WHY WAS GINNY HIDING BEHIND THE FURNITURE?
by Mary Moore
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I wasn't the first to make this observation. It came from a woman who had come to this forum because she believed that she would finally be able to talk directly to KPFA management about the many programming changes taking place at the station over the past couple of years. I call her the "newly outraged woman" because I had talked briefly with her before the forum started, and she was determinedly ready to keep an open mind about all the things she'd been hearing. Her attitude changed, however, upon learning that the open forum she had expected was actually a highly structured and controlled written exercise with no room for direct management/listener dialogue. When she spoke up, before the facilitator Tomas Moran began his explanation of the "written exercise", she obviously hit a chord with the rest of the 60 or so other people gathered in San Rafael, as a lively 40 minute listener rebellion ensued before the crowd once again settled down.

Through it all, as Tomas appealed to the group to trust him and the process, program director Ginny Berson sat stone faced and unavailable behind a large piano. Her body language and position in the room was so revealing of her ongoing arrogant attitude that I marveled to myself once again about how she, Marci Lockwood and Pat Scott are their own worst enemies. By demonizing the Take Back KPFA people and dismissing us as a "fringe element" (boy, does that sound familiar!), they have become so fossilized and rigid that they seem incapable of admitting their past and current mistakes.

From Pacifica's flirtation with corporate funding, to the programmers purge in the fall of '95, to the attempts at union busting, to the stonewalling of concerned and longtime listeners, these women have dug themselves into a deep hole of their own making. The smallest sign of humor or even just a little flexibility toward the crowd would have gone a long way toward positive communication that evening, but that was not to be. It was left to Tomas (standing between the listeners and Ginny hunkered down behind the piano) to deal with the howling and upset masses.

Among the latest listener concerns was the rumored extension of Jerry Brown's show from one hour to two hours daily, as well as the demise of the popular Flashpoints, one of the few investigative programs left at the station. The rumor about Jerry Brown actually came from Jerry himself, who wrote a recent letter soliciting money (not for the station, but for his "We the People) where he clearly stated that his program would be extended to two hours daily. I have seen a copy of the letter, and sure enough, that's what it said and that was Jerry's name and signature on it. Ginny's position is that it was just a "misunderstanding", but she did admit that they had discussed such a change. Jerry has an hour a day to promote his agenda that rarely showcases any real grassroots groups. The proposal which was turned in to KPFA management last year for Mama O'Shea would have been an hour a WEEK, and its sole purpose would be for her to showcase grassroots groups and activists all over the listener area. Mama was rejected, but Jerry and Ginny are talking about extending Jerry's time. Go figure.

At the end of this very revealing evening, as Ginny continued to hunker down behind her piano, several things became very apparent. The first is that while the fuss about the programming purge in '95 may have died down on the surface, it has most definitely not gone away. The feelings and passion in that room were not coming from the tenacious folks that have hung in there with the Take Back group, but from the "newly outraged woman" who went there with an open mind and left there very upset with management. Secondly, while many people lost their programs in '95, the icons of that purge have become William Mandel and Mama O'Shea, two elders.

Without any communications between the various tables, group after group came up with the same conclusions about KPFA's programming as well as their cold process. As the final reports were given, we heard it loud and clear
. . . Create a more open atmosphere . . . Get rid of the gag rule . . . Discuss the situation openly using the airwaves . . . Quit treating the listeners as enemies . . . Bring back the programs that people miss. . .

More shows on labor are needed . . . Get rid of the New Age and Yuppie focus. . . If they can hook up Johnny Otis in Sebastopol, why can't they hook up Mama O'Shea in San Francisco . . .
and most of all, mend the historical fences, simply apologize to those they have hurt and bottom line, show some respect for the elders. Those of us participating in this exercise got it. In short, it's the respect, stupid!!! If only Ginny could have come out from behind the piano and talked with the crowd with an open heart, maybe she could have gotten it also. But then that would have taken a basic respect for her longtime listeners and supporters, and nowhere in this long, sad tale has that ever been.

Mary Moore