Monthly Archives: March 2015
KPFK’s Gospel host Edna Tatum passed but the show is carried on
Video of Play: Richard Montoya writer of “Chavez Ravine”
Richard Montoya of Culture Clash, writer of “Chavez Ravine”‘s latest play
KPFK frequent guest Erwin Chemerinsky
Today/Wed 4-5pm on 90.7FM, streaming on kpfk.org:ERWIN CHEMERINSKY says the Roberts Court’s conservative agenda is well known—but nothing new. The Supreme Court has largely failed throughout American history at its most important tasks and at the most important times. Erwin is founding dean of the law school at UC Irvine; his new book is The Case Against the Supreme Court.
KFCF Fresno, our first affiliate, Rychard Withers
WPFW studios
John Cheeks on DC Politics. DC Politics airs Thursdays at 1-2pm.




WPFW interviews Farrakhan about Libya
April 1st, 2011 Minister Farrakhan Gives Detailed Information About Gaddafi’s work to liberate Libya & Unite all of Africa .
Text:
http://blackhistory.com/content/207772/minister-farrakhan-interview-with-wpfw-radio-april-1-2011
WPFW carries on listener-sponsored radio
Over 60 years ago Lew Hill wanted to develop a voice for peace. He had faith that the people would pay for what they believed in. Pacifica is the model for NPR and PBS. WPFW does not accept underwriting, and is not associated with a university. WPFW exists through your generosity. We Are Because You Are. If you rely upon WFPW, WPFW relies upon you to ensure our ability to bring you radio you love. Please call 202-588-9739 or visit us on-line at www.wpfw.org to make your contribution today!

WPFW screens “Hands Up Don’t Shoot Youth Movement” by Ralph L Crowder
Screening the phenomenal “Hands Up Don’t Shoot Youth Movement” film by Ralph L Crowder




WPFW presents Jazz & Justice event
Tickets are currently still available At The Door for $20 per person.

WPFW has Poetry event
In the #DMV we love #poetry! Come celebrate DC & LA Spoken Word as a preamble to National Poetry Month AND help support WPFW andPacifica Radio Archives,

WPFW has Latin Soul event

Unity Rally by (WPFW’s) Verna Avery Brown, Afrika Abney
WPFW and National News’ Verna Avery Brown Countdown to Iraq
KPFK plays D.T. Suzuki

