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PNB Reports
Below, you can find PNB reports, listed in chronological order. If you are for meeting announcements, or minutes, or the live streaming page, use the following links:
Individual committee meeting announcements, minutes and reports are found in the respective committees mainpage (see the links to the right - in the main navigation menu). Thank you for your interest in our PNB and Pacifica in general!.
Report to the PNB from the interim
Executive Director
October 2009
Here we are in early October 2009 looking at a landscape for
Pacifica that’s now trending upward after a very scary multi-year decline.
Major steps have been taken by current senior management to
make the Foundation stronger fiscally.
These actions have greatly improved fund drive performance at WBAI, our
New York City station, in two consecutive fund drives. As 80% of our income is from on-air fund
raising, this is very significant. The
same techniques used to improve our on-air income at WBAI are going to be used
at WPFW, our Washington, D.C. station.
We have reason to believe that these improvements will also result in
better revenue at WPFW.
All of our stations had weak winter fund drives last year
but recovered in the fall, some more than others. The recovery at WBAI was very substantial and both the spring and
summer drives at that station showed better per day pledge totals than had been
seen in many years. KPFT, our Houston station,
went from being 27% under its budgeted winter fund drive goal to 10% under in
its spring drive. It's most recent
summer drive came in about 9% above its goal, showing gradual but steady
improvement. There is also the promise
of significantly improved on-air fund raising at WPFW, which has had the most
recent management change.
KPFK in Los Angeles has just reached its fund drive goal of
$1.15 million, which, as far as I know, is the highest amount ever raised at
that station in a fund drive.
This has not been easy in difficult economic times. It says much for the energy, creativity, and
dynamism of our staff and their positive response to improved local management
at several stations.
We are rapidly adjusting to a weak national economy with
better fund drive strategies and planning, and utilizing lessons learned from
our sister stations and our Affiliate Network.
Most importantly, programming is being improved at our
stations, which should result in increased listenership that will almost
definitely improve our revenue.
Austerity measures were taken in late 2008 at several of our
stations that have brought us some financial relief. Further cuts are possible and will be used to balance our budgets
if necessary.
Currently, we have no significant long-term debt. We own 3 buildings outright. Our building in Los Angeles that houses KPFK
and the Pacifica Archives was appraised about 8 months ago at $4 million. Our building in Berkeley, CA, which houses
KPFA and the National Office, would probably appraise at $5 million. We own our building in Houston that houses
KPFT that is worth about $250,000.
Legal cases have been settled recently that had been
unresolved for literally years.
Major efforts are being made to improve our workplace
environments at our 5 stations, Affiliate and Archive Units and National
Office. Earlier this year a highly
qualified interim HR Director was hired, on-line Sexual Harassment Training is
taking place throughout the network, and HR and other complaints are
investigated and dealt with very rapidly.
Community Advisory Boards have met and are active at all 5
of our stations. Documentation of these
meetings, including website and audio clips of on-air meeting announcements,
minutes and rosters are on file at the National Office. The Boards will be generating community
needs assessments that will help our stations better understand and serve our
listeners.
It is not unusual for the search process for senior
management of a conglomerate the size of Pacifica to be a lengthy process,
often with an interim period filled by an interim manager or managers. This is currently the case with
Pacifica. Our stations are quite
independent and capable of functioning with minimal senior management. However, there currently is an intense
search process ongoing to find a very qualified permanent ED and CFO and we
expect to fill both positions soon.
Also, the current interims have stated their willingness to stay on for
a period of up to 3 months to ensure a smooth management transition. We see no lack of continuity in the positive
financial turnaround of this Foundation.
The real wealth of Pacifica is its people. Paid and unpaid staff, board members,
members, listeners, volunteers. All
contribute. We couldn’t exist without
their dedication, zeal, talent and commitment.
We would be betraying them all if we didn’t demand
constantly improving programming, better managed stations, greater efficiency
and expansion. Yes, we must increase
our Affiliate Network, move out and create a strong international presence,
push ahead so that we can purchase more stations, have a dynamic interactive,
video enabled website that broadcasts the best of Pacifica 24/7. I personally hope we become a formidable
force that reaches more and more people with messages of hope and practical
solutions that make a better world. We
can do it.
I must personally especially thank LaVarn Williams, our
interim CFO and the interim GM at WBAI for her Herculean, tireless and
brilliant efforts in those two positions.
People tell me she is ‘magic’ and I can tell you that’s true.
I want to thank Ricardo DeAnda for confronting and tackling
our legal morass. We now see light at
the end of the tunnel.
Ahmad Anderson, our interim HR Director, has been very
valuable in this transition period. He
is steering us to better workplace practices like our ongoing Sexual Harassment
Training. He will be guiding us through
the process of training staff on the how’s and why’s of routine staff
evaluations. He is helping gather
policies and procedures for the Foundation, something long needed.
Thank you to our overworked and talented Finance staff at
the National Office, Lynn Magno and Efren Llarinas and to Chris Neira, our
National Office Administrative Assistant.
Thank you so much to Jon Almeleh, our National Technical
Director and Ursula Rudenberg, our Affiliates Director. Otis Maclay should also be commended. You all know how patient they are and how
much they work.
Brian Deshazor and his staff have out done themselves. They have just been awarded a $100,000 grant
to preserve historical civil rights material!
At WBAI I want to thank Tony Bates for being a fund drive
genius. I want to thank Kathy Davis, as
well for her relentless efforts. Also,
Esther, Reggie, Sidney, Shawn, Rebecca, Yvonne, and on and on!
I want to let you all know that KPFT, which has always been
a ‘by the book’ station, has stepped out ahead of the crowd to improve their
programming grid. This took courage on
the part of Duane Bradley, KPFT GM and Ernesto Aguillar, the Program Director
as well as the rest of the staff, Local Station Board members, etc.
