Cha Cha Nooga, anyone?

Since it came under faux "democratic" rule and was Robbied by an extraordinary succession of self-serving amateurs, Pacifica has been moving on a steady downhill course at a snail's pace.

Today, PNB members—some legitimately seated—make up a ruling majority of corrupt schemers and mindless followers. Thus, even when Pacifica or any of its stations are faced with life-or-death situations requiring immediate attention, the disruptive majority will create an artificial gridlock by shifting the focus to discussing discussions, setting low-priority agendas or just strewing verbal tacks on paths not yet taken.

One example of opportunistic obstructionism was the recent decision to increase air time for Spanish programming equally at all stations, not considering whether there is a network-wide need for such a change.

Programming at Pacifica stations was designed to meet the intellectual needs of their respective audiences while also offering an alternative to commercial media's daily dose of pap. Popularity was never a priority if it did not contain substance not found elsewhere on the dial. For example, a program of ethnic music was probably inherently delightful, but Pacifica's early PDs knew the value of authoritative presentation—that added touch which often separated our stations from the rest of them.

There are numerous reasons why Pacifica stations in recent years have experienced drastically declining listener response. Fund drives are conducted with a callous lack of integrity, having become fraudulent frenetic exercises in greed. Although as basic as water being wet, the lesson never learned by these dilettantes is that one redesigns and improves rather than force feeds upon the consumer such faulty products as dominate Pacifica's current weekly program schedules.

The PNB plurality instinctively lends a deaf ear to any sound suggestions as it incants a convenient mantra: Mañana!

"Problems" are rarely pinpointed and almost always lessened by diversion rather than tangible solution. Opinions—whether potentially beneficial, or not—were obstructive inevitably ephemeral Always deteriorating  aIn recent months, there has been some discussion in and around Pacifica's largely dysfunctional National Board

Time spent by these Boards and Committees squabbling over non-problems should be devoted to eliminating much dross and raising the over all program standard. It will not happen—these opportunists will continue squabbling until the fat lady sings.

Kevin White who experienced an unsuccessful attempt to keep him off the KPFT LSB earlier this year, has written an open letter to the PNB expressing his thoughts on the recently implemented escalation of Latino programming.

Kevin makes some good points, so I hope you read his letter as posted below. In the meantime, the Norseman in me has me wondering how Houston's Eskimos feel about KPFT's country music offerings. 

Here is Kevin's letter:

Hi,

After doing a bit of research around the network I can say that none of the Spanish-speaking programming is grabbing an audience and is certainly not paying for itself at cash-strapped Pacifica radio.

While we have programming that we're proud of, such as KPFT's seminal Spanish literature program, Nuestra Palabra (http://kpft.org/programming/newstalk/nuestra-palabra/) which is ground breaking here in Houston, but creating random blocks of Spanish programming right in the middle of the English programming is way too jarring and it makes it difficult for Spanish Language programming to find an audience and it drives away the English speaking audience we have.

Furthermore, in Modern Houston, there is no need to "give a voice to the voiceless" to Hispanics who frankly do not need our rather patronizing help. These are not your grand parent's Latinos. There are many many Spanish-speaking sources of unique and original programming, created and controlled by the Latinos themselves, who are already established, from radio, newspapers, television, and to dozens of cable channels that offer a wide variety of Spanish cultural packages.

Suddenly dropping one language and switching to yet another is not a very professional plan to build audiences. And the Spanish speaking shows we do have do not pay their bills.

And again, it's patronizing. it's just as insulting as having a monthly KPFT committee where a six foot tall white guy explains oppression to some rather shocked people of color. It's comic at best, but in the end is extremely colonialist and sends a negative message that KPFT feels it needs to "help out these poor, helpless Spanish speakers who are like children and need us to give them a hand out." There is nothing of the kind needed. Spanish-speakers are the fastest growing minority in Texas and have proven over and over that they don't need a second-rate hand out from us.

There is an independent spirit among Latinos that we need to respect at Pacifica. You see white people and black people begging on the street, but you hardly ever see a Latino doing it. They have a culture where they do things for themselves. We should learn from them.

These new Spanish programs that have been ordered by the PNB have not done well financially. While the shows are ignored by LA's Spanish speaking audience, they have been killing off their once lucrative time slots.

Yes, it's shameful that KPFT's demographic is "white men from 55 to 64 years of age," but if you really want to save KPFT, we need to open up the microphone to a much younger and hipper demographic. Pacifica is young-people Kryptonite. We need younger programming.

More Spanish programming right now at our stations would just be falling into the Siegel/Brazon plan to scuttle the foundation so they can be sold off to the highest bidder. They don't care for Latinos, they just want to profit selling off our licenses. That's why they worked to get WBAI's license renewed. It's for profit.

—Kevin White

KPFT LSB Member