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In accordance with restrictions specified in this section, the following synthetic substances may be used in organic crop production: Provided, That, use of such substances do not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water. Substances allowed by this section, except disinfectants and sanit…ECFR.GOV
Frances Moore Lappe introduced by Sonali Kolhatkar
Sonali introduces Frances Moore Lappe at All Saints, Pasadena, maybe 2011 or 2012. By Allan Coie
Lappé (born February 10, 1944) is the author of 18 books including the three-million copy Diet for a Small Planet. She is the co-founder of three national organizations that explore the roots of hunger, poverty and environmental crises, as well as solutions now emerging worldwide through what she calls Living Democracy. Her most recent book is EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think to Create the World We Want.
Folio: The Full Text of a KPFK Folio/program guide from 1979, & one from 1983
1979 I think these were scanned from a marginal-quality hard copy:
https://www.archive.org/stream/julyfolio1979kpfkrich/julyfolio1979kpfkrich_djvu.txt
http://www.archive.org/stream/janufolio83kpfkrich/janufolio83kpfkrich_djvu.txt
1985: Roy Tuckman, Anita Styles, Roberto Naduris, Jenny Hubbard, Don Rush, Pam Burton, John engineering, Corey Dubin-
Links: Fairness Doctrine struck down in 1987, & Equal Time Rule
The Fairness Doctrine was a policy of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC), introduced in 1949, that required the holders of broadcast licenses to both present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was, in the Commission’s view, honest, equitable and balanced. The FCC eliminated the Doctrine in 1987, and in August 2011 the FCC formally removed the language that implemented the Doctrine.[1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairness_Doctrine
The equal-time rule specifies that U.S. radio and television broadcast stations must provide an equivalent opportunity to any opposing political candidates who request it. This means, for example, that if a station gives one free minute to a candidate in prime time, it must do the same for another candidate who requests it. The equal-time rule was created because the FCC thought the stations could easily manipulate the outcome of elections by presenting just one point of view, and excluding other candidates. It should not be confused with the now-defunct Fairness Doctrine, which dealt with presenting balanced points of view on matters of public importance.
There are four exceptions to the equal-time rule. If the airing was within a documentary, bona fide news interview, scheduled newscast or an on-the-spot news event, the equal-time rule does not apply. Since 1983, political debates not hosted by the media station are considered “news events,” and as a result, are not subject to the rule. Consequently, these debates may include only major-party candidates without having to offer air time to minor-party or independent candidates. Talk shows and other regular news programming from syndicators, such as Entertainment Tonight, are also declared exempt from the rule by the FCC on a case-by-case basis. [1]
This rule originated in §18 of the Radio Act of 1927; it was later superseded by the Communications Act of 1934. A related provision, in §315(b), requires that broadcasters offer time to candidates at the same rate as their “most favored advertiser”.
Track Congresspersons’ votes
Article: KPFK more History
KPFK more History
1949 KPFA/Pacifica goes on the air April 15
1959 KPFK goes on the air. Lectures & classical music are the mainstay of the programming, Terry Drinkwater is the first manager.
1961 KPFK moves to North Hollywood.
1961 KPFK wins George Foster Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting
1962 KPFK broadcasts women’s history profiles of Dorothy Healey and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn–programs that are later used in SISS Hearings charging Pacifica is communist infiltrated.
1962 The FCC withholds the license renewals of KPFA, KPFB, and KPFK pending its investigation into “communist affiliations.” Pacifica was never ultimately cited in any of these or subsequent inquiries. Ironically, the FCC chair later denounces the broadcasting industry for not defending Pacifica during its investigation of the foundation.
1963 The senate intelligence Subcommittee investigates whether station management are pacifist or communist
1964 The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) renews the licenses of all three Pacifica stations after a three-year delay.
1965 KPFK wins awards for its coverage of the Watts ‘riots’.
1970 KPFT in Houston goes on the air and is bombed off twice during its first year by Ku Klux Klan attacks on its transmitter tower. After months of inactivity by federal agents and Houston police, Pacifica mounts a media campaign. Federal agents ultimately arrest a Klansman and charge him with plotting to blow up KPFA and KPFK, as well as the actual KPFT bombing.
1970 The Pacifica stations (including KPFK) decline to join the new public radio service, National Public Radio.
1971 Noted folklorist Mario Casetta joins the station’s music staff, introducing World Music to the airwaves.
1971 KPFK builds its custom radio building.
1972 The Pacifica Radio Archive and Pacifica Program Service are established in Los Angeles to preserve and distribute Pacifica programming to schools, libraries, individuals, and other community radio stations across the country.
1974 The Symbionese Liberation Army delivers the Patty Hearst tapes to KPFA/Berkeley and KPFK/Los Angeles. In search of documents pertaining to domestic revolutionary groups, the LAPD searches KPFK for 8 ½ hours. KPFK Manager Will Lewis is jailed for refusing to turn the tapes over to the FBI.
1975 KPFK’s transmitters go up on Mt. Wilson.
1980 Sharon Maeda becomes Executive Director of Pacifica, markets the sub-carrier frequencies, temporarily manages KPFK, and moves the Pacifica Radio Archives and the National Office into KPFK’s building in North Hollywood.
