I have a been a producer, host, and correspondent for KPFK and Pacifica for seven years. I have covered virtually every type of story that has occurred, including on location coverage of the RNC as well as other national political conventions, and I was the Network’s field correspondent in Iraq – just prior to and during the start of the Iraq war. I also later returned to the region to cover continuing US military and political policy in the region. I host an afternoon drive-time show called Beneath the Surface. I was hosting the show at 5pm, Wednesday through Friday, regularly, sometimes more often, and usually 5 days a week during station fund drives. Because I’ve spoken out, loudly to station staff, about management failures at KPFK, station management has retaliated against me and fired me. The reason I was fired was as retaliation for my blowing the whistle on broad and consistent failures of management that have allowed an unhealthy climate to take root.
In brief, late last year I was awarded a teaching fellowship from Stanford University. I conferred with station management, and was allowed to take a four month unpaid leave of absence to teach at Stanford from January through May of this year. While teaching there, at my own expense, I traveled back to Los Angeles every Friday to continue hosting Beneath the Surface one day a week and to keep continuity during my unpaid leave.
In mid-March an article was published in the Jewish Journal. KPFK Staffers sent out information about the article on March 20, which was the first time I was aware of the article. Briefly (read article above) the article was about anti-Semitism that had been occurring on KPFK’s airways. There was tremendous staff concern, and commitment to taking some action to address the problem. This was initially manifest in emails that were being exchanged by the staff, which were also CC’ ed to station management. There was, appropriately, condemnation about the anti-Semitic comments made on a KPFK show. I wrote an email to staff and station management (see below), that made clear that the problem had as much to do with management as it did with the individual show.
——————————————————————————–
From: “Jerry Quickley”
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:48:13 -0700
To: Station Management and Staff
Subject: RE: KPFK in the Press
I read the article in the Jewish Journal and found the tone to be reasonable and measured. I haven’t checked the archives, but if the claims and quotes made by the article are accurate it begs a serious question: Why did it take an outside article to bring this to the attention of the programming department? How is it that there’s such a gross disconnect between programming and the Program Director, that the PD has no idea whatsoever that these many many transgressions have been occurring – not over a single day or even a few weeks – but have been occurring for many months and possibly years? How is it that the Program Director apparently lacked the foresight, wherewith all, or basic managerial diligence to have established and made known effective protocols, reviews, or insights that would’ve minimally made himself aware of this serious issue?
The issues raised in the article point not just to the clear and obvious problems (again – if accurately quoted) that have occurred with the show, but rather point to a problem with how the show has been managed, or more accurately how the show has not been managed, listened to, reviewed, or seemingly had anything meaningful occur as to connection between the Program Director and the show. These sad and deeply offensive occurrences cannot possibly be described by any stretch, as an example of what a stellar job is being accomplished by our Programming Department. When a show fails this broadly and consistently at the Pacifica Mission, it is a failing of the manager who’s supposed to be contributing to and helping to oversee that mission.
I care deeply about KPFK and Pacifica and it’s disingenuous to point a finger at the problem without a sober assessment of what has facilitated the problem. The source issue isn’t the show itself.
Sincerely,
Jerry Quickley
Host/Producer
Beneath the Surface
——————————————————————————–
Just about an hour after I sent out the email above, the station’s general manager sent out an email to all staff telling us to not go out “on the offensive”. The next month I was scheduled to end my unpaid leave of absence and return to work. Instead the station General Manager, Sean Heitkemper, informed me that I was being fired. I was beyond shocked. It was clear to me that I was being retaliated against for having spoken out to staff and management about the article that was published in the Jewish Journal, in addition to my many other complaints that I’d made to station management and the union (AFTRA) about issues of racism and discrimination at KPFK that are endemic in two regards, the persistence of those issues, and management’s persistent refusal to address any of my complaints.
I was being made an example of what happens if you’re perceived as having spoken out against management. My firing was designed to have a chilling effect on employee speech at the station should any employee ask obvious questions such as ‘how could station management have allowed transgressions like this to have occurred over such an extended period, and what plans are being developed to put some form of review or oversight or reporting mechanisms in place’
I was fired only after I’d spoken out about significant and ongoing problems with station management, and just one week before I was due to return to my former staff position. While clearly the goal was to silence me and other staff from speaking out, the station has in effect achieved the opposite. For seven years I have assiduously avoided publicly discussing significant internal problems at KPFK and how those problems impact programming and help to foster and create division, dysfunction, and discrimination. For years I have made extraordinary efforts to address those issues and create necessary and just changes from within the organization itself. I do now however feel relatively unrestrained in both the need to publicly address these issues, and as to the clarity with which these issues need to be addressed.
Sincerely,
Jerry Quickley
If you’re interested you’re encouraged to leave comments here or send email.
