Building a Powerful Pacifica

by Alan Minsky

The following document was originally written about the Pacifica Radio Network in the summer of 2012. It has been updated for 201 . Pacifica has fi!e stations" in New #ork $%&'I() %ashington *+ $%P,%() -ouston $.P,T() /os 'ngeles $.P,.() and the &ay 'rea $.P,'(0 along with 110 affiliated stations across the country. Pacifica is 'merica2s original public non3profit broadcast media institution) going li!e in &erkeley in 14 4. I wrote 5&uilding a Powerful Pacifica6 at the re7uest of the network2s 89ecuti!e *irector $8*( in 2012. It outlines a clear strategy to grow the Pacifica network into what almost all of its listeners and donors want it to become" a powerful) honest multi3faceted media outlet that amplifies !oices for social :ustice and impacts the national) international) and local political and cultural discourse. ;nfortunately) Pacifica2s go!erning board remo!ed the 89ecuti!e *irector only a few weeks after I finished the first draft0 so) none of the proposals were implemented. <adly) the ne9t management team took the network in the opposite direction of what is outlined below. Predictably) Pacifica descended e!en further into crisis. Now there will be new national management again and I am hopeful that these ideas will once again be taken under consideration. I belie!e 5&uilding a Powerful Pacifica6 remains the best blueprint for re!itali=ing Pacifica in accordance with its mission0 and making it much more influential across 'merica $and the entire world( than e!er before> &uilding a Powerful Pacifica ?utline
Introduction Programming 1. Prologue 2. ESSENTIAL: A !MMITMENT T! T"E "I#"EST STAN$A%$S @. *e!elop a 2 AB Pacifica National News and Public 'ffairs %ebstream . ' Re3&uilt National News <er!ice &. %e' o((i) )o News $eli*ery and Local News o*erage C. Pro!iding a !oice for under3represented communities B. Impro!e the <ound and <tyle of ?ur <ignature <hows" 1. 8ngage Dass +ulture 4. -igh3Profile <pecial Programming 10. ,eaturing In!estigati!e Reporting 11. <hows are Temporary) Not for /ife0 'lways be Introducing New <hows 12. Dore *ynamic Dusic <hows 1@. 'ccepting the +hallenge of a &i3/ingual <tation while Pursuing a <panish /anguage <tation 1 . *ebate <egments) maybe a %eekly *ebate <how) +all3in <hows) engaging /ocal Politicians 1E. <olution3based <egments) ?ptimism) and the 'lan %atts Tradition 1C. PR'" the real -istory +hannel 1B. Team *ri!en <trip Programming

11. Fuality +ontrol %ebsites and Dultimedia 1. ;pgrading the <tation %ebsites 2. News *epartment %ebsites +. %E'B%AN$IN# PA I,I A.!%# AN$ T"E NATI!NAL STATI!N -PA I,I A 2./01 . Dultiple webstreams" e.g. music) spanish E. ,und3Raising through the %ebsites C. <ocial Dedia B. iPhone and 'ndroid apps 1. TGAGideo ?utreach 1. <ocial Dedia 2. 'd!ertising @. Public Durals . Hrassroots Hround3Hame E. +ommunity 'ssessmentADarket Research C. Proliferating +ommunity 8!ents B. Publishing 8ssays3 -ighlighting ?ur Intellectual Prowess 1. <logans 4. +hicago) +hicago) *i9ie) and the plains
Recruitment and <taffing 1. Recruitment 2. Danagement hires @. <taffing . *i!ersity E. ?n *ri!etime -osts C. ?n <tyrofoam +ups

#o*ernance
1. 2. @. . E. <top the Dicromanaging &oard Dembers Dust 'd!ocate for the <tation or Network as a %hole Raising Doney Reform the &oard2s +ompositionA8lection Process +ode of +onduct

,inance and ,und Raising 1. Da:or *onors 2. /e!erage @. Hrants . Hrowing our 'udience E. +rowd <ourcing I <ocial Dedia C. 'd!ertisementA+ommercials on %eb <treams B. +onferenceA8ncuentro 1. Rebuilding %&'I 4. ,ewer ,und *ri!e *ays) Dore *e!elopment *irectors 10. 8ndowments +onclusion

Building a Powerful Pacifica by Alan Minsky

In)roduc)ion In the following document) I outline what I belie!e are necessary steps for Pacifica to mo!e beyond its current crisis and intractable dysfunction0 and fulfill its promise as the powerful) alternati!e broadcast media outlet that 'merican <ociety desperately needs. This document is predicated on two notions. ?ne) that Pacifica is spiraling downward and will continue to lose audience) grow increasingly irrele!ant) and plummet further into a fiscal crisis until it takes drastic action to re!erse course. Two) that Pacifica) e!en with its flaws) still remains far and away the best positioned national broadcast media institution to honestly report on this comple9 society and feature today2s most compelling thinkers) analysts) and artists. If we can turn things around and then get the word out) millions of 'mericans will flock to us) not only as the antidote to the mainstream) corporate3controlled brain3drain) but also because they2ll lo!e what we2re doing. To achie!e this we should pursue the internal changes outlined in this document and then loudly proclaim oursel!es to be 'merica2s essential leftAprogressi!e media institution J i.e. what is e9actly needed at this moment in history if 'merica is to re!erse course and fulfill its promise as a democratic society. This proposal is intended as a unified) integrated package. To make it more digestible) IK!e organi=ed the document into si9 sections) each of which outlines a reform strategy for these aspects of Pacifica" 1. Programming0 2. %eb and Dultimedia Presence0 @. ?utreach0 . Recruitment and <taffing0 E. Ho!ernance0 and C. ,undraising. There is a brief conclusion.

23: Progra((ing. Prologue There is a tremendous opportunity right now for Pacifica to re!erse its decline) re3 establish itself as the country2s leading leftAprogressi!e :ournalism institution while maintaining its commitment to community radio) and put it on a path to becoming a ma:or force in 'merican media J one that impacts the national dialogue. To get there) Pacifica must upgrade its programming. This section includes a set of proposed programming impro!ements for the network. -owe!er) before I introduce those) let2s look at why now is a great time for Pacifica to take bold initiati!e. In recent years no ri!al outlet has emerged as 'merica2s leading leftAprogressi!e news source) like the Huardian is in 8ngland or /a Lornada in De9ico. 'ir 'merica had ambitious plans) but collapsed0 The -uffington Post) impressi!e in its scope) was ne!er radical and has retreated further towards the center since being bought by '?/0 and D<N&+ is far too wedded to the *emocrats and a narrow inside3the3beltway narrati!e. Pacifica) in contrast) is the real deal" our analysts include an array of radicals) not :ust

center3leftists0 we feature grassroots acti!ists) the opinions of actual working people0 and we ha!e the nightly news alongside wide3ranging talk shows that aspire to) and sometimes achie!e) thorough co!erage of the day2s e!ents. If the changes proposed in this document are adopted by Pacifica) it should be able to establish itself as the country2s leading leftAprogressi!e :ournalism outlet. 's we mo!e deeper into the 21st century) 'merican commercial broadcast :ournalism is a shadow of its former self0 while newspapers) traditionally the bedrock of serious reporting in the ;nited <tates) are in free3fall. In sum) the heroic role of :ournalists as researcherAin!estigator ad!ocates for the citi=enry is beginning to seem like a thing of the past. Pacifica can help fill this !oid with serious incisi!e programming0 as well as) perhaps) partnering with leading progressi!e maga=inesAwebsites like Truthdig) Truthout) 'lternet) +olorlines) The Nation) Dother Lones) et al. to feature the e9cellent in!estigati!e work de!eloped by their :ournalists $see proposal later in this section(. ?ne :ournalism institution that has grown stronger in recent years is NPR. In a way this is good news) as it shows that radio remains a medium that people flock to for intelligent engagement and important information. ?f course) NPR2s success also represents a challenge because we2re in competition with such a well3funded operation widely seen as a paragon of :ournalistic integrity. &ut it2s a challenge easily met) if we step up our game0 NPR may sound flawless) but when it comes to challenging power) e9posing in:ustice) or facilitating a truly free e9change of ideas) NPR wears the same strait:acket as the rest of the mainstream media. $'nd we should not be shy about e9posing when NPR fails in this regard) especially concerning big issues.( If we introduce a new) impro!ed Pacifica to the huge public radio audience) they will recogni=e how distincti!e Pacifica is) that we really co!er 'merica without limits 3 and they will reward us for it. 'lso) the argument that the internet J with its proliferation of blogs and websites J makes up for the decline of traditional media rings hollow. It remains clear that broadcast media) and TG in particular) continues to be what Noam +homsky calls 5the agenda setting media6 3 especially in the case of the national political dialogue. ?f course) these outlet2s websites are now an essential component of these 5agenda setting6 institutions. Indeed) almost all of the top news websites in the world are the websites of traditional media outlets" e.g. nytimes.com) cnn.com) bbc.co.uk) the guardian) abc) cbs) nbc) fo9 etc. $-uffpost is the only e9ception in the 8nglish language top ten(. Pacifica needs to take a cue from this fact) step up its online game) but also accept that it is not a dinosaur in the digital age0 indeed) Pacifica2s fi!e stations and 110 affiliates are an asset any digital start3up would cra!e. Thus) Pacifica is the best positioned institution to become 'merica2s greatest alternati!e media outlet because it is close to ha!ing the infrastructural capacity in place to be a full3 fledged nationalAinternational media outlet on par with ma:or mainstream networks. %e produce 1C1 9 E hours of programming per week) and the necessary supplements that come along with it0 already a 7uantity comparable to the Huardian and similar outlets. ?ur stations $in N#) *+) /') and the &ay 'rea( are based in the top four politicalAcultural centers in the country. The number of political talk shows we produce

that co!er national and international as well as local issues shows our breadth of co!erage) and we certainly produce more original material than NPR. In terms of output) we are already operating on a comparable scale to ma:or news networks0 we :ust ha!e to focus on impro!ing the content and deli!ery) rebuild our national news show) and then garner the courage to announce oursel!es to the world as what 'merica has been waiting for 3 a world class :ournalism outlet that looks at our society as it really is. ?f course) as implied abo!e) an essential component for achie!ing this end is the dramatic impro!ement of our websites including redesigning them so that they feature our programming and :ournalism. The national site Pacifica.org is also key in this regard. It2s important to remember that the Huardian $currently the leading leftAprogressi!e 8nglish /anguage media outlet( is primarily a website) and its hardcopy edition is now !ery secondary. Hi!en the Huardian2s tremendous influence) think about how impactful a powerful) highly respected 'merican leftAprogressi!e ma:or media outlet would be for the country and the world J it would be 7uantum> The time is right for Pacifica to think big. %e ha!e a national platform) we ha!e the infrastructure in place. <till) our programming must be impro!ed and refined. -ere are some proposals I feel are essential if we are to pro!ide a product that merits attracting a !astly larger audience. Essen)ial: A o((i)(en) )o )4e "ig4es) S)andards If Pacifica is to re3introduce itself to 'merica and take the bold step of promoting itself as the country2s essential left media outlet) it has to declare and demonstrate its unwa!ering commitment to the highest :ournalistic standards and use of science as the arbiter of informational accuracy. %e ha!e to then be true to this policy by ha!ing a mechanism in place to respond to challenges of inaccuracy) make disclaimers when appropriate) and facilitate debate when resolutions to significant contro!ersies pro!e difficult. %hile we may assume that Pacifica already endorses these positions) it is not e9plicitly in our Dission <tatement $though it is strongly implied(M nor in the &y3/aws0 and the reality is that Pacifica has a se!erely compromised reputation in this regard because it is seen as promoter of conspiracy theories and :unk science. This perception is understandable) as we ha!e often featured contro!ersial e9planations and disputed information about historical e!ents and social power3relations) as well as scientifically 7uestionable theories for medical or physical phenomena. 'nd our hosts fre7uently allow such information to go unchallenged. Regardless of what one may think about any of this material) it is undeniable that Pacifica2s detractors use our lack of rigor when presented with un3established) contro!ersial theories as a way of dismissing all of our :ournalism0 and we ha!e to take the necessary steps to insulate oursel!es from this charge 3 not to do so potentially undermines e!erything we do. ,urthermore) if we were to become the leading leftAprogressi!e media outlet) to lea!e things as they are could concei!ably undermine important social :ustice mo!ements or e!en the entire 'merican left.

