Airwaves & Liberty

A message from Ani Haines at KBOO announcing this summer’s Grassroots Radio Conference.

Greetings!

GRC 13 is scheduled for this July 25 - 27th. It will be held at the Native American Student and Community Center, on the Portland State University campus– this is at the south end of the downtown area. We will have registration and gathering time beginning on Thursday, July 24th.

KBOO is partnering with KPCN, the low power station in Woodburn that was the object of a great Prometheus BarnRaising event that many of you attended. We are also partnering with the PSU English Department and other PSU entities.

We will have our web page about the conference (complete with registration form) up within the next two weeks.

Of course it is also time to put forth your great ideas for workshops/panel discussions that you either want to attend or give. Are there a couple of themes that we want to really explore in the time we have with one another? Let us know.

We have reserved a block of rooms at the University Place, which is a hotel about 5 blocks away. They are rooms with two queen size beds for $119 / night (regardless of number of guests). There are also two hostels in Portland, both about 2 miles from the conference, both both with good public transportation to PSU. We are also working to arrange homestays. If you would like a homestay arranged, please let us know as soon as possible (there will also be a place to indicate this on your registration form). If you would like to stay at the University Place, a hostel, or anything other than a homestay, you are responsible for booking your room.

The conference will include continental breakfast and a lunch, with omnivorous, vegetarian and vegan options. There will also be refreshments/ light fare served as we begin to gather on Thursday afternoon / evening.

Many more details will be posted to the website when we have it up and running, most likely by May 10th.

I will be away from any computers between Sunday afternoon and Wednesday night, so if you post comments or suggestions during that time, I won’t be able to respond until Wednesday night– that said, I am very much looking forward to hearing from you.

Love, solidarity and anticipation!
ani

James Williams works with WBAI and the People’s Production House in NYC. ~N

Greetings! The Sean Bell verdict came down today, Friday, April 25th handed down by the 75 year old Judge Cooperman(hope I spelled it right) who is set to retire now. The officers who shot the 50 shots at Sean Bell, killing him, Joseph Guzman, and Trent Benefield who were severely injured, it was announced “NOT GUILTY” on all charges. Officers Cooper, whose shots were so far off it hit an elevated train at the Long Island Railroad, Officer Isnora, who got off the first shots, never identified himself, saying “bro, let me holla at you”, and of course, officer Oliver, who fired 31 shots(he emptied his gun then reloaded and shot again) were of course relieved. Oliver, and the others will remain on modified duties for now. Take note, the officers had been drinking liquor at the same club as Bell and his friends. Calls for the Federal Government to step in came immediately afterwards. The families of the persons shot tell me they will file a civil suit against the city, and the officers, not known when, or has it been done already. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has called for calm in and around the city, but demonstrators told me they want a call to action, saying “we’re taking it to the streets”, “shut this f—— city down, shut this m—-f—- city down, f— the police, they killing our kids, blacks will not stand for this g– d— s—- no more” this is just some of the sentiment after the verdict was read. Believe it or not, some of these were church going citizens, of all races. There was a white group of people standing in front of the courthouse their chant was “the courts, and the city of N.Y. is run by the KKK”!, amazing stuff. Also, Rev Davidson, whom I just met today calling for the bloods and the crips to call him so they can prepare for “action”. Would you believe a member of the crips walked up and handed him his business card, I mean, they got cards? What action I want to know? The New Black Panther Party saying “it’s on now, get ready N.Y.” Peoples Party declaring “it all ends now, be ready”, group of Af Ams, white, Hispanics, who claim to have several hundred members. Of all the interviews I did today, I probably can’t air any of it due to the cursing all around me, and the noise content and that’s to bad because I got some great interviews, but we can’t air them. I did a live interview on radio today and literally had to run around the corner of the courthouse! Caused my live interview to not be crisp!

I know i’m supposed to be neutral in my reporting, but I was truly touched and disturbed by this verdict. I have spent more than a year with the Bell family, Rev. Sharpton, Lawyer Hardy, Lawyer Rubinstein, Mr. Guzman, Mr. Benefield and their families, NAACP, Operation Push, made imortant contacts for the Community News Production Institute, became very close to my producers, you know who you are, editors, reporters fm FSRN, Pacifica, and of course PPH, but today, today, brought me to tears, how do you handle this, and the threats of violence to come. That being said, I will be receiving info on the coming demos from my sources, hopefully it won’t be to bad, but from what i’m told, expect the unexpected.