KPFK email addresses:
Sean@kpfk.org- General Manager – Sean Heitkemper
Quick@kpfk.org – Producer/Host – Jerry Quickley
graceaaron@ca.rr.com – Interim Executive Director Pacifica Foundation – Grace Aaron
comments@kpfk.org – Station Listener Comments
WTF?!
This is not going down without a fight.
We must organize to shut KPFK down until Jerry is rehired &
Sean Heitkemper is fired!
Jerry has worked harder than anyone to elevate, not to mention raising funds amid all the turmoil @ the station over the years.
Where is the support from Rossane,Micheal Slate, Sonali Kolhatkar,Freedom Now,Axis of Justice,Amy Goodman,& everybody else @ the station?
Boycott the Fundrive! Jam the Lines,
Keep Jerry Quickly At KPFK BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!
KPFK does not need the expense of a paid host for Beneath the Surface. The other hosts are all volunteers. For many years that program ran with all volunteer hosts. Jerry became a favorite of the station management a few years ago and they made up a job for him by removing another Beneath the Surface host. That was the perogative of the management at that time. Today’s management is looking for ways to trim costs at the station. If Jerry offered to host the program as a volunteer, would he be accepted back? That’s the real test of this issue. If they only fired him to reduce staff costs, then they should have no problem with him returning as a weekly volunteer, like the other hosts. Jerry, have you offered to host the show once a week as a volunteer?
KPFK does not need the expense of LOSING a paid host for Beneath the Surface responsible for generating some of the Largest Donations every pledge drive.
If “Jerry became a favorite of the station management a few years ago”,
It’s because Jerry became a favorite of the station’s LISTENING AUDIENCE.
Don’t try to make him look like a greedy, disgruntled, Prima Donna attached to the former ousted management that cost the station a major lawsuit.
You didn’t complain while he worked so hard to bring in funds to pay for the settlement during that “emergency” fund drive back then.
If you could get Jerry to stay silent, I’m sure you would find the budget to pay him based on what he brings to the table.
This is about you having problem with him speaking out.
This is very disappointing. Not only was Jerry’s show a “must listen to” at that time but Jerry was the only one who could even make the fund drive at all listenable. And he could present progressive views that bridged the gap between old lefties and the younger generation. Dunno why KPFK keeps shooting itself in the feet.
Call the listeners comments line and leave your message with a phone number for them to return your call.
Here is my open letter I sent to the national and local leadership; below that are some ideas for strategizing to get Jerry back, and below that a correspondence with Pacifica\’s interim national director.
Open Letter on:
Why I\’m Neither Pledging Nor Volunteering this Time
I have been volunteering every year and pledging big every fund drive for years. Except for the time when many of us boycotted the fund drive over the take-over of the network by undemocratic forces, I have pledged for decades.
But I won\’t be this time, nor will many others that I know.
I don\’t know the nature of the comments that Jerry Quickley responded to nor what he wrote in response. And, as a long-time Palestine Solidarity activist, I know there are perhaps more false accusations of anti-Semitism than true ones out here, and – to the degree that fear of these false accusations causes the impunity that Israel operates under and therefore the violence and suffering the Palestinians live with – I know that such accusations must be examined closely and debated openly.
But for Jerry to get fired for raising this criticism?
No, that is unacceptable. I might agree or disagree with the original comments or with Jerry\’s response, but for him to get fired for them?
No. Not acceptable.
For any programmer to get fired from our station for criticism of management is not acceptable. But for this to happen to someone we love, someone who entered the war zone of Iraq to bring us unembedded news, someone who has made us appreciate for seven years both his seriousness and his sense of humor?
No.
Let me reaquaint the management of both the local (KPFK) and national (Pacifica): you are our servants. As elected officials in a democracy are public servants, so too the management of a listener-sponsored radio are there to serve the sponsors. That\’s us. So you don\’t fire our people without consulting with us.
So the issue is not just a Friday without Jerry; it\’s KPFK without democracy. We didn\’t accept that back then, and I/we won\’t now.
So here it is: either Jerry\’s back on, or the issue is openly debated on the airwaves and voted on by members, or you will notice it in the pledge drive.
Strategies
1. We have to decide this can not stand.: If we allow the \"leadership\" of our station to fire whomever they please and not even tell the listener/sponsors or the staff people, we\’ve lost our station.
2. We have to decide between the \"I\’m disappointed\" and \"I\’m angry\" attitudes expressed in some of these letters. I think that outrage is much more empowering; Jerry\’s and our rights have been trampled.
3. We have to reach the listeners. Having a message banned from KPFK is much more disempowering than having it banned elsewhere: how do we let the KPFK family know?
4. We must not only get Jerry back on but also establish once and for all that management may not secretly remove our people – without damaging our beloved KPFK?
