We launched this newspaper in August of last year with the intent to stimulate discussion in our community of non-commercial radio and how to improve Houston's Pacifica affiliate, 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 the diverse ethnic, musical and political communities in our great city. The station had moved away in the last several years (under the heavy hand of a reactionary manager) from that commitment towards a near exclusive reliance on scripted Americana and country music.

Since our last issue of Houston Radio Report , there has been a resolution of the lawsuits and boycotts of Pacifica and a change in management at KPFT. Democracy Now! has returned to the air and KPFT offers a broader range of national community affairs programming, including the first-rate TUC Radio, hosted by Maria Galardin.

The new manager, Duane Bradley, has begun the process of moving the station back to a balanced and community-centered approach to broadcasting. In this month's paper, we present a number of voices suggesting future directions and possible programming for the revitalized KPFT. Although the changes at the station promise great opportunities for airing new voices that fully realize Pacifica's mission of community building, there are many challenges ahead. As detailed on the accompanying chronology, the network is currently deep in debt as a result of malfeasance, misspending and outright abuse of office by the previous Pacifica National Board.

In the early weeks following the changeover, there has also been the natural tendency by the reformers to demand of Duane that KPFT revert to its old radio sound (and even older radio talent), instead of taking a moment to imagine new possibilities. The appointment of Otis Hardy Maclay as the new KPFT program director seems a part of this KPFT nostalgia movement. Given the size and diversity of Houston, though, it is only a matter of time before new voices will have a home at the station.

But the most serious challenge, that appears insurmountable to this Editor at the moment, is for Pacifica to create governance structures that empower the listeners yet also maintain a stable and sustainable foundation for the network. The energy and motivation to have meaningful listener involvement in the station has largely evaporated in the weeks following Ganter's departure. Elections for a new LAB, once a big priority for all reformers, are now drifting into the distant future. Whether or not LAB elections are a sustainable goal for KPFT is debatable but restructuring of Pacifica's by-laws to give KPFT autonomy and a stable governing structure are a necessity. If this is not achieved, the next destructive battle for control of KPFT's airwaves will be just months away.

As Mark Wilde points out in this issue, the "commercial" radio model of KPFT under Garland Ganter's rule was linked to a larger nationwide strategy to depoliticize and dismantle the progressive programming on all of Pacifica's stations. National Public Radio's strategy to monopolize all public radio in the US through its syndicated model of news and entertainment is a powerful, financially lucrative and perpetually alluring option that equally threatens the survival of an independent Pacifica. Stan Merriman highlights that this upper-crust audience-building approach has its larger political correlates in the rise of an affluent and reactionary power center in the Democratic Party. Many of today's stalwart public radio folks (including some in the self-identified "Sounds of Texas" fan base of KPFT) grew up amid the protests of the '60s but have grown downright hostile to issues of social justice and political dissent in their dotage.

But there is hope. We encourage all to read our interview this month with David Crossley, one of the early managers of KPFT, as he recounts the vitality that the station had in the '70s. In the era of cable TV, "Premium" restricted Internet sites, copyrighted streaming audio and now the pay-radio of Sirius and XM, broadcast radio remains the rare option for simultaneously reaching the curious, the disenfranchised and the powerful.

It will be a challenge for Duane and others at the station to take whatever value can be gleaned from the audience-building model that NPR provides and apply it to the progressive politics, community-building and education missions of Pacifica.

But there are also the inescapable realties of running a 100KW big-city radio station. Positive change at KPFT and Pacifica in the next months will require a serious commitment of time (and money) from many to keep the station afloat. Public radio stations across the country have proven the educational (and fundraising) value of daily community affairs talks shows that could allow KPFT to provide Houston a reflection of its diversity. Such shows can rapidly build a audience that is willing to support shows that allow them to participate and hear their voice on the air. KPFT has a chance to do such shows in a "Pacifica way" and really make an impact in the city.

Exciting and informative community radio can happen at KPFT.

I hope it does.

-Chug