BLESSINGS

James B. Williams

The Younger Women’s Task Force (YWTF) is proud to announce the 2008-2009 Alexis Geneva Knox Fellowship in support of Younger Women’s Leadership, Scholarship, and Advocacy.

This 12-month fellowship will be awarded in June of 2008. The fellowship will provide 1-3 younger women with a chance to pursue artistic, activist, skills building, and/or career advancement opportunities as well as financial assistance, mentoring, and professional leadership consultation.

About the Fellowship

The Alexis Knox Fellowship is an innovative national program designed to support younger women as they build their leadership capacity and support the YWTF community.

The Alexis Knox Fellowship is named in honor of Alexis Knox, a founding member of YWTF and a younger woman whose leadership potential was cut short when she past away in 2006. Still, at 22 years old, Alexis was a seasoned activist at Barnard College and in her volunteer work. She was the first to register for YWTF’s founding meet-up, served as co-director of the YWTF NYC Chapter and was an integral member of our community. She will be greatly missed and in establishing this Fellowship, her commitment to women’s leadership will live on.

Fellowship Fund: Selected fellows will receive a grant from the Alexis Knox Fellowship Fund of $1,200 to $3,000 to support leadership activities through individual and collaborative projects. Fellows are encouraged to pursue activities that enhance their public leadership skills, reach diverse constituencies, and build community. The Fund also offers fellows the opportunity to collaborate with others within the YWTF community and expand their work beyond their specific chapter city.

Fellowship proposals must directly support the YWTF community. The activities must support younger women and must be inline with YWTF’s mission, vision, and values.

Required Commitments: Alexis Knox Fellows, once selected, will be expected to participate in monthly teleconferences with YWTF leadership and may be asked to attend one event as a YWTF representative. Fellows will be connected with a seasoned national leader who will mentor them throughout the year.

Application and Selection Process: All applicants who are active YWTF members must receive a recommendation from their Chapter Director. Applicants who are not active members must attend a chapter meeting, interview with the local chapter director, and submit a letter of recommendation. Applicants who live in cities with no YWTF presence must submit two letters of recommendation. You can download the full application at www.ywtf.org. All application materials must be submitted via email by 5:00PM on May 19th. YWTF Knox Fellows will be reviewed by the YWTF National Coordinator and Board. Selected applicants will be notified in the month of June 2008. Additional contact may be made with fellowship applicants during selection process.

If you have any questions regarding the Alexis Knox Fellowship contact Shannon Lynberg at 202-293-4506 or shannonL@ncwo-online.org.

New from KPFT’s former News Director Renee Feltz…

Hello,

We are excited to announced the launching of our investigative-new media masters project, The Business of Detention.

Snapshot: The nation’s largest private prison company has partnered with the federal government to detain close to 1 million undocumented people in the past 5 years until they are deported. In the process, Corrections Corporation of America has made record profits. Critics suggest the CCA cuts corners on its detention contracts in order to increase its revenue at expense of humane conditions. Thanks to political connections and lobby spending, it dominates the industry of immigrant detention. CCA now has close to 10,000 new beds under development in anticipation of continued demand.

Check out the site at http://www.businessofdetention.com

Cheers, Renee Feltz & Stokely Baksh

From the folks at Free Press:

‘Resolution of Disapproval’ unanimously approved, heads next for Senate floor

WASHINGTON — Today, the Senate Commerce Committee passed a “resolution of disapproval” that would veto the Federal Communications Commission’s latest attempt to dismantle longstanding media ownership limits.

“Our best chance to stop Big Media has just cleared a big hurdle,” said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press, which coordinates StopBigMedia.com. “The Senate’s defense of quality journalism, local news and diverse and independent voices couldn’t happen at a more critical time.”

Last December, the FCC voted to remove the longstanding “newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership” ban that prohibits one company from owning a broadcast station and the major daily newspaper in the same market. The ruling still must pass muster in the federal court that reversed the FCC’s previous attempt to lift media ownership limits in 2003.

But the Senate is intervening right away. The resolution of disapproval (Senate Joint Resolution 28), introduced by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) in early March, serves as a “legislative veto.” If passed by Congress and signed by the president, it would nullify the FCC’s new rules.

Today’s vote follows news that Murdoch’s News Corp. is close to completing a $580 million deal to purchase the Long Island daily Newsday from Tribune Company. News Corp. already controls the New York Post, the Wall Street Journal, and two TV stations in the New York market — and the new deal would violate longstanding media ownership limits.