5. We need answers to these questions:
A) Who sacked Jerry – the local, the national, or both? (Whose position or positions should we go after?)
B) Was Jerry\’s paid position terminated to cut costs or was his access to KPFK cut for the \"leadership\’s\" political reasons? (If the former, then why the secrecy?)
C) Who in the KPFK family (staff, producers, programmers, listeners) knows what? How could we protect those who share our outrage and want to speak up?
D) Clearly the \"leadership\" expects to get through the pledge drive without Pacifica\’s sponsors noticing Jerry\’s absence; are they thinking that after the drive is over, we won\’t matter? If he\’s not back on by time the drives over, we make sure every listener-phone-in program is jammed by our calls, but what are all the actions we can take now?
E) Why do I get an auto-response message when I mail comments@kpfk.org?
Finally here is my correspondence with the interime \"leadership\" (KPFK\’s \"leadership\" has not answered my email):
Dear Ms. Likins,
Thank you for your concern. Personnel matters must be kept confidential. Discussing them publicly is against the law for management and staff at KPFK and Pacifica. This is for the protection of the employee. That is why this sort of thing is not discussed openly.
Thank you for your past support. We will take your comments into consideration.
In peace,
Grace Aaron, interim Executive Director of the Pacifica Foundation
my response:
Firing a programmer and not telling us is for their protection???????!!!!
No, this sort of thing is not discussed openly because you know you would lose!
George Bush gave the same arguments for keeping \"state secrets.\"
Carolfrances
I didn\’t even know he had been fired till I decided to add this to favorites! I don\’t even know if I want to listen to Beneath the Surface without him. After the first time I heard him, I was hooked. I like his sense of humor as well as his presentation.
It was a LONG 5 months without him (except for Fridays), and I eagerly awaited his return…….he was my favorite host.
I hope he will return or appear on another station.
Someone came up to me at the Gaza solidarity rally yesterday and said he had seen my email and had differences to speak to me about, accusing Jerry of both “getting Augustine fired” and “coming out on the side of the Zionists.” Accusing Jerry of causing the suspension of “La Causa” is far fetched: the article came out in the Jewish Journal, Jerry wrote that management should have been on top of this, and management both suspended the program and fired Jerry.
The accusation of Jerry being on the side of the Zionists is much more serious. I walked away from our brief conversation shaken, realizing this thing could get really, really ugly.
There are two main issues here:
One, that management has no right to secretly fire our people and refuse to let the issue be aired, claiming the refusal is based on “protecting” the programmer, who is trying to get it aired.
Two, that pitting the struggle to liberate Palestine against the struggle for Jewish dignity has always been destructive of both; we cannot – we absolutely must not – fall into this trap.
I’ve read and re-read lists of quotes from “La Causa”: a few are anti-Semitic in that they use words like “Jews” instead of “Israel.” The vast majority of quotes, though, are righteously critical of Israel, including the comparison of Israel to the Nazis. Well, as several people have said in one form or other: if Zionists don’t want Israel to be compared to the Nazis, they should get their friend to quit acting so Nazi-like. Or if Israel doesn’t like the comparison, they should quit trying to exterminate the Palestinians. You may or not like this concept – generally depending whether or not you know the facts – but this idea is not anti-Semitic. (If the statements seem too strong, check out statistics and stories on sites like “ifamericansknew.”)
This also doesn’t excuse rudeness. I get angry when I hear a programmer dismiss and hang up on a caller; there is no excuse for that.
These insensitivities by pro-Palestinian spokespersons don’t help the cause. Palestine needs progressive media and activists to be extremely cautious that we don’t make enemies to their cause by our carelessness or rudeness.
In the same way, actions like those of the Jewish Journal throwing someone’s anti-Semitic comments together with genuine criticism of Israeli brutality is extremely dangerous to the Jewish people; it inevitably leads some people who are not blind to the Israel’s atrocities to take their frustrations, humiliations, and physical agony out on the people that Israel claims to act in the name of – unaware of Jews being disproportionately active in the struggle for Palestinian rights.
A few days ago, my Jewish best friend interrupted our discussion about Jerry’s case with “I’m very much afraid; I sense a real danger.” Though she is one of the many Jewish anti-Zionists, she wasn’t referring at the moment to the danger to Palestine; she suddenly was outlining the history of anti-Semitism’s rise in Europe.
It’s a vicious cycle: Zionists get a voice for Palestinian rights thrown off the air; some pro-Palestinan activists blame “the Jews.” And the Nazi/capitalists/imperialists laugh at all of us all the way to the bank.
KPFK needs to help break that cycle. What we need to call for, then, is a public series of airings and townhall meetings on both understanding Jerry’s case and on being sensitive to the pain of everyone – Jews, Arabs, Muslims – who continue to suffer fear, hurt, and worse – around the struggle for peace in the Middle East.