1984 With money troubles seeming insurmountable, the station goes off the air for 10 days late in September.
1986 After a broadcast of a play about AIDS, KPFK forces the FCC to adopt more narrowly defined rules regarding indecent speech.
1987 Lady Smith Black Mambazo makes their first live U.S. radio appearance, on KPFK/Los Angeles.
1989 KPFK creates its apprenticeship program to train women and people of color in radio production skills.
1992 Senate Republicans put a hold on funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, claiming “liberal bias” on a host of issues, including environmental coverage. A bill is passed imposing “objectivity and balance” conditions on CPB funding. Almost alone among broadcasters, Pacifica protests any content-conditional funding, pressing CPB to shield all news programming and editorial integrity of individual producers–which CPB agrees to in its implementation protocols. Pacifica observes that no other broadcasters, commercial or religious, are any longer subject to access and balance requirements of the now-repealed Fairness Doctrine–making public broadcasters alone subject to editorial restrictions. Immediately after passage of the content restrictions, CPB Board member Victor Gold targets KPFK for strident African American programming and controversial speech aired during Black History month, by filing an FCC complaint.
1993 CPB Board member Victor Gold calls for de-funding Pacifica, echoing lobbying campaign orchestrated by right-wing media critics. In a unanimous vote, CPB reaffirms Pacifica’s funding irrespective of program content. Senate Minority Leader Robert Dole (R-KS) threatens public broadcasting with Congressional revenge, his aide explaining: “The First Amendment, freedom of speech, doesn’t apply, because we are able to put conditions on the grants of federal money. The same as we do for farmers.” Pacifica launches a campaign for unconditional funding and self-defense, led by a tremendous outpouring of “fightback donations” from listeners nationwide. CPB funding narrowly escapes cuts in the House of Representatives, with program content the driving issue. A lobbying effort keeps Pacifica funding off the Senate agenda. This is the second year in which Pacifica has received no discretionary funding from CPB (only the matching funding based upon listener contributions).
1993 Pacifica wins its third Court of Appeals ruling in six years, overturning the FCC restrictions on “indecent” programming as unconstitutional restrictions of the First Amendment rights of the radio audience.
1996 Former California Governor and future mayor of Oakland Jerry Brown hosts “We the People” on KPFK, & KPFA, a daily talk show that features interviews with Noam Chomsky, Paolo Soleri, Ivan Illich, and Gore Vidal.
1998 KPFK puts its Santa Barbara translator into operation.
2001 On December 12th the Pacifica board and dissident groups sign a settlement that leads to the democratization of the Pacifica radio network. The listener-subscribers win the right to vote for representatives on their local station board.
When KPFK began broadcasting on July 26, 1959, it was the only public radio station in Los Angeles and the second public station in the country. Notable Angelenos sat on the advisory board including Aldous Huxley, James Mason and Vincent Price, and architect Richard Neutra. On April 27, Los Angeles commemorates Neutra Earth Day. Just like worldwide Earth Day (observed on April 22), Neutra Earth Day emphasizes sustainability and green lifestyles. But like most things in Los Angeles, it’s done with a Modern twist: it celebrates Neutra as a pioneer of the environmental movement.
The station was dedicated to bringing diverse voices together and thereby helping to forge a peaceful world. From the station’s earliest days, KPFK invited opposing points of view on the air. Communist Party organizer Dorothy Healy provided regular political commentaries, as did conservative activist Howard Jarvis. KPFK was an open door for debate.
Because of its courageous championing of First Amendment freedoms, controversy dogged the station. In 1964, the FBI asked the Attorney General to investigate KPFK broadcasts of the award-winning play, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and a program in which two lesbians discussed their lives. Seven years later, the FCC investigated the station because of a broadcast about a local college professor who had been fired after discussing a sexually explicit poem about Jesus in class.
KPFK also became the recipient of numerous messages from revolutionary groups active in the 1970s. The LAPD spent 8 ½ hours rifling through station documents in pursuit of confidential materials received from the Weather Underground and the Symbionese Liberation Army. Station manager Will Lewis went to jail twice for refusing to turn over those documents,
In the 1980s, KPFK went to the Supreme Court to protect the right of all public radio stations to editorialize. Later in the decade, the station defended its broadcast of a sexually explicit play about a man dying of specific criteria for judging indecent speech on the airwaves.
Over the years, KPFK has won some of journalism’s most coveted awards including dozens of “Golden Mikes”, a George Foster Peabody Award and an Alfred I. Dupont Award.
2015-04-06 36 paid employees
Featured on Pacifica, Danny Schechter has passed
“That is definitely Johnny [Clegg] next to Danny. Here’s what he just wrote on my FB page about Danny: “‘So sorry to hear of the passing of Danny. He was a great strategist and friend of South Africa during the dark days of Apartheid and his contribution in aiding the formation of the South African Musicians’Alliance and other progressive cultural organizations is remembered with appreciation. Later in his career he was a brilliant media analyst and fighter for alternative communication platforms, promoting a media free from money and political interests. He will be sorely missed. Hamba kahle Danny.'” In photo below: 1 unk., JohnnyClegg, DannySchecter, 4 unknown
READ DANNY’S LATEST BOOK, When South Africa Called. Free pdf download of the complete book at http://coldtype.net/africabook.html

