interaction with the listener/supporters
Fri, 15 Jan, 1999

Dear KPFA Friends,


As you may know, I have had a long association with the station and the community that supports it.  I consider myself, along with all the subscribers, part of the broad base of ownership of the station, with Pacifica Foundation functioning as the stewards of it.  Perhaps this is not a view that is supported by the legal underpinnings upon which present operations are based, but nevertheless I've inherited this idea from much
that is built into the roots of the whole enterprise. (One of the most offensive things that happened a couple of years back under the old administration was being telephoned by a sort of telemarketing fundraiser and being called a "client.")

For this reason, I take the liberty of expressing some dissatisfaction with the possibilities offered for interaction with the staff, administrators  and volunteers of the station, not to mention with each other.  Would it not be possible to have a regular program with call-ins where various "voices" as well as staff and admin. people could discuss their concerns and new ideas for the station?  After all, we're talking about radio. And I think this would make for interesting and exciting radio.

I know there are those who call your reluctance to allow criticism of station policies to be aired, calling it a gag-rule.  Actually, I agree that disposing of the so-called "dirty linen" rule could be something that undermines the sense of community that is the public face of KPFA. New and casual listeners might find any sort of "free-for-all" a turn-off or at
least confusing.  But if a democratic way could be devised to draw up some careful guidelines for conducting this type of program, it could provide a clear demonstration that there is a broad base of listeners who really care what is done with this precious resource for the community. Exciting, creative ideas would be generated, and in at least this one corner people would have an opportunity to learn how to function in a real
democracy.

Am I a utopian dreamer? Possibly.  But it just might work, and I'd like to see it tried. Another avenue of dialogue I'd like to see better utilized is the website, which incidentally makes it quite difficult to discover how exactly to contact the station by email.  Is there a station-run chat room anywhere? You might learn a lot about who we are out here through that means.

One last word: please try to bring back Phil Elwood, or at least devise some sort of public celebration of his many decades of valuable service in the cause of the kind of radio that not only entertains but educates.  He has been one of the station's principle actors in helping create one of the most musically sophisticated areas in the nation.  The way he was literally dumped, silently out the back door, was a real crime. (He wasn't
the only one who suffered this kind of treatment, but he's the one I miss the most.)

Thanks for listening, and for providing me with many opportunities to air music and ideas over the years.

Sincerely, 
Barbara Dane