, but run off those who try to clean up the mess rather
>>> than just
>> help do the right thing, is beyond me. Someone
>>> should do a psychological cal study on how and why this happens. It is
>>> a real
>> shame.
>>>>>            Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>>                On Feb 12, 2018, at 11:18 AM, Tim Gregory
>>> <tgregory at saber.net> mailto:tgregory at saber.net wrote:
>>>>>>                Why?
>>>>>>                —-
>>>>>>                Please take the time to read the post by
>>>>>>                Scott Peterson re KZYX.  Please post
>>>>>>                your thoughts re same on KZYXtalk.
>>>>>>                Norman, Host
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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