<ince this may seem like a contro!ersial position to take in Pacifica) I want to be crystal clear J this is in no way intended to censor what is on our airwa!es0 whether it be about 4311) alternati!e medicine) or !arious go!ernment programs. ,urthermore) we must not treat any alternati!e !iewpoints with contempt0 especially since it is predictable that countless 'mericans would embrace alternati!e e9planations of how society and establishment institutions function gi!en the deterioration of mainstream education and media) combined with a feeling that society is now organi=ed for the benefit of a tiny elite. Indeed) Pacifica must treat people with respect) especially those who) like us) are trying to figure things out0 and we must use the tools of :ournalism and the pri!ileged role we ha!e through our access to the airwa!es to try to disco!er the truth about such contro!ersies. Thus) we can certainly continue to introduce alternati!e theories to our airwa!es) but we ha!e to do so according to highest :ournalistic standards. This means many things. %e must allow detractors of an alternati!e theory $or a 5mainstream6 one( to put forward counter documentation and arguments that inform their position. ?ur own hostsAproducers will be re7uired to pro!ide multiple sources on the sub:ect) or e!en do further research themsel!es to try to resol!e the issue. 'nd) if an issue remains contro!ersial) station management will de!ise a strategy to resol!e the matter in a way that shows we both refuse to be cowed from addressing issues off limits to the mainstream media) and that we are committed to practicing the highest 7uality :ournalism as we seek a resolution of the contro!ersy. /et2s take a hypothetical e9ample" a host inter!iews a guest who asserts that the sun re!ol!es around the earth. The management will demand that the host pro!ide scientific andAor :ournalistic sources to back up this claim and bring someone challenging the assertion on3air. These things happen and then the host is asked whether they intend to co!er the issue further 3 if the host says yes) but management is confident that all accurate e!idence suggests that the initial assertion is groundless) the host will be told not to co!er the matter again and a note will be sent to programmers that this is a theory that does not merit co!erage $and) in this) reducto ad absurdum e9ample) the host would not be long for our airwa!es(. ?f course) in other instances) the result could be more ambiguous or e!en swing the other way J but what2s essential is that programmers are free to introduce material to the airwa!es and management is ultimately empowered to determine what is :ournalistically and scientifically sound and what is not. If someone truly belie!es the !eracity of an alternati!e theory) they would be thrilled to see Pacifica adopting a policy that commits it to greater :ournalistic rigor J after all) if they are correct) the facts will support their theory and Pacifica) in its fearlessness) will ha!e done them and society a great ser!ice. -a!ing said that) I belie!e that the adoption of this policy by the national office and all fi!e stations will all3but3eliminate factually inaccurate and :ournalistically irresponsible material from being promoted on our airwa!es. I2d also support each station $or) possibly) :ust the network( ha!ing an ?mbudsman. Hi!en our financial limitations this might pro!e difficult0 howe!er) we could approach a

:ournalism professor at a local ;ni!ersity or +ollege and see if they2d take it on J or) perhaps) they could arrange for a graduate student in their program to fill the role with the professor2s o!ersight $I2m sure that the great radical media theorist Robert Dc+hesney would help coordinate this for us(. *eclaring the network2s commitment to the highest :ournalistic standards may seem like a basic step) a small step) but it is essential for Pacifica gi!en its recent history and reputation. 'lso) it will by itself draw more people to the network) as this practice is something people want from their media $and there is tremendous suspicion among the general public about the standards of the mainstream media) which is certainly seen as failing to tell the whole story(. 's mentioned already) such a declaration will protect us from our detractors) who will certainly be looking to discredit us the more powerful we become. &ut most importantly) making such a declaration and following through on it strengthens Pacifica by establishing for all of us in the network that we are becoming what we ha!e to be) the great 'merican media institution) for and by the people) where you come to participate in ci!ic engagement J and hear the truth. -ow to implement itN ,irst the 89ecuti!e *irector composes the declaration $I2m happy to co3author the document( and the ten HDs and P*s sign on to it. That part2s easy. Then it goes to the Pacifica National &oard $PN&(. If it passes there) great J as the PN&2s support would strengthen the appearance of a network wide commitment to serious standards. If the board does not appro!e it) implement it anyway as a management dictate) outside the mandate of the board as a programming matter. M %hile the Dission does not flatly state that Pacifica will present responsible :ournalism of the highest standards J it is clear that it re:ects the use of the network for the propagation of misinformation $it is) as the first sentence states 5organi=ed and operated e9clusi!ely for educational purposes6(0 and) indeed) demands the deli!ery of factually correct information) as e!idenced by the final line" 5to employ such !aried sources in the public presentation of accurate) ob:ecti!e) comprehensi!e news on all matters !itally affecting the community.6 ,ur)4er S)e5s for a Progra((ing 65grade $e*elo5 a 2./0 Pacifica Na)ional News and Public Affairs 7ebs)rea(" ' se!en days a week) 2 hours a day audio stream which featured 5'll News and Public 'ffairs) 'll Pacifica6 would be the best web radio station in the country for progressi!es. This national stream would only include the most :ournalistically responsible programming0 and the best shows would air at the best times. The National ?ffice will decide which shows are included with input from the station managers. $?nce the shows are selected the software runs the station by itself with minimal o!ersight.( The programming could be drawn entirely from the fi!e stations or the fi!e stations plus affiliates0 though adding a few other e9ceptional shows from elsewhere should be considered J the goal is to make the most powerful 5station6 imaginable. /inks to this webstream would be featured on the national website $pacifica.org() as well as on each station2s and affiliate2s website. %e would also want to ha!e a link to this webstream on all of the top progressi!e

websites $a start would be those websites participating in our in!estigati!e pro:ect described below(0 and we should petition <iriusAOD and other satellite broadcasters to carry this webstream. This proposal will be discussed further in section P2 of this document. A %e'Buil) Na)ional News Ser*ice: Pacifica needs to build a powerful national news operation. ,ree <peech Radio News $,<RN( has been defunded by the current national management team. This is a tragedy. ,or Pacifica to ha!e a chance at becoming a powerful national political media outlet) it needs a national news ser!ice $whether it is a re3configured ,<RN or something new(. This ser!ice must be one of the priorities for a new Pacifica0 as such) I am in fa!or of this agency being o!erseen by the Pacifica National ?ffice. I belie!e that if this agency maintains the highest :ournalistic standards it will be a magnate for ma:or donors and grants. I think nothing less than a one million to Q1.2 million budget would be ade7uate for such an operation $which is a few hundred thousand dollars greater than ,<RN at its peak(. The National News <er!ice would produce two @0 minute national news show daily J the e!ening show would be all original content) while the morning) show might include a few repeat stories from the e!ening show. 'lso) the national news ser!ice would pro!ide hourly headline packages from Bam 8<T to 1pm 8<T. %e' o((i) )o News $eli*ery and Local News o*erage" ' thorough re3commitment to the local news departments will re3establish one of the essential components of a true community radio station" ha!ing an acti!e presence in the communities by co!ering the news there J and in contrast to e!ery other outlet) actually caring about what people are concerned about right where they li!e. ,or too long our local news gathering capacity has been left to founder) this must be re!ersed. 'long with 7uality e!ening news shows) we should ha!e headlines at the top of e!ery hour in daytime Donday through ,riday J these should include a short $40secs to two mins( summaries deli!ered by a national news desk from Bam to 1pm 8<T $ am to Epm P<T( supplemented by an one to two minute local package. This means getting the national package from a re3configured Pacifica national news desk) plus ha!ing at least one person from the news department o!erseeing the local headlines D3,. I do think that each local news department needs to be e9panded by one or two people. 'lso) we could use 5beat6 reporters) who could be paid from something other than the station2s general fund. ,or e9ample) if we had an en!ironmental beat reporter who filled a news story e!ery day J perhaps an en!ironmental organi=ation would pay them or) more likely) we could ha!e a special fund raising effort where the money would go into a separate fund. 's Pacifica is not currently drawing money from wealthy en!ironmentalists) this would not be money that would otherwise not be coming in. %ith a labor 5beat6 reporter) we could not ha!e ;nions pay for the position directly as that would be a conflict of interest) but we could raise the money through targeted outreach or

e!en from fundraising e!ents $Tom Dorello would certainly be game for that one>( Dy !ision for a labor) or en!ironmental) 5beat6 reporter is that they2d file one news story a day J three local stories a week) one with a national perspecti!e and one international J and they2d o!ersee uni7ue web pages that would be their region2s leading labor) or en!ironmental) news page. 't any rate) if we had a 5beat6 reporter or two) they would pro!ide enough local co!erage to help fill out a @0 minute nightly local news show. The other) and :ust as significant) component of my plan to rebuild the news department at .P,. $and this can be an e9ample to emulate( is the establishment of a powerful news department website" such as .P,.2s new dynamic site kpfknews.org which is :ust being rolled out $which will be discussed as well in the web section of this document(. The intention is to make this as strong a website for local news as any website in <o+al J and through its de!elopment) re3establish .P,. as the local outlet that truly co!ers the news in all of <o+al2s communities. ' central component of this website is an open publishing 5news tips6 section which allows anyone to post news leads. %e will also be recruiting 5stringers6 in e!ery niche of the !ast <o+al sprawl) who will be posting stories to the website. Through that initiati!e we will dramatically e9pand our pool of !olunteer reporters and promote citi=en :ournalism like ne!er before. J more about kpfknews.org in section P2. Pro*iding a *oice for under're5resen)ed co((uni)ies: 'nother aspect of Pacifica that has to be maintained and e9panded is the long3standing presence of the network in 5under3represented6 communities0 in particular) working class and poor communities of color. ;nlike any other significant media institution in the country) Pacifica e!ol!ed in the B0s) 10s) and early 40s into ha!ing a strong on3the3ground presence in such communities. Dedia consolidation and the contraction of local newspapers and local TG reporting has further marginali=ed these communities from ha!ing ade7uate representation J thus) Pacifica needs to enhance its efforts to gi!e them a place to !oice their concerns. 8!ery Pacifica station needs to ensure that they present themsel!es as the go3to local media outlet in working class and poor communities. The local news department websites should be fle9ible enough to ha!e special subpages for each of these regions in their listener areas. The station should also be committed to training reporters from under3represented communities0 and retain connections for up3to3the3minute information on !ital issues facing the community. In a parallel matter) Pacifica must) in my opinion) maintain its tradition of ha!ing a strong presence from the radical left on its airwa!es. &oth the Dar9ist and anti3capitalist anarchist traditions are animated by a radical egalitarian !ision that is consistent with the Pacifica mission. Hi!en that these traditions ha!e been continuously marginali=ed in a neo3Dc+arthyite manner by almost all other broadcast media outlets) it should be incumbent upon Pacifica to pro!ide a !ital space where !oices from these !ibrant tendencies can be heard. Podcas)s 8 Tea('$ri*en S)ri5 Progra((ing: .P,. has had tremendous success with its Podcast subscriptions and its archi!ed streaming. Indeed) o!er two3hundred thousand listeners access .P,. programs e!ery week in these ways0 and all e!idence

