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 Conn Hallinan is running for his second term on the KPFA Local Station Board. He was vice-chair for two years, and is the current chair of the Board. He is a foreign policy analyst for Foreign Policy In Focus, a part of the Institute for Policy Study, and a columnist for the Berkeley Daily Planet. He won a Project Censored Award for "outstanding investigative journalism" in 2007. He has been a trade union member for over 40 years. He formally ran the journalism program at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He lives in Berkeley.
Candidacy Statement:
I am Conn Hallinan and a candidate for the KPFA Local Station Board. As the U.S. expands the war in Central Asia, when millions of people are losing their homes and the jobless rate continues to climb, KPFA is deeply enmeshed in a financial and political crisis. As a member of the Concerned Listener (CL) slate, I am committed to a program that insures the fiscal stability of the station, broadens our listener base with new programming and advanced technology, and makes KPFA a more effective voice for the progressive and left community.
While CL wants to break with the endless civil wars that prevents KPFA from addressing its long-term future, we recognize that there are real, substantive political differences at KPFA and in this election. We are not interested in attacking anyone, but we do have a program that clearly distinguishes us from our opponents.
First, we believe that KPFA’s future lies in being culturally and politically inclusive, with programs that keep our current listeners and reach out to new ones, particularly young people.
Second, we believe in a collaborative relationship among listeners, staff and management. We do not believe the Local Station Board (LSB) should interfere in the running of the station unless there is a violation of the Pacifica bylaws and the KPFA mission.
Third, we support professionalism, which to us means: excellent radio that is alternative in content and quality in presentation. While volunteers are the heart of KPFA, we must compete against hundreds of quality websites, many with excellent music and videos. Low quality, unprofessional programming is the road to extinction. We believe that KPFA must expand its Internet profile and plug into emerging media technology. Fourth, we support robust public affairs and cultural programming that fulfills the Pacifica mission statement of serving “the cultural welfare of the community” and providing “accurate, objective, comprehensive news on all matters vitally affecting the community.”
Fifth, we stand for fiscal responsibility and transparency. CL has the best track record on financial accountability of any group on the LSB. We passed resolutions calling for greater financial transparency, accountability, and discipline from the Pacifica Network, KPFA’s parent entity. We stand for absolute transparency in the posting and hiring of positions in the network and the station.
Sixth, we stand for local control of KPFA’s resources. We do not think that the success of our station should turn it into a “cash cow” to underwrite failure or irresponsible spending elsewhere.
Concerned Listeners wants quality, sharp-edged programming. We believe that KPFA must reach out, not preach to the choir. We believe in an LSB that respects competency and values civility and consensus building. If you feel the same way, please vote for me and the other members of the Concerned Listener slate.
I am endorsed by Rose Ann DeMoro, executive Director California Nurses Association, independent journalist Reese Erlich, Fresno Community Alliance editor, Mike Rhodes, labor reporter David Bacon, author and journalist Peter Sussman, and Iranian-American educator and poet, Persis Karim. For other endorsements see ConcernedListeners.org
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