“With Rupert Murdoch poised to expand his media empire, today’s vote shows the Senate won’t simply roll over and watch media consolidation continue unchecked,” said Silver. “This vote is a major turning point in the fight for better media.”

The legislation has 25 bipartisan co-sponsors including Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

The Senate had 60 legislative days to pass the resolution from the time Congress was notified about the rule in late February. Last month, a House version of the resolution — which is not limited by the legislative shot clock — was introduced by Reps. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) and Dave Reichert (R-Wash.).

“Permitting further media consolidation goes against the core values the agency was created to protect,” said Joseph Torres, government relations manager of Free Press. “The FCC did not heed the overwhelming public opposition to its decision. The Senate appears to be listening.”

Read the FCC’s cross-ownership order: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-216A1.pdf

Learn more about the FCC’s new rules: http://www.stopbigmedia.com/files/devil_in_the_details.pdf

WPFW Devotes More Time to a Genre That’s Struggling in Radio

By Marc Fisher
Washington Post Staff Writer
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/18/AR2008041800710.html

The audience is declining, funding is a struggle, and the station’s own staffers are at odds over whether to play more music or focus on news and public affairs. So when Bobby Hill set out to create a new schedule for WPFW (89.3 FM), he knew his every move would be scrutinized.

But Hill has managed to do the impossible, adding seven programs and 15 new hosts while eliminating only two shows from the listener-supported station’s schedule, which premieres this month.

The demise of smooth jazz WJZW (105.9 FM), which switched to an oldies format in February, left WPFW as the only on-air source of jazz in the Washington area, and the 31-year-old station has had a decade-long internal dispute about just how much of its airtime should be devoted to that music.

The other four stations in the Pacifica Radio group of noncommercial stations — located in New York, Berkeley, Calif., Houston and Los Angeles — focus much more heavily on public affairs and news from a left-wing perspective, but WPFW was created with the intention of being primarily a jazz station, and Hill is now nudging the station back in that direction.

By cutting a reggae show and a world music show — while adding two more hours of jazz a day to boost the total to 15 hours on weekdays — Hill has put down his marker. “Jazz is our mission,” he says. Even as WPFW’s audience has slipped from 240,000 listeners in 2000 to 186,000 this year, and even as listener donations missed the $500,000 goal by about $50,000 in the most recent fund drive, he believes the station is moving to capture a new generation of listeners, taking aim at the young people who are forsaking traditional radio to explore music through Internet radio and music-sharing sites.

Hill had moonlighted as a volunteer, late-night jazz DJ at the station since 1983 before taking on program director duties last year, when he retired from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. after 28 years there. Now he’s put into place WPFW’s first new schedule since 1994, adding two hours a night of avant-garde jazz (11 p.m. to 1 a.m.), slipping in a short comedy bit every afternoon at 2:30 and shifting the station’s Latin and world music shows from weeknights to Saturday and Sunday nights.

But how much of an impact can a schedule of sounds not heard elsewhere on the FM band have in a media environment in which every possible manner of music is available somewhere online?

“People feel less a part of the programming than they once did,” Hill says. “There are just a lot more choices now. The bulk of our listeners are in the 35-55 [age] range, but we live in a hip-hop world now and we want to reach out to the next generation.”

A nightly hour of hip-hop will now lead into a two-hour set of cutting-edge jazz, and Hill is asking DJs on those shows — the station’s staff is almost entirely volunteers — to lead listeners from one form of music to the other by highlighting pieces that demonstrate the connections between hip-hop and jazz, or, on Sundays, between jazz and Latin music.

Hill wants to engage Washington area listeners in a way that connects the station to the local music and political scenes. Radio’s advantage over the Web is geographic — nowhere else can a local audience turn to find out where to hear live performances and then hear knowledgeable DJs guide listeners through that artist’s music. Similarly, Hill is pushing WPFW’s public affairs show toward a more local emphasis, both in the voices heard on the station and the issues given airtime.

By shifting some weekly programs to an every-other-week schedule, Hill is adding a slew of new DJs and talk hosts. He’s adding a local arts talk show, programs for and about ex-offenders, parents, poets and gays, and a weekly hour focusing on local news. He also intends to boost the number of live music performances and poetry readings on the station.

