KPFT Notes

General Manager Duane Bradley and I have been fielding listener questions and comments live on air every morning since the schedule change Wednesday. Visit KPFT’s website to hear those Open Journals. Meanwhile, we get many email questions. I posed two email questions to Duane for his feedback. You can hear the verbatim answers here. However, here are Duane’s remarks to your email questions.

“Music is everywhere on the dial. Why would KPFT put music on during the day?”

From Duane: KPFT wants to provide a consistent sound and alternative to what is available. Virtually all the music on KPFT is unrepresented elsewhere on the dial, providing a glance at the different cultures and perspectives in our area. This change is also a nod to how people use media, where they may not be able to focus on lots of information during the business day.

“Isn’t it KPFT’s job to counter right-wing AM talk radio?”

From Duane: Technically no, though it is one role we serve. KPFT is here to perform a service for many voices, to create understanding and serve the mission. If part of that service takes the form of being something different (which often entails being a unique voice from the conservative talk programming elsewhere) that is what we do. However, Pacifica’s history has been one where a space for dialogue is a value, where far left and far right could be on the air. [Late Secretary for Defense under President Ronald Reagan] Caspar Weinberger hosted a program at our parent station, KPFA, many years ago.

Join us tomorrow morning, 9:06-9:25, as we continue taking your calls on the new schedule and programming.

As promised, I wanted to give you replies to listener email messages about the KPFT schedule change.

KPFT just embarked on the most significant schedule change in nearly 10 years. General Manager Duane Bradley and I received lots of listener questions and comments about the new program schedule. At last count, I had about 150 email messages about the new grid. Duane had a sizable number as well. Many questions and comments touched on similar themes.

Some of the more common questions received:

“What problems contributed to this change?”

Essentially our former schedule was no longer viable. Struggling fundraising numbers and audience declines on weekdays were the major reason for the new schedule. The basis of this information was diverse: fundraising histories, Arbitron reports, listener surveys and input from KPFT’s Program Council were just a few. KPFT also got feedback from Pacifica’s national board and interim executive director that immediate changes were needed.

“Why use Arbitron?”

The community service of many noncommercial stations (including how many people one reaches and the diversity of the audience) is measured by Arbitron numbers, among other tools, by many entities.

“Why change the current schedule of morning and afternoon music?”

KPFT management studied weekday programming, reviewing listener support and Arbitron data. In that study, we noticed consistent downward support and audience declines for morning and afternoon drivetime music programming. Though it is true locally produced weekend music programming sees strong audience and pledge drive support, this generally was not the case for weekday morning and afternoon drive music. Management has stood by drivetime music for many years. We appreciate many sentiments, such as enjoying music on the drive in to work. However, we proposed a big change to morning and afternoon drivetime because listeners have spoken clearly with the existing data that a change in direction is necessary.

“Does this schedule marginalize talk programming?”

No. Talk programming has moved from the mid-morning and mid-afternoon, when fewer people can listen, into morning and afternoon drivetime. Placing these programs in their new places gives them unprecedented access to radio listeners and gives all an opportunity to connect with a new audience. What’s more exciting is these programs, (Whole Mother, the Peace Hour, People of Earth, Eco-Ology, Thresholds and Living Art in the mornings; Growing Up in America, Earth 101, Connect the Dots, New Capital and Partisan Gridlock in the afternoons) offer a lot more than the bad-news block on television or dull fare elsewhere at these times. Given the need for change, this evolution was natural.

“Does this schedule marginalize music programming?”

No. KPFT is responding to music fans’ requests by bringing back longtime KPFT favorites Roark Smith and the World Cafe. We are basing these programs on genres most KPFT music listeners often ask us to feature. Regular non-commercial radio listeners will likely recognize the proposed schedule as one stations like KPFT utilize across the country. The goal of this kind of schedule is to give audiences what is often asked for: information in drivetime and music to listen to during the day while at work. As KPFT looks to retain its current audience and draw in new listeners, we hope our faithful listeners will take this journey with us.

“Aren’t you just competing with radio and television?”

Yes, and we should be. KPFT has, in the past, competed with other stations by not competing — ceding blocks out of deference to fellow public radio travelers. However, with so much wonderful programming that should be featured prominently, KPFT has to be a station actively offering that alternative directly. Why listen to homogenized corporate radio when you can listen to the passion of community radio? We hope to provide options to Houstonians. Moving old programs to new spots offers a spectacular chance to help new listeners discover great music, informative guests and what radio was meant to be.

“Will there be space for local artists?”

Yes. KPFT has always supported local musicians and artists with airtime. Expect to in-studio performances to continue and to grow.