suggests that these numbers will only increase as new generations come of age more familiar with listening on3line or through 'pps than o!er the airwa!es. Thus) one of Pacifica2s assets is what many ha!e felt was a detriment" its proliferation of !olunteer3hosted once3a3week shows. There is now concrete e!idence that if such shows are well3produced with e9cellent content) thousands of listeners will sign up for the podcasts.M -owe!er) the age3old source of the criticism of such shows remains true. 't least at .P,. and at .P,') once3a3week shows ha!e consistently attracted fewer listeners in dri!e time than stripped dri!e time shows $i.e. shows that air at the same time Donday through ,riday(. Do!ing forward) it should be possible to e9periment and see if we can ha!e the best of both worlds. -ere2s how" each weekly show continues to produce a self3contained once a week show) which is then podcast $and also made a!ailable to affiliates(. -owe!er) at the home station) a staff producer takes the segments of the show and blends them together with segments from fi!e other once3a3week shows) to create what will sound like a unified team3production such that a certain segments of the weekly shows are spread across the week and blended in with other shows2 segments to produce a unified3 sounding maga=ine show that would air in the same hour fi!e days a week. <till) the shows would record on fi!e different days) so that on any gi!en day the unified production can co!er the big breaking stories of the day. %e would ha!e to e9periment with this) of course) to see if it works J but its potential is tremendous for on3air success that would compliment the e!er3increasing popularity of the weekly shows2 podcast and archi!ed listenership. $M's we mo!e forward) the success of podcast shows means that we can finally e9pand the number of Pacifica shows in production0 as we2ll no longer be constrained by the number of hours in the week. In this new era) we can green light a proliferation of promising shows with local) national) and international appeal. This possibility is one of the many reasons that finding a new home for %&'I with complete facilities has to be a top priority for Pacifica. %ith such facilities) under the guidance of a shrewd yet ambitious management team) %&'I can unleash the ine9haustible creati!e energies of radicalAprogressi!e N#+ like ne!er before.( I(5ro*e )4e Sound and S)yle of !ur Signa)ure S4ows" %e ha!e to refine the way our stations sound) including in dri!e time. ?ur dri!e time shows might be one of our strengths relati!e to the rest of our programming J but we should be e!er3!igilant and stri!e to ha!e our stations sound as great as any in the world during our top hours. If we are to be the leading leftAprogressi!e media outlet) our dri!e time and news hours will be under scrutiny and we ha!e to at least match the 7uality of the mainstream media. The goal is to recruit the talent to make them something truly special in e!ery facet. This not only means fluid) great sounding interstitials J it also means that the shows themsel!es ha!e to be something other than one host speaking with one guest in e!ery segment. %e need dynamic shows with dimension" we should ha!e debate segments) short pre3

recorded drop3ins like film) TG) and book re!iews) commentaries) etc.) and hosts or producers should be encouraged to hit the streets and talk to people about the big e!ents of the day. %hile we need local content folded into the dri!e time hours on our airwa!es) it is understandable that our best produced shows $which should be concentrated in dri!e time( will also be shows on our 2 AB national political talk stream. Thus) deli!ering local content while also making shows that appeal to a national audience) will be an important balancing act for each station2s program director and dri!e time producers. $To accommodate this some shows may want to produce an e9tra segment each day(. Engage Mass ul)ure" 'll our programming) including our dri!etime public affair shows need to engage with popular culture) as well as occasionally introducing a cultural sub:ect from off the beaten path $including from 5high3brow6 culture(. %hether it2s critical engagement or not) if we are intending to be the people2s media) then we ha!e to be con!ersant in the shared culture. This is not difficult to do and we can do it brilliantly. -ere2s an e9ample of how we miss the boat" there were innumerable) e9cellent and socially rele!ant essays on the film and book The -unger Hames in 2012) and yet I didn2t hear a single such segment on .P,.. 8ngaging with mass culture is a big winner. If we disregard it) we conform to the clichR of a disengaged) elitist left. In sum) we must co!er it because it speaks !olumes about the society we li!e in and draws an audience. I also think we need inspiring engagement with great art) cinema) and literature0 as well as local artists and writers. 's in the E0s) C0s) and B0s) Pacifica needs to be engaging the most important ideas of our time) whether from science) philosophy) literature) or art0 thus fulfilling the !ision of Pacifica as a ;ni!ersity of the airwa!es J more than :ust a supplement to the broken and prohibiti!ely e9pensi!e 'merican higher education system. Doreo!er) direct engagement with culture is essential to the success of the all3important national website $see below(. If such a website has a multi3column structure $like the Huardian) and -uffpost below the fold() all e!idence suggests that the content in the 5culture6 column attracts new readers and dramatically e9pands the popularity of the website. 's well as mass entertainment and 5high6 culture) this 5third6 column can also include comedy and sports both of which Pacifica can e9cel at J witness Heorge +arlinARichard Pryor) and *a!e Sirin. "ig4'Profile S5ecial Progra((ing" Pacifica <tations should feature a top 7uality) high profile special programming series at least once a season. 't .P,.) the model is a week3long series that hones in on an important topic. It would be one hour a day) Donday through ,riday) at the same time e!ery day $e.g. pm(. %e are currently de!eloping two such series" one on the state of ,eminism) the other on 5'lternati!e <olutions to the Hlobal 8conomic +risis.6 In both cases) the on3air shows will feature superstar names) as well as lesser known guests who are making some of the most compelling arguments about the sub:ect of the series. To complement the series J and draw e!en more publicity for the station $doing what it does best( J we are planning a public forum on the sub:ect for one of the e!enings during the week that the series will

air. This model) or something similar) should be adopted across the network as it generates e9ceptional programming) establishes us as serious players in the e9change of ideas in the country) and draws priceless co!erage from other media. If Pacifica were to build a high3profile national website) as outlined in section 2 of this document) the high3profile special programs that ha!e national rele!ance could be featured prominently at the top of one of the columns of such a website on the first day of the series and then lower down on the page the rest of the week. -igh3profile participants in the series could also be asked to write an essay to be featured on the national website. ,ea)uring In*es)iga)i*e %e5or)ing" Hi!en that Pacifica doesn2t currently ha!e the budget to produce our own original In!estigati!e Reporting) we should de!elop a relationship with the top progressi!e websites that generate original in!estigati!e pieces. There has been a significant decline in serious in!estigati!e reporting in the mainstream media) which is a !ery troubling fact for 'merican society) since such reporting has functioned as an important check on power since the muckraker era of the early 20th century. %ebsites such as Truthout) Truthdig) 'lternet) Dother Lones) The Nation) The Intercept) and Pando are all turning out incredible in!estigati!e reports and they desperately need to ha!e word of these often3groundbreaking stories amplified around the land. %e should approach the editors of these sites and propose a partnership. %hen they publish the stories) we coordinate with them to feature it on our airwa!es the day the story is published. Perhaps we also produce a weekly show called 5Pacifica In!estigates6 or 5<potlight on In!estigati!e Reporting6 that features inter!iews about the stories. The website for the show would include re3postings of all of the stories. This pro:ect would cement our relationship with the leading Progressi!e websites. %e will gain the respect of the serious :ournalists and analysts who are published on those sites. 's part of the partnership we will ask those websites to feature our 2 AB Public 'ffairs I News webstream on their front pages. &y accruing all of the in!estigati!e stories done by this group of high37uality leftAprogressi!e websites) we could be able to claim in the near3future that we feature more in!estigati!e :ournalism than any outlet in the country J something that would) no doubt) pa!e the way towards recei!ing grants for our own in!estigati!e reporting> 's this initiati!e de!elops) it2s essential that we de!elop our own in!estigati!e reports on the e9ploitati!e power relations faced by people in underrepresented communities and working class communities of color J where high3profile in!estigati!e reporting has almost disappeared from the 'merican media landscape. S4ows are Te(5orary9 No) for Life: Always be In)roducing New S4ows: ' ma:or problem at e!ery Pacifica station is the e9cessi!e longe!ity of !olunteer3produced weekly programming. The turno!er rate is so low that programmers begin to assume that they will ha!e their shows for life) e!en when $which) sadly) is often the case( the shows sound amateurish and fail either to attract much of an audience or to raise much money during fund dri!es. The phenomenon is so per!asi!e across the network it should be addressed with a national policy endorsed by all station HDs and P*s that states that all

shows are temporary) a new show should ne!er e9pect a run of more than a year) and Program *irectors are to be encouraged to replace all but the most successful shows after two years $three years with music *Ls(. %e should draft a written contract that is signed by each programmer to cement this arrangement. There are countless people who want shows on Pacifica stations) and it is a per!ersion of the idea of community radio to e9clude new pro:ects for the handful who got there first. +anceling old shows) of course) pro!ides a great opportunity to introduce better3 sounding) more dynamic pro:ects) as well as bringing on programmers who are team3 players who understand that the station is more important than any one show and that raising money for the station is part of the gig. <hows that lose their on3air timeslot can be offered the opportunity to record a show $off hours in the pre3record studios) if necessary( for the station2s website and podcast distribution. The on3air lineup should be the Kcream of the crop2 with the best of all that Pacifica has to offer. +ompetition in this regard is a good thing0 it raises the o!erall 7uality of the network and pro!ides the opportunity to nurture new talent. To reiterate the central point) we must send a strong message) gi!en the difficulty of remo!ing longtime shows) that weekly shows ha!e term limits $with only a few e9ceptions) i.e. the 5hit6 shows() that our old shows ha!e long3ago passed their e9piration date) and that e9citing new shows $true to a community radio ethos( are in the works. More $yna(ic Music S4ows: This will be different for each station) but its seems clear that we are not getting enough of a response for most of our music shows. To use .P,. as an e9ample" as a concept) the Hlobal Gillage is a great franchise) but the show needs to accent its importance more clearly. The Hlobal Gillage is the only free3form global music show that airs in the music industry capital of the world. It has to aspire to be what it can be) the best radio music show in the region. 8ssential listening. ?f course) many shows and *Ls ha!e been around too long and as with our talk shows we need some new blood. 't .P,.) we still miss *i!ine ,orces Radio $*,R() a radical hip3 hop show. Not only did *,R ha!e an e9citing dynamic feel to it) but it was the only music show that was a 5hit6 with youth during my tenure at the station. %e need shows that are dangerous and attracti!e to youth. /astly) we would definitely benefit from more li!e performances. 't .P,.) I2d lo!e to see the Hlobal Gillage establish a li!e at Noon performance each day) or at least three times a week. This would be a high3profile pro:ect) meriting radio by appointment. The li!e performance would be complimented by an inter!iew with the featured musician. Thus) the Hlobal Gillage becomes the forum for introducing the top musical talent from around the world $including from ;<' and e!en) occasionally) the region itself( to the listeners of <outhern +alifornia. %e would promote upcoming performances on our websites and !ia social media with bios of the musicians plus samples of their work. 'lso) we could draw up a standard contract such that re!enue from the sales of the recordings of li!e performances would go either entirely to Pacifica or split between Pacifica and the performer J making the li!e performances a potentially significant source of funding for the network.