Air it; don’t sweep it under hoping it will go away. History shows it won’t.
Carolfrances
Carolfrances,
Thank you so much for leading on this issue! I, too, am outraged, and I believe the strategies you outlined in your excellent post can help direct our efforts.
BTW, I emailed KPFK last week but have not received a reply.
Does anyone know of other forums for Pacifica or KPFK listeners? We should post to those forums.
I called the station YESTERDAY @ 5:45 PM.
When asked for my pledge,I replied \"I would like to but only on behalf of BTS with Jerry.
I was told \"Jerry is on Friday now.\"
I replied \" He was not on last Friday but I\’ll check back to pledge when I hear Jerry this Friday.
I was then put on hold.When she returned I was told \"OK check back on Friday.
I agree with Carolfrances Strategies
) Clearly the \\\"leadership\\\" expects to get through the pledge drive without Pacifica\\’s sponsors noticing Jerry\\’s absence; are they thinking that after the drive is over, we won\\’t matter? If he\\’s not back on by time the drives over, we make sure every listener-phone-in program is jammed by our calls, but what are all the actions we can take now?
But…
I don\’t think we should wait.
The lines should be jammed now.
Shut the Drive down until this issue is settled.
This will force Pacifica to address this issue.
We can not allow Sean Heitkemper to get away with this.
On Friday July 3, 2009 Beneath The Surface guest host Harrison announced “Jerry Quickley will return next Friday.”
I urge all supporters to hold KPFK to this.
If Jerry is not back , continue to agitate by calling,e-mailing, & writing until Jerry is back on the air.
I listened to the podcast of Harrison’s July 3 show (actually really enjoyed his show, but that’s irrelevant). For anyone who didn’t stay tuned to the whole show, about 5 separate callers asked about Jerry Quickley, and as Romey said above, Harrison said each time that Jerry is out for the week and will be returning next week.
Well, I skimmed the podcast for July 10 and still no Jerry Quickley. Did anyone listen to the whole show, and were any new mentions or promises made?
I’m still hopeful we can get him back, and I wish I had more time to dedicate to this cause. Why isn’t Jerry Quickley able to post to this website? This is purely speculation, but maybe KPFK told him that they will bring him back if he doesn’t discuss the firing anymore.
I called KPFK last Friday July 10, to ask about Harrison’s statement.
“Hey how come Jerry’s not back like Harrison said?”
I was told “Jerry was let go by management.”
I replied “well tell management he let me & alot more supporters go as well.”
As for Jerry, If KPFK told him that they will bring him back if he doesn’t discuss the firing anymore,
how the hell can they call themselves “free speech radio?”
How hypocritical is that?
As much as I miss Jerry, I respect his stance either way.
I just hope he will “resurface” be it WEB,BLOG,or another station.
Now the question is if Jerry’s gone, will you let KPFK get away
with purging one it’s strongest voices for speaking out?
If so, that makes KPFK no different from what Clear Channel did to the Dixie Chicks.
This is classic KPFK stupidity. I was a listener sponsor back in the seventies and Claire Spark came on board and tried to make the station her own personal playground, and largely succeeded. Every few years ever since somebody new comes in and screws up the station and here we go again. Jerry will land on his feet and KPFK will egg on its face yet again.
No wonder the right doesn\’t take Pacifica seriously. KPFK management is a joke.
So why are thoughing La Causa under the bus? La Causa and the reactionary fool who called their show is not why you go kicked out. You got kicked out because KPFK has gone changed their programming. The are left of center now and you are not.
General Manager Sean Heitkemper, the Jerk who fired Jerry Quickley for speaking out has quit KPFK.
Let the station know we want Jerry back on air.
This whole thing stinks. Jerry got fired for supporting management? Come on–is anyone buying that?
Maybe that\’s what Jerry was told, but something else is going on here. Now the General Manager is gone. And Augustin. And the news department. But we got Roseanne Barr (anyone under 50 know her) and the How To Talk to a Mexican sell-out, whatever his name is. Radical voices, community people gone, name brands in.
The stench is coming from somewhere, and I\’m guessing it\’s wafting down from above.
Bob, I agree about the ask a mexicano host (Arellano). He is a punk and really makes a point to assuage the supposedly anti-semitism that he mistakes for honest criticsm (Middle Eastern Focus, World Focus, and Michael Slate to name a few). It seems that they are going the way of Air America. Harrison on the edge was (or continues to be) on Air America. Very unfortunate. A good brother of mine stated that he was concerned that when KPFK changed the website, they had done away with the links to some of the great humanitarians and thinkers from history, such as, Chomsky, King, Sojourner Truth, and Mother Jones to name a few.
