Future of KPFA & WBAI -- Do We Care?

[DavidKaye]

Pacifica might sell KPFA Berkeley and WBAI in NYC. Does anybody care? KPFA was the first community-owned, free-speech broadcaster in the nation, begun in 1949 by anti-war pacifists led by Lewis Hill. Since then, Pacifica Foundation has grown uo to operate 5 stations (also LA, DC, and Houston), as well as developing a program network of a couple hundred stations. Pacifica wants to sell KPFA and WBAI because those are both on commercial channels and could bring in a BOATLOAD of money to Pacifica, which could be used as an endowment for the future.

The idea, presumably would be to buy smaller replacement stations in the NCE (that is the non-cmmercial 88-92 MHz band. Nice idea, but it won't work. For one, there are no decent-sized signals in the Bay Area except KQED Radio. All are 2000 watts or less. There is no place to build a new station. Also, this trick was tried at KRAB in Seattle a couple decades ago with disastrous results -- and the former KRAB ended up morphing into an under-used recording studio and a weak station few can hear. I can see KPFA going that route.

BUT on the other hand, has KPFA served its usefulness? Do any of us listen to KPFA anymore? Sure, maybe we'll hit the country music on "America's Back 40", or take in a session of "Democracy Now", but Arbitron shows that for its whopping 59,000 watts, KPFA has DISMAL ratings. Few people listen. It's not unusual for KPFA to get a 0.1 share (meaning that 1/10th of a percent of the audience listening to a radio at the moment are listening to KPFA. STILL, that's 30,000 people. Are 30,000 people worth serving?

 

[radioguy39nj]

KPKA and WBAI are prime pieces of commercial FM real estate. Between 1990 and 2000, they could've fetched in the 100s of millions. Don't think they'll get that now.

In NY, WBAI could possibly move to Family's 94.7 which is based in NJ and cannot be built out to full class B. 91.5 which is currently operated by the NYC Board of Ed has been speculated but there is no interest in selling at present. Other than those two dial slots, I don't know where WBAI could go if it stays on the air.

WBAI's present 99.5 is a class B ESB FM that gets clipped to the southwest by WJBR Wilmington DE (about 30 miles south of Philly) which shares the same frequency.

 

[jprg]

KPFA's management is the problem and the ideals for the late Lew Hill are out of the window. as a former Bay Area resident, I enjoyed the station in the "eighties" and even volunteered there as a board op and announcer which was fun. I live in San Diego and KPFK in LA has a repeater station at 93.7. For what it's worth, it's better than hearing the same commercial stuff over and over again.

 

[1069_KIFR]

I personally do not give a rip.

 

[recto101]

Pacifica might sell KPFA Berkeley and WBAI in NYC. Does anybody care? KPFA was the first community-owned, free-speech broadcaster in the nation, begun in 1949 by anti-war pacifists led by Lewis Hill. Since then, Pacifica Foundation has grown uo to operate 5 stations (also LA, DC, and Houston), as well as developing a program network of a couple hundred stations. Pacifica wants to sell KPFA and WBAI because those are both on commercial channels and could bring in a BOATLOAD of money to Pacifica, which could be used as an endowment for the future.

The idea, presumably would be to buy smaller replacement stations in the NCE (that is the non-cmmercial 88-92 MHz band. Nice idea, but it won't work. For one, there are no decent-sized signals in the Bay Area except KQED Radio. All are 2000 watts or less. There is no place to build a new station. Also, this trick was tried at KRAB in Seattle a couple decades ago with disastrous results -- and the former KRAB ended up morphing into an under-used recording studio and a weak station few can hear. I can see KPFA going that route.

BUT on the other hand, has KPFA served its usefulness? Do any of us listen to KPFA anymore? Sure, maybe we'll hit the country music on "America's Back 40", or take in a session of "Democracy Now", but Arbitron shows that for its whopping 59,000 watts, KPFA has DISMAL ratings. Few people listen. It's not unusual for KPFA to get a 0.1 share (meaning that 1/10th of a percent of the audience listening to a radio at the moment are listening to KPFA. STILL, that's 30,000 people. Are 30,000 people worth serving?

How Come I hear about Pacifica stations on strike more often compared to NPR Stations? How about Pacifica selling 94.1 FM and do what KDFC did and get 2 LPFM and simulcast KPFB if thats even possible or go web-only like KUSF did. I say if KPFA goes away we will see the same results that the save KUSF did when they went to court ablock the sale and long protests to happen Doesn't Berkeley also have KALX to serve the KPFA or KUSF crowd but then thats web only for the rest of the Bay Area.



Here's a better idea for 94.1 Fm Cumulus should take over 94.1 and sell 1050 AM for KNBR-FM. I also heard of people mentioning KGO-FM for 94.1FM to boost ratings against KCBS 106.9

 

[DavidKaye]

How Come I hear about Pacifica stations on strike more often compared to NPR Stations?

Because the Pacifica stations are democracies and the NPR stations aren't. Several years ago, KQED changed from a democratically elected board of directors to a self-perpetuating board. Most other non-comms are that way.

How about Pacifica selling 94.1 FM and do what KDFC did and get 2 LPFM and simulcast KPFB if thats even possible or go web-only like KUSF did.

Note that the new KDFC isn't even a Bay Area station; it's licensed to Angwin, in the hills above Napa. It just happens that the rimshot signal gets into the Bay Area. The Clear Lake translator came with Angwin, and the South Bay translator was bought from another station. The only major station the new KDFC acquired was 104.9, and that was probably more a fluke of the marketplace than anything.