Acce5)ing )4e 4allenge of a Bi'Lingual S)a)ion w4ile Pursuing a S5anis4 Language S)a)ion" $This section mainly pertains to .P,.(. ' bi3lingual station is a uni7ue challenge. I am committed to working with the <panish /anguage Programmers at .P,. to make the D3T- 4pm to Didnight programming powerful and popular. -owe!er) I belie!e it is in e!eryone2s best interest to acti!ely seek out a second Pacifica station in /os 'ngeles that will be the nation2s first ma:or <panish /anguage public radio station in a ma:or population center. Indeed) it would be brilliant for Pacifica to launch such a station> %e must be !igilant and apply to the ,++ for a second station whene!er a window of opportunity opens. $eba)e Seg(en)s9 (aybe a 7eekly $eba)e S4ow9 all'in S4ows9 Engaging Local Poli)icians: Two ideas I like a lot. 's mentioned abo!e we need more debate segments in our public affairs shows. 8!en if we achie!ed that goal) ha!ing a hea!ily promoted $hopefully widely anticipated( weekly debate show would be great. It would feature debates on the ma:or issues of the day J and while it occasionally would be left !s. right) that wouldn2t necessarily be the e9pectation. %e also need to ha!e well3produced call3in showsAsegments0 not only are these popular with listeners) but the current shortage of call3in showsAsegments on Pacifica2s airwa!es contradicts our claim to be community radio. I2m not suggesting that these become more prominent on our airwa!es then the dialogue3with3acti!ists3andAor3e9perts model that has come to define our political talk shows in the post3*emocracy Now era0 but we2d be well3ser!ed by mi9ing in more call3in segments $and call3ins could included guests following from their inter!iew() and also) perhaps) ha!ing designated call3in shows that ser!e as community forums. $+all3in segments can work well on shows on the national 2 AB webstream) but they are an easier fit) and more essential) for our local airwa!es.( The other idea I like is ha!ing a weekly) or perhaps monthly) hour long show that in!ites prominent local politicians to our airwa!es. They would speak about what they are doing for their constituencies for about twenty minutes and then take phone calls for the rest of the hour. In <o+al) since .P,. is the only one of the three talk radio public affairs station in the +ity of /os 'ngeles) we would be asking the Dayor and / ' +ity +ouncil members to participate) though we2d like to e9tend that to ;. <. Representati!es and <tate ?fficials. It wouldn2t produce radical left) or e!en left) content necessarily) but it would be in the spirit of real accountability and community ser!ice $and it would get us great local press>(. Solu)ion'based Seg(en)s9 !5)i(is(9 and )4e Alan 7a))s Tradi)ion: ?ne of the criticisms I most fre7uently hear of our dri!etime public affairs programs is that they are a litany of in:ustices) offering !ery little hope. %hile that2s a slight e9aggeration) I do think the shows need to be ad:usted in this regard. There2s no reason why we can2t mi9 in a higher dose of solution3oriented segments) as well as ones that merit outright optimism. -umans are resilient) and around e!ery corner of this world are people creati!ely contending with ad!ersity) or building something positi!e3 either in pursuit of social :ustice) or in harmony with such ends e!en if not consciously stri!ing for them.

<uch inspiring acti!ities should be highlighted more often in our programming) including on our 5hard3hitting6 dri!e3time talk shows. ?f course) the one group of Pacifica shows most associated with hopefulness is the 5health and spirituality6 programming0 which follow in the lineage of 'lan %atts) who remains as popular as e!er. Dany of those who cast aspersions on the network for promoting scientifically specious ideas point to these shows $though not to 'lan %atts himself( and) at times) insist they be remo!ed if the network is to reclaim a 5serious6 reputation. I reali=e that e9cising such popular shows would do damage to the network) but e!en beyond the 7uestion of a loss of popularity) I do not ad!ocate for that. I think Pacifica should celebrate 'lan %atts) and use his heralded recordings as inspiration to produce programs that address the deepest philosophical) and yes) spiritual) issues of our time J though I think this must be done in harmony with science and) when rele!ant) the highest :ournalistic standards. Thus) I think we should maintain a group of 5health and spirituality6 shows $and I2d add philosophy to that mi9 in the spirit of a true on3air ;ni!ersity() but I firmly belie!e that the greater accountability I am ad!ocating for all other shows also be applied to the current 5health and spirituality6 shows J which will likely re7uire that the show2s web pages will pro!ide e9tensi!e bibliographies and links to resources0 and) thus) spark inspired responses on the comment streams. If this ultimately pro!es that some of our 5health and spirituality6 shows are hopelessly wedded to unscientific assertions) there are an unlimited number of ways to de!elop fascinating) upbeat health and spirituality shows that hold up to scrutiny. Pacifica %adio Arc4i*es: )4e real "is)ory 4annel: %e radically underutili=e the ama=ing resource that is the 'rchi!es. 'lmost e!eryone in!ol!ed in Pacifica recogni=es how 'merican commercial media misrepresents and waters3down history. The -istory +hannel) which is largely atrocious) is a clear e9ample. %ith the archi!es as our foundation) we ha!e the ability to produce truly fantastic) intellectually responsible history for a mass audience. 's Pacifica e9pands into multi3media formats) it is concei!able that the 'rchi!es will pro!ide the foundation for the production of world3 class historical documentaries) both in audio and !ideo. The 'rchi!es are so impressi!e that they should also be featured whene!er we present oursel!es to the outside world. ;uali)y on)rol: 's mentioned abo!e) e!ery effort must be made to ensure that our dri!etime shows are of the highest 7uality. The best way to achie!e this is through continual management re!iew of the shows) combined with ha!ing enough support from producers and technical staff. 's Pacifica2s budget e9pands) hiring more producers and technical support will be a ma:or priority. <uch hires will also be deployed to impro!e the 7uality of non3dri!etime shows) including grassroots community programming such that those shows too can rise to the highest 7uality standards. %e need to pro!ide enough resources and support for all of our shows to sound e!ery bit as good as the best radio in the world.

22 7ebsi)es and Mul)i(edia

Pacifica must ha!e state of the art websites that facilitate participation) as appropriate for a world3class outlet that is also a community station. This cannot be o!erstated. %orld3 class websites are an absolute priority if we are to be a significant player in 'merican media in the 21st +entury. %e should also de!elop e7ually high 7uality sub3pages for the News *epartments and other significant pro:ects. ?ur websites must be fle9ible and powerful enough to host considerable amounts of original media in !arious formats" print and !ideo) as well as audio. Pacifica.org should also be re3branded0 it will continue to be the homepage for the network) but it will primarily be a news and information website and host the li!e stream for the 2 AB National Pacifica <tation. 'lso) it is an absolute must that Pacifica has a super3strong social media presence" networking on ,acebook) using Twitter both to send and recei!e information $empowering people to report breaking e!ents li!e() and engaging with new sites as they become popular $e.g. Reddit) Tumblr) Instagram) etc.(. %e also need state3of3the3art iPhone and 'ndroid 'pps for each station and for Pacifica. 65grading )4e S)a)ion 7ebsi)es: Pacifica2s websites ha!e to look professional) ha!e solid design) and their primary purpose should be to feature our programming and :ournalism. There should remain a prominent space to promote e!ents) but programming matters should be placed front and center. %e want hea!y traffic on our websites0 as such we should make sure that our membersAlisteners find the sites user3friendly. If it is to be a powerful force in 'merican :ournalism) Pacifica must ha!e highly informati!e front pages that include links to our co!erage of the day2s biggest stories J and a !ery prominent link to our news department sub3page. %e need to work) and re3work) these websites until they are broadly recogni=ed as e9ceptional) and reflect both a serious :ournalism outlet and a community radio station. These web pages ha!e to be interacti!e) as appropriate for a community station that promotes participation. %e certainly need comment streams for each show) and should encourage listeners to register their thoughts J indeed) we should re7uire hosts to check on these a few times in the 2 hours after their shows in order to post some responses to listener comments. Pacifica hosts must be acti!ely in!ol!ed with their webpages0 it should be part of the :ob description from now on. The station websites also ha!e to be able to facilitate multi3media postings) including !ideo. This will inspire more original !ideo production) which will attract a wider audience as well as generate the production of original fund dri!e premiums. Gideo production should be encouraged as a supplement to special programming) as well as in!estigati!e reports. ?f course) popular in3studio guests should be !ideotaped when e!er possible $including musicians) both when they are performing and otherwise(. The same should be done with station3sponsored e!ents. If we are posting these to #ouTube and imbedding them on our sites) we should do so on distincti!e #ouTube +hannels) and once some of the !ideos go !iral we should negotiate with #ouTube $i.e. Hoogle( about making it a high3profile channel. $%e must also de!elop relationships with ,ree <peech TG) /ink TG) and +urrent TG whereby we ha!e a regular presence on those channels) as they ha!e on Pacifica J and we2ll dri!eAdeli!er listenersA!iewers to each other.(

