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Activists, artists and citizens from nearly all walks of life and perspectives
have struggled to reach beyond the limit mainstream media.
Whether it's Fox News and The New York Times,
Rush Limbaugh or Brian Williams
people say they are tired of being talked to were overlooked
the C to exercise their own rights to free speech
to a felony to hear from independent voices the exercise their rights and
fulfill their needs
by creating new avenues for speech by inventing new forms of communication
and by seizing the microphone to speak to their community this movement did not
begin and end does not end with the Internet for social media
is a movement as a bold as the dawn mass media
this series will highlight the contributions alternative media
the challenges citizen space in a political environment that seems to rule
or only those with the most money
political environment that does not necessarily reward those with the best
ideas
for those who serve the critical information needed their community drew
looking beyond mainstream media
I Mark Lloyd the director the media policy initiative here at the New
America Foundation bring have conversation at Pacifica Radio
specifically WPF W radio here in washington DC
and the founding the Pacifica Radio we where US kia Muhammad
now legendary news reporter and now the news director Danny PFW here in
washington
and haitian immigrant ease part is your who's been
broadcasting Pacifica for over 25 years and is now chairman
local station board WPF Debbie but first
short clip from the documentary KPFA on the air by filmmakers
raucous over and Sharon wood to that the founding
KPFA the first pacific Gas Station it's narrated by Pulitzer prize-winning
author
alice walker one to a
lot in 1943 Blue Hill received a medical release
for spinal arthritis he headed to Washington DC
to lobby on behalf conscientious objectors
worry
and with his radio idea in mind he joined the world
network broadcasting my this comment hold
and now let me tell you about MacTavish is skinless week
so long he was appalled flavoring commercial interests color every program
even penniless FF all *** for bringing your last minute headline
Leroy out of the wire last night I resigned from the blue network
am very glad to be out of that particular told from
in brief in letter after letter to brief and church
killing elaborated has planned for a radically different kind of radio
we I one that promoted
ideas not products he had this idea subscribe
met people themselves subscribe to the station and support it that way
and we were constantly are you mad because I asked myself would I send the
money if I could get it free and I had to say maybe not
chechen realize nothing was gonna be sold valuable
people would pay for it even if they could get a tree
you see that's what I did
***
every fan feeling waited until the wars
in to move forward with his radio project fashion
my newly married
he and his wife headed out to the one place where they got it might succeed
Choi het San Francisco was a very alive
place to be at that point they were ID years
just floating in the year to be pulled out it's felt like
which really quite exciting
small but fiercely cosmopolitan the San Francisco Bay Area
was a haven for utopian dreamers Colorado calls
artists and anarchists
here the poet Kenneth Rex Ryan presided over a free-wheeling club with
intellectuals
calling themselves the libertarian circle Matthew lasar
and Lucile immediately knew that he had to go to these people because most timid
and conscientious objectors almost all other than the conscientious objectors
during the war
and they were very creative crowd many showed up
unannounced one day 1ad libertarian circle meetings
Elena McKenney blessed Richard Morris house
San Francisco his apartment I believe it wasn't an artist
discussion with Canada tracks Rudd
and place was packed Richard Moore
I remember questioning lu within
education tempt in my voice ami radios
ridiculous thing this isn't a little activity political activities in the
barricades and
as armchair and a kiss you know it's ridiculous thing to say but this
Russell Richard but Richard Moore was won over by lose vision that night
as was Elena mckinney a young producer for NBC Radio
and with a few more recruits they began the Pacifica foundation in 1946
setting out in the hills words to create
a Pacific world in our time macular Scion
typing out one after another these little fundraising prospectuses
if you look at the early KPFA fundraising literature
it doesn't just talk about radio stations it talks about starting
magazines
schools at one point there you're talking about a chain of restaurants
they saw themselves as part of a mass world movement
for a peaceable world am p.m.