Christine Blosdale, at KPFK, has helped find and pitch
premiums that are raising tons of money at several stations. She is creative, positive, omnipresent and
indefatigable. Bob Conger, iGM, Alan
Minsky, iPD, Jennifer Kiser, assistant GM, Ali Lexa, Webmaster, Zuberi Fields,
Jonathan Alexander, Sonali Kolhatkar, Maggie Lepique, Margaret Prescod, etc.,
etc. all should be commended for excellent work not only at KPFK but for their
assistance in strengthening WBAI. KPFK
is holding its 50th Anniversary Fundraiser at the Ford Amphitheater
this Friday evening, Oct. 9th.
The headliner is Ziggy Marley.
Mitch Jeserich at KPFA has been continuing to produce
programming that elevates Pacifica and sets a standard for excellence. I’m not as familiar with KPFA as I should
be. KPFAers -- please thank yourselves
for keeping your station going.
Grigsby Hubbard, one of the Founders of WPFW, is now its
interim GM. He is working more than can
be believed to upgrade the sound, stature and content of the programming
there. When I visited WPFW for a few
days I was very impressed by their small, but very efficient, friendly,
knowledgeable and professional staff.
Thanks Grigsby, Gloria Minot, Bobby Hill, Tiffany Jordan, Robert West,
etc. WPFW has received a $ 25,000 grant
in support of future work with the UCLA School of Public Health, Center to
Eliminate Health Disparities in part to launch on-air health segments in
2010. Recently, Cornell West spoke at a
fundraiser for WPFW.
All the reports of our GMs, National Board Committees, other
key staff will be posted on our website and make interesting reading. Anything I left out can be found in those
reports.
Les Radke can’t be thanked enough for his dedication,
fairness and perseverance. Thanks also
to Michael Sanchez, KPFK’s perfectionist Local Election Supervisor, Renee Asteria, at KPFA, Lydia Harris at WPFW, Ann Shaw at KPFT and Ethan Young at WBAI. You all get the ‘courage under fire’
award! This is the best group of LESes
we could have hoped for.
Last but not least, I’d like to thank all the Pacifica
National Board members. First, did you
know that Carolyn Birden, besides being one of our most diligent Directors, has
been housing LaVarn and myself when we’re in NY? This has saved Pacifica and WBAI thousands of dollars!! Jamie Ross, the Chair of our Finance Committee,
please apologize to your wife and children.
Tell then we’ll give you back some day. Sandra Rawline should be commended for all the work she’s done
Chairing the Personnel Committee. You
all have worked hard and it is appreciated!
I’d like to thank my critics on the PNB. You have no idea how I rely on you to be my quality control
arm. This saves me much time. I don’t proofread or look over my
shoulder. I trust that the things I’ve
messed up or neglected will be found and communicated to me. I mean this sincerely. No one likes criticism, but if there’s no
one to do it things can’t be corrected.
At first I get irritated and then I listen to my critics because an
unfixed error is worse than a bruised ego.
Richard Uzzell, our wonderful Secretary, we love you for taking great
minutes, your sense of humor and your team that helped clean up the WBAI
offices!! What a terrific example you
set for us all.
I haven’t mentioned many, many people who deserve
praise. Please forgive the oversight.
To conclude my report, I’d like to reassure you that the
Pacifica Foundation is currently on better financial footing than many, if not
most, radio networks both commercial and noncommercial. It has weathered many storms both internal
and external. Pacifica is celebrating
its 60th birthday this year. KPFA is
celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, KPFK its 50th and KPFT its
39th. I have no doubt that the
Foundation will continue to exist far into the future.
The death of radio has been greatly exaggerated. According to the latest Arbitron
information, “Overall, public radio continued to expand its weekly reach,
rising from 11.2% to 11.8% of the U.S. population over that two-year period
[2006-2008], 12% ahead of its 10.5% cume rating in Fall 2005.”
Two reliable sources and a number of news articles show that
many commercial and noncommercial radio stations have over leveraged their
assets and are now, essentially, owned by banks and other financial giants. Media professionals speculate that the
percent of stations close to bankruptcy is 70-90%. This includes Clear Channel, Citadel and other mega radio
consortiums. This agglomeration of
media in the hands of the few, the wealthy, and, often, the amoral, means that
our voice, the voice of independent, noncommercial, democratic, free and open
radio MUST not only continue but become stronger, fiercer and keep speaking
truth to power.
In peace,
Grace Aaron, Pacifica interim Executive Director
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Many Pacifica and Pacifica station management reports may be found in the "National Office" section of this website rather than the "PNB" section of this website. You can get to that section by clicking here.
