[Imc] Pacifica May Cut Off WEFT June 7

[Paul Riismandel]

Let's make sure we're all on the same page before we start having dreams of
getting former Pacifica money:  The money WEFT uses to pay Pacifica is a
Program Acquisition Grant (PAG) from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
(CPB).  This money can only pay for national programming--it is not any
different than the money WEFT uses for all of its national programming.  It
cannot pay for the production of local programming--this is an EXPLICIT
stipulation of the grant.  For the last 7+ years WEFT has only bought
programming using this PAG grant.  

If WEFT were to cease paying Pacifica WEFT cannot instantaneously start
paying the IMC using this PAG money unless we were to start offering our
programming on a syndication basis to more than just WEFT, where WE are the
syndicators.  It is not good enough that some of our segments be aired on
Free Speech Radio News or National Radio Project.  In that case FSRN or NRP
is the syndicator and only they can get paid directly from WEFT.

For the IMC to be eligible for any of these funds we have to be offering our
programs nationally.  I would love for us to do this, and think we should
organize with an eye to this, but it does not allow us to simply step in
should WEFT no longer be airing Pacifica.

And as a side note--taking seriously Paul K's comments and concerns arising
from last week's News Hour--in my opinion there are significant
organizational questions that must be answered before the IMC is ready to
start offering our programs to a wider audience for $.  Frankly, I don't
think the current methodology cuts it, but I have already formally offered
suggestions and am willing to offer more.

--Paul


-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Lehman
To: imc at lists.groogroo.com
Sent: 5/30/01 8:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Imc] Pacifica May Cut Off WEFT June 7

Perhaps I'm speaking too soon, but I know that there exists the
possibility of the $$ formerly obligated by WEFT to Pacifica paying for
replacement programming for Pacifica. We would need the National Radio
Project for national news, which may cost some bucks, but if the IMC
could make the case for us being the conduit through which WEFT pays for
both that and local programming from the IMC, maybe those funds could be
directed to this very purpose.

I would support such a proposal by the IMC.
Mike Lehman

Paul Kotheimer wrote:
> 
> hi friends
> 
> not to be crumudgeonly, but i have two keystrokes to chip in of which
i
> hope people will take SERIOUS note regarding the matter of upping our
> production committment to WEFT. they are:
> 
> $?
> 
> in order to produce audio at the IMC sustainably, we will need
production
> staff, equipment maintenance, rent money, and a second audio
workstation.
> the current set of volunteers (incl. myself) could burn out any day
now.
> we need a substantial, reliable, and sustainable financial committment
> from the commmunity to make quality broadcast audio.
> 
> and (speaking as an impoverished key volunteer) i NEED a financial
> committment from the community to be able to keep doing what i do for
IMC
> audio.
> 
> so i repeat my two keystrokes:
> 
> $?
> 
> solidarity,
> paulkotheimer:)
> 
> On Wed, 30 May 2001, Danielle Chynoweth wrote:
> 
> >
> > This affects the IMC.  WEFT may be looking for more public affairs
> > programming soon (June 7th).  We can't replace 5 hours of Democracy
Now! a
> > week, but we may want to be part of this discussion.

_______________________________________________
Imc mailing list
Imc at urbana.indymedia.org
http://lists.groogroo.com/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc