[Imc] Fwd: {FP} Petition to Cancel PNN from Aaron Glantz

[Paul Riismandel]

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>Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 14:10:22 EST
>Subject: {FP} Petition to Cancel PNN from Aaron Glantz
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>From: SBernay at aol.com
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>
>Hello folks. Those of you in the KPFA listening area please e-mail me back
>with your  name and affiliation to indicate your support. <SBernay at aol.com>
>
>---------------------------------------------
>
>To KPFA Management and Program Council,
>
>
>On behalf of the following signators, I am writing this letter to express my
>profound dissapointment, shock, and anger that KPFA did not participate in
>the one day, nationwide day without Pacifica which was organized by community
>radio activists from around the country.
>
>Over 20 community radio stations cancelled PNN on Thursday, November 16th to
>protest the ongoing centralization, censorship, and rightward shift of
>Pacifica's National Board and news programming. Instead, they aired a
>well-produced 30 minute documentary produced by striking Pacifica reporters
>describing the issues at stake. Surely these are goals that KPFA supports.
>
>I am also increasingly frustrated by KPFA's failure to cancel the Pacifica
>Network News and run something better in its place. To say that PNN should be
>cancelled because there is an on-going strike against the program is surely a
>persuasive argument on its own. But the companion argument that PNN is a
>terrible and often misleading program is truly an even more important
>contention.
>
>Consider:
>§ PNN's "National Affairs Correspondent" Bob Hennelly never does field
>reporting seldom uses tape.
>§ PNN Correspondent Mike Hagens comments on topics he knows nothing about.
>Example: "Yassir Arafat today clearly rejected peace."
>§ PNN's Anchor, J. Marie Hall, is not a journalist
>§ PNN uses a corporate audio wire service to cover New York, London, Moscow,
>and the United Nations. One of these wire service stories run on PNN praised
>the work of white, mercenary armies in Africa
>§ Because of the ongoing freelancers strike against PNN, the cast rarely
>features news from places outside Washington from grassroots radio
>journalists.
>
>Consider what we could be airing at 3:30 every day instead of PNN:
>
>KFCF cancelled PNN and now airs locally produced programming at 3:30.
>Grassroots programming that covers pressing issues like labor and the
>environment. Issues that one rarely hears about on PNN unless they are
>effecting the latest beltway machinations. If we cancelled PNN, we could add
>a locally produced housing show, a labor show, a transportation show, a
>prison issues show, third world programming, women's programming, and/or a
>show addressing gay and lesbian issues. None of these are currently offered
>on KPFA. Or KPFA could add a 5 day a week public affairs program like the
>Morning Show, Living Room, Hard Knock Radio, or Flashpoints.
>
>KBOO in Portland, KCSB in Santa Barbara, and WCBN in Ann Arbor cancelled PNN
>and beefed up their local news coverage. Response at each station has been
>tremendous. The cancellation has stimulated new community and volunteer
>interest in the station and the number of news volunteers at each of these
>stations has increased considerably.
>
>WMBR in Boston cancelled PNN and used the extra three hours every week to air
>progressive, nationally-syndicated programming that wasn't on their air
>before. KPFA could cancel PNN and use the 3:30 slot to air excellent programs
>like This Way Out, Between the Lines, and WINGS (Women's International News
>Gathering Service). Each of those shows is more informative than PNN is right
>now.
>
>Any of these alternatives would be better than PNN.
>
>So why hasn't KPFA cancelled PNN?
>
>Fear that Pacifica will crack down on us. I thought KPFA was all about
>standing up to power, the big corporations, and censorship. KPFA certainly
>isn't about airing the kind of drivel that comes out of Washington these days.
>
>Our listeners deserve better.
>
>Sincerely,
>Aaron Glantz
>KPFA Sacramento Reporter
>Producer, Free Speech Radio News
>
>---
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