WBAI Interim General Manager report to the Pacifica National Board: July 24, 2009
WBAI Local Station Board Report to PNB 7/26/2009 Submitted by Mitchel Cohen, Chair, WBAI LSB 1. The WBAI Local Station Board welcomes the new management to WBAI, and greatly appreciates the appointment of LaVarn Williams and Tony Bates as interim management, and the sacrifices they have made in their personal lives in order to help put WBAI back on track. WBAI had built up a huge deficit over the last 5 years and prior management failed to report to the LSB the extent of the situation we were in, and also failed to take a number of steps recommended by the LSB to reverse the downward slide. So we greatly welcome the Pacifica National Board?s commitment to SAVING WBAI as a radical, listener-sponsored radio station that will deepen its commitment to our diverse communities and expand access to social justice and environmental movements in the NY Metropolitan area. We cannot afford to lose this station, nor to commercialize it, nor to sell it; WBAI is a precious jewel that gives voice to our movements and the arts, and these need to be heard -- they get no airing in the corporate media. We need to broaden discussion and debate of movement strategies WITHIN the Pacifica Mission which has been missing from WBAI for some time, and WBAI needs to expand that concept. We applaud the initiatives of the Pacifica National Board that have reinforced that direction. Most of all, the WBAI LSB THANKS the other stations for BAILING US OUT TO THE TUNE OF MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS over the last five years, and we thank the PNB, Grace Aaron in particular and all of the officers of Pacifica, for SAVING the station from financial disaster and preventing the corporate forces from shutting down the station altogether. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 2. I became Chair of the LSB at the end of April, 2008, and was re-elected in December. 3. The LSB has taken many actions, some of which remain to be implemented. Among them, a resolution to expand the News Department which provides some of the most important and most listened to programming on WBAI. The local news consistently reaches out to communities under- served by both corporate and public media. This cornerstone of WBAI programming has for too long been severely understaffed and under-budgeted. The WBAI LSB requested that management formulate a plan, in conjunction with the News Director, to provide adequate funding for the possible increase of News staff, within the context of looming cuts, in order to improve the quality of, and to expand local news programming. This plan would consider training and utilizing stringers and other resources that the News Director and Management determine are necessary to implement these goals.¨WBAI management instead laid off a key and award-winning reporter, Eric Williams, who provided excellent coverage of City Hall -- sorely needed, especially in this election year. 4. This Local Station Board also passed motions opposing the whipping up of public sentiment against Venezuela, and called for public hearings on the U.S. government's increasing hostility to the elected government of Hugo Chavez. We urged WBAI to air more voices opposing the U.S. government's hostile actions, in order to give some balance to the blitzkrieg of attacks against Chavez that was appearing in the corporate media. 5. The LSB also affirmed the rights of Pacifica Foundation Directors, which we felt had been severely violated. Our resolution supported the right of PNB Directors to inspect records at WBAI. The inspection had initially been approved by the Interim General Manager and was properly conducted; but Pacifica?s chief counsel at the time interfered with it. The Local Station Board of WBAI passed a resolution that deplored the interference with Pacifica Directors? inspections and inspection rights at WBAI by former interim Executive Director and Foundation Counsel Dan Siegel. The LSB reaffirmed the absolute rights of Foundation Directors to exercise their fiduciary responsibility to inspect station and foundation records and equipment per California Corporate Code §6334. 6. Similarly, putting into practice our commitment to transparency and accountability, the LSB called upon the Pacifica National Board and its National Finance Committee to conduct all discussions about the budgets of the stations and network in public session, with the sole exception of those specific budget line-items that properly fall under the exemptions to the requirement of open meetings in Article 6, Section 7 of the Pacifica bylaws, i.e., individual personnel matters that require confidentiality (such as individuals' salaries) and matters related to litigation or the need for confidential legal consultation, and commercial transactions such as loans or lines of credit. We appreciate the renewal of Pacifica's commitment to openness that is taking place on the Finance Committee, with Jamie Ross as Chair. This commitment to openness is a very welcome change. The WBAI LSB encourages the PNB to extend this transparency to all areas of Pacifica. 7. The LSB approved the "Mending Fences Resolution," which required management, along with a committee of members of the LSB, to meet with Robert Knight and Gary Null, to suggest ways to move forward and heal the breach with them, with other staff and producers who were fired, and with their many listeners. This included the possibility of returning Knight and Null to WBAI's airwaves. We greatly appreciate LaVarn Williams' and Tony Bates' new "reaching out" in this regard, and hope that such efforts will be fruitful. 8. The LSB strongly endorsed a very detailed proposal to reclaim unfulfilled pledge funds -- management simply refused to implement this ?no brainer? despite repeated requests and votes by the LSB, which also requested that the GM prepare a realistic recovery plan to bring WBAI to full solvency. This also was ignored. We look forward to discussing such plans for WBAI with the new iGM. 9. The WBAI LSB has created a Management Search Committee with 50 percent representation on it by staff, and the other 50 percent by listeners. (All will be elected by the Local Station Board, with one-half coming from current members and the other half elected from non-LSB members who have applied to serve on that committee.) 10. The LSB passed a motion on Waivers policy for 2009 that asks the National Elections and Local Elections supervisors to implement a policy to identify those candidates eligible for waivers as of July 15, 2009 and that if any eligible candidates are identified, they will be grandfathered into the membership database by the NES no later than August 15, 2009. (This motion narrowly passed. As Chair of the Local Station Board, I believe this motion to be illegal as it violates the date-of-record stipulation in the bylaws, but the LSB did pass this resolution by a majority vote.) 11. The LSB did approve a modest Off-Air Fundraising Plan with the idea that if we could do a few things well, we would consider additions to it. 12. Finally, for the first time since its inception 6 years ago, the LSB conducted an exhaustive and detailed evaluation of management in executive session as required by law. Unless the former management personnel waive their rights to confidentiality, we have been instructed by corporate counsel that we are not free to speak in public session about ANY aspects of the evaluations -- not even about the process, nor even about who participated in them. I want to stress this because there is much misinformation that is being spread concerning the evaluations, and members of the LSB would LOVE to speak freely about them, but we are simply NOT ALLOWED TO UNDER THE LAW unless and until the personnel involved legally waive their rights to confidentiality. All in all, being Chair of the WBAI Local Station Board has been an exhausting but very productive experience, and the Board is especially thrilled to have played its role in providing governance and financial accountability, and helping to SAVE WBAI -- with the help, of course, of all of the listeners and staff whom the Board represents -- a very big difference between the situation today and the circumstances that existed at Pacifica 8-1/2 years ago.
