Joe Wanzala Candidate Statement

There are those who may understandably feel that the democratic governance model is too unwieldy. I remain steadfastly committed to it, even while recognizing its flaws. There are several reasons why; among them, (1) in order to thrive and be relevant to the community it serves, KPFA needs to actively maintain a meaningful connection to its listeners, (2) the nature of journalism has undergone revolutionary transformation in the last decade and the emergence of the blogosphere has blurred the lines between journalists and consumers of information.

If am elected to serve on the KPFA LSB for another term, I shall focus on the following priorities: -Evaluating KPFA’s budget: KPFA needs to develop an operating budget that is more sustainable and better insulated from fluctuations in listener support. This would entail tapping more directly into community resources. KPFA already has a dedicated crew of volunteer staff who can be utilized more optimally. KPFA needs more long-range financial and strategic planning.

Better lines of Communication: I am currently on the General Manager Hiring Committee. The effectiveness of a manager is dependent on how well the LSB, the station management, the staff (both paid and volunteer), the community at large and entities such as the program council, (on which I have also served as an LSB representative) can work together. We need more clarity about the roles that these various entities play.

We need a better process for evaluating KPFA's programming: For example we should utilize mechanisms such as the currently inactive Community Advisory Board which can conduct community needs assessments and issue written recommendations to the station; a series of town hall meetings geared towards harvesting ideas from the community; well-designed membership surveys and so on. The station also needs to revive the Folio, both online and in print.

The idea of a radio station as a vehicle for the nonconformist currents flowing through its community is a unique and increasingly vulnerable one in a media environment increasingly dominated by market forces, and a wider political climate that is less tolerant of dissent. So we need KPFA now more than ever. KPFA is currently not realizing its full potential, but I believe it has the capacity to do so, especially if members of the community stay involved.

Endorsers: Carol Spooner; Carol Brouillet; Michael Parenti; Sepideh Khosrowjah; Tracy Rosenberg