“…From there it was on to Cornell, Syracuse, the London School of Economics, and Harvard as a Neiman Fellow. But this is only a small part of his life’s journey. He joined the Northern Student Movement in high school and became actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement, going down to Mississippi in 1964. He became a leader in the movement to end the Vietnam War, was a member of SDS and began a lifelong commitment to South Africa in 1967 as an original member of the “London Recruits.” He fought tirelessly against Apartheid from then on. Danny never hesitated to put his convictions on the line. In the 1970s, he turned back to his first love—journalism–and became the “news dissector” at radio station WBCN in Boston. He wove news and music together in collages that not only reported the day’s events but also helped explain how the world worked. He was a huge influence on those who valued his independent perspective—and trusted him. He went on to become a prolific, Emmy award-winning TV producer and filmmaker, who made “South Africa Now”, 6 films about Mandela, and spent decades criticizing and cajoling the media to do a better job covering the news. He interviewed Bob Dylan. He walked with Jesse Jackson. He embraced the Dali Lama. Malcolm X nicknamed him “Danny X….”
KPFA’s Winter Crafts Fair
One of hundreds of exhibitors at the KPFA craft fair! Music! Food! Clothes! Art! Can’t make it? Support free speech radio at KPFA.orghttp://instagram.com/p/h6a9-pCaKA/
Great turn-out at the KPFA Craft Fair! Can’t make it? You can support Free Speech Radio online at KPFA.org
KPFA’s Mitch Jeserich on the NSA
On the air, Letters and Politics with Mitch Jeserich and guests on NSA.www.kpfa.org