KPFK General Manager's Report to the PNBJuly 2009 FinanceKPFK currently has $413,073.93 in the bank. Year to date KPFK has raised $2,747, 641 in cash and is budgeted at $2,833,367 with a variance of $85,726 or 3%. FundraisingKPFK June 2009 Fund-Drive:
Goal: $1000,000 - Total Pledged: $931,633.00 - Variance: $68,367
Total Paid: $564, 378 - Variance: $367, 254 - Current Money Fulfillment Rate: 60.5 %
Average Pledge: $ 135.00 - # of Pledges: 6892 - Current Pledges Fulfillment Rate: 76.2 %
New Pledges: 1938 ? Renewals: 1069 ? Rejoins (lapsed): 1435 ? Additional Gifts: 2449
Credit Card Pledges: 4886 ? Non-Credit Card: 2006
Pledges with Thank-you gift: 6535 ? Pledges without Thank-you Gift: 357
The June 2009 fund-drive lasted 20 days, 3 days shorter than the February drive. Traditionally a KPFK fund-drive will last 17 days maximum. During the final 2-3 days of a typical fund-drive the average daily total will reach $60,000 to $90,000. During the June fund-drive, however, we experienced a daily total in the final days of $45,000 to $50,000. This information led me to believe that it was wise to stop the fund-drive and make up the variance in August, as I was witnessing extreme donor fatigue. Additionally, KPFK relied heavily on health related topics and thank you gifts requiring KPFK to preempt public affairs for health specials. I believed with breaking news in Iran and elsewhere in the world, it was time to return to regular programming.
KPFK is prepared to conduct several creative on and off-air fundraisers in the month of August. Programming Ratings:
Weekly Listeners (3 month Average, April, May, June): 111,700
Average Quarter Hour (3 month Average, April, May, June): 1,833
KPFK rank out of 65 FM stations in metro Los Angeles
Monday thru Sunday 6am to 12mid: 59
Monday thru Friday 6am to 10am: 50
Monday thru Friday 10am to 3pm: 63
Monday thru Friday 3pm to 7am: 60
Monday thru Friday 7pm to 12mid: 61
Saturday thru Sunday 6am to 12mid: 52
It is obvious that improvement in programming is desperately needed. KPFK is bogged down in debate of process for such improvements. The strategic plan that was presented to the Pacifica National Board in January 2009 clearly identifies methods for improvement. Identifying listener behavior (what radio users want or expect and their patterns) is the basis for building a strategy for programming and formatting. I encourage the board to take another look at the strategic plan. Sean Heitkemper
General Manager, KPFK
Report to the Pacifica National Boardfrom the interim Executive DirectorJuly 12, 2009 Election News
The big news this month is that there has been unprecedented on and
off air outreach about our local station board elections. Petition
signing parties, election packet downloads and early return of
candidate applications show very strong interest in the election. At
KPFK last night about 100 people (no exageration) attended a petition
signing party. I would estimate that there were 30 to 40 serious
candidates there. Also, members came from as far away as Santa
Barbara and San Diego to help sign petitions and express support for
the election.. There has been similar strong interest at all the
other stations, especially KPFA and WPFW.
Much thanks should be given to Les Radke, our National Election
Supervisor, and all of our very conscientious and effective local
election supervisors.
Pacifica In-Person MeetingPlease post this announcement broadly:
The Pacifica National Board will meet in person in New York City on
Friday, July 24 through Sunday, July 26, 2009
This meeting will be held at the Beekman Towers Hotel, 3 Mitchell
Place, NYC. www.thebeekmanhotel.com
Previous in-person PNB meetings have typically included at least one
closed session for discussion of legal and personnel matters. Session
scheduling depends upon agenda approval for the entire meeting, which
typically occurs on Friday. A closed session will be scheduled for
Friday, July 24th in the afternoon and, possibly, Sunday morning.
However, appropriate consideration of the business scheduled for
public sessions could require a different scheduling of one or more
closed sessions.
Starting times:
Currently, the public session is scheduled to begin at 6:30 PM Eastern
Time on Friday. There's an executive session beforehand, which may run
over.
Starting times for Saturday and Sunday will follow when a draft agenda
is available.
Possible items for discussions at this meeting may include:
1) Reviewing Draft Budgets for Stations and Units
2) Strategic Planning
3) Programming improvement
4) Gathering, reviewing and making available Pacifica Policy for
Personnel, Programming, Finance, etc.
5) Moving from transitional management to more stable leadership and
management
6) Visions and Goals for the Pacifica Foundation Station News(Taken mostly from notes from a GM teleconference held on Thursday,
July 9th -- 100% accuracy not guaranteed. Corrections would be
appreciated.) WPFWGrigsby Hubbard, WPFW IGM: "We had LSB meeting last night (Wed., July
8). Things are going well. It's important to note here that staff is
uplifted and relieved and gratified that we're turning the corner on
things. We've had at least a half dozen years of real neglect.
Transmitter. Broadcast console. If we had newer equipment we
wouldn't have the maintenance challenges we now have.
"Some of our equipment is literally in an out house, a shed in the
building. We're trying to identify a CD player that will be adequte
for speech.
"People are coming in from National and other stations to cover the
Sotomayor hearing.
"As we look at our numbers, it makes for a strange out of control
budget. Over and above our central services fee we have a legal
expenses. Plus extraordinary expenses that are hitting us in terms of
the election, severance, etc.
"There is lots of good news. We are reconfiguring the staff. Ramping
up volunteers. People are being very responsive.
"I cancelled the contract with the Duck Race. We've been losing $ on
all our special projects like that.
"Our next fund drive is Aug 7 to 10th. Saturdays and Sundays we're
very good anyway. We'll wrap around that with Friday and Monday.
We're preparing that now. It's exciting to work with programmers as
to how they can help us with the drive.
"Bobby Hill, the Program Director, agreed to come back on. Big
hurdle. He loves WPFW, which is why he gave 3 1/2 months notice.
He's now back as interim PD. We're trying to change the model of one
gate keeper for programming." KPFTGM Duane Bradley says: "We're in the middle of an exciting and hectic
time with numerous balls in the air -- the planned 6 am - 7 pm grid
(programming) shift will go into effect on Monday, July 20th. Then 3
weeks after that there'll be a mini-drive.
"After lengthy analysis of years of data - arbitron, fund raising,
program council input, anecdotal info, etc., we've made a choice to
move away from a woven quilt of different representations of
communities to a more streamlined, unified stripping of programming to
conform with the way most people listen to radio. So there'll be a
strip at 6 am and then at 3 pm. The strip from 5 am to 9 am will be
news and public affairs.