I have been trying to contact the hosts and others to find out what is going on. It is our station, but we are kept out of the workings. Can anybody send some info this way for clarification.
KPFK always shoots itself in the foot Ive been listening since 1986
and KPFK talks a great deal but they never change things in real world at all or least not in a an acceptable ratio to their potential power. They excell in glorifying the very reason the progressive left make the differnce that they should and could have made.
HEY I GOT AN IDEA LETS SING ” WE SHALL OVERCOME FOR THE TEN BILLIONTH TIME” then we can jump off a cllif and yell out were flying!!!! what they did to Quickly was just one many of their brilliant moves or lack there of.
Say it ain’t so! Why on earth would you remove Quickly from the station? I have been listening to KPFK since the early 1980′s and have disagreed with many of the decisions made by management, But this is the worse decision to date. Quickly was always well informed and his program was fun!!! I lways listened to his shows and waited to hear him during the last fund drive so I could make my pledge. Needless to say he never came on the air- and I did not make a pledge. We need Jerry’s insight and irreverant rants more than ever – bring him back!!
General Manager Sean Heitkemper,
The Jerk who fired Jerry is gone.
So why didn\’t KPFK bring Jerry back on the air?
Too star struck on Roseanne Barr I guess.
BTW, I sent Roseanne this whole story & asked her to speak out.
No reply.
I called during her show & asked where Jerry is?
Everyone there claims they don\’t know anything.
Very creepy in a Kafkaesque kind of way.
\"I Know Nothing! I know nothing!\"
So what are they afraid of?
No one can deny the quality of work & funds Jerry brought to the station. So WTF?!
I agree with Bob:
\"The stench is coming from somewhere, and I\\’m guessing it\\’s wafting down from above\"
Sadly, BTS Wednesday-Friday without Jerry is dead, & KPFK is on life support.
This is an outrage! How could they do this to Jerry? He is one of the more intellectual and insightful hosts on KPFK. I listened to the candidate’s forum tonight and heard about some disturbing things happening at the station. This builds on it! Bring Jerry Quickley back!!!
It’s a shame Jerry is gone because now, for me at least, Beneath the Surface is not much anymore. I still like Michael Slate, but I always look forward to Jerry humor. Man, no matter how many times he did it his “kiss my crown” references to W. Bush had me laughing all the time. I’ve always been under the impression that KPFK has been the people’s station but yet we are not to know of any firings or issues within the station? Is this not our station too? We fund it. I never noticed, but like someone pointed out, what happened to the great revolutionaries on the web site? I hope KPFK does not end up like Air America, a safe corporate sponsored station that only allow safe liberals, bashes Republicans but never expands debate outside that premise.
Kpfk is going Air America (Amy Goodman had stated that air america was a code name for CIA secret flights, dark irony). Ian Masters has been out of control doing the quick criticsm on Venezuela, the crazy left and wannabe revolutionaries on kpfk, without the dialogue and counter argument that I thought was a staple (and seperated this staion from the others) Radio Pacifica. Three weeks ago, his special co-host was john dean (nixon’s g’ol boy). Quick note: the last time Robert fisk (when I heard him, he might have been on after that), was when there some uprising in the Palestinian camps of Lebanon. Masters told fisk to wrap up the situation in ten seconds. Fisk responded, “That is very Fox news of you”.
Sept. 12-please attend 500 S Virgil St Los Angeles CA 90020
I apologize for the above bad grammar. Typing too fast.
adschaconne and others supporting (still!) La Causa: I find it HILARIOUS that you so-called progressives carry water for a misogynistic man and a show that not only tolerated anti-Semitic lunatics but also relied on a homophobic, anti-Semitic website as a news source. Talk trash on me all you want–it truly flatters me!–but your advocacy on behalf of “Agustin” “Cebada” shows all of you to be little more than fools.
Gus A.
Cute of you to respond.
I never said I did or did not support La Causa. I wish there was a round table or debate about the article from the Jewish Journal (your knees and elbows must still be healing from the rug burns). You know that there has been fierce opposition from those who want no criticsm of Israel. KPFK have lost support from food donors and sponsors in the past. With a bit more research I will find your show when you had a gentleman speaking about the rise of anti-semetism in California (please correct me). He stated that using the term \"Zionists\" (which has been used by Don of Middle Eastern Focus-when are you going to violate the clean air policy of KPFK and run back to relieve yourself on the pages of the JJ on this one) was racist. He continued by asking what is wrong with protecting one\’s homeland and asked what would you do if they were shooting rockets into your home? You did not challlenge him on this and agreed (\"right…right!). I thought I was listening to Wolf Blitzer.