“Change is tough,” Hill says. “But most of our programming is not changing.” And some is reverting to sounds Washington jazz fans lost when the area’s only full-time jazz outlet, WDCU (90.1 FM), was sold off to C-SPAN in 1997. Four of that jazz station’s DJs migrated to WPFW, and now, another of Jazz 90’s most popular voices, Tim Masters, is returning, taking on a Friday morning air shift.

Hill isn’t certain that his efforts will guarantee that a new generation of jazz fans rises in Washington, but he does know this: Without a consistent presence of the music on the radio, the local jazz scene in clubs and concert halls will begin to wither away.

Yesterday, Thursday, April 17, all five FCC commissioners held public hearings on the future of the internet at Stanford University. Specifically, they were considering “net neutrality” and rules governing high-speed Internet networks.

RAW AUDIO
KPFA’s Eric Klein was at the hearing and has uploaded audio from the event to Audioport.org. If you are a producer at a Pacifica station or affiliate, feel free to use this in your newscasts or public affairs programs.

HIGHLIGHTS PROGRAM
Klein will be editing highlights from the FCC hearing into a one-hour broadcast, hosted by KPFA’s Kris Welch today at 12n Pacific / 3pm Eastern. This highlights program will be uploaded to Audioport by approximately 5pm EDT / 2pm PDT on Friday afternoon.

If you’re not at a Pacifica station, you can still hear the audio by visiting KPFA’s archvies. Go to the “Living Room” archive page and click on the link for April 18th.

ABOUT THE ISSUE
Net neutrality is the idea that internet providers should treat content equally –offering equal access and download speeds regardless of the size or source of the content.

In recent years, some internet providers have pushed to restrict customers’ internet traffic, creating “express lanes” reserved for the network owners’ content and services. Comcast and other telecommunications providers have come under fire in recent months for their efforts to limit or disrupt “peer-to-peer” file sharing.

Supporters of a government-enforceable neutrality rule say that such a regulation would ensure that internet providers cannot become gatekeepers over content.

The Free Press site SaveTheInternet.com has more information about net neutrality.

~Nathan

KPFA/ Pacifica to Highlight Groundbreaking Class Action Suit by US Veterans against the Department of Veterans Affairs

(Berkeley, CA – April 18, 2008) The first class action lawsuit brought by Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans against the Department of Veterans Affairs will open next week in San Francisco. US veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are alleging a systemic crisis in the way the government treats injured US soldiers, in the case of Veterans for Common Sense et al vs. Peake.

On Tuesday, April 22nd, KPFA/ Pacifica Radio will broadcast a three-hour live national special delving into the crisis in the VA health care system. The special broadcast will include live updates from the San Francisco Federal Courthouse, interviews with veterans’ attorney Gordon Erspamer, advocates from Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans for America, as well as interviews with veterans and their families, including Joyce and Kevin Lucey who are suing the VA claiming their son Jeffrey committed suicide after being turned away from the VA.

KPFA host and former Army medic Aimee Allison and award-winning journalist Aaron Glantz will anchor the broadcast and take calls from listeners. Listeners can also participate in a blog on KPFA’s interactive warcomeshome.org website, which highlights the human costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan occupations for those in the United States. The special airs on KPFA from 10am PDT (1pm EDT) to 1pm PDT (4pm EDT) on 94.1 FM in Northern California and online at kpfa.org and warcomeshome.org, as well as on Pacifica stations and affiliates around the country.

The broadcast comes on the heels of KPFA/ Pacifica’s broadcast of the Winter Soldier hearings last month in Silver Springs, Maryland, where scores of US veterans spoke out about war crimes perpetrated by the US government in Iraq and Afghanistan, including crimes they had witnessed or participated in.

###

Founded in 1949, KPFA is the United States’ first listener-sponsored radio station and the flagship station in the Pacifica Radio Network. Broadcasting on 94.1 FM in Berkeley, CA, and 88.1 FM on KFCF in Fresno, KPFA’s signal reaches one third of the state of California. KPFA’s website, kpfa.org, serves thousands of listeners all over the world. KPFA’s innovative news, arts, public affairs, and music programs have won numerous awards and have helped define radio in America.

Contact:
Sasha Lilley, KPFA Interim Program Director
510-848-6767 ext 209

The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (UCIMC) is seeking applicants for two full time positions in Outreach/Development and Media Training for July 2008-July 2009.

—-> Contact the UCIMC by April 24th with your interest: finance@ucimc.org.
—-> Deadline to finish the application process is May 1st.

