Seattle Weekly's KEXP Article Feedback

[InEar]

http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0550/051214_news_letters.php

(first four letters)

 

[robojock]

http:/> /www.seattleweekly.com/features/0550/051214_news_letters.php
>
>
> (first four letters)
>
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! People are finally starting to see what KEXP is REALLY all about.

 

[ImNewHere]

> THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! People are finally starting
> to see what KEXP is REALLY all about.
>
Of course KEXP is about money. Name one radio station that isn't. It did surprise me a bit how MUCH money, though. The little community station where I volunteer runs on a fraction, a small fraction, of KEXP's budget. We only have 2 paid people (not very well paid, I might add), and more than 100 volunteers.

I think the point most people are trying to make about KEXP and other community based stations, is that they try to be responsive and accountable to the listener, NOT the shareholders, the advertisers, or a corporate office back east. Although it seems that might not always be the case with KEXP.

I prefer to listen to non-coms, mostly because they have more variety than commercial, corporate stations. If there were no other choices, I'd pick KEXP over any commercial station in Seattle, but thankfully there are others I can hear that I like better.<P ID="signature">______________
They say "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." But what if those words are written on sticks and stones?</P>

 

[TheOriginalLarry]

> > THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! People are finally
> starting
> > to see what KEXP is REALLY all about.
> >
> Of course KEXP is about money. Name one radio station that
> isn't. It did surprise me a bit how MUCH money, though.
> The little community station where I volunteer runs on a
> fraction, a small fraction, of KEXP's budget. We only have
> 2 paid people (not very well paid, I might add), and more
> than 100 volunteers.
>
> I think the point most people are trying to make about KEXP
> and other community based stations, is that they try to be
> responsive and accountable to the listener, NOT the
> shareholders, the advertisers, or a corporate office back
> east. Although it seems that might not always be the case
> with KEXP.
>
> I prefer to listen to non-coms, mostly because they have
> more variety than commercial, corporate stations. If there
> were no other choices, I'd pick KEXP over any commercial
> station in Seattle, but thankfully there are others I can
> hear that I like better.

Personally, the idea of giving one or two people BIG salaries while the rest are volunteers or siginificantly lower paid does bother me.

But some people (ahem, Robojock), look at a story like this and narrowly assume KEXP isn't working. Which is utterly wrong. KEXP is an institution in the alternative world (far more than KNDD will ever be.) But I believe there's always room for improvement. As Paul Allen's funding is winding down, the large salaries to the top need to go and that can only improve KEXP in the long run......
>
<P ID="signature">______________
"If I were in this business only for the business, I wouldn't be in this business." Samuel Goldwyn

[email protected]


</P>

 

[AQH]

I don't think Robojock has ever said KEXP doesn't work.

Actually, to the contrary. Seeing how they spend their money, very akin to commercial radio stations, it's all going according to their plans.

Remember, it's all about the money.


> But some people (ahem, Robojock), look at a story like this
> and narrowly assume KEXP isn't working. Which is utterly
> wrong. KEXP is an institution in the alternative world (far
> more than KNDD will ever be.) But I believe there's always
> room for improvement. As Paul Allen's funding is winding
> down, the large salaries to the top need to go and that can
> only improve KEXP in the long run......
> >
>

 

[Dougee]

> I don't think Robojock has ever said KEXP doesn't work.
>
> Actually, to the contrary. Seeing how they spend their
> money, very akin to commercial radio stations, it's all
> going according to their plans.
>
> Remember, it's all about the money.

This was a really hard story for me to read. I love kexp and will continue to listen for the great music, but I don't know that I'll be giving them much more of my income. I was bowled over by the salary figures in there. I heard that since they're a non-profit that the financial stuff has to be public record. Where can we look to find out if that's true? No one at a non-commercial, NOT FOR PROFIT should be making $120K a year. It's a sad day for people who love that station.

 

[ImNewHere]

No one at a non-commercial, NOT FOR PROFIT should be
> making $120K a year. It's a sad day for people who love that
> station.

If a non-profit can afford it, and the person is worth it, that is, can justify the money, or has special skills worth paying for, then I think it's OK. But this is a little over the top.

The financial info should be available for public inspection in their offices.
<P ID="signature">______________
They say "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." But what if those words are written on sticks and stones?</P>

 

[eastsidah]

> No one at a non-commercial, NOT FOR PROFIT should be
> > making $120K a year. It's a sad day for people who love
> that
> > station.
>
> If a non-profit can afford it, and the person is worth it,
> that is, can justify the money, or has special skills worth
> paying for, then I think it's OK. But this is a little over
> the top.
>
> The financial info should be available for public inspection
> in their offices.
>
I don't agree that no one at a non-profit should be making that kind of money. If they were doing something good like helping kids with cancer, or aids or something like that then sure, their directors would be worth a little. But if any other morning jock intown was pulling down those kinds of ratings he'd be making 7.50 an hour at wendy's and not making 120,000 a year to keep sucking.