Though you have had some interesting guests on your show, I find your analysis to be shallow and vacuous. You seem to be the future of KPFK, following the format of Air America, knocking softly on some very vital issues and a whole lot of name calling.
For me one of the highlights of KPFK was when L Garret and Michael Slate debated Israel\’s assualt on Lebannon. I felt they were civil and it was a solid exchange. Unfortuntely, Gustavo, I see KPFK pulling away from that kind of programming and having programmers put down others without bringing them in to defend their ideas. Ian Masters has been doing this just about every weekend. And that is what Fox, CNN, MSNBC, and so on, all practice. If La Causa (a show I was able to listen to about twice in the last several years) indulged in that practice, I would definitely be critical of them.
Unfortunately, you do not see the seriousness of what is going on. If you do, enlighten me, if you feel there is no issue, I would be interested to see you support that.
Gustavo, can you please let me know what anti-semitic website I am supporting?
If we have another exchange, I hope to be bit more calm in my reaction because there are some serious problems at KPFK that need to be discussed.
Keep the faith!
Antisemitism aside, Jerry was not good as an announcer or interviewer.
He frequently attempted to lead guests, putting words in their mouths or playing word games with non native English speakers.
I wrote to him to chastise this behavior, to no avail. I am aware of the “politics” of KPFK and the long tradition of the left eating their young. I like to think Jerry’s poor skills as an interviewer/host led to his dismissal.
If it was the antisemitism thing again, I am sad and worried. I always felt it was the nice jews that suffered the greatest in the past and feel it will be them again who will suffer most with the rise of antisemetic feelings in the population at large.
Have to disagree with Mr. McTague about Jerry\’s demeanor as an interviewer. I can\’t remember how many times I heard him set up the subject for discussion and had the guest reply with words to the effect of, \"Jerry you summed it up exactly\". He was a consummate professional, in spite of his quick wit and seemingly off-hand manner. He was always extremely well prepared and knowledgeable about the subject, and had good rapport with his guests. Perhaps I missed something.
I am extremely disappointed with the direction KPFK has taken, and share the sentiments of many of the previous commentors – Jerry was one of the great assets to the airwaves and his absence is a symptom of systemic trouble with the station, and Pacifica as well.
Let\’s keep working to fix it…
KPFK, if you are reading this, I am the one who gave you your slogan “Powered by the People”. You want to live up to that? Bring Jerry back. I was an avid volunteer, and contributed $ when I could. I still owe you $40 from a “bill me” pledge, but I will not pay until Jerry returns. I will also not return as a volunteer again until Jerry returns. Jerry had the most listenable and interesting show on that entire station, which is why I made it a point to support that type of energy by volunteering during his air time. His passion, intelligence and wit were what made me want to become involved with this station in the first place. Now you’ve lost me, and apparently countless others with this ignorant and asinine move. I am deeply disappointed with this station whom I grew to love so much. I wish I could take that slogan away from you. I guess you’re actually powered by arbitrary management.
KPFK IS DEAD !
At least in the minds and hearts of the People believing in a Power to the People Radio Network.
Still some valuable names are hanging out there but they are going to be marginalized more and more (or fired….).
Mainstream Music is going to be played more and more often and national and international issue are going to be “discussed” and glossed over by the kind of Ian Master and his “friends”, that’s scary.
Jerry stay out of KPFK it is not worth it anymore.
“real fight is in the streets”.
Jerry was my favorite host on KPFK & I miss him dearly. He has GREAT skills as an interviewer and always kept the interview funny while also being informative. He was a wonderful spice added to the KPFK mix.
I’m not sure if some people confused light-hearted comedy for trying to put words in their mouth. Quite frankly I miss his interviewing style. It was wonderful to be able to smile while tackling big issues.
Jerry, I miss you being on air. I hope to hear you somewhere soon, interviewing people in an entertaining way that strays from the boring status quo.
Jerry, I\’m real sorry to hear of this bad faith decision by KPFK. I listened to you religiously for several years and I always found your analysis to be sensible, fearless, humanistic, and funny. Michael Slate and Suzi Weisman did their thing but this is an incredibly stupid decision on the part of KPFK. They know you are a very popular and influential host. I am now in Korea and am only reading of this firing now but it saddens me to see such an unwise decision. Best wishes in all you do and I hope for some measure of justice for you because it seems that, as you say, you were fired mostly for calling KPFK management out in a way which exposed them to some level of public embarrassment. I gave KPFK some of my very hard-earned money for several years but this sort of decision is just bone-headed in the extreme and points to the need for new management at KPFK. I won\’t give them any more money if they don\’t do right by you.
