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KDHX Drops Democracy Now from Programming Schedule
from the new KDHX programming notes, effective august 11th -
"Democracy Now! will run as a 10-minute headline service airing at 6:50 pm followed by local talk. You can catch the full version of DN! on the web 24 hours a day at DemocracyNow.org and at 6 and 11 pm on KDHX TV 21 on Charter Cable in the City of Saint Louis."
"We know that sometimes it's hard to think about changing something that has become a part of your everyday routine, but we wanted to help you get ready for the change with a little background on what's coming and why we're making these changes. We will be doing a listener survey in the fall to learn about how our audience is using the new schedule, so be sure to look for it and tell us what you think. If you want to comment on the changes prior to that, please email us with your comments."
Link 1:
mailto:bhacker@kdhx.org?subject=program%20schedule%20comments
Link 2:
http://www.kdhx.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4138&Itemid=291
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K.D.H.X Drops Democracy Now from Programming Schedule
Did anyone else besides me notice that during the broadcast of Democracy Now on Wed. 8/6/06 there was a spot announcing that Ameren U.E. is one of KDHX's supporters? No wonder that they are cutting the Pacifica radio news show! Ten years ago when a California Pacifica station tried to drop Democracy Now there was a public outcry which forced a reversal of the decision. Do we in St. Louis have the integrity to follow suit, or has KDHX become so integral to our local subculture that we will roll over, and allow this to happen? Since the station's website "encourages" us to listen to Democracy Now on-line I suggest we do so-and instead of renewing memberships to KDHX send the money directly to Democracy Now. Of course the problem is not everyone is in the position to afford a computer and the high-speed internet connections, or for that matter cable access, to listen to or watch the show. Isn't it about time we had a REAL "community" radio station like in other cities and not just a bunch of NPR wannabees?
Yet another sell out. Money
Yet another sell out. Money money money money money. I'll send my donation directly to DN! via their web site. KDHX seems to be taking the same path the KWMU has taken. KWMU is now mainstream, meaning they are cautious about offending their benefactors, their "stakeholders" as it were.
Ameren UE & KDHX
I didn't know of that connection...thank you...we had a run
in a few years back with Ameren U.E. helicopter spraying TORDON
(registered for NON KARSTIC SOILS) in our ozark environs
in order to curb brush. A letter to each of the board of
directors, plus a lot of community outrage ended the practice right here, but I'd guess that others still have to express outrage, as our dentist reported them filling their
tanks on his new clover fields. Perhaps a letter to each of the board of directors would influence Ameren to urge
KDHX to reinstate Democracy NOW?
Here's a thread about Ameren
Here's a thread about Ameren UE's Pure Power program that appeared on a local blog:
http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/?p=3434
Don't forget that Ameren wants to build a new nuke plant in Callaway, meaning they were probably thrilled when DemoNow ran this story last month:
http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2008/7/17/amy_goodmans_new_column_dont_...
Ameren's been riding the wave of unpopularity for a while now, and not just in St. Louis:
http://blog.showmeprogress.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=533
Suggestion for further actions about Democracy Now
A suggestion was made to me by a friend who is also upset by the KDHX schedule change. If there are enough irate members then perhaps we could set up an escrow account. Instead of paying our memberships we could put the money in escrow until KDHX brings back the full hour of Democracy Now, and then send it in to the station. The programmers could receive regular reports on just how much money has been accumulated. If Democracy Now is not brought back within a year we will send the money directly to them rather than to KDHX. Since Black Bear Bakery does a monthly Pancake Breakfast to benefit KDHX perhaps they might also be interested in such an action.
This is what happens when an
This is what happens when an organization purporting to foster community-supported media takes its hegemony for granted. "Community-powered media" does not mean it has to be the *only* public radio station in town.
FWIW, The Journey Christian Radio still recasts DemoNow live every weekday, albiet online:
http://www.thejourneyradio.org/program_schedule.html
Nevertheless, this is not a replacement for terrestrial broadcast. If appeals to KDHX's Board of Directors yield no results, consider retaking the airwaves yourself.
Build your own homemade 4Watt FM transmitter as the exciter...
http://www.electronics-lab.com/projects/rf/001/index.html
...along with a 40Watt FM amplifier to get ~5mile range...
http://www.irational.org/sic/radio/40w-no-tune-amp.html
If you'd prefer lots of small transmitters, couple them with online P2P distribution to get the streaming media to each transmitter...
http://createdigitalmusic.com/2008/07/20/re-imagining-pirate-radio-broad...
KDHX dropping Amy Goodman
I sent my letter of compalint to bhacker@kdhx.org and it bounced. I guess they don't want to hear that they screwed up big time. I urge everyone to call them and tell them that they are sending money to Democracy Now! and not KDHX. I sent the following message to bhacker and nico at kdhx:
How sad you no longer the cutting edge journalism of Amy Goodman to be relevant to the folks in St. Louis. When I heard you dropped Democracy Now, I took KDHX off my quick dial. I guess I won't listen to any radio in your town when I pass through or come there for business. So now that you are being underwritten by Ameren, we can probably expect a pro nuclear, pro "clean" coal stance from your sell out station. Good move for Ameren to neutralize a possible media threat to their nuke plans. Shame!
-Tom Kruzen
Mountain View, Missouri
KDHX contact
I sent a message via their website article about the program changes. This article made it seem that they were democratic in making changes, They claimed to poll listeners, members, staff and the ubiquitous "stakeholders". Suspecting that Ameren, et al is what they mean by "stakeholder" I asked them who the stakeholders are. Their reply was that the term is used as an "umbrella" term used in general. I still challenged the idea that the term "stakeholder", even as they define it, is meaningless when used by a COMMUNITY organization. In my mind, "stakeholder" implies a separate and distinct group within the community that may or may not be a participant in the organization. Our mayor and his minions use the same term when talking about the St. Louis Public Schools. Then it would be something like..."Teachers, students, administrators, parents and stakeholders." Seems underhanded to me.
KDHX's second reply was a paraphrase of their first reply.
Democracy Now!
I am writing a story for the St. Louis Journalism Review about the decision to virtually drop Democracy Now!
Could I quote you on the escrow fund idea?
Also, since KDHX promises to put the full show on its new HD channel, do you, or anyone you know have an HD radio. Do you plan on getting one?
Thank you,
You can call me at 314 863-1125.