Jane Goodall at KPFA


Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California
Video: KPFA Streamed Event
Caroline Casey on KPFA and KPFK
On the air, The Visionary Activist – True Lammas: Bonfire or Arson -take your pick. Let ritual contain conflagration. Caroline welcomes Rabbi Gershon Winkler, whose book “Magic of the Ordinary,” we are offering, ancient land-based wisdom welcomed back as antidote to the poison of hyper-yang death frenzy. www.kpfa.org
Naomi Klein at KPFA

First Congregational Church of Berkeley in Berkeley, California
KPFA’s and now KPFK’s Alan Watts
Listen now to a Fund Drive Special. The Work and Life of Alan Watts, with Host C. S. Soong. www.kpfa.org

KPFK & KPFA Massimo Mazzucco’s films
Listen now to Guns and Butter. Excerpts of the documentary “Sept 11: The New Pearl Harbor.” www.kpfa.org

Russell Brand on Democracy Now
On the air, Democracy Now! Russell Brand on Revolution, Fighting Inequality, Addiction, Militarized Policing & Noam Chomsky. www.kpfa.org

KPFA Gratitude Tree

KPFA presents Cornel West
at the First Congregational Church in Oakland,
Saturday, January 31st at 7:30!
Chris Hedges on Pacifica
On the air, The Sunday Show with Philip Maldari. Chris Hedges, Keynote speech at the Fertile Ground Institute’s Earth at Risk 2014 The Justice and Sustainability Conference; and Robert Scheer, author of “The Great American Stickup: How Reagan Republicans and Clinton Democrats Enriched Wall Street While Mugging Main Street.” #KPFAPassItOnwww.kpfa.org
On KPFK & KPFA
On the air, Fund Drive Special – Deepening our Understanding of Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome By Joy Degruy. #KPFAPassItOn www.kpfa.org
KPFA’s Making Contact on ‘Squatters’
On the air, Making Contact – Robert Neuwirth, author of “Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, A New Urban World”, estimates that more than a billion people–thats 1 in 7–are squatters. This week, we visit squats in Venezuela and the Philippines, and find out why squatters aren’t just tolerated…they are crucial to the growth of major cities and national economies. www.kpfa.org
.

Democracy Now has Noam Chomsky on
On the air, Democracy Now! Noam Chomsky: Opposing Iran Nuclear Deal, Israel’s Goal Isn’t Survival — It’s Regional Dominance; Noam Chomsky: Despite Iran Spat, U.S. Support for Israeli Occupation Continues Without Pause; Noam Chomsky: After Dangerous Proxy War, Keeping Ukraine Neutral Offers Path to Peace with Russ; Noam Chomsky on How the Iraq War Birthed ISIS & Why U.S. Policy Undermines the Fight Against It.

KPFA and now KPFK’s wonderful host Mitch Jeserich with Miguel Tinker Salas
On the air, Letters and Politics with Mitch Jeserich. In conversation with Miguel Tinker Salas on Venezuela. www.kpfa.org

KPFK & KPFA frequent guest Dr. Mario Martinez event
Two opportunities to see Dr. Mario Martinez and to support KPFA Radio!

DR. MARIO MARTINEZ, March 25th AND 27th!
March 25th at 1st Congregational Chuch, Berkeley
March 27th at 1st Congregational Chuch, Oakland
KPFA Tom Hayden event, weekly commentator on KPFK’s Sojourner Truth show

