‘Do You Feel Played?’ Asks Letter to the Editor About KHSU’s Cancellation of Most Local Programming Yesterday
Welcome to our letters to the editor/opinion section. To submit yours for consideration, please send to [email protected]. Please consider including an image to be used–either a photograph of you or something applicable to the letter. However, an image is not necessary for publication.
Remember opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of Redheaded Blackbelt nor have we checked the letters for accuracy.
Yesterday, community and staff gathered outside of the KHSU studio after learning of Humboldt State University’s decision to lay off seven staff members and cancel most local programming. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]
So, I haven’t yet communicated with all of the People Formerly Known as the KHSU CAB. Yes, I’ve been in touch with my friends. I’ve noticed that some of us have responded to emails or Facebook postings. But about half have been silent.
That makes me wonder. Did some of you know something the rest of us did not? I’ve spent the day in turmoil, I’m going to take half my day as vacation time because I got nothing done at work. Granted some of you may not have as flexible of an employer as I do. But I feel there have been two factions in our group for some time. I don’t know if some of you are secretly happy about all this, and have confidence you’ll be involved in the new KHSU. I don’t know if some of you still think Peter, Craig, and Lisa are honorable folk, deserving of respect. I don’t know if some of you unwittingly contributed to this outcome, and further if you’re happy or you’re bummed.
I only know that the station I have listened to since September 19, 1975, has now silenced our local voices, and life here on the North Coast will NEVER be the same.
Yes, I sound melodramatic. It’s affected me that deeply that I’m prepared to pull out all the stops. Juliet and Ophelia, hold my beer.
So what do you think, those of you that previously appeared to think we should be more accepting of the changes? Do you think it would have changed anything? I’m really curious. The People Formerly Known as the KHSU CAB, could our playing nice with the Visioning Statement have saved our little slice of heaven? Or do you see that we were played? Lied to (and gods know I hate ending a sentence with a preposition)? A plan was in place, maybe not fully formed, but taking shape.
Lisa Rossbacher lied to us. The review report was a sham. She and Craig Wruck get to retire with lovely pensions, courtesy of the taxpayers of California. But a group of my friends are now trying to figure out how to pay next month’s rent.
I’m still processing. Obviously not as affected as those employees who were ESCORTED BY UPD to clean out their offices.
And I haven’t even touched on the stalwart employees of “Advancement” who have had to answer the calls of all the betrayed supporters who are asking for their pledges back. Or the unsuspecting folks at NSPR in Chico who had no idea the the request to help out a “colleague” was really a disingenuous ploy.
I’ve been living with this anxiety since Monday night, when Lisa breathlessly communicated her “just now” receipt of the review. But by Wednesday night, they had it all figured out – although to the People Formerly Known as the KHSU CAB, she said they were still trying to formulate a plan. No details. Asking us to take a “hiatus” as if we would ever be invited back.
Do you feel played? I really want to know.
Your friend/maybe former friend,
Barbara Boerger
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
🕯There are alot of people really upset over this. Did anyone find out why it happened?
It’s no simple one word answer…except maybe “hubris” on the part of Lisa Rossbacher, and her henchmen, Craig Wruck and Peter Fretwell, an unholy triumvirate if ever there was one.
We’ll be having a gathering/wake at the Sanctuary on April 28th. Stay tuned for details.
I was awake most of the night lamenting the fact that we’d never hear Cynthia Grabner play “La Folia” again on her wonderful show or how about Bonny Burgess’ “Go for Baroque” or Gus Mozart ( I know it’s a little late for some of you) or, dammit, no more “Saving Grace” and many others. I’m sick to my stomach just thinking about this. I’m gonna go puke.
Good luck to the suddenly unemployed, dedicated workers and the dedicated volunteers whose shows we’ve listened to and enjoyed all these years. I feel I’m too old for this kind of change.