%e should also feature web3only radio shows. These may include shows that were once on3air but ha!e continued producing their shows in our studios after they were remo!ed from the station on3air programming grid. 'lso) if the national 2 AB channel pro!es successful) with the software I describe below) the stations may want to consider de!eloping their own 2 AB streams $e.g. an all non38nglish /anguage stream or an all3 music stream( to go along with the li!e streams of their radio signal. $<ee section P ) on recruitment) for why we will ha!e no problem attracting young highly3committed) cutting3edge webmasters and web3interns) gi!en the staggering youth unemployment rate and the radical leftAprogressi!e tendencies of the that generation>( News $e5ar)(en) 7ebsi)es: Pacifica stations should ha!e high3profile) distincti!e web pages for their news departments. They should ha!e simple) easy to remember ;R/2s like kpfknews.org) and a link to the news web page will be prominently displayed on the front page of the station2s main website. These news websites will be constantly updated with our co!erage of local news and e!ents with the latest stories assigned by the news director prominently displayed in the center column of the front page. The center column will be our 5officially sanctioned6 stories and will feature all of the audio files produced on assignment by the news department. 's appropriate for a top3 flight news website) the center column will also include 5print6 stories J sometimes as complements to audio files) but reporters will also post original written reports. These will make the website more popular while allowing us to co!er many more stories. The goal) after all) is to make the websites as influential and popular as possible) by pro!iding the best possible co!erage of the greatest number of stories. The news web page will also include an open publishing element through which anyone can post e9tensi!e 5news tips6 J facilitating actual citi=en :ournalism. This aspect of the site will) of course) be monitored to e9clude spam. %e will recruit !olunteer stringers in e!ery niche of the station2s signal area) who will then be asked to post stories to the website whene!er something happens in their community. Postings will be re7uired to include a tag that states what community is being reported on J that way a search can be done to find all the co!erage about any location. 8!ery day the news director will choose some of the stories from the stringers) or e!en open publishing news tips section to place in the more prominent) and less busy) center column J and at the end of the e!ening newscast) the anchor will remind listeners to check out the stories on the website. The news webpage must also include an embedded Twitter feed for a news department Twitter account) distincti!e from the station2s general Twitter account. This Twitter feed will not only feature tweets about each story posted by the news department but will also include the words of anyone who includes Pkpfknews in their tweet. %e will encourage people to report breaking news this way) which will take citi=en reporting to a new le!el.

&y focusing on local news reporting) these sites will achie!e the greatest le!el of community engagement in the network2s history> %hile there should be a space on the site where readers can see the national and international headlines generated by the Pacifica news desk J the clear emphasis will be on local co!erage. Indeed) one side column should list the latest talk show segments that co!er local news stories. 's local co!erage declines precipitously in the mainstream media) we can establish oursel!es as head3and3shoulders abo!e the competition) so long as the highlighted stories $in the center column( are of the highest standards of :ournalism. %e should set up uni7ue web sites for other ma:or pro:ects. ,or instance) if we hired a labor beat reporter) we would want that pro:ect to ha!e an e9cellent site of its own $e.g. labor.kpfk.org() so that the reporter can pro!ide more reporting and rele!ant information to the audience than a three3to3fi!e minute daily report. 'lso) special high3profile series $see description in section P1( should be featured on the station2s front page with a prominent link to their own web pages. %e'Branding Pacifica.org and )4e Na)ional S)a)ion -Pacifica 2./01: N&" This is as important as any section of this document. The network2s website) pacifica.org) needs to be completely redone into a site that both features the essential information about the network $as it does now() but also reflects a ma:or news3gathering and :ournalism outlet. The national news desk $someone from ,<RN or a reconstituted Pacifica National News( should post hourly headlines there) as well as its most recent featured reports. 'll of these audio postings should ha!e a significant written component to make them more user friendly. 's the site de!elops) it should become the network2s premier website) reflecting the breadth of our national and international :ournalism and analysis. %e should de!elop Pacifica.org !ery rapidly. ?ur high3end goal is to make it the Tgo toT webpage for national and international news from an 'merican leftAprogressi!e perspecti!e. ' website with a range of co!ered sub:ects) comparable to www.guardian.co.uk. That may sound like a stretch) but itUs not0 itUs !ery much attainable) !ery 7uickly. Imagine the Huardian website) but filled with original Pacifica content) accrued from around the network. Indeed) as a broadcast media outlet e9panding its multi3media components) we could easily produce the most dynamic leftAprogressi!e website going> 's such) the national website should be !iewed as important as any pro:ect in the network. The key is that e!ery producer of e!ery show has to produce a short $a few paragraphs long( summary of each segment co!ered on e!ery show 3 this can basically be done in pre3production and then ad:usted with a direct 7uote or two from the segment added after the show. $8ach show2s webpage will also include links to articles being discussed by the segmentUs guests) so the wealth of information will be truly e9tensi!e>( The summary then gets posted onto the showUs website within an hour0 and word of it is sent to the

webmaster at Pacifica.org. The webmaster then posts a link to the pieces heAshe selects for the front page of Pacifica.org) which should feature an array of recent postings roughly e7ui!alent to the number and breadth of stories on the front page of the Huardian. ?lder postings are listed on sub3pages like 5%orld)6 5National)6 5+ulture)6 5Politics)6 58conomy)6 etc. ,or a ma:or news story) the webmaster posts a general headline on Pacifica.org and) underneath it) links to the best segments from around the network co!ering the sub:ect. Imagine" 5<upreme +ourt Rules on ?bamacare6 as a headline $which itself is a link to the national news deskUs headline summary of the story() and underneath that are a series of headline summaries of our co!erage) which $:ust like the Huardian( are links to the TstoriesT posted by the producers of the radio shows. <o) for e9ample) underneath the main headline) weUd ha!e a link to one of 'my HUs inter!iews) below it a link to one of DitchUs inter!iews) then DargaretUs) then IanUs) etc. 's you can see) on one webpage weUd be offering the most incisi!e national and international co!erage a!ailable anywhere J with substantial written te9ts complimenting audio files. The stories chosen to be featured on the website would be complementary $we wouldnUt ha!e a series of inter!iews with the same guests) or people making the same point( 3 though at the bottom of the headline list would be TPacificaUs complete co!erageT which would link to all stories tagged with todayUs date and the sub:ect $T?bamacare <upreme +ourt RulingT(. 8ach posting must allow for listenerAreader comments0 allowing e!eryone to register their thoughts on the sub:ects addressed by the postingAsegmentAarticle. 8specially powerful radio segments should also be transcribed and the entire transcript can be posted on pacifica.org J this is !ery time consuming unless we ha!e a budget to hire e9ceptionally fast and accurate transcribers0 so this likely will not be a regular feature of the site until Pacifica has more money $which I belie!e will happen !ery soon) if it adopts the strategies outlines in this document(. 's pacifica.org e!ol!es) which should happen !ery 7uickly) we would want not :ust an acti!e national news desk but also a paid webmaster for Pacifica.org0 and as the site grows) we2d prioriti=e e9panding the staff for the site. These webmasters would need to be highly sophisticated politically) as they would also be editors. ?ccupy %all <treet2s websites) as well as the long history of Indymedia) show that such people are out there and they2d lo!e to work on such a pro:ect. Pacifica.org will also be home to the national 2 AB all political talk and news webstream) which should be one of the network2s premier products $see programming details in section P1 of this document(. %e will do outreach to ensure that this web stream has links on all the naturally allied websites and :ournalism outlets in the country and the world" e.g the Nation) the Huardian) the Intercept) +olorlines) ,eministing) 'lternet) +ommon *reams) Truthdig) Truthout et al0 from Re!olutionary organi=ations to pro3*emocratic Party sites like *aily.os and Do!e3?n0 and) of course) we should approach <iriusAOD about carrying the stream as well J we want it broadcast e!erywhere) and they2ll want it because it2s great information and analysis.

The software for such a 2 AB website already e9ists) and it2s ama=ingly easy to program. It can either capture a show that is streaming li!e0 or it can air a show once it is posted on the web as an audio file J either way) it plays the shows e9actly as they are scheduled for the 2 AB webstream. 'n e9ample of the software program is airprogressi!e.org J it2s simply programmed and no one does much of anything on a daily basis other than make sure it2s still running. I2!e met the de!eloper of this software) and heKs delighted by the prospect of working with Pacifica0 though) of course) we should do the necessary research to find the most suitable software for our purposes. Mul)i5le 7ebs)rea(s: e.g. (usic9 S5anis4: 'long with the national 2 AB 8nglish language public affairs stream) we could also de!elop a number of other 2 AB streams. %e could ha!e a 2 AB all3music stream) featuring our best *Ls 3 we certainly ha!e more than enough music programming to fill up such a stream. In time) we could ha!e other 2 AB streams that feature a particular genre. ?ne possibility that comes to mind is a 2 AB hip3hop stream. <ince the genre2s inception) socially conscious I politically3radical hip3 hop has e9isted alongside $and too often in the shadow of( mass3marketed commerciali=edAcorporati=ed hip3hop. ' 2 AB stream of conscious hip3hop organi=ed and run by this community itself would be a brilliant addition to Pacifica2s webstream line3 up. ?f course) another 2 AB webstream that we should pursue is a national <panish language webstream channel) which could draw in programming from all fi!e channels and the affiliates. This would be the first national public radio 5station6 in <panish) ser!ing a population of millions across the country. ,inally J and perhaps it2s a ways off because we don2t yet ha!e enough programming to fill a 2 AB stream 3 Pacifica would be wise to consider a 2 AB stream of -ealth) <pirituality) Philosophy) and Psychology. %e see in our fund dri!es how popular this content can be) and as we re3commit to being a :ournalistically and scientifically sound network) such a stream could be a big winner for the network. ,und'%aising )4roug4 )4e 7ebsi)es: The building of powerful websites will create another space where we remind people of the necessity to donate to keep the pro:ect going. This will be especially persuasi!e if our websites reflect that we are indeed the leading leftAprogressi!e :ournalism pro:ect in the country. To facilitate donations all websites and web pages should include a prominent 5donate now6 button that takes someone straight to a page where they can donate immediately) or shop our 5store6 for thank you gifts. ?ne possible fund3raising opportunity) highly contro!ersial of course) would be to ha!e either underwriting or e!en commercials on our uni7ue webstreams $i.e. our airwa!es would remain free of underwriting and commercials) but not our webstreams(. <ince the Pacifica 2 AB political talk and news stream would be one of the network2s premier products) it is concei!able that we could make considerable amounts of money from this $perhaps) especially) if we did it on an e9clusi!e basis J though research needs to done to