"We're moving news hour from 5 to 4 and putting DN! at 5. Then at 6
we'll run good syndicated shows. These will include: This American
Life, David Barsamian, Explorations, If You Love This Planet with
Helen Caldicott, From the Vault, etc.
"Block strips that will be more unified -- afternoon public affair
strip from 3 to 4 will be more personality driven. 6 to 7 am will be
more informational, not personality driven programming. The
information is the predominant driver in the morning as opposed to the
personality who is the host of the show.
"The different stripping of the music programming is still in flux.
We've thinking of bringing in a former staff/board member who has
experience as a DJ for the music strip. We may bring a portion of the
World Cafe (NPR) for the noon hour. It's not on in this market.
We're negotiating with NPR right now. David Di has hosted this show
for 2 decades. Largely an Americana Heavy Adult Album
singer-songwriter programmer. Second hour he usually has a guest
DJing or a live set. This will tie our weekends and weekdays
together. We'll put in another strip in the afternoon that's a little
more patchy - hip hop, alternative, bongy. We have a show, for eg.,
called Generation Radio -- South Asian kids who have bonga -- upbeat
useful stuff. So that's an example of the changes.
"We're running tons of tutorials about the elections. We've scheduled
mixers for signing ballot petitions.
"We will be having a Service Auction/Gala/Costume Party/Dinner.
"We'll be having a Mini-drive in mid-August.
"Ahmad Anderson, interim HR Director, is coming down next Wednesday.
Our Board meets next week.
"Our finances look good, the budget process is progressing. We should
have a brief passage of KPFT budget at next LSB meeting on Wed., July
15th.
"We have about 10 candidates for listener members so far, 2 staff.
But usually most of our candidates have come forward the last moment
in the past.
Our staff and listener member lists are ready. "We have 8,118 paid
listener members as of July 8. Only 80 unpaid staff who have
documented 30 hours in last 3 months thus far -April 15 to July 15." KPFALemlem Rijio said: "I was on vacation for about a week. Been in
budget hell trying to understand the new budget template and project
appropriately for next year while still grappling with our current
financial state. We will make programming changes and restructuring
that will put us in better financial health and higher listenership.
"We have a program proposal we're submitting to CPB in a week and a
half. And a planned giving campaign is coming up so that we won't
face any cash shortfalls. We'll be in drive in October. We'll be
facing hardships in January if we don't get some extra $ soon.? We are
planning on a mini-drive.
"We hired a very good business manager. She's able to analyze numbers
very well,. We'll be meeting with our Treasurer this afternoon.
There is an LSB meeting this Saturday when we'll present a draft
budget, then we'll have an open meeting to discuss budget.
"KPFA is producing the upcoming Sotomayor hearings. Haven't decided
yet whether it'll be all gavel to gavel. It'll be a local production
but available to stations and affiliates. Jon Almeleh was
instrumental in putting this together. Mitch Jeserich will go to D.C.
for this. While he's in D.C. he will also hope to launch 'Letters
from Washington' -- we may not be able to launch that in a couple of
weeks, but we'll get back to you about where we're at on that." KPFKSean Heitkemper: "Spending days as GM and Acting PD, so have more
meetings than I could ever imagine. Contemplating what to do with
this station in terms of improving programming and overarching
strategy. Still haven't arrived at anything definitive. Have
potential plans, have to come up with the best solution.
"The other thing that's taking up many hours per day is the budget.
We haven't been able to reach magic # of 1 month extra. We're about
$100,000 short.
"Our Local Election Supervisor is worried about how quickly the lists
will be finalized. Other than that it's all day every day meetings
and tasks.
"$929,000 was pledged in the recent fund drive. Don't have
fulfillment numbers yet. Terry Guy, KPFK Membership Director, is in
San Diego at the Annual Development Exchange - Public Radio
Development Conference. Hopefully, he will come back with some magic
bullet.
"Fund drive #s -- through end of June $511,000 on fund drive. 55%
has been received by the end of June.? We relied on very successful
strategies, but strategies that if over used will be counterproductive
-- this fund drive we went 21 days. We peeled off a day or 2. We
didn't keep it going to get next $70,000 that was under budget. This
drive we took off all the stops toward the end but still extra money
was not coming in, so decided we had hit a wall. So we will have a 1
day fund drive to make up that $70,000. We saw that it was
counterproductive to continue the drive until the goal of $1,000,000
was reached. So KPFK was under goal for this drive by about 6%.
"A lot of the gifts were from our health and spirituality block. We
pre-empted all over the place and ran those types of gifts. We
peppered the grid with those gifts. One was Cat Ingram - a
compelling, interesting person who has a whole array of ways to
improve health by using thngs you can find at the grocery store. But
the more you rely on those items the hard it is for the next fund
drive because you have to match the quality of those special gifts.
The better approach is to support the programming on a regular basis.
But we have to keep the lights on. Got pretty close to the goal." WBAILaVarn Williams, iGM of WBAI: "We're going into fund drive. The next
drive was supposed to be end of July but we moved it to start on
August 3rd. Health premiums seem to do really well.
"Sotomayor hearings -- Mitch said he'll contact Jose Santiago and
Howard Jordon at WBAI and use them during the hearings which will make
the hearings more relevant to NY as Ms. Sotomayor is a New Yorker.
"Chuck D of 'Public Enemy' is going to be doing a program. He's on.
We're really exciting. The ESPN of hip hop is how Chuck D is
envisioning this. We're looking at a Monday evening for him. The
show will include a summary of hip hop over the last week and weekend.
Also, he has a political bent. This show will be pre-produced. It
will begin in the middle of August. Maybe once a month or every 6
weeks we'll do a live show.
