Name:

Paul Roberson

Expertise:

Endorsements:

Statement:

Member of the "Committee to Strengthen KPFK"

Hello, my name is Paul Roberson and I am running for the local station board of KPFK. I would like to solicit your support and your vote.  I am a recent law school graduate, a listener, and a member of the community, who wants to play a positive role and make the world a better place. I have a strong passion for community engagement, community service and direct advocacy for communities of color and demographics that have been marginalized, discriminated against and whose voices have been silenced or ignored. I would bring to this board a youthful idealism, stamina and a new fresh perspective.  As a recent graduate, a resident and an activist, I have been involved in campaigns to address police brutality, LGBTQ rights, the increase in the minimum wage and prison and education reform. I want to serve on this board, because I truly believe in the mission of KPFK and the ideals of freedom of speech. I also want to work for the development and growth of the station so that it can be a resource for another generation and provide insights into other cultures, people, opinions and perspectives that are often ignored by the main stream media.

• LA City Attorney’s Office Victim Assistance Program (Advocate)

• Goodwill So Cal (Job Coach)

• Long Beach Community Action Partnership (Program Coordinator)

• Morehouse College (2003)

• University of New Hampshire School of Law (2011)

• Boy Scouts of America (Eagle Scout 2003)

• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated (2008)

• Phi Alpha Delta (2011)

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my statement. I hope that I can count on your vote!

Questionnaire

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

I want to be a member of the Local Station Board because I want to play a role in my community and make sure that we have not only a voice, but equitable access to progressive and informational programming. As a daily listener, I value the educational programming that I receive and hope to join the board so that I can do work to assist with the growth, expansion and mission of this great station.

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

I envision the local station board working well with Pacifica Foundation, KPFK and the community because we all ultimately have the same goal. Though there are different routes to get there, all parties are symbiotic in nature. Additionally, I will very aggressively reach out to under- represented communities and make sure that they have both a presence and a voice at the table.

3)   How could the station better serve its listeners?

The station can better serve its listeners by engaging a younger audience, and by soliciting and appealing to communities of color.  This assignation can be completed by formatting specific radio content on topics and themes that relate to our experience. Additionally, advertisement dollars and or funds can be spent in the inner city to directly promote the station to potential listeners. These funds can be targeted in publications, community events, schools, and social media.

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?

I would directly solicit these communities for their input for insight into the type of content that they want to be represented on air. I would also utilize people from the local schools as volunteers, staff and on- air talent to support and provide different perspectives on air. I would also do special town halls to directly incorporate and include local communities in discussions about programming, content, and introduce them to the network. Lastly, I would have special live tapings or airings at satellite locations in diverse areas of the community.

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

First, the radio station needs to embrace, maintain and preserve existing relationships with current donors. We can utilize social media, and mobile connections to track specific donors and to continue these financial gifts. There are also both private and public foundations that can be of financial assistance. (Family/Community).  Listeners are the life blood of a station and relationships and bonds are indirectly made over the years. Bequests are typically large financial contributions and are made as a result of years of positive engagement and left in a will can also be a source of funding.

KPFK should solicit and engage any group or party that would be able to assist financially, if it does not interfere with our mission, compromise our values, or make us too reliant on their funding or in any way cause us to alter our format, or censure viewpoints.

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.

I have a strong passion for community engagement, community service and direct advocacy for communities of color and demographics that have been marginalized, discriminated against and whose voices have been silenced or ignored. I would bring to this board a youthful idealism, stamina and a new fresh perspective.

• LA City Attorney’s Office Victim Assistance Program (Advocate)

• Goodwill So Cal (Job Coach)

• Long Beach Community Action Partnership (Program Coordinator)

• Morehouse College (2003)

• University of New Hampshire School of Law (2011)

• Boy Scouts of America (Eagle Scout 2003)

• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated (2008)

• Phi Alpha Delta (2011)