I have been a listener/contributor for some time, approximately since 2002 or so. The one thing I have LEARNED from KPFK is that it is listener sponsored and owned, operated. I am shocked that all these MASSIVE changes have taken place without input from it\’s voluteer, contributor listenership. Completely opened my eyes thinking I was doing a good for mankind and our city by supporting KPFK funds drives. How stupid of me! This is just as bad as our Bush or Obama administrations playing games with the people our country, our future. Jerry Quickley as well as others may or may have placed words, ideas etc in the mouths of guests, but as a listener it is educating for one to discern that, and form opinions and convictions of the subject airing at hand. With the economy being so tough I pleadged 3 times this fund drive one atm, the other two mail in for the first time since I\’ve been pledging to the station. Lucky for me I it totals $300.00 votes that I will withhold until things are done right for the volunteer/contributor/listenership to have their input included into the programming changes that have taken place at KPFK. I will keep educating myself, FREE OF CONTRIBUTORSHIP, by listening to KPFK, (if at all possible now), and stop trying to make a differnce with my money which is getting harder and harder to come by. PS with so many serious issues are tackled by all of KPFK the news and commentaries made by the many talented show hosts, let me say personally for me and many others I am sure, was great to hear Jerry Quickly\’s humor. Laughing is a great medicine when you and any semblance of grandchildren and life are being hammered by what you are listening to. I loved that and many other shows especially at 7AM a variety of hosts and now 1 dominates over all others that is so SO SOO unfair! Does KPFK think we are STUPID listeners? I am not, I am unhappy, and may be KPFK will survive who knows, but all who are doing this to this great beacon will recieve satisfaction now, but your children will pay the price because there will be no station to educate them on the issues of thier day much less to teach them the history which educates to not make the same mistakes of the past. Page2Pantry, Heathy Planet Healthy Me cut to 30 mins all without input from the listeners, volunteers, contributors! KPFK interim management did to KPFK whats been done to Zelaya. Ring a bell?
Wishing you the best in 2010!
I appreciate your faith in the constitutionally protected principle of “Free Speech.” But I have a different view. Free speech is a myth, an opiate, in America. Free speech in and of itself is meaningless without an audience. Until the internet came along access to that audience was restricted by the owners of the access (newspapers, radio, TV, magazines, movies, etc.). In principle we all have free speech but we do not have the means to distribute that free speech. Thus free speech has been reduced to a commodity to be controlled by a few property owners who own the distribution rights.
When free speech is placed into the domain of property owners, these property owners decide, based upon their own privately held property interest and based upon their particular social class interest (which they call a community interest), what should be distributed for consideration by the masses of people. Rarely will these property owners allow a point of view disseminated that will fly in the face of their own narrowly defined interest. And when they do on those rare occasions, it is because a power struggle has broken out between rival groups within the elite which requires mobilizing the masses temporally in order to prevail in resolving the immediate issue.
When Bush was beating the drums for making war on Iraq, a public discussion in all the national newspapers about American imperialism emerged . As soon as the issue was resolved (in favor of Bush and the neocons) the talk about imperialism disappeared. Another more recent example revolves around the financial melt down. Paul Krugman writing in the New York Times (9/6/09) narrowly defined the failure to predict the banking collapse within the profession of economics as due to the ascendancy of the “Freshwater School of Economics” centered around the University of Chicago. But Krugman also pointed out that the “Saltwater Schools” located within east and west coast elite universities also failed to predict the coming disaster. He concluded that “…economists need to abandon the neat but wrong solution of assuming that everyone is rational and markets work perfectly.” The problem with Krugman’s analysis is his failure to spotlight schools of economics that had predicted the meltdown (e.g. Stagnation Theory centered around Monthly Review Magazine).
The overall long term effect of a small elite controlling the free speech distribution rights is to narrow the public debate. Issues are framed according to what is responsible debate and what lies outside the mainstream. Once an issue has been narrowly framed and widely distributed seeping down to every level in society, anyone attempting to open up and widen the debate within social institutions and at any institutional level are automatically, in a knee jerk fashion, looked upon with suspicion and quickly marginalized. Thus no one with a dissenting opinion about the coming Iraq War writing in the main stream media could get published because the pro war/anti war debate had already been resolved in favor of war. With war decided upon the new debate concerned itself with what strategies should be implemented in order to win the war. By late 2002 antiwar views were considered irresponsible.
With the rise of the internet, an avalanche of free speech outlets circumventing the distribution privileges of private owners has emerged. People are able to speak to each other and do it in a wide variety of venues thereby opening up and widening the debate over the issues of the day. Since I don’t know enough about how internet information is accessed and distributed I don’t know how important the internet really is. Should the internet become a major player in debating important issues uncontrolled by the distribution elites then that would be a victory for real free speech. How long this will be allowed to continue? I suspect, should it become a threat to those elites, controls will be put in place and free speech will again become a controlled commodity, a myth in America.