"Our staff has been totally cut, so if anyone has info as to how to
get premiums out, we could use your advice and help.
"Updating all the data bases is something we need to get done quickly.
The staff is really excited.?But on the finance side and budget side
we're really struggling. Before last GM left he set up a repayment
schedule for the office rent. Although we had a really successful
fund drive we have the burden of all that extra rent to pay." iCFO ReportLaVarn Williams, iCFO: "We have a total cash flow for the network.
"The Budget Template is still a work in progress. It will allow us to
summarize our progress. Cash flow is very difficult with BAI because
the payment schedule was not reflective of any cash flow. There are
bills that had not been paid since Oct. -- all the services we really
need. So we've set up payment plans. Someone had vandalized the
cameras, no lock on the station. we're getting an estimate on
repairing the cameras, putting locks on, etc. The issues at WBAI are
very difficult. The staff sees this as a rescue. We have the support
of the staff and see there is a way to rescue BAI from current debt
and start fresh."
Brian DeShazor, Pacifica Archives Director adds: The Noam Chomsky DVD
master should be sent to the Archives. It helps the Archives increase
its premiums revenue. Revenue that should be coming in to the
Archives through having the Archives produce premiums and drop ship
them for the stations. This is a revenue source for the Archives that
should be bolstered as it has diminished."
"We can talk about drop shipping premiums through the Archives." Pacifica Archives Director ReportBrian DeShazor, Pacifica Archives Director: "The Archives is doing
fantastic! Since the last GM call we received a grant from American
Archive Pilot Program. Huge project -- the total grant monies are $3
million grant over 6 months. There are only 25 participating
broadcasting stations (TV and Radio) WNET in NY, KQED in SF -- the
Pacifica Archive is one of only 3 radio only programs. We have most
the complete radio Archive. This is the biggest grant Pacifica has
ever gotten for our legacy project.
"The 'Redefining Black Power Project' is happening. Also, the radio
portion of that project has been edited and put together and is almost
ready to distribute to the network for broadcast. There are a variety
of ways this project can be broadcast. This is premium stuff. Not
only the 90 minute main part, but also longer pieces of interviews,
etc., are also premium worthy. Will be distributing announcements in
the next week or so. Have found some incredible stuff in the Archives
about Solidad Brothers with Jean Paul Sartre and Jean Genet commenting
from Paris. Also, we have a ten part series about Howard Zinn's
'People's History' from 4 years before that book was published. Very
premium worthy. We have another 'From the Vault' available for the
next fund drives. The Redefining Black Power Project will be narrated
by Danny Glover.
"August is back to school month. May be a way with the Campus
Campaign for Archives to raise $40,000 it's below budget. The Grammy
grant is still working, and we started a new National Endowment for
the Arts grant, and a UCLA/Moffett grant.
"In our digitization projects, scholars are accessing our collection.
They are now trying to get Fanny Lou Hammer's recordings utilized.
The latest is that Pennsylvania State University Press will be
publishing info around these recordings." Affiliate Director ReportUrsula Rudenberg, Pacifica Affiliate Director, attended the Grassroots
Radio Conference in Montreal recently. She enjoyed the networking and
sees the possibility of adding affiliates in Canada. Few people from
the U.S. were there. Canadian Radio is strongly supported by the
government. Also, there is a desire to keep it separate and distinct
and resist meshing it with media in the U.S.
Ursula is currently in Mississippi helping a radio station start-up
get off the ground. She is doing her Affiliate Director work from
there.
Ursula has already proposed a budget for the Affiliate Program. That
program's budget has been part of the National Office Budget.
Starting with the next fiscal year it will have its own separate and
distinct budget. iHR Director ReportAhmad Anderson, our interim HR Director, is visiting all the stations,
introducing himself to staff, and helping with the transitions at WBAI
and WPFW. He will be making a visit to KPFT soon and then visit KPFK
and the Pacifica Archives.
The on-line sexual harassment training is almost ready for launch.
This will begin within 2 weeks. Comments by the iED:All in all, a 'turn-around' is well in progress at 2 stations and on
the National level. Programming and income improvements are being
planned and implemented at all five stations. The Affiliate Network
is increasing and the Pacifica Archives is moving into a period of
strong support from major grantors. Hard decisions have already been
made and will continue. There is much good news across the network.
As we move past our current cash crunch we should see a period of
financial stability followed by improved programming, management and
listenership. Pacifica is getting back to basics and adhering more
closely to its commitment to peace, social justice and diversity.
When the election is completed new local station boards will be
seated in December of this year created by a very open, democratic and
well received election process with high listenership participation.
Possibly the most Bylaws compliant election we've ever had. Many,
many thanks are owed to our GMs and staff who have strongly cooperated
with the media democracy envisioned in our Bylaws. Our election
supervisors are so excellent, it is worth commending them a second
time in this report!
If our staff and boards continue their very hard work, we will move
forward beyond crisis mode toward stability and a greater capacity to
project creative solutions to societal problems that I'm sure we all
hope will profoundly uplift the world around us.
In Peace,
Grace Aaron
Chair of the Pacifica National Board
Interim Executive Director of the Pacifica Foundation
phone: (310) 286 - 1011, cell: (510) 734-3496
1925 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-1034 *
www.pacifica.org * tel: (510) 849-2590 * fax: (510) 849-2617
Report to the Pacifica National Board
from the interim Executive Director
June 7, 2009 All the station fund drives so far (KPFK is in the middle of one) have
improved in performance over the winter drives. Although WPFW and KPFT
came in 10-13% under budget from last reports, that is still a lot
better than the 20-25% shortfalls in the winter drive for those stations.
According to LaVarn Williams, interim CFO of Pacifica and acting General
Manager of WBAI, the WBAI fund drive that just concluded on Saturday,
May 30th raised over $839,000! The goal for this drive in the Fiscal
Year 2009 Budget was $672,000. According to James Ross, Chair of the
National Finance Committee:
"This is very good news. The budget goal was actually $672,000, so
we beat that by $160,000. For comparison, the winter drive did
$545,000, and last spring did $608,000 (in two fewer days).