“Please do not mess with the weekends!”

This new schedule primarily affects weekdays, 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Notable exceptions include addition of the Houston Association of Acoustic Musicians’ new program HAAM Presents the Songwriters’ Studio on Sundays after the Bluegrass Zone at 6 p.m., while the Monitor moves to Monday nights at 7.

“Why not do XYZ genre of music instead of ABC music?”

KPFT brings a variety to the dial no other station can claim. Where else can you get Tejano, blues, hip-hop, Caribbean, Cajun, metal, ambient, soul, folk and so much more during a week? KPFT management is committed to satisfying our listeners. While KPFT is the only station in Houston so open to musical experimentation, we seek to build on our most successful programming by giving the majority of listeners what ask for and support, and to feature it in the best spots we can. You will always hear the odd genre and things you have never heard before on KPFT, as well as the stuff you love.

“Isn’t this schedule just a rehash of the Sound of Texas schedule from the 1990s?”

No. Duane Bradley mentions that the weekday program schedule he inherited as general manager in January, 2002, was the following:

• 6-8: Music
• 8-9: BBC
• 9: Democracy Now!
• 10-1 Music
• 1-3 World Cafe
• 3-6:30 Music
• 6:30-7: Pacifica Network News

While BBC, Democracy Now!, World Cafe and Roark Smith were on the air during that time, the comparisons end there. The Sound of Texas period had 2.5 hours news/public affairs programming daily on weekdays (6-7), no local news/public affairs and 10.5 hours of music per day. The new schedule features seven hours of news/public affairs programming (including Open Journal, which occasionally hosts music, and local news) and five hours of music per day.

“I won’t renew my membership because of this.”

The most common refrain to schedule changes are comments from unhappy listeners that they will no longer support KPFT. This change was tough for everyone. It is the biggest change in years, and sometimes change leaves everyone unsettled. KPFT is community radio. We depend on listeners for support. We have great programs that hopefully draw you in to listen to the sounds KPFT has to offer. However, we hope you support KPFT not just for one program, but because having this kind of option is a value you appreciate. In Houston, with so few outlets like KPFT, this sort of radio is something we hope you see the need for having beyond one program or two. KPFT rises above the mish-mash of shock jocks, corporate playlists and salacious gimmicks. We give you inspiring radio that lifts your spirits, informs you, gives you hope, sometimes makes you mad, and hopefully more often than not makes you smile. Of course, we cannot force you to pledge or stop you if you don’t want to pledge, but please remember the medium’s overall worth as a choice on the dial.

Please keep questions coming. If I missed yours, please send it over or post in comments.

KPFT 90.1 FM in Houston will undergo its biggest makeover in nearly a decade when the listener-sponsored radio station launches its new weekday program schedule on Wednesday, July 22, 2009.

The new weekday program schedule signals a major focus shift for KPFT, which, like all local nonprofits, is grappling with an economic downturn as well as feedback from the community to enhance its programming to reflect the evolving media landscape.

Among the changes KPFT listeners will hear:

• KPFT’s programming format will be streamlined to how Houstonians use radio, with news/talk in morning and afternoon drive time, with music highlighting its daytime schedule.
• Internationally recognized programs BBC Newshour and Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman enter the heart of morning drive, 7 and 8 a.m. respectively. An evening rebroadcast of Democracy Now! airs at 5 p.m.
• Popular Houston DJ Roark Smith helms a morning music block based on the best Texas music, including roots, Americana, blues and folk, from 10 a.m. to noon.
• World Cafe hosted by David Dye returns to KPFT, noon to 1 p.m.
• Award-winning talk/call-in programs the New Capital Show with Leo Gold, Connect the Dots with Robert Muhammad, Partisan Gridlock with Geoff Berg and others will anchor afternoon drive time starting at 3 p.m.

KPFT General Manager Duane Bradley says the evolution of KPFT was a multiyear process and is aimed at pleasing listeners. Virtually all of the KPFT DJs and show hosts are volunteers and almost 90 percent of the station’s budget is funded by contributions from its listeners.

“A revolution in media is underway right now, and our desire, as a non-profit, educational radio station, is to be a part of that change by presenting the vibrancy of our diverse communities through programming that brings people together.” Bradley remarks. “KPFT’s new schedule reflects the way weekday listeners use radio, and we are reorganizing to keep relevant for years to come.”

KPFT has provided alternative community-based music, news and talk shows to the Upper Texas Gulf Coast region since 1970. KPFT bears the unique distinction as the only radio station in the United States that was bombed off the air, twice, by the Ku Klux Klan. KPFT is part of the Pacifica Radio network, with five other stations located in Los Angeles, Berkeley, New York City and Washington, D.C.