Tom Hayden speaking about Cuba, at this KPFA Author Events sponsored evening, held at the First Congregational Church of Berkeley.
KPFK’s host John Schneider won a Grammy 2015
Producer John Schneider, winner of the Best Classical Compendium Award for Partch: Plectra & Percussion Dances speaks onstage during the The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony at Nokia Theatre L.A.
WBAI & KPFK’s economist Richard Wolff also had an event
“Capitalists in the 1970s realized they no longer needed to pay high wages to American, European and Japanese workers, when they could simply relocate their centers to countries with no wage regulations” -Professor and Economist Richard Wolf
Richard Wolf discusses the history of capitalist resistance from Germany to Greece for KPFK audience members. http://ow.ly/i/8BWOj
Audio Black History Month KPFK
https://soundcloud.com/kpfk/kpfk-celebrates-black-history-month-amiri-baraka
News Director Ernesto Arce & Amiri Baraka
Audio: KPFK has Bob Marley day, born Feb. 22, 12 hours, 2015
chrome-extension://nlbjncdgjeocebhnmkbbbdekmmmcbfjd/subscribe.html?http%3A%2F%2Farchive.kpfk.org%2Fparchive%2Fxml%2Fspecial.xml
Ziggy Marley pops by the KPFK Studios to have a chat with Reggae Central host Chuck Foster and join the celebration of “Marley Day on KPFK” We’re going all the way till Midnight, please show your support by calling (818) 985-5735 at KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles / 98.7 FM Santa Barbara.
KPFT’s PD Ernesto Aguilar article on Truthout about Pacifica
http://www.truth-out.org/speakout/item/29625-pacifica-stands-in-for-all-public-media
Ernesto Aguilar is program director for Pacifica’s Houston station KPFT. He also sits on the board of directors of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, the country’s largest and oldest network of community media outlets.
Here’s a quote from Melody Kramer: “A key to fostering new connections may be finding ways that create lifelong associations that don’t start with money, she remarks. Inevitably new listeners may give, but there has to be a hook that gets them interested. Self-identifying with non-commercial media listening creates its own form of community, Kramer points out, and social experiences with others have many appeals. “For people not into the bar scene and who aren’t religious, there are not a lot of options,” [Melody] Kramer adds. “Public broadcasters can make spaces where listeners can be involved, almost as cruise ship directors, connecting people and extracting themselves.”
In KPFT
KPFK’s Jee co-produces Bach in the Subways in Los Angeles March 21
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-bach-subways-20150320-story.html
It’s also in places all over the world.
Enlightenment Music Series, a chamber music group that usually performs in Pasadena, will play the Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 near Traxx restaurant in Union Station. It’s a number that Jeehyun Lee, the 34-year-old organizer of L.A.’s Bach in the Subways performances, refers to as her “childhood jam.”
Lee works for the North Hollywood-based radio station KPFK, and although she doesn’t play music herself she is deeply in love with classical music and the work of Bach in particular. She contacted Henderson last year after a friend told her about the Bach event.
“The beauty of the project is so simple and so pure,” Lee says. “We just want to play music for you, and we don’t expect anything in return — a rarity in our society. That’s just so moving.”
The role of L.A. organizer didn’t previously exist, so she created it. That’s how the volunteer program operates, says Henderson, who calls the structure “anarchical.”
KPFK’s Uncle Ruthie performs In Bach in the Subways March 21
Chevalier’s Bookstore, 126 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles
UNCLE RUTHIE will be performing in front of Chevalier’s Bookstore with her 100 year old pump organ!
Ruthie “Uncle Ruthie” Buell is a poet, a songwriter, a music teacher and has been a radio broadcaster on KPFK 90.7 FM for over 50 years. She’s the host of the children’s show “Halfway Down the Stairs” on KPFK. From both Chicago and a farm in Wisconsin, Ruthie has been the creator of art and song and artistic experiences for as long as anyone has known her. She often performs at Beyond Baroque and the Workman’s Circle in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood, makes delicious meals for friends and neighbors with lots of butter and cream, and can play every instrument hanging on a wall or placed on a tabletop of her home. Her most recent inspired projects have been a book of poems and the creation of The Poet Tree, her front yard Chinese Elm that invites passersby to sit under its shade, write a verse and pin it to the tree.
KPFK’s Mark Kline passed
We at KPFK are saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend, Mark Klein, a great and long-time supporter of the station. Mark was admired and loved for his wit and encyclopedic knowledge of culture and the Rock and Roll era in particular. His was a presence we could count on during each of our many fund drives. Mark dealt with his illness with courage and grace. We will miss him a lot. by Allan Coie
Sad News, Long time supporter and volunteer at KPFK for many years, Mark Kline has passed. His devotion and love for the station was incredible. His creative costumes always brightened up the phone room. It was always great to see his smiling face out around town at music and other events. R.I.P. Mark you will be sorely missed! heart emoticon
A gathering celebrating Mark and his life takes place this Sunday March 22 2-5pm in Burbank. Inbox us if you’d like to attend.
That’s Mark, seated.
Volunteers & Interns: WBAI and all the rest
Audio: Pacifica Evening News on KPFA, KPFK and beyond
Event: Sister Giant by Marianne Williamson in Los Angeles
http://sistergiant.com/sistergiant/
With Bernie Sanders, Dennis & Elizabeth Kucinich, Thom Hartmann, Cenk Uygur, Marianne Williamson, Cong. Alan Grayson, etc.