"This is the best WBAI drive in over two years."
KPFA has been finalizing details for its restructuring plans. KPFA has
also successfully completed the hire of a new Information Technology
Director. They also replaced their website director with an interim
hire and are going to be filling the position with a regular hire within
6 weeks.
Lemlem Rijio, KPFA GM, also says: "I am shopping around a couple of
proposals for funding---small proposals for training and projects
($10k-$50k) and just yesterday we got a $15k award from the san
francisco foundation. Our May drive is about 70% fulfilled; our summer
friendraiser is in the planning process. Our fall drive is budgeted to
begin in mid Sep. but I might move it to the last week so A and K can
bring our drives in sync and raise more. Three students from the UCB
school of business will be doing an internship in our development
department this summer working on three projects to plan and implement a
membership expansion campaign; a plan and materials to increase the
percentage of renewal of new members; and conducting market research for
new programs and strategies (they have developed 4 sets of really good
surveys)."
The Pacifica Archives has just signed a contract and is moving forward
with a book project with CityLights publishing that is very promising.
Also, there will be a 'Gay Day' at KPFK on Sunday, June 14th from 9:00
a.m. to Midnight. The LGBT community will express themselves in a day
long celebration of Gay Pride 2009. Featuring: Personal Time Capsule
stories; Live reports from the LA Gay Pride Parade and Festival,
rallies, protests, demonstrations, teach-ins, forums and gatherings; etc.
Our interim Human Resources Director has been helping with HR matters
related to WBAI, KPFK, WPFW, the Pacifica Archives, etc. He has also
researched on-line anti-discrimination and sexual harassment training.
The final logistics are being worked out and that training will be
starting in a week or 2. He has also begun working with the Personnel
Committee on the CFO and ED hiring process.
As mentioned earlier, Les Radke has been hired as the National Election
Supervisor and he has hired all 5 Local Election Supervisors. He will
report on election progress in a few minutes.
The National Office in conjunction with volunteers from WBAI and the PNB
Coordinating Committee are working to secure a venue and accomodations
for the next PNB in-person meeting to be held in New York.
Tony Riddle, National Development Director, has been researching federal
stimulus funds and CPB grants we may be eligible for.
In Peace,
Grace Aaron Chair of the Pacifica National Board
Interim Executive Director of the Pacifica Foundation
phone: (310) 286 - 1011, cell: (510) 734-3496
1925 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-1034 *
www.pacifica.org * tel: (510) 849-2590 * fax: (510) 849-2617
iCFO Report
Wed, 27 May 2009
Greetings All,
The Natonal Office Finance Office is in the midst of planning for the
2010 Budget and summarizing the spring drive results. The Business
Managers will meet on Thursday and possibly on Friday to review the
planning template, the current cash flow, requirements for training on
Great Plains reportwriter, and a walk through the budget outline.
The results for the WBAI spring fund drive total $707,535 through 3pm
today, May 27, 2009. Attached is the letter to the WBAI staff sent over
the weekend.
Sincerely,
LaVarn Williams
iCFO Pacifica foundation.
interim General Manager 99.5FM
PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL [during the in-person call, LaVarn said this
wasn't confidential and reported all of this during the call]
Greetings WBAI Staff,
Thank you for the tremendous and successful fund drive that you have
produced over the last three weeks. You have generated $540,468 in
pledges through Thursday, May 21, 2009. Your successes are most
rewarding to those at the station and across the network who have kept
the faith in WBAI. CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Our concern at this time turns to the physical condition of XXX XXXXX
[Not sure if this person's name was mentioned on the webstreaml] who
collapsed in the studio on Thursday morning. XXXXX, we wish you a
speedy recovery and we thank you for your commitment over the years to
WBAI 99.5FM.
Also, we apologize to all subscribers for the missing premiums from
prior drives. We must promise that we will keep our commitment to the
listeners and we will send all requested thank you gifts. The success
of the upcoming July drive and the subscribers? continuing commitment to
WBAI depends on a speedy and accurate premium distribution.
WBAI Staff, your unbridled creative energies are the source of this
turnaround in listener response. I applaud you and urge you to continue
to make the drive a resounding success. I would like to give special
recognition to Kathy Davis and Tony Bates who are investing great time
and energy and are showing innovation and leadership in the Spring Fund
Drive.
I would also like to thank Jose Santiago, shop steward for AFTRA, for
being present during the fund drive. WBAI and Pacifica will always be
committed to having the union in the workplace.
I would like to announce the interim appointment of Shawn Rhodes as
interim Operations Director effective Saturday, May 16, 2009. The
Foundation appreciates the work of Peter Bochan, the former Operations
Director, and wishes him well in his new endeavor and thanks him for his
commitment to WBAI.
Bernard White, former Program Director, is no longer with the
Foundation. The Foundation thanks him for his contribution over the
years and wishes him well.
Thanks to all of you as fellow workers, as subscribers, and as the
connections to the listeners and subscribers of the WBAI community. The
$540,468 raised through Day 18 of the current drive is almost even with
the total pledges of the Winter drive that raised $542,245 in 27 days.
The daily average in the Spring drive is $30,025 or nearly $10,000 a day
better than the daily average of $20,085 in the winter drive. If one
projects a range from this favorable variance through the end of the
drive on May 30, we may raise anywhere from $250,000 to $300,000 more
than the Winter drive. Therefore, we should approach or surpass our goal
of $800,000. You truly are ?the ones we have been waiting for?.