p.m. daughter
in after three years they brace less than half the money they'd hoped for
im on april fifteenth 1949
undeterred they gathered in their makeshift studio
for the first day of broadcasting melanoma can we didn't feel it which was
super 8
should mean you do all this work and raise the money
and make a decision this started on them shoes trail
them that day with everything was at last minute to look
on the air and then lose stepped up to the microphone
on it and it moved s love
one thing I
understand is the fact that information is power
because you have to educate people
to communication public const min
the message to them and to pull hook
their mind and in order to have me
we actually well why is radio so important and why
that's the mass media outlets are you can which the biggest number of people
that you can
all the way you know get access to that's why
are meat was important especially in our community where
you know how are
that's one of things here like in Miami or New York
law you know in Boston where you you may have many
other mediums and many other radio station but here in washington attorney
you know anyone so it's its bakery Nicole our whole community
and to which them so that's why I R one other thing that I
you know look for and I'm may not look out but then when I went to college
at one point I I thought of going into communications but that in our
now because I don't think they would have 1 24 hours
both I want lol I like black
he did you know but but thats that's that's that's by nature but
with WP on the way I feel comfortable because I know
are I'm in a place where I'm telling the true
I'm giving people the importance that they don't have
and and that's what thats Miller what make it
different now is there a difference between what
the Pacifica Radio national does worded
and what WPF W dads
is there a distinction between those two
there's its it's not
there's no difference it's the same goals the same object if the mission is
to them
it's just that the market can be different to the community that you're
serving is exactly
can be defined you know but but its we all
you know strive to the same the same wall and
with all strive for the same mission and that's what we want to accomplish
and the key word is alternative and been
thats that's what they giving people a voice
that didn't have so alright so
it explained to me
ski if you if you could what is the the real difference between
say a talk show on in BC
CBS or local television station were news program
online NBC or CBS urged a show or something like that
and what you do what what is the real difference between the service that you
provide
and what I might be able to get from good morning america.
we know the Mar once I heard
someone talk about a we
the america's general interest
and what america's journalists General Electric General Dynamics
a.m. and those are the general interest in that's what's different
again you don't have that sort of I'm
a editor looking over your shoulder which
come prescribes some of what you say and
are thinking to a certain extent fil A bttm
former CIA guy said at some point when you and
media a okay you go and you so I just
mouth this because I don't really believe it but is the keep my job and at
some point
you start to internalize that and you just go along with any WiFi device from
against the stream
and pretty soon you are a believer in
whatever it is you thought you would never believe when you took this job
and so that's the difference and every PFW in Pacifica
I think we are in a sense a I interpret them because credit
at the creation of the repeat that you said it to reflect the local interest it
should reflect
the local population which is at that time primarily an african-american
population
chocolate city is it was call and so we have at the core
the mission that that is
related to jazz and carribean music and
blues and R&B and those handsome things with you don't find
observer stations and it has made every PFW
what I would consider the village voice on the potomac
a a the village voice on atomic is not the City Paper
it's not the weekend sectional or some post if the ppl to be because it does
have that
local flavor that's so cool kinda a
outlook that's just you come to the same conclusions as
be jack will tell me one time is not
black people see things differently bag use to see things
sooner than other people in the society so what do you think that that's always
been fascinating to me
about the services you provide is that you provide service to so many different
kinds and black people
I accept that so the up so
a Eve it particularly with the program to use to put on the
that this the your service to the haitian community is
is very different than disorder programs that you'd see on the BSE issue are
or or or send so it could you talk about serving
need those particular community exactly the on
what I do is merely give them a taste of home
it's kind of winging home back here for two hours on Saturday night
that's basically what I do and not only for them
but also wit right-wing other people done on
haitians fault give them a prospective
of Haiti that they would not have gotten anywhere
you know make them clearly understand issues
because sometimes didn't have are that *** view
of what's gone on in haiti I why would guess you covered the troubles regarding
aristide very differently
Inc exactly exactly I'm still give them the other side
not what you would hear on CNN all you know
NBC or CBS not we go into needle
and key have the a philosophy because
iconic cat the cat and dog dog so I don't heed
you know I don't hide it you know and its
n that's money charen also that's why people with appreciated
once in new community did defeat the heel something this as well
is the did did you hear the deep set up
if you see if inserted I believe it
so not that so you know that's the nature
of and that's who cross the border have to say a
it's a different perspective on a different kinda content yesterday I was
into a program
the VFW had something and I forgot what the problem was but I heard
the name John Coltrane Minton and ideas and I heard
another program and they not a music show