The positions are through the AmeriCorps CTC*VISTA program, a domestic “PeaceCorps” focused on developing media and technology programs in U.S. non profits. Self-initiative, flexibility and organizational skills are a must. Stipend and benefits amount to about $1800 per month. Applications must be 18 or older. VISTA members are not allowed to have outside employment or be in school while in the program. One full year of service in the program required. Read more: http://ctcvista.org/apply/vista

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ABOUT UCIMC
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The UCIMC is a grassroots organization committed to using media production and distribution as tools for promoting social and economic justice. Emphasizing underrepresented voices and perspectives, we empower people to “become the media” by providing democratic access to available technologies and information. The UCIMC owns and operates a Community Media and Arts Center housed in the historic downtown post office building in Urbana, Illinois.

The UCIMC includes a radio station, media production studios, a performance venue, gallery, art studios, a library, public access computer labs, bike repair center, and meeting spaces. The UCIMC runs a 24/7 low power radio station, publishes a monthly newspaper, operates a daily website, and hosts numerous community listservs. Read more: www.ucimc.org.

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OUTREACH OPENING
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The VISTA Outreach & Development Advisor will create systems to build memberships and partnerships and to support financial planning for the the UCIMC. A particular focus will be strengthening the network of relationships and mutual support between the UCIMC and grassroots organizations working on educational, health care, housing, and criminal justice reform.

Successful applicants have:
- The ability to communicate with diverse groups of people.
- Strong writing, speaking, and organizing skills.
- Experience with web-based campaigns, spreadsheets, email lists, and other netroots outreach techniques (preferred)
- Experience working with non-profit and volunteer-based organizations and programs (preferred)

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MEDIA TRAINING OPENING
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The VISTA Media Training Advisor will be to help build the capacity of the UCIMC to train underserved populations in media production and digital communications. This project will include evaluating and enhancing the media production infrastructure of the UCIMC, developing “train the trainer” programs, and creating training materials.

Successful applicants have:
- Patience, strong communication skills, and an interest in teaching others.
- Basic audio/video production abilities, especially with handheld recording devices.
- Experience with working at radio stations and/or producing radio programs preferred.
- Experience with open-source production software such as Audacity, Ubuntu Studio, JACK, GIMP, and Kino preferred but not necessary.
- Graphic design skills preferred.

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HOW TO APPLY
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Please send a statement of interest to finance@ucimc.org. We will then contact you for a phone interview. If you are selected by the UCIMC, you will then need to complete an application through CTC VISTA.

Inquiries are due to the UCIMC by Thursday, April 24th.
You must complete the application process by May 1st.
Work begins July 1, 2008.

April 7th, 2008. Oaxaca, Mexico.

Two indigenous triqui women who worked at the community radio station La Voz que Rompe el Silencio (The Voice that Breaks the Silence), in the autonomous municipality of San Juan Copala (Mixteca region), were shot and murdered while on their way to Oaxaca city to participate in the State Forum for the Defense of the Rights of the Peoples of Oaxaca. Three other people were injured.

According to the State Attorney General, the victims are Teresa Bautista Merino (24 years old) and Felícitas Martínez Sánchez (20 years old).

Francisco Vásquez Martínez (30 years old), his wife Cristina Martínez Flores (22 years old), and their son Jaciel Vásquez Martínez (three years old) were also injured in the attack.

According to prelimary reports, the women had left the station, which is part of the Network of Indigenous Community Radio Stations of the Southeast (Red de Radios Comunitarias Indígenas del Sureste), around 1:00 PM. They were travelling in a truck on their way to Oaxaca city, but were ambushed on the outskirts of the community Llano Juarez.

The two community radio activists were supposed to coordinate the working group for Community and Alternative Communication: Community Radio, Video, Press, and Internet, at the State Forum for the Defense of the Rights of the People of Oaxaca, which was to begin the today (Wednesday) in the auditorium of Seccion 22 of the teachers union in Oaxaca.

The Center for Community Support Working Together (CACTUS as the spanish acronym) released a communique denouncing the murders and demanding that the state authorities investigate and punish those responsible for the crime.

The state attorney general said that 20 bullet shells, caliber 7.62, were found at the site of the murders, along with other arms including an AK-47.

People are encouraged to contact their local embassies and consulates (or to organize demonstrations at their local embassies and consulates) to express their condemnation of this paramilitary repression of indigenous women and community media projects.