figure out how we could ma9imi=e the money made(. I belie!e there is a consensus among the folks I2!e heard discuss this) that we would only partner with $i.e. accept money from( highly ethical institutions. It should be noted) that in my e9perience) the number of such institutions that would be willing to partner with us will be greatly increased if we clearly establish our commitment to the highest :ournalistic standards and the !alidity of scientific e!idence J to fail to do so) and lea!e our shaky reputation where it is in that regard) would se!erely limit the number of organi=ations willing to partner with us. ?f course) we shouldn2t be setting policy because it will help us raise more money) but in this case we2d be doing so because it2s the right thing to do J it2s a win3 win. $N&" 's mentioned abo!e) this remains a contro!ersial proposal within Pacifica) which has been underwriting and commercial free for CE years0 and would) in my opinion) re7uire a !ote of the PN& before it goes forward.( Social Media: <upplementing our webpages will be our social media presence. ,acebook will be used to create and e9pand the Pacifica community with regular updates on e!erything happening at the network $or at each indi!idual stations() with an emphasis on programming. %e should use Twitter to promote our radio shows) communicate with our listeners) and $as outlined abo!e( as a cutting3edge news gathering resource. Reddit also seems fertile ground0 Pacifica should ha!e a strong presence there. %e need to remain !igilant and be responsi!e to all de!elopments in social media. It is essential that we use social media to its fullest capacity) as it pro!ides unlimited possibilities for cost3free outreach) although) of course) it is labor intensi!e. <till) a reconfigured Pacifica that is serious about being a powerful force in 'merica !ia great social :ustice3inflected :ournalism and radical analysis will be able to mobili=e the kind of social media presence that helped catapult ?ccupy to prominence. This effort could be fueled by politically3moti!ated interns0 who) in turn) could recei!e credit for pushing the limits of social media outreach on our behalf. Do!ing forward) programmers will be re7uired to use social media to promote e!ery one of their shows0 and to engage with their audiences. 'lso) while we wouldn2t rely on it producing results) we should call upon our listeners to participate 3 if the product is powerful enough) I2m confident they2ll help us propagate word of it across social media. iP4one and Android a55s: %e absolutely need these) of the highest 7uality) for each station and for Pacifica.org. These can2t be something shared with anyone else) we need uni7ue 'pps> If we need separate 'pps for the news department websites) we should ha!e those too J but perhaps they can go together with the station 'pps. It would be great for people to be able to follow our news co!erage) as well as post to the open publishing news tips from their handheld de!ices. T</<ideo: ?ne of the pre3record studios of .P,. is in the process of being outfitted as a TG station) opening up a new era for <outhern +alifornia Pacifica shows. 't a time when Netfli9 is using its digital platform to challenge the decades3old model for the distribution of narrati!e dramas) Pacifica can also take ad!antage of the fle9ibility and ine9pensi!eness of digital media and think big) mo!e into TGAGideo production) and dream of ways to re!olutioni=e 'merican media. Imagine the Pacifica 5TG6 networkV

2+ !u)reac4 %e need to get the word out and we ha!e to do so boldly. 'n 5ad6 campaign has two essential components" the message and the deli!ery. %e2re golden for the first half of that e7uation 3 we2re a dream come true for 'd +opy writers" our product is uni7ue and appeals to anyone who cares about truth and democracy. I myself can come up with do=ens of powerful slogans for .P,.APacifica that will draw the attention of any sentient person. ?ur problem is deli!ery. Hi!en our financial woes) the key to spreading the word is recogni=ing that promotion has to be a top priority. It2s not whether it gets done0 it2s how it2s going to get done J and done in a way that can2t be missed. I2!e come up with si9 distincti!e strategies for getting the message out" a state of the art social media blit=) old fashioned paid ad!ertising) public murals) a grassroots ground3 game) proliferating community e!ents) and highlighting our intellectual firepower. 't the end of this section $:ust for fun( are a handful of suggestions for ad slogans that are sure to catch the eye and get people turning the dial. Social Media: %e ha!e to be e!erywhere on social media dropping links to our ground3 breaking shows and reporting and consistently tagging Pacifica as the most important media outlet in the country 3 distincti!e) ambitious and e9actly what 'merica needs. %e need to recruit the best possible ,acebook and Twitter :ockeys from the ranks of college students or recent graduates. <uch talent will be tasked with building our list of friends on ,acebook and followers on Twitter to astronomical le!els0 and maintaining a dialogue with both sets. They will also deli!er word of Pacifica2s productions right into the heart of other :ournalism Twitter feeds and ,acebook sites $!ery do3able>( J as well as other super3popular places on the web) !ia ,acebook) Twitter) Reddit) Tumblr) Instagram) and other social media sites) or e!en into comment streams on other websites. %e also should ask this talented group of 5digital nati!es6 to pursue <earch 8ngine ?ptimi=ation) which can help ensure Pacifica websites will be at the top of Hoogle searches for important politicalAcultural topics. 's ?ccupy e9hibited) much of the world2s best talent at working social media is on our side J we should in!ite those folks to help us propagate Pacifica2s sub!ersi!e truths too. This is an absolute priority. <o we will need to work hard to recruit the human resources for it. If money remains tight) we begin with college interns $recei!ing credit for doing ground3breaking work(. ?nce we2re flush with money) this is worth a paid position) as it is an on3going task. ?f course) it2s essential that the hired person ha!e good organi=ing and teaching skills) as heAshe would still be coordinating a legion of interns. %e also ha!e to get our on3air talent up to speed with <ocial Dedia as much of it is dialogic) and ha!ing our hosts engaging !ia <ocial media will create an added dimension

for our listeners J and) as a network in which our hosts really do 5read the books)6 it will pro!ide another e9ample of why we2re uni7ue in 'merican media. Ad*er)ising: %hen we raise money from ma:or donors and grants) we must $for the time being( set aside a significant percentage $EW or e!en 10WN( for old fashioned ad!ertising. %e need to research what2s the best way to get bang for our buck) whether it2s billboards) print media) other broadcast outlets) or something else J and we should definitely try to negotiate bargains $perhaps we ha!e fans in charge of some of the options(. ?ur ad!ertisements ha!e to be bold) e!en confrontational. %e need to get folks2 attention. Hi!en that) we should seek the best council possible. Daybe someone like Lerry Dander) a radical former ad3e9ec) could direct us to some young) radical talent J perhaps they2d donate their ser!ices pro bono. It2d be great to work with top talent to make our 'ds state of the art) undeniable and powerful. Right now) we2re in the best3kept3secret category J we2re bound to grow once we get the word out there. 'nd if we2!e impro!ed our product) re3committed to :ournalistic e9cellence) and decided to be ambitious and fill the !oid in 'merican media for a responsible leftAprogressi!e outlet J with powerful ad!ertisements) the sky2s the limit. Public Murals: I2!e been in dialogue with a local community artist who would lo!e to paint a mural promoting .P,.) asking only that we pay for the cost of the paint0 and he knows a landlord who would offer up a highly !isible wall. If this comes to fruition we will ha!e a powerful) beautiful permanent ad!ertisement in a densely populated working class /atino community. The artist is confident that other muralists around /. '. would be interested in making it a series and could arrange similar deals. It2s definitely worth looking into in our other signal areas. It2s 7uite an endorsement) what other local media outlets could garner such positi!e sentiment amongst artists in working class communitiesN #rassroo)s #round'#a(e: ?nce again) if we take our tail out from between our legs) and step up to the challenge of trying to make an impact through serious) powerful leftAprogressi!e :ournalism J we can attract a tremendous amount of !olunteer energy. <ome of that should be directed towards sending outreach ground teams to large public gatherings) like farmer2s markets and festi!als. ?ccasionally) it2d be great if one of our hosts accompanies them) doing 5manAwoman on the street6 inter!iews about a big issue in the news J whate!er the sub:ect of the inter!iews) the !olunteers can also engage people about the failings of the mainstream media and how Pacifica is different. o((uni)y Assess(en)/Marke) %esearc4: Pacifica has to return to doing serious community needs assessments for its signal areas) especially as it aims to re3emphasi=e its local on3air co!erage. %e need to reach out to our listening base and honestly find out what they want from us.

%e also shouldn2t be shy about learning what we can from state3of3the3art market research. In the era of e9ploited young intern labor) we should reach out to students studying market research :ust as we reach out to students studying :ournalism J and ask them to hone their craft at Pacifica. In this manner we can find out what the general population wants from its community radio stations) and also what they want to see from a national independent radioAmedia network. Prolifera)ing o((uni)y E*en)s: This is a simple idea. 'll !olunteer programmers $including those who raise little money during fund dri!es( are responsible for organi=ing and staffing a si=able community e!ent e!ery year that has .P,. all o!er it> This includes e!ery music host. The e!ent will be sub:ect to management appro!al and at least one member of the management team will attend each e!ent. Publis4ing Essays ' "ig4lig4)ing !ur In)ellec)ual Prowess: %e already ha!e an ama=ing arsenal of intellectuals. Dany of our hosts already publish articles and opinion pieces on prominent leftAprogressi!e websites $Richard %olff) Robert <cheer) <onali .olhatkar) Lon %iener) <asha /illy) Husta!o 'rellano et al.(. Now) we need to organi=e this talent pool) e9pand it) and put it to use for Pacifica. %e should ha!e one of our hosts write a daily featured article) which would be published si9 days a week on Pacifica.org) and release it so that it can be posted on other popular left progressi!e websites $such as +ommondreams) 'lternet) et al.(. %e should e9pand the number of hosts participating J at .P,. alone /ila Harrett) 'ntonio Hon=ale=) Dargaret Prescod) and Ian Dasters would clearly be ringers at this) they :ust need the assignment. It2s a sure fire way to get our brand out there and it2ll impress the socks off the left blogosphere. ?ur agreement with any site that reprints the essay is that the author be identified as a Pacifica host) alongside the rest of the 5'bout the 'uthor6 blurb. 't the end of each of these essays should be the tag line 5tune into my radio show today $time) station) and website( when I will be discussing these ideas further) and if you miss the show li!e you can hear it on the audio archi!es atV.6 Slogans: -ere are :ust a few ideas) I think I could come up with hundreds" The ?nly Truth in Town 3 The ?nly Dedia that Datters J The People2s <tation 3 The Information Necessary to &uild a *emocratic <ociety J The /ast &est -ope for the /ast &est -ope for Dankind J Pacifica Radio" Truly Independent" ,ulfilling the Role of Lournalism in a *emocratic <ociety Pacifica Radio" The /ast &astion of ?ld ,ashioned Lournalism" 89posing the +orrupt I the Powerful The ?nly -ope for /iberty and Lustice for 'll" Truly Independent Dedia" Pacifica Radio

'n Independent Dedia is 8ssential for *emocracy. /isten to Pacifica" The ?nly Independent Dedia /eft ' <plit &illboard. ?n the /eft <ide" 5%ho <aw the 8conomic +risis +omingN6 In big letters underneath the 7uestion 5Pacifica Radio6 ?n the right side " 5%ho *idn2t <ee the 8conomic +risis +omingN6 in smaller) but !isible) lettering filling the space below the 7uestion 5+NN) abc) nbc) cbs) cnbc) msnbc) fo9 news) wall street :ournal) N# Times) /' Times) %ashington Post) NPR) Rush /imbaughV6 ' <plit &illboard. ?n the /eft <ide" 5%ho Hot the Ira7 %ar RightN6 In big letters underneath the 7uestion 5Pacifica Radio6 ?n the right side " 5%ho Hot the Ira7 %ar wrongN6 in smaller) but !isible) lettering filling the space below the 7uestion 5+NN) abc) nbc) cbs) cnbc) msnbc) fo9 news) wall street :ournal) N# Times) /' Times) %ashington Post) NPR) Rush /imbaughV6 <olicit 7uotes promoting Pacifica from Dichael Doore) Noam +homsky) 'ngela *a!is) et al. and use them as slogans. E=5anding Pacifica: in)o 4icago and )4e %ed S)a)es: %e need to boldly seek new stations both in ma:or metropolitan areas) and in parts of the country where they2!e not heard anything like us on the airwa!es. Think of the thousands of acti!ists in +hicago) Philadelphia) 'tlanta) and other ma:or cities who would flock to us J and think of the millions of hearts and minds across the country we2d transform. 8!ery other institution in the country with a winning product seeks to e9pand) we should too. The affiliates program is tremendous) but there2s nothing wrong with ha!ing new Pacifica stations as well.