I can’t believe some of the comments posted here:
“Romey says: We must organize to shut KPFK down until Jerry is rehired &
Sean Heitkemper is fired!…. Boycott the Fundrive! Jam the Lines,
Keep Jerry At KPFK BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!”
Is this the Spirit of our fellow members in the Progressive Community??
KPFK has positively contributed to millions of people, in one way or another, for decades. Why sabotage this station for ANY reason?? Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. Let’s practice compassion and positive communication. Problems have solutions; adding aggression/animosity to the mix only creates deep lasting resentment and destroys the spirit of what we all set-out to accomplish in the 1st place. There are 2 SIDES to every story, and we have only heard Jerry’s (on this Blog) so far. You can find truths on both sides; and if both sides understood that, they would work towards compromises and solutions.
Let all this animosity end. I see aggressive confrontations all the time in the so called “Left – Progressive Community”. If people are self-righteous and attack problems with animosity… then, I don’t see where the “Progressive” are any different then the “Bush” people of the world.
Let’s be better than this.
Emblematic of the rightward shift of KPFK was the firing of Jerry Quickley and the installation in Jerry\’s slot of Ian Masters (yike!). KPFK\’s 4-6pm M-F programming used to infuse me with the hope that change (for the better) was possible, a hope bolstered by Quickley\’s interviews and his energy, humor and commitment, not to mention his unparalleled ability to engage right-wing callers with dignity and respect. Only rarely now do I listen to KPFK…
I still miss Jerry’s lively humor and passion for justice. I hoped after Sean K. left, he’d be brought back. I am very disappointed. I continue to support KPFK, because I must somehow, but the years of infighting and ugliness are wearying. I can’t say I am as loyal a listener as I once was.
Jerry your show was top notch. Best show on KPFK from my view. When I used to drive through downtown 101 traffic your show was always on. Switched to the subways and missed out on the broadcast for a while, I recently tried to find your show to find this. I remember you mentioning how you used to speak with a loudspeaker on a street corner jokingly, and you know, you have enough supporters and fans – start your own gig online! Man, people would tune in. You can do it! Best wishes comrade.
Oh my God, Jerry I thought you left and went to New York on your own, to seek career advancement???
You were fired? KPFK is a racist in practice, but preach all this ‘we are world’ bullshit for the audience to hear.
I could hear the attitude in the others voice around you when you were on the air. I hear the snarky laughs and playing down of African Americans achievements on this show all the time.
1. Yesterday’s (3-2-10) show Global Village (forgot the host name – look her up) – What is so funny about Nina Simone having a romantic relationship with a Head of State in Liberia? Just what are you and your racist commentator snickering about?
2. Sonali, why do you try to down play the achievements of Black Women like Angela Davis on your show, but scream with passion the achievements on Howard Zen?
I don’t like this carrying on. This is Los Angeles, you know. Very racist – 1950′s style racist – towards African Americans. I am from the Midwest, and we are WAY MORE progressive than the West – IF YOU CALL WHAT THE WEST DOES AS PROGRESSIVE. its actually the most RACIALLY AND SOCIALLY REGRESSIVE REGION OF THE UNITED STATES.
BLACK FOLKS don’t take no shit – like you Jerry – but we don’t get fired. We get justice. We fight hard for justice.
Jerry I miss you. We all miss you. We would like to see JUSTICE HAPPEN, AND YOU GET YOUR JOB BACK. But those racist assholes DO NOT LIVE THE MESSAGE THEY “PREACH” TO THE PUBLIC: FREE SPEECH.
You son of a bitches.
I have spent alot of money to KPFK.
I am FINISHED with KPFK.
I will never donate to KPFK again.
I have tried to contact Jerry Quickley, Michael Slate, Eric Mann; left comments on KPFK; the Take Back KPFK site has not been updated since November; what kind of movement are we trying to create when those we looked to for information , insight, and a horizon of debate seem to be auditioning for the new George Romero zombie movie. They sign letters but we get no direct communication about the status of an outlet that we have treasured and has excited us in the past. I believe that most of you who have expressed your thoughts on this website, created relationships and ignited kindered spirits by mentioning KPFK in conversations.
Ian Masters is running away with the speakers and everybody at the station gets screwed on scheduling, but HEY!, play some Miles Davis, blow kisses at Obama, say sorry, and continue to wait on obama (don’t forget to blame Bush), because we will end up in the line, with the dried bread they call freedom and the urine of jimmy dorr and rachel maddows’s genetically modified progeny.
Does anybody remeber back in the day of Radio Pacifica when Juan Gonzalez walked off the air. LinkTV is running a doc on RP, and the chances programmers took to hold to their beliefs, especially keeping the dialogue free from the repubs v dems coloring books.
Jerry, are you taking a dive in the third round? Learn from history, they will never let you at the belt, again.