Community Advisory Board Meeting
October 11, 2008, 11am
1929 MLK Jr. Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
Minutes:
I. Introductions:
Donald Goldmacher
Concerned about listener viability and internal strife
KPFA is a great progressive resource
Beth Byrne
San Francisco resident
Involved in labor rights
Wants to get involved at KPFA
Juanita
San Jose resident
Went to school in Berkeley
Works with low income families
Interested in immigrants' and women's rights
KPFA isn't as well known in the Southbay as it could be
Nancy
Grew up in Oakland
Areas of interest include antiwar, disarmament, civil rights, the women's movement, Israel/Palestine, and fighting the school-to-prison pipeline
Sings
KPFA is great and has a long way to go
Karega
Was an auto worker in Detroit, was active politically there
Is currently active in San Mateo as Vice President of a union) and faculty of (school name) in the Labor Studies department
Rose
Works with the KPFA News Department and Free Speech Radio News, graduated from the News Training and Apprenticeship Programs
In attendance as a liaison and note taker
Came to Berkeley from San Jose to work against the Iraq war at KPFA
Carl
Has been a life-long journalist on the left
Writes for the http://www.blackcommentator.com/ and is a moderator for http://www.portside.org/
Wants to promote alternative media
Tom Jackson
Involved with labor issues
Advocates for young people
Wants to increase the safety net for families.
Don volunteers to act as chair for the current meeting
Karega suggests a rotating chair
There is some agreement and there are no objections
Beth volunteers to take notes
Karega agrees to act as chair for the next meeting, provided that it is scheduled at a time when he is able to attend it
Tom says he feels strange because there's no context or history for the CAB but that he finds all it's members to be connected to the community
Nancy says the CAB is an autonomous body
Karega requests Notes from the last CAB Meeting & some history
Don reads an except from B. in the CPB Requirements document
Tony requests information/presentation on "Major Policy Decisions"
Juanita suggests that one CAB Member should attend the next LSB Meeting
Don points out that the group is advisory and has no direct power over programming or policy decisions
Juanita moves that the KPFA CAB get in touch with another station's CAB
All in favor
Motion passes
Juanita volunteers to do outreach to other CABs
Rose suggests that Juanita call KQED and KALW.
Tony proposes that each CAB Member indicate what their community connections are and that the group find out what the gaps are. Tony suggests that CAB Members look into how the station is currently relating to various communities.
Tony's connections and interests list:
City of San Francisco, Public Schools, wants to eliminate racially divided tracks
Racial-economic & Social Justice Issues
Working with non-profit developers to increase family friendly housing in San Francisco
Appreciates that KPFA is covering Prop B, an affordable housing, election item, but would like to see more proactive, ongoing coverage of issues
Carl
News programming, especially programming about the economic crisis
What's going on isn't being made clear enough by the media to the average person
5 million people could lose their homes during this housing crisis
Working class issues
KPFA should have been there @ the Senior Action Network event this past Wednesday
In the 60's it's the sort of event where KPFA would have been on the scene
Part of movement building is connecting these community groups
Karega
We need more news and analysis
Likes David B.'s show
Interested in women's issues, Oakland women's economic agenda
Poverty elimination
Single payer universal healthcare
Healthcare is a human right
Union members who are losing their healthcare
Nancy
Likes Doug Henwood's show and thinks KPFA should be helping make the connection between financial matters and the economy - make the economic crisis comprehensible to the average person
Cut through the myth that providing loans to poor people is what caused this
Analysis that connects the dots is needed
Immigration is an important issue...
Kids are getting abused in public schools, for various reasons, but do not report it because they are afraid of ice
Kitty Kelly Upstein used to talk about education-related issues on Friday nights
Juanita
Low income families
Podcast listener
Likes Against the Grain and Democracy Now
Connections are low income women's issues and childcare
Beth
Listens to KPFA online
Interests include immigration and affordable housing
Thinks KPFA should be targeting younger listeners and getting youth involved
Don
Class war
Who has power and who doesn't
Who has $ and who doesn't
It's all about money and power
& it's going to get uglier
Capitolism has been out of control
Doug Henwood does a good job on Saturdays
Interests include the arts (ie: cover to cover)
KPFA does a reasonably good job covering new documentaries
The website should be used an outreach tool
Don - How do you reach out to young people?
Beth - What are they doing in terms of music?
Juanita - The current Spanish-language music programming seems to be geared toward an older audience
Tony - got youth involved at KPFA through New College. When young people are on the air, there's buy-in that leads to the desire to learn more
Nancy - Partnerships with community-based organizations, like the Ella Baker Center
Don - doesn't think it's this board's responsibility to fund raise
Beth - a show/time slot that is well-known as a vehicle for new bands to get their music played on KPFA would increase involvement by young people
Tony - Hosts a youth performance event
Missing connections include:
GLBTQ
Environment
International perspective
Nancy - BET does good work covering Richmond
Don - environmental coverage is hit or miss. There should be a concerted effort to inform and educate
Tony - KPFA should explore the environment as it related to development. Toxic sites. Lenar.
Don - we could come up with some ideas to give to management about issues that are or are not being addressed
Carl - People usually listen to the radio at different times. Maybe a show like Doug Henwood's ought to be on at a different time