Sincerely and with great respect,
LaVarn Williams
Interim General Manager WBAI 99.5FM
Report to the Pacifica National Board from the interim Executive Director The National Office Tony Riddle is now the National Development Director. Here's an excerpt from an email he just sent me: [deleted terms of a possible contract]
He is also working on some grant opportunities through the CPB and, thanks to effort by Shawn Casey O'Brien, he will be working on federal stimulus grants Shawn helped us locate through Congressman Henry Waxman's office. Ahmad Anderson, our interim HR Director, is working to centralize anti-discrimination and sexual harassment training so that all staff, both paid and unpaid, can complete it on-line. He has proposed that an additional on-line module be added to this training. That is staff evaluation procedures. He would like this to be completed not only by supervisors who will conduct routine staff evaluations but also by all paid staff so that they understand the evaluation process. I think this is an excellent idea and have instructed him to move forward with this. He has been fully on the job, is now in New York helping LaVarn with WBAI and has been working on other HR matters at a number of stations. LaVarn Williams, our iCFO, is also the acting GM of WBAI, doing a terrific job of turning that station around while also still functioning as iCFO. KPFT KPFT's recent fund drive was a bit weak, but still improved over their winter drive. A new program council has been formed and promises to be highly functional and, hopefully, help the station move forward to improve programming. KPFA KPFA's fund drive which has just concluded will probably just about meet its expected goal when on-line pledges are added to its total. This is a relief as its winter drive was under budget. However, it looks as though KPFA will be able to end the fiscal year on budget. KPFK KPFK's fundrive starts next week. GOOD LUCK!! See the very positive, long L.A. Times article one of K's Spanish Language shows: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-latinradio24-2009may24,0,4718742.story WPFW Not sure how this station is doing. Will update. WBAI Much improved!! Fund drive 20% - 30% on average better performance in comparison to various drives. The difference in percentage varies based on the drives being compared. Election I hired Les Radke as the National Election Supervisor and he is whizzing ahead in hiring local election supervisors. LESes have already been hired for KPFK, KPFT, WPFW already and after a final look at candidates from NY and SF we will be hiring supervisors for those stations in the next 28 to 48 hours. Roseanne Barr and Dr. Helen Caldicott have both agreed to record election carts. That's all for now!
In Peace,
Grace Aaron
Chair of the Pacifica National Board
Interim Executive Director of the Pacifica Foundation phone: (310) 286 - 1011, cell: (510) 734-3496
1925 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-1034 * www.pacifica.org * tel: (510) 849-2590 * fax: (510) 849-2617
Report from the iED to the Pacifica National Board
March 20, 2009
General Comments
I have been putting most of my attention lately on the implementation of
Pacifica National Board resolutions so that the network can move in the
direction the Board would like it to as smoothly and rapidly as
possible. This includes the implementation of National Programming
Policy as well as full, documented compliance with CPB regulations,
etc. As our listenership is the way that our Pacifica Mission and the
aims of this Foundation are transmitted to our members and the broad
general public, efforts have been made to stress that programming
changes be instituted rapidly so that we have more people listening.
Report from the iED to the PNB March 8, 2009
The following two sections of the Pacifica Bylaws have been very much on my mind recently:
Article One, Identity and Purpose
Section 3. Principles:
"The Foundation is committed to peace and social justice, and seeks to involve in its governance and operations individuals committed to these principles." and
Section 4. Committment to Diversity
"The Foundation is committed to diversity and inclusion of people of all nations, races, ethnicities, creeds, colors, classes, genders, sexual orientations, ages and people with disabilities in its programming, staff, management, committees and governance."
From the desk of the Pacifica Acting Interim Executive Director: Statement to our Listeners about Governance & Management Changes
Hi, I'm Grace Aaron. I was elected Chair of the Pacifica Foundation's National Board of Directors on Feb. 1, 2009. As Pacifica currently does not have an Executive Director, the Bylaws state that I must fill that position until an interim or permanent Executive Director is hired. The other PNB officers are Vice Chair, Joe Wanzala, PNB Director from KPFA in Berkeley, and our pro tem Secretary, Efia Nwangaza, one of our 2 PNB Affiliate Directors.
I have deep roots as a Peace Activist. As Chair of Peace Action of Southern California I coordinated 13 of its chapters from the mid '80's to mid '90s as well as acting as Co Chair of the Peace Action Network, a broad based coalition of 27 peace and justice organizations. I have produced over 200 cable access TV shows on peace, environmental and social justice issues. Many are now webcast. I am currently an active Board Member and Treasurer of the local branch of Women's International League for Peace & Freedom. I have spent much of the last 5 years serving on the Pacifica and KPFK Boards.
As Lonnie Hicks is no longer the Pacifica CFO, the Board voted to appoint an Interim Chief Financial Officer (iCFO). We are excited to have LaVarn Williams as our interim CFO and I hope you will give her a warm welcome as she joins our new team. LaVarn comes highly qualified. Besides a substantial career in corporate financial management, she was the Treasurer of the Pacifica National Board during 2006 and 2007.
My personal efforts will be directed to help the Board, staff, volunteers and listeners to effectively put the Pacifica Mission into action. Our aim will be to work cooperatively to strengthen the Pacifica Foundation, to broaden our reach and to create progressive change in our communities, our nation and the world.
In peace,
Grace Aaron, Pacifica Foundation Board Chair and acting interim Executive Director
The Pacifica Foundation
Three Year Strategic Plan
FY 2009-2011
Prepared by
Station and Archive Managers
Introduction
As we prepare to celebrate 60 years of public and independent broadcasting, Pacifica is hailed in US and world history as an innovation, a special place in the world of media. The survival of Pacifica is the result of the tremendous dedication of community of supporters who have historically valued the Pacifica mission and its unique, critical programming.
The evolving media and economic landscapes today call for attention and forward planning as we adjust to these technological changes and economic fluctuations, while maximizing our impact. This three-year strategic plan has been developed to address the most pressing issues of concern to Pacifica, to our sustainability and to our relevance, from today through 2011.
 A sample report item/entry. Real PNB reports will be in this section.
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Pacifica National Board