but discussion some sort and I heard John Coltrane's name in to get
and I dare say that evolved radio and television stations in washington
which amount to 60 or so broadcast outlets
this is the only one where you will hear John Coltrane's name
mentioned or the perspective that he was reflecting
about eighty or about the Carribean all about so many other issues
the only place you'll hear John Coltrane may mention
in a month in two months maybe on npr
maybe someone will say coltrane somewhere and
two or three months but this is something kinda content that you hear
on the BPF to be on an ongoing basis not just
I use his name as in the as easy example but then
on every the subject their
Bradley Manning before there was by the Manning
a you know just all these kinds of stories
indep that you don't hear elsewhere and that's true
with the VFW that's not true and other broadcast outlets
I don't know the people necessarily appreciate that to the extent
that they should but that is really the reality
one of the things that that the whether it is WPF WR WB Arri
your wide variety Pacifica stations
or around the country I they're almost always seemed the
said have troubles or at least in modern times
facing Pacifica stations now I
one of the things that I i connect that with this the fact that
are you actually have more community engagement in the operation at the
station
there and say top-down management style would
and I whether we like it or not sometimes democracy creates problems
at so if could you talk a little bit about in this case is in to YouTube in
with the station
the longest I
where is Delhi PFW now
and where do you see the the future net station
given the set have trouble staying at you're facing
have counted once recently we may have had
in the left and since I've been around maybe ten twelve general managers
maybe 10 15 or more program directors
but some other programmers like he's been here since 1984
know Joe managers been here that long I
I'll so these management issues
who resolve themselves and nm in in one way or another I think there's a
the there is a conflict or question or
issue that is not is yet to be resolved in perhaps
a i think is a good tension and in Pacifica that is
is it to be activist controlled or is it to be
professional broadcasters and so you have the activists
who a you know but then if you it was all active is controlled only people
who can afford to work or other people with trust funds
I'll it was our professional then then you start firing people
who perhaps speaker not quite as
correctly there as you would prefer and so
this tension remains i think im works itself out for the best
hopefully there will be business model that provides I think
as we move forward we need a business model that provides enough
revenue so that as a going concern
to use the R tears type expression as a going concern
Pacifica has a future rather than certainly being
a.m. I'm teetering on the brink of a
disaster on any given day will let that as the chairman of the board
well I have not only have been someone for the past six months
but also I've been there for 29 years so
you talking about crisis absent quests
and I can also tell you that right now we also in crisis
you know been but the thing about it is the fact that
we always find a way to overcome
with always far away to solve it
but %ah to save the radio station
and like its Kia said you know when are we getting off the gym on manual
are we get the look: program directors but
programmers new phone tears base
still remained constant and we always
solve it and I'm sure I'm very confident that the situation that we are in right
now
we won the Saab to and believe me ban XE would probably will not be talking about
it anymore
and we will be moving forward at that's from chairman Board yes
yes ma'am overhead that that's always always good to hear so
arm one or the other challenges I think that
I nah tone the Pacifica
faces but the radio faces in general is this notion that somehow
radio is old media and broadcasting is all there really is a matter anymore
that why
wide why even care about to what could you talk a little bit about
what it is the Debbie PFW their radio that what you do
for the community that that maybe
even just a little bit beyond just providing broadcast service
are I thank
for us all it doesn't matter it's made your choice
any other medium you always have to move with technology
you have two on with the and walk with it
you know no matter what you know what we are not
I and we have to also be ready to adopt also of
to any changes that occur and
be so we know that and we using what its Internet
but its cop whatever you call it but
one of two key things that mean the same
it's that constant dialogue between
what gassed up and a community that will
that you cannot change that hand and
this is very important this is very critical to also why won't
into any medium especially made you because people want that dialogue
they want a place where they can express what they feel
you know the opening of the one place where the King wonderful that they are
being hard
that damn message is being you know gone for not other people under something
and band and so that's what you know the what for example
we have me he he one of local
what got so here are not what does it show
on the L you know how show when all the things that I love you can't you can't
see
of some time so passionate people are have new deaths thought
and that that mean you're with you
you can take that and no matter what they do no matter what technology com
we will not that one we change the
computer the Internet make gutenberg obsolete
he of course not
you know he estab- the place so the concept the movable type
still valuable and the printed word still
has some value even if it's on a candle it is
using these letters and and and what have you
so I am a okay I've got an iPod
my ipod you can play music for forty five hours
and that you the same song twice and I have not even
touch the iPod in six-month
I'm no other people have thousands and thousands of songs on the iPod
but the type I will not tell you today is Abby Lincoln's Birthday
the iPod will not remind you that on this day in 1963