P %ecrui)(en) and S)affing %ecrui)(en): If we articulate the !ision that I2!e outlined in this document) we will be inspiring enough to recruit many of the sharpest) most moti!ated college and post3college age people in this society. This pertains to paid employees) !olunteers) and interns. #ou don2t ha!e to look any further than ?ccupy to see the amount of energy people can and will commit to a pro:ect that promises to make a real social) political) and economic impact. 8!eryone in society knows that the mainstream media fails to deli!er the information necessary to fuel a democratic society $witness the current 'aron <orkin3created -&? special 5The Newsroom)6 which is built on e9actly that premise(0 and most people reali=e that2s because real :ournalism is too threatening to the status 7uo. Tens3of3thousands of the current college and post3college age generation not only know that this society has gone off the rails) they are moti!ated to do whate!er necessary to see that things change. %e alone can make a compelling case that we can be the transformational media institution) the one that can bring the threatening truth to the masses. %e can also make

the case that no political action would be more influential than building Pacifica into a truly powerful force nationally. If we make that case) and acti!ely recruit on college campuses $both two and four year programs() at youth e!ents) and among the ?ccupy set) we will ha!e an e9cess of inspired young talent ready to learn :ournalism) host radio and produce radio shows) and help us get the word out) particularly on the internet. 'nd) not to be ageist) if we successfully con!ey what our pro:ect is) we2ll attract some top flight talent from all age groups. Manage(en) "ires: <imply put) Pacifica can no longer afford ha!ing ine9perienced people in upper management $particularly as the 8* and the station HDs(. ?nce we pursue the ambitious agenda outlined in this document) and boldly proclaim the social significance of Pacifica) we will attract highly 7ualified candidates who understand the Pacifica pro:ect. 'fter all) the huge number of layoffs across 'merican media means there are an abundance of 7ualified people looking for work) and no shortage of folks who still dream of participating in a truly impactful media operation. ' re3born Pacifica needs e9ceptional upper management) and we can ha!e that. S)affing: %e need to hire people who understand what Pacifica is trying to achie!e J and lo!e it for that> Pacifica should stri!e to be an e9emplary employer) offering full medical insurance) a 8uropean3le!el of !acation time) and decent3if3not3great salaries to full3time employees. ?f course) we also must remain a by3the3letter3of3the law e7ual opportunity employer J but going forward we ha!e to start taking into account whether new hires understand where they are applying to work and how socially significant an institution this is. %e need to fill our staffs with people inspired by Pacifica) and how it2s stri!ing to become the most influential alternati!e media institution in the country. It2s sad to say) but too many people on our staffs !iew Pacifica as :ust a :ob0 or were once inspired) but ha!e become burnt out. This is unfortunate for many reasons. ?f course) people who are passionate about building the great 'merican alternati!e media network will gi!e more than the 5:ust3a3:obbers.6 In recent years it2s gotten worse than that0 staff members who are not animated by a passion for Pacifica see things like the dysfunctional station boards and become downright disdainful of Pacifica. In contrast) think of all the underemployed leftists or progressi!es stuck in dead3end :obs J what they would gi!e to work at an institution they belie!ed in. %hen we hire in the future) e!en for positions that ha!e no direct role in producing political media) let2s make sure the candidates are not fanatics but know about Pacifica) the political significance of building it into a powerhouse) and are :a==ed about helping get it where it needs to be. 'nything less is a disser!ice to the network and its Dission. $i*ersi)y: It remains essential that Pacifica recruits and hires a thoroughly di!erse staff) both ethnically and in terms of class. It is simply impossible gi!en the di!ersity of 'merican society to achie!e what we2re setting out to achie!e unless significant input is

coming from all strata of society. %e ha!e to know how to make our 7uality :ournalism) social analysis) cultural and music programming compelling to the breadth of society. !n $ri*e Ti(e "os)s: Paid dri!e time hosts are a different category than !olunteer hosts) but we should not forget that in most media union contracts hosts are easier to fire than other staff members. %e need turno!er with dri!e time hosts as well. %hile the dri!e time shows should be different from each other in ways that play to their hosts strengths and comfort =ones) these ha!e to be Pacifica and station pro:ects first) not pro:ects of the host. !n S)yrofoa( u5s: %e ha!e to start walking the walk. ?ur stations should be e9emplary progressi!e institutions. The energy should be as green as possible) the food at fund dri!es healthy and ethical) with recycling in e!idence) etc. ?nce we achie!e this) it2s another thing we can publici=e. 2& #o*ernance If Pacifica is to become the country2s leading leftAprogressi!e media institution and o!ercome its fiscal crisis it desperately needs to reform its go!ernance bodies. In recent years Pacifica has been lost to infighting and factionalism that has repelled rather than attracted the kind of talent) resources) and financial support that can make Pacifica into the strong) powerful institution it must be. 't this hour) the dysfunctional go!ernance system is the main obstacle to Pacifica becoming the premier alt media outlet in the country) hence the proposals in this section are as important as any in the entire document. I was on both the .P,. board and the national board a few years ago. *uring that time) the le!el of dysfunction and infighting was phenomenal and it has degenerated substantially since then. +ompounding the problem) all of this is well3documented and periodically gets reported on by other media. It is a huge source of disrepute for the network and makes us a laughing3stock. 'lmost all progressi!e acti!ists know enough to steer clear of the Pacifica &oards. %hene!er some poor) unknowing soul strays into the process) they are almost instantly appalled at what they encounter" a melee of public bullying and disrupti!e rants. Thus the same small group) albeit di!ided into two warring factions) ensure that they control the boards. Not surprisingly) both groups seem thoroughly in!ested in keeping Pacifica weak and marginal) as greater popularity and influence would engender broader participation and would end their reign. It would all be comic) but too much is at stake. Pacifica2s Ho!ernance &odies ha!e more power o!er the operation of the institution than any other boards that I know of. This would pro!e burdensome e!en if the board members had real radio e9perience or a nuanced understanding of how comple9 institutions operate) but Pacifica2s boards are made up of people most of whom ha!e an o!ert political agenda and know ne9t to nothing about running a media operation. They campaign) and operate) on the basis of who can posture and yell the most) rather than

being real stewards of a precious media resource. They micro3manage the budget) effecti!ely tying the hands of the managers. They also continually try to influence programming e!en though the &y3/aws declare it outside their pur!iew J whether by establishing &y=antine processes that protect shows from re!iew and cancellation) or through outright intimidation. Indeed) control of programming seems to be what most recent board members seek $though a considerable subset want to get shows for themsel!es(. In fact) in <o+al it2s perfectly clear which shows) and type of shows) each faction supports and which they oppose J and how this distinction moti!ates them. 5Radical6 members of both factions threaten aggressi!e campaigns against any manager who doesn2t ser!e their narrow goals. $Indeed) both factions primarily support programming tendencies that fall far short of the ambitious outline articulated in this document0 e!en though I am certain that building Pacifica into a powerful leftAprogressi!e national force) while maintaining a strong community component) is what almost all Pacifica listeners would want from the network.( The general welfare of the station and the network takes a backseat to the immediate obsessions of the &oard factions. This means that any manager who makes an accurate assessment of the state of the station or network 3 that they are in dire trouble) and that some shows and personnel supported by both factions need to go 3 will not be allowed to take necessary steps to rectify the situation. It2s simple" dramatic change is needed in the network and at the stations) and the boards will crush any agent of change. Now) when the country needs Pacifica the most) the crisis is undeniable and se!ere. Dore of the same will ob!iously lead to further decline and the likely loss of a station or two) if not the collapse of the entire network. This is what has moti!ated me to write this document. I2!e been a host) a worker) a board member) and a manager at Pacifica J and thus ha!e a uni7ue and comprehensi!e perspecti!e from which to see what needs to be done. -ere2s my proposal for changing the go!ernance system" S)o5 )4e Micro(anaging: ,irst of all) adopt a proposal made by former .P,. HD <ean -eitkemper that the local boards only meet with the station HD once a 7uarter. No subcommittee meetings either) :ust four meetings a year. 't the end of each 7uarterly meeting the HD has a clear set of motions to act on and at the beginning of each meeting the board can clearly see if last meeting2s motions ha!e been implemented. The HD makes a report) fields 7uestions) and then returns to the :ob of managing the station. The board2s only engagement with programming is to consider whether it remains consistent with the Pacifica Dission. The board2s only engagement with personnel is re!iewing the HD and P*. They also re!iew the budget submitted by the HD and !ote it up or down. <imilarly) at the national le!el) the 8* meets once a 7uarter with the board and that2s it. I do not belie!e these changes would re7uire any re3writing of the by3laws. Board Me(bers Mus) Ad*oca)e for )4e S)a)ion or Ne)work as a 74ole: &oard members should be e9pected to act as uncritical ad!ocates for the station. ?f course) they can articulate criticisms pri!ately or in board meetings) but not publicly. ' negati!e public statement about the station will be met with censure) followed by dismissal if it occurs again.

%aising Money: 'll board members must raise a set amount of money for the station) as well as do positi!e outreach. ,ailure to do so will lead to remo!al from the board. Thus) all local board members will recei!e a fund raising tutorial before their first session J as will new PN& members. -a!ing said this) we must make sure that ha!ing a fund raising goal per member will not restrict participation to wealthier) 5better connected6 people J but it should be re7uired that board members ha!e a significant fund raising goal that they need to achie!e. There is no doubt that &oard dysfunction has been a ma:or impediment to Pacifica2s fund3raising. ?n the one hand) the consistent bad publicity has harmed our broad donor base. ?n the other hand) the mere fact of board turmoil J the sense that whoe!er is in 5power6 today will be o!erthrown tomorrow J se!erely interferes with our ability to attract ma:or donations and grants. %hy would anybody gi!e a significant amount of money for a pro:ect) or e!en an o!erall !ision) that might be thrown out at the ne9t board meeting. ,inancial reality re7uires that we ha!e stable boards that embrace a positi!e long3term !ision for the network and the stations. %efor( )4e Board>s o(5osi)ion/Elec)ion Process: %hile I belie!e the proposals in this document will resol!e the network2s fiscal crisis) if the money3flow doesn2t impro!e) suspending elections seems wise gi!en the e9tra!agant cost $relati!e to the le!el of the current budget(. If they are not suspended) I think we need to recruit a wide3range of people with e9perience on boards for other progressi!eAradical non3profit institutions to run in the ne9t round of elections) as I am skeptical that the incumbents could operate within the framework proposed by -eitkemper) :ust as I2m certain that benign !eterans of other boards would recogni=e its wisdom. ?b!iously) this position will be tremendously unpopular with current board members) but they ha!e to be told that) while they may be lo!ely people indi!idually) collecti!ely they are a primary contributing factor to the pending demise of the institution they claim to ser!e. ?!er and o!er again) I ha!e witnessed well3intentioned managers run fleeing for the hills because of the insanity of the boards. ;ntil the go!ernance boards mend their ways) Pacifica will remain in constant crisis and the spectacular growth that we could easily achie!e will ne!er occur. &oard members ha!e to understand that their current course is depri!ing the people of the country of an essential tool for achie!ing social :ustice) a powerful national media organi=ation on their side. 's of now) it is being de!oured by petty s7uabbling. %hile I2m not wedded to the precise details of the following proposals $some of which would re7uire by3laws amendments() I think some appro9imation of these ideas should also be adopted" The national board and the local boards should be half the si=e that they are. There should only be an election e!ery three years) in which half a board is elected. The !oting should be done on3line to sa!e the costs of mailing ballots. People can only ser!e two consecuti!e si9 year terms. If someone lea!es the board during their term) the 8* and the HD nominate the replacement. $'nother possibility would be to ha!e the boards be half3elected and half3appointed to insure that some members ha!e pre!ious

