Houston Radio Report

What its About...

Greeting to our Readers:

Houston Radio Report is a new monthly publication designed to stimulate discussion on non-commercial radio and other media. Our focus is on improving Houston's listener-supported Pacifica radio station, KPFT. This 100,000-watt station broadcasting from the Montrose was throughout most of its history a great community asset, programming to and for many of Houston's diverse ethnic, musical and political communities. Lately, however, the KPFT philosophy has been to program directly to a small and exclusively white audience of wealthy folk music fans, who will financially support a station that pleases them. While this strategy has been (reasonably) successful as a fundraising tactic, it has disenfranchised most of the wider community of Houston. Because of the shift towards a commercial model at KPFT, the station has even abandoned its monthly program guide, long a source of information and input from the community.

Among other things, we intend this Report to be an unofficial program guide giving listeners and KPFT staff, alike, a chance to discuss the future of the station.We also wish to give voice to the numerous listeners in Houston and across the nation who have been organizing to bring community radio back to life. In our inaugural issue, we delved into the storied past of KPFT & Pacifica Radio (including a tribute by Public Radio Pioneer Lorenzo Milam to KPFT Founder Larry Lee ). In subsequent issues, we have described the forces of mismanagement, poor judgement and outright greed that have lead to recent declines and pending bankruptcy of the 5-station network.

We intend Houston Radio Report not as a political platform for any specific reform agenda within KPFT or Pacifica. Instead, we seek to establish a regularly published forum for all to discuss their ideas for on-air programming and different concepts of how to make community-based media relevant and useful again in Houston. Pieces on low-power & pirate radio, internet organizing, the history and state of Spanish-language broadcasting & the future of local access cable are all welcome. Community groups from all of Houston's neighborhoods are welcome to contribute their visions for the city.To make the future issues look pretty, we also desperately need original art, photography and other creative works that reflect the diversity of Houston.If you are interested (and intrigued) by what you read, support us. First and foremost, by contributing your ideas, artwork, articles, letters and suggestions. Contact us directly at the email or mail addresses below. We will try to publish all that space allows. Community radio belongs to all of us, so send us your thoughts and comments.

Editors:

Contributors:

Gordon Anderson
Stephen Bates
Mary Beckman
Duane Bradley
Thomas Chung
Pamerla Cooke
Aniruddha Das
Scoop E. Dew
Tia Dobie
Henning Fermstrom
Frank Fitzgerald
Anitra Freeman
Carl Gudarian
Patty Heffley
HellPope Huey
Hep Ingham
Mark Luker
Dave Lutz
Maire A. Kelly
Bob McChesney

Torry Mercer
Stan Merriman
Lorenzo Milam
Marc Monas
Ivan Olsen
Leslie Plachta
Rafael Renteria
Steve Roman
Tamara Lynn Scott
Scooter
John Sheridan
Carol Spooner
Shannon Smith
Eileen Sutton
Deborah Speer
Mark C. Wilde
Larry C. Winters

Thanks to:

Mike Bilt
Marc Cooper
Steve Freedkin
Ken Freeland
Lyn Gerry
Steve Heimel
Khosrow
Paul Krassner
Otis Hardy Maclay
Jim Retherford
Vanessa Tait
Shebar Windstone
and many others for source material
(not to mention, the KPFT Folio, Mighty 90 News, Studio X Media and all the past KPFT program guides).

Houston Radio Report - Snail mail address:
PO Box 66021 - Houston , TX - 77266-6021