I would like the very large donation we made to upgrade the transmitter down here in SoHum returned. Fortunately I hadn’t donated to the fund drive this spring yet. I’ve been dismayed for quite a few years at how useless the NPR news has become, and wanted it replaced, but never imagined they’d stop all local programming. I’m now searching for a new public radio station to stream and support.
Kmud
If you pledged $$ last week you can call University Advancement at (707) 826-5101 to refund your money.
Lisa and her underlings have shown time and time again they have absolutely no contact or understanding of the local community. I will say, that I will bet a large proportion of those at KHUM and their listeners, did not pay much attention to the axing of the football program and all that it entails with the strong community support, but now they are paying attention, albeit too late.
I will go further and say that more than likely a large proportion of those same folks did not mind at all to see the football program go away, nor pay mind to how it would impact the community. Dare I say they might have even supported Lisa and her decision.
Not so much now!
Google KHSU and football.
Here’s a few stories they carried:
https://www.khsu.org/post/hsu-athletics-faces-near-1-million-dollar-deficit
https://www.khsu.org/post/hsu-football-will-continue#stream/0
https://www.khsu.org/post/humboldt-state-cuts-football-program#stream/0
Barbara, Do you know of any organized efforts to try to convince HSU to reverse this action? It seems that with a change in administration coming now would be the time to start organizing. I personally would be willing to help with such an effort.
It is possible that a new president could reverse this action. But let’s not count on it. The deed is done.
If people want to grieve (the loss of the KHSU we created and that served the community well), to be supported and think of ‘what now?!!?’, then COME TO THE PROTEST GATHERING TOMORROW/ SATURDAY APRIL 13, 10AM TO 1PM ON THE PLAZA IN ARCATA, during the Farmers’ Market!!
What jumped out at me in the letter was the reference to “most” local programming being cancelled when I was under the impression that it was all local programming. Which local programs have been cancelled and which have survived?
While we’re on it, which syndicated programs have been cancelled and which (other than NPR) have survived?
“Most” is in the part I wrote not in the letter to the editor. I added most because of a quote on the Lost Coast Outpost in which Frank Whitlatch, associate vice president of HSU’s Marketing & Communications Department said, ““There are some shows run by students, [such as] Radio Bilingue, and the goal is to continue with those.” While Radio Bilingue is not locally produced, I wasn’t sure about the others.
Everything is canceled as of now. KHSU is streaming the CSU Chico station.
To be brutally honest, I’m less concerned with a few people’s jobs than with the news and info and volunteer programs that make this a rich station and community asset. I wish I understood more of what’s going on.
There has been a serous breech of public trust and a deceptive and fraudulent fund drive perpetrated by state employees using public radio for which the State of California (CSU Regents) hold the license. This might be legal but it’s inexcusable.
Funny thing is, no state employees participated in the fund drive. The employees you heard were employed by SPF of University Advancement. Tricky business.
Funny thing is YOU spent years vilifying volunteers who were true independent voices in our community. YOU got people fired or removed over petty interoffice politics. YOU are part of everything wrong with the station, touting itself for years as being “community” when that was a blatant lie. [edit]
This is pushing hard at my no insulting other commenters rule. Especially since you are completely anonymous and they aren’t. I’ll allow this mornings but no more.
I appreciate that, Kim. I have already had my name dragged thru the mud by a couple of posters on this thread. Years ago now but the pain still stings. My main point is that KHSU was never a “community” radio station yet was touted as such to the community by these paid staffers at KSHU. And all the while the volunteers were told as much as well yet the station offered no protection to these volunteers when confronting trouble that could have been remediated by a functioning complaint system for redress of grievances. This is exactly what Gus Mozart was referencing during that CAB meeting. Peace.
This could be a useful second step (after shutting down football) to closing HSU entirely. Plenty of homeless housing then. HSU would finally realize it’s potential to do something useful.
This is a rather unthinking personal letter that reading did nothing to enlighten as to what the real problems are. So he objects to the HSU President getting a pension, thinks that some of his co-workers betrayed him and he’s anxious about being unemployed. Anyone would be. It would be nice to get some details about why his plan was rejected by the president or what the future of the radio is station. Was it because they had expectations that the plan would at least head towards some greater self sufficiency and it didn’t? Was it strictly a personal conflict?