board e9perience and are pro!en fund raisers 3 again) I2m not wedded to this idea or any specificallyV(. ode of onduc): The most important thing is the outcome of these reforms" %e need positi!e) supporti!e find3raising boards that do not micro3manage the institution but merely ser!e as a firewall to assure that Pacifica remains 5on Dission.6 's such) the boards need to adopt a code of conduct that re7uires all board members to beha!e in a mutually respectful) adult manner. This idea is understandably unpopular in a community of anti3authoritarians) so perhaps it should ha!e a fi!e year sundown clause. <adly) a code of conduct is essential right now if Pacifica) gi!en its current reputation) is going to attract responsible stewards for its boards. $&y the way) one of the two board factions is populated by many ad!ocates of the !ery 5conspiracy theories6 that contribute to our sorry reputation among :ournalists and scientists. I should reiterate that these theories shouldn2t be banned from our airwa!es) but they need to respond to challenges to their !eracity. Dy obser!ation of most of the shows in which such theories are presented is that the hosts consistently fail to bring on critics of these theories or the scientists who challenge them0 strange) since if they were confident about the ideas that they are promoting you2d think they2d re!el in such challenges. 't any rate) I would not be surprised if this board faction were to ob:ect !ociferously to my call for the network declaring its commitment to the highest :ournalistic standards and to science) e!en though to do so would be entirely neutral about any particular theories.(

2? ,inance and ,und %aising Hi!en current fiscal realities at Pacifica) it2s likely that many will see this section as the most important in this document. /et me be clear" adopting the proposals in the pre!ious sections $or some close appro9imation thereof( is not only essential to re!ersing the network2s fiscal crisis0 not to adopt them is to accept almost certain doom. +ontinuing to rely almost entirely on o!er3the3air fund dri!es that feature :ournalistically and scientifically 7uestionable 5gifts6 destroys whate!er2s left of our reputation and can2t possibly do anything more than keep us from drowning. ,or as long as we2!e gone down that path) the network has declined e!er further0 and while austerity measures combined with more such dri!es may keep us going for another year) soon thereafter the trend will continue with more contraction. Remaining wedded to such fund dri!es) of course) precludes the possibility of dramatically re3branding oursel!es as I propose) as the country2s and the community2s best source for solid) clear) radical information J a !ision which also happens to be in the spirit and tradition of Pacifica. If we can2t claim that mantle and start immediately

pursuing it) then we2!e undermined our best opportunity to raise the necessary funding to make Pacifica the best it can be. If we re3cast oursel!es as a serious :ournalism outlet) with a clear plan to becoming a ma:or force in 'merican Dedia) the money will flow to us. <ince this is e9actly what we should be doing anyway) there2s no reason not to do it. <o) how precisely does it make us moneyN It does so in four ways" Da:or *onors) /e!eraging) Hrants) and Hrowing our 'udience $aka building the pool of donors(. Ma@or $onors lo!e ambition and hate ha!ing their names tarnished. The dream of a powerful) :ournalistically responsible alternati!e media is shared by millions across the country) including some e9tremely wealthy people. Dost of these will not want to be associated with) let alone fund) an organi=ation widely seen as promoting misinformation) and they certainly won2t gi!e money to an institution run by a dysfunctional board. -owe!er) they2d be all ears if an empowered 89ecuti!e *irector approached them with a new declaration committing the network to the highest :ournalistic standards and a plan to build something unseen in their lifetime" a national) independent) community3based media organi=ation with clear plan to grow into a leftAprogressi!e force to be reckoned with. Now) some of these ma:or donors might say that they2re into it but they2d like to see some progress before writing a check J then again some may drop a considerable amount right away. If we can get enough of them to commit until we get some things in place) then we couldV Le*erage: Take out a sizable loan (which well repay once the major donor money comes in) and start taking steps to build the national and local capacity outlined in sections one, two, and three: in programming, web presence, and outreach. With this money we should be able to generate significant progress towards our goals, which would prove our sincerity to any potential major donors who wanted to see results. Furthermore, once some progress has been made, we will be able to make a case to many more donors from which more funding will flow. Grants: Once we commit to the highest journalistic standards and put them into practice (as we must), we open up the possibility of receiving numerous grants. We have to pursue these aggressively. If we do, we will certainly be rewarded with substantial funding. In just this document alone these projects were mentioned which represent clear opportunities for grants: inverstigative journalism, environmental beat reporter, labor beat reporter, a 24/7 Spanish Language stream, experimenting with citizen journalism, expanded news coverage from and by under-represented communties, and many, many more. Growing our Audience: Once we commit to journalistic standards and rein in our boards, well be able to raise enough money in order to fund some advertising and

outreach. These will bring in new listeners and, as theyll like what theyll hear, our audience will begin to grow. A substantially larger audience, happy with what theyre hearing, will lead to more money and shorter fund drives. rowd',unding 8 Te=)ing a(5aigns: Fuite frankly) it2s mind3boggling and ine9cusable that Pacifica has not yet utili=ed crowd3funding) which has been all the rage in recent years. This is finally changing at .P,.) thanks to the initiati!e of one show) which is raising money !ia Indiegogo.com to fund their de!elopment into a multi3media operation. Pacifica management needs to use these resources as well) raising money for both the general funds and distinct pro:ects. +rowd3funding should be embraced as a gift from hea!en by Pacifica) as it can continuously raise money off3air) hence car!ing off days from our on3air fund dri!es. <imilarly) Pacifica must embrace fundraising !ia te9t messaging. 8ach station should open up accounts to facilitate this ser!ice) which seeks to attract large numbers of !ery small donations) and has the ability to attract funding from younger and less prosperous sectors of our audience than our traditional subscriber base. -a!ing this ser!ice in place can also lead to une9pected windfalls for the network. %hen Pacifica content goes !iral) we can re3distribute a clip !ia social media along with a minor pitch asking for te9t donations0 similarly) if we inter!iew a popular musician) celebrity) or author) they may agree to distribute the inter!iew along with a te9t messaging pitch. 6nderwri)ing/ o((ercials on 7ebs)rea(s: 's mentioned in <ection 2 of this document) one possible fundraising opportunity J highly contro!ersial inside Pacifica J would be to ha!e either underwriting or commercials on our 2 AB online webstreams. Pacifica2s broadcast airwa!es would remain without underwriting or commercials) but we would open up the webstreams for ethically and socially responsible companies. <ee section 2 for a longer discussion of this matter. onference/Encuen)ros: If the ideas in this document are adopted) Pacifica will be re3 introducing itself to the world as an institution emerging renewed after a dark phase in its history. %e will also be declaring oursel!es the seminal institution of 'mericans who seek greater social :ustice J that is) we will be the one place where) e!ery day) millions of people will ha!e the chance to hear about all the mo!ements and people who are working to make a better world possible in our time. Thus) shortly after we re3launch our network) we should consider holding a high3profile conference) bringing together three main groups" 1( Progressi!eAradical media critics and creators 2( National and grassroots organi=ations and mo!ements for social :ustice @( Da:or donors and representati!es of grant institutions The first group will ad!ise us) discussing their !isions for how Pacifica can be 'merica2s socially transformati!e media institution. The second group will e9plain to us what they want from a national progressi!e mass media institution. Pacifica management will e9plain how our !ision for the network) mo!ing forward) synthesi=es the ideas of the first two groups into concrete proposals and pro:ects J inspiring the third group to support Pacifica so that it can bring the big ideas that emerge from this dialogue to fruition.

,ollowing this national conference) the stations could organi=e local encuentros that replicate the initial conference on a local le!el. %e'Building 7BAI: %&'I in N#+ is currently semi3homeless) an unacceptable situation. The station needs a permanent home with ade7uate facilities. ?nce Pacifica adopts the central measures in this document) we need to pull out all the stops and mount a capital campaign to house %&'I. ' re3born %&'I 3 operating with highest :ournalistic standards and an ambitious plan to ser!e the communities of the city as part of a re3 !itali=ed national network J will attract a windfall of support from N#+ and around the country. The reser!oir of good will for %&'I is tremendous) hundreds of thousands of people long for its rebirth. ,ewer ,und $ri*e $ays9 More $e*elo5(en) $irec)ors: 8ach Pacifica station needs to ha!e many fewer fund dri!e days each year. The way to achie!e this is to adopt the programming and organi=ational policies $or an appro9imation of them( outlined in this document and then hire e9perienced *e!elopment *irectors at all fi!e stations) plus at the National ?ffice) with pro!en track records of raising funds on the order of what Pacifica needs. Endowments: In the short term, its probably best that even the largest donations go towards funding the projects outlined in this document or to the general fund in order to decrease the number of fund drive days. However, as Pacifica establishes itself as a success, with more listeners and greater influence across the society, with more money flowing steadily in to the institution; and gains trust by having a concrete long-term strategy endorsed by a stable governance structure when these things are achieved then it must start building an endowment from major donations and bequests.

Conclusion This proposal takes Pacifica into the 21st Century. Currently, Pacifica is stuck in the past in technology, relevance, and its inability to extricate itself from its conflicts. We need to build a dynamic, powerful institution that has the capacity to both respond and adapt to the times we live in, so it can influence the conversation and the direction of society. The formula is simple: For each station: national/international + community/local + music + culture. For Pacifica.org, the best national/international & cultural segments + national/international shows on the 24/7 stream. The boards support management while remaining vigilant about the network remaining on Mission, maintaining community radio, staying truly left/progressive/radical, and fulfilling the highest journalistic standards.

Management and programmers and our volunteers and our fans all loudly proclaim, everywhere and anywhere so that everyone knows that we are the media that America has been waiting for. Pacifica will thus parlay great, information-laden websites and exceptional programming into becoming the leading left/progressive journalistically responsible media outlet in America. With this vision, and a governance/resource structure thoroughly and vigorously re-committed to Pacificas core mission, this institution will become a major force for positive social change.