Name:

Allan Beek

Expertise:

Endorsements:

Statement:

KPFK should ask for the opinions and advice of its listeners. That is the key to better programming, which is the way to more listeners and more income (both from listeners and from foundations), which is one way to help pay off our huge debt and continue to exist.

I support the Pacifica mission, I have been working as a volunteer, and I ask your help to achieve four things:

First is to draw on the wisdom of our listeners by forming an e-family of program hosts and listeners to discuss KPFK and its programs by e-mail, to contribute new outlooks and ideas, refine KPFK’s goal of giving unbiased news that the commercial media omit, and KPFK’s relationship with its listeners. Like a blog, but always polite.

Second is to broaden our reach to our signal area by contacting the schools. Activities Directors or Athletic Directors may have events like concerts, plays, sports events, or recitals that are of interest beyond their own neighborhood. Our Mission directs us to seek and encourage budding talent. We will find it in the schools.

Third is to try a new kind of program: “Civilized Debate,” to increase our presence in the thinking community. Opponents on a controversial topic would each write out their intended argument, and then they would exchange papers and rewrite, several times, until each is satisfied, after having had time for research into the facts. Then they record and broadcast the debate. Recordings could be used as premiums.

Fourth, minor “fixes.” Many are needed. Some examples: The web page should be helpful and easy to navigate. KPFK should do its own bookkeeping, not depend on the National Office. Committee membership and contact for members should be shown on the web, and proceedings should be posted on the web promptly after meetings. The Finance Committee should consider ways to increase income.

Questionnaire

1)   Why do you want to be on the Local Station Board?

To further the Pacifica Mission. To use new ways to make money, so we survive.

2)   How do you envision the Local Station Board working with the Pacifica Foundation, KPFK and the community?

Foundation:	We are the strongest station; we raise the most to pay the debt.
KPFK:	In cooperation with the General Manager, we ARE station KPFK.
Community:	Outreach through schools. See “second” in my Statement.

3)   How could the station better serve its listeners?

By listening to them, talking to them, taking their advice. See “first” in my Statement.

4)   Describe some actions you would take to increase the influence of the station in underrepresented communities and to increase the diversity of the listening audience?

Schools are as diverse as the whole population. See ”second” in my Statement..

5)   What sources of funding, other than listener donations, do you feel KPFK should solicit?

Foundations, Federal Public Radio subsidies, sympathetic wealthy philanthropists.

6)   Please state briefly the skills, experience, educational background, work history, organizational affiliations, areas of community service, areas of interest and expertise that you would bring to the Pacifica network as a member of the Local Station Board.

My skill is to listen carefully to a speaker, boil his statements down to their essence, and record it. That is why my local environmental group has elected me Secretary every year for 25 years.

Experience:	Served four years on the Newport Beach Planning Commission.
Education:	Caltech B.S. in Physics. Work history: 40 years designing computers.
Organization:	Incorporated Health Care for All. (Calif. Single-payer organization.)
Community service:	Served on the Board of three homeowners associations. Wrote an initiative to let citizens control growth, which passed 2 to 1 over fierce opposition
Area of interest:	Voting methods.  I understand Single Transferable Vote (and Instant Runoff Voting), Cumulative Voting, Acceptance Voting (single and multiple), standard majority-rule voting, and that anomaly, electoral college voting. I showed how to apply Acceptance Voting to electing a group of many representatives.

7)      Do you anticipate missing any Local Station Board meetings due to family or job related problems or inadequate transportation?

No

8)   On which Local Station Board committees are you interested in actively serving? If you are a current Local Station Board member, on which committees do you currently serve?

If you are a current Local Station Board member, on which committees do you currently serve?
Finance, Outreach. I am not currently a member of the LSB, but I serve as a listener member of the Finance Committee, where I write and circulate the proceedings.