June 12 1963 on that day
a to come on June 12 1963 medgar evers was assassinated
it will not tell you that and remind you that in any way
that up touches your soul and says all year
I really want to be reminded about that and so
yeah okay but a so the same the television Netflix is gonna make
a broadcast television awfully but thats
a 'em Hui what is
what is valuable is
the origination of content and so at a radio station like
that we have to be in Pacifica a if you look at the archives the oldest
archives any broadcast medium
in the country radio audiotapes a
if you look at that they originated programs that were just
totally unique and we still do that today and so
if the origination of content is not just
having an iPod and I don't want to hear this that the other is
the origination of content and this is what %uh
real called broadcast to do
and this is one makes it special because yes there is that could
connection between the broadcaster and listening and the community
and it now not it's not
music when I'm lived in San Jose well as at fifty twenty-five years ago
I'm the head up someone invented what they called
the iGEM this is a silicon valley a
IBM was just I mean didn't you have a personal computer
and these days but someone invented what they call the iGEM
machine for radio stations international
good Music Machine and it would take
songs and play them in sort of a computer rotation
so you did not need an announcer or whatever happened to the iGEM
up you know I'm not that type I will ever be absolutely but then
like you want that connection you want somebody to its raining outside
and so radio a is not going to be outmoded
television is not gonna be I'm obsolete
on no more than the on the Gutenberg Bible
whatever be outside and and do I understand correctly that
one can get the PSW on the Internet of defining
wpm Wiig at so easy
and broadcast stations are licensed by the SEC because
broadcast medium belongs to the people the United States
and so they're licensed to broadcast be at these
for period time because you don't own this
oh and if you mess up you can lose your license and so but these licenses have
huge value it didn't then um
even though Joe Allbritton says I don't want to be in it anymore or his son
up he's not giving it away and someone will
pay um valuable money because it is still
much more accessible um you near
14 on a transistor radio and there you have it
not only do you have it but wherever you go you have the local media
FM we wasn't a total panic the last this last
crisis that among other things that we would
change a Sunday morning handsome tirely am
to lose WPF W but I'm
I'd I'd like you to explain a little bit about
whether you have to deliberately avoided foundation money and other
other sorts have an educational institution for instance
funding or partnerships or something or other
and now I'm not talking record corporate sponsorship to
to give you a little bit more stability a.m. then
then has been historic I think the policy is and you
can can correct me if I'm mistaken I think the Pacific a policy is that we
cannot
thank acknowledge contributions to
programming to from someone for programming so who give money to
I'm a comic book I a you cannot see our complete like I
this is sponsored by been syllable up a
you can't say that and so what contributor once
to give money and not be associated with
the idea that I gave money to make this happen are you people love this
love me I thought I think that's the policy we could probably get
a boatload of money if he would given anonymously but who wants to give
what you know what went what did Charles and David Koch gonna give
anonymously now they don't care about said Science Kid
they care about putting their mine their their brand
in front of ustedes parents and
every time that that doesn't mean that the idea has not been
raise are discussed at Pacifica and it's been discussed it's been really is
and each time it's got turned down turn away
lot of folks said no no no no we're not going that route
when do we men you know what we want to keep on doing what we're doing right now
because we don't want nobody to come and tell us exactly what to do
the Pacific a national board is a I was a 20-member
for 24-member I'm on I'm
boarded comprise the for from each
signal area that's 420 members and representatives that the
Pacific affiliates and others
and a I'm this year
the in Rome executive director was among us and
this question was raised that's like it's off the table there was
it was discussed the Pacific a national board will not countenance
idea above different funding streams at the idea
a selling now is just to prevalent and their
whatever those forces that are dug in believing their
up its they're not gonna happen now
I say that in the context of the 2010
audit by Martha and whatever some auditing firm some
you know that has all those letters after his name auditing firm get an
audit the Pacifica
and I use the expression one concern in
and I've heard it used by others in that audit
you know the you know you go to 23 pages the you know
a as the mister teases a jibber jabber
you get to the last paragraph it says there's the third
the audit we the auditing firm have a significant
doubt a question as to whether or not the Pacifica foundation
can't dance continue as a going concern
that is financially I am it's a miracle
are you you know you bed the multitude with
a too low the brain fry fish how did you do it
are you making every every month you make bricks with no straw
how are you slaves making these building these payments are you doing it
at some point I suspect it will come crashing and it's like
okay we gotta do something I am were faced with the room when
we have to sell a license in order to save ourselves
what do we do maybe at that point or shorter that when hopefully
someone will say how can we address this in a responsible way
we can now even have a conversation Esther what would be the responsible way
to behind it alternative funding source
Pacifica is loled even have the conversation and that's
I don't know what two by fours required to
hit the mule upside the head to get
the mule the tension our
%uh
do
I'll the
the