KPFT rolls out its new weekday program schedule on Wednesday, July 22. It is bold and sweeping. It is also the biggest change KPFT has made in programming in almost a decade.

Lots of feedback was offered during this process. I hope to post this week a long reply to the most common questions General Manager Duane Bradley and I received, as well as other comments. Some of the changes include:

• BBC News airs at 5 and 7 a.m. (NEW TIME)
• Democracy Now! airs at 8 a.m. (NEW TIME) and 5 p.m. (NEW TIME)
• News/local public affairs programming moves into morning and afternoon drivetime (NEW)
• Music programming gets listeners through the workday (NEW)
• Roark Smith returns to KPFT hosting a M-F, 10 a.m.-noon music strip featuring roots, Americana and more. (NEW)
• Favorites like Living Art, Whole Mother, Eco-Ology and People of Earth get the mornings off right starting at 6 (NEW TIME)
• Popular programs New Capital, Connect the Dots, Earth 101, Partisan Gridlock and more kick off afternoon drivetime at 3 p.m. (NEW TIME)
• A big surprise is coming at noon weekdays (NEW) while Open Journal moves to 9 a.m. (NEW TIME)
• A daily Pacifica Radio Archives feature airs at 5:30 a.m., M-F (NEW)
• Eclectic afternoon music programming, including SOS Radio, RadioActive and SoundAwake, roll at 1 p.m. (NEW TIME)

The changes are the result of a long period (in some cases, years) of listener surveys, Program Council input, Community Advisory Board recommendations, Local Station Board ideas and, finally, recent directives by Pacifica’s Interim Executive Director and Pacifica National Board that all Pacifica stations make major changes to weekday programming to address listenership and fundraising declines. KPFT, as many listeners are aware, has missed several pledge drive goals.

Please encourage listeners to visit kpft.org for details on the new schedule.

Duane and I unveiled the proposed new program schedule on Open Journal Monday. Catch the audio here if you missed the program, and review the new grid here.

And now that you’re hopped up, I wanted to share a little more detail with listeners.

The new proposed schedule is the product of much research and feedback. Pacifica has nudged all its station managers to improve its weekday schedules, and Duane and I are seeking your input and ideas to make it better. If you’re keeping score, this unveiling is unprecedented for KPFT and Pacifica. Rather than just negotiating a bunch of deals/who-goes-where and announcing a launch date, as we may have done in the past, KPFT has posted a grid online, tossed it out to Facebook fans, dropped it on Twitter, emailed programmers and board members and essentially open sourced the process. KPFT loves its listeners. Your smarts help us make our program schedule better.

So, if you have already looked at the grid and are scouring for more details, you came to the right place. Pass the word that I’ll do my best to post more teasers, address rumors and break news as it comes, and reply directly to your comments, right here. That grid on the KPFT website is great, but permit me to share more with you, dedicated listener. Here we go!

To further address stuff that came up on Open Journal, as well as other questions:

• This is an open process, and things may change as listener input and other needs shape the schedule. Get your thoughts in now.
• Lots of listeners have asked about the bare-bones grid posted. Have no fear — local program information will be added as it becomes available! KPFT is shifting its approach somewhat in the sense we’re seeking to build a new schedule in deference to how radio is used today. Our current schedule is, as Duane and I put kindly during pledge drives, a patchwork of programs. As some have less charitably observed, the current schedule is harder to listen to, so KPFT is aiming to build the schedule to be more interesting.
• A caller asked Duane and I about bringing back the David Dye-hosted World Cafe. Given how often we still get World Cafe requests, Duane and I are considering this one. Of course, bringing back the program is contingent on a host of factors, from schedule availability to finances (World Cafe is a syndicated program with associated fees to carry it), but we’ll do all we can to make listeners happy.
• New training for programmers and helping structure shows will also be part of the schedule change. The sound for morning and afternoon drivetime programs will be tweaked for the listener experience — periodic breaks for traffic, local weather, etc.
• I have gotten a lot of comments about Saturday and Sunday programming, but these changes mostly won’t impact weekends. Our biggest audience and fundraising struggles are happening on weekdays, thus the changes. Our beloved blues and Saturdays are largely staying where you like them.
• A few comments about Democracy Now! airing at 8 and 5. Duane and I believe this change serves lots of listeners, including 9-5 schedules, 10-6ers, 8-5ers and 7-4 workdays. For those working schedules where you will hear DN! twice in the day, KPFT is exploring editing the later show of older headlines to offer fresh content, but we’re still intaking listener feedback.

More soon as things develop!