Richard Pirodsky

KPFA listeners stick around for Uprising at 8AM

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uprisingThe new 8AM lineup featuring award-winning Pacifica programmer Sonali Kolhatkar‘s Uprising Radio is doing well. Uprising follows Upfront with Brian Edwards-Tiekert at 7AM. Since the program began in late May,audience retention from the hours of 7 to 8 has improved.

KPFA’s interim general manager Richard Pirodsky said he put Kolhatkar’s show in the 8AM slot for just that reason — to solidly keep KPFA’s audience listening during peak drive time of 7 to 9AM, and it appears to be working. The previous morning hosts have been given airtime in the afternoon.

Pirodsky delivered a report to last Saturday’s LSB meeting describing his reasoning, and asking critics to take a step back and consider the needs of KPFA’s entire listening community. | LISTEN to iGM’s report, READ iGM’s report, LISTEN to LSB meeting: part a, part b, part c

New programming a hit, permanent KPFA manager expected to be appointed soon

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With this spring’s new majority on the Pacifica National Board and Reese’s ouster last month, the network is moving forward once again.

uprisingAfter special broadcasts of Sonali Kolhatkar‘s Uprising Radio pushed KPFA’s spring fund drive far above its goal, the station’s interim general manager Richard Pirodsky added the program to KPFA’s morning lineup at 8am, following the very popular UpFront with Brian Edwards-Tiekert at 7am. Along with Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now! at 9am, and Mitch Jeserich’s Letters & Politics at 10am, the drive time programming has been overwhelmingly popular with listeners, and is important in giving the station a sound financial footing, at a time when it one of the few of the five Pacifica-owned stations not in the red. The Morning Mix hosts are now broadcasting in the afternoon.

If you haven’t yet, please drop KPFA’s manager, Richard Pirodsky, a thank you note at richard@kpfa.org, and cc us at votesavekpfa@gmail.com.

Word is that the new interim executive director appointed by the national board, Bernard Duncan, is on the verge of announcing a new permanent KPFA general manager for KPFA from among three finalists.

Staff and community members who were introduced to these finalists during a “meet and greet” session in May have described each of them as “excellent,” “outstanding” and “promising.” This exciting development is long overdue. The Local Station Board chose the finalists and submitted their names back in November 2013 to Pacifica’s then-interim executive director, who failed to fulfill her obligation hire one.

“After an era period of transient managers and interference by Pacifica administrators with their own agendas,” said Local Station Board secretary Craig Alderson, “we’re now looking forward to a permanent general manager, vetted by local representatives, who will actually be able to address the KPFA’s critical issues instead of just treading water. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

Message from KPFA’s interim GM

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KPFAclock[This message was sent to listeners on 5/24 from KPFA’s interim general manager Richard Pirodsky]

Dear KPFA Family,

KPFA’s Spring Fund Drive just ended. But if you missed it, there is still time to show your support.

Please, take 60 seconds to pledge online at www.kpfa.org

You rose up and did all you could to make this drive a success.  And so KPFA is rising to the challenge to offer you “Uprising,” a show new to the Bay Area hosted by “Up Front” co-host Sonali Kolhatkar.

During its trial run this week, it generated the most consistent support of any program during the drive.  You spoke and we listened.  By offering “Uprising” every weekday at 8am and presenting the Morning Mix hosts later in the day, we’ll be doing our part.

Please continue to do your part right now at www.kpfa.org.

We have dozens of amazing thank-you gifts on offer at kpfa.org – including the KPFA Spring Speech Pack, featuring fascinating talks, including some from the KPFA Events Series. The collection includes gifted individuals such as Jane Goodall,  Matt Taibbi, Nomi Prins, Ali Abunimah, Thomas Piketty, and Peter Dale Scott.

The Events Series is just one of the many services, from the KPFA Crafts Fair to the Apprentice Program to the website archive of every KPFA program, which only KPFA makes available to you.

Join the thousands of listeners who’ve already pledged to support the programs and services that KPFA and KPFA alone has to offer. The drive may have ended, but all the good work must continue –give now at www.kpfa.org.

Sincerely,

Richard Pirodsky
iGM KPFA
Pacifica Foundation Radio 94.1FM