It’s a she, not a he.
She was not an employee of HSU, she is, or was, a member of the Community Advisory Board.
She contends that the administration dealt with the Community Advisory Board in bad faith, and that some saw through it and others didn’t.
My questions are:
1) why are the volunteers being fired if they are not part of the financial problem?
2) What is the new programming schedule going to include? And hopefully the patch to Chico is temporary?
I have a feeling although I’m not sure that this is more about school politics which I could care less about, rather than real radio issues. I definitely don’t like the idea of out of towners taking over our radio station… I hope we can all give these people a piece of our mind. And if necessary start a new public radio station using these old timer volunteers’ knowledge.
The administration contends that there were administrative costs in managing volunteers. That doesn’t completely ring true to me either, but there are certain issues managing volunteer-based programming that other stations have choked on as well. The internal politics can get extreme and, frankly, quality control, professionalism, and accountability issues are the norm. The administration might have seen such issues at KHSU and, rather than taking the steps to deal with them constructively, tore the whole thing down. Or maybe they simply decided that a college-based NPR clone station fitted their objectives better.
I think there might be a better model for volunteer-based programming that separates volunteers from station politics. A governing body could circulate RFPs to programmers who would submit recorded samples. The accepted programs would be aired on a regular basis and periodically evaluated. Depending on the feedback received – listener and underwriter support among other things, they could be monetized for the programmers or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, dropped and RFPs for replacement circulated. There could also be a Patreon based funding model where a programmer gains sponsors and, it they gain sufficient sponsorship, donate a portion to the station(s) airing their programs. Community support for programs always comes down to $$$.
This ‘shutdown’ of the radio station is part of the corporate’s ‘concentration of money’ process that homogenizes society so it can all be controlled easier. This is occurring in almost every sector of society (mainstream media, education, healthcare, internet, politics, fracking, etc) that will benefit the corporate few while harming people and planet. As long as we remain loyal consumers and not object too loudly, the ‘descent with conviction’ will continue. The ‘haves’ act in a predatory manner towards the ‘have nots’ just because they can. Justice, kindness, compassion has very little place in this process. When will we as a society stop giving our consent to the corrupted and damaging process? The caustic way that the University handled this is typical of how corporate America works. Sorry that a community asset is lost in the process. Lets support KMUD and make sure it doesn’t happen there.
Bingo! Finally someone who sees the bigger picture and the Koch-fueled and funded attack on public radio.
For goodness sake. These people — Rossbacher, Wrunk, and Fretwell — should be ashamed of themselves. The gallery in Eureka was the first to go. Then the football program. And now KHSU. And all 3 of these unprincipled people are leaving. How could they have arrived at this conclusion? Too much money to shell out? Really. Fretwell is no longer at the station but still getting his salary. And the day of the hatchet job, administrators in the CSU system got raises. Ach. If you ask me the 5 reasons I love living in Arcata/Humboldt, shortly after the trees and ocean comes KHSU.
No Pam, you and the rest of the paid crew there were the really problem. For years you preached that KSHU was a “community” radio station when it was not. You collected a paycheck while some volunteers were removed from the station because their voices were too radical or their violated rights not worth defending within the corporate structure. You helped foster a blatant lie about KHSU being “community” radio when it was not for years. Shame on you.
It is time to bite the umbilical cord.The CAB should become the new board of directors.I’m sure there are lawyers in the audience willing to help.As a contractor I’m willing to literally help build this new station I know Im not alone.When Katie was fired I saw over 100 people come to the CAB meeting. We are the pillers of this community. Let’s make this world the one we want to live in.
Eric,
thanks.
I would contribute.
Was that the last non-corporate radio station around here?
Hate to be a downer but if anything happens
(locally) there’s nobody left to broadcast it.
Somebody such as a journalist major or graduate
should write a song about it
and play it on kmud.