KPFT-Houston's Local Pacifica Affiliate-Popeye's Challenge

I just wish KPFT hadn't ditched all the best damn shows when the old Grateful Dead crew took the station back over. One of the best jazz shows on radio anywhere, Milestones, is gone and so is the bluegrass show which was also tremendous.

They've threatened to pull World Cafe, the place where I've found a ton of new artists, several times and when and if they do, that's it for me and KPFT.

I never really cared for the political shows. To me, they are just Fox News or Rush Limbaugh for liberals and I find that stuff to be so incredibly boring.

 

I agree 100%. If they do ANYTHING to the Sunday blues shows, I will go postal!

 

Go Popeye! I gave a big challenge last week, too, not that big though.

Jeff,

It is more likely the previous station managers were going to lose World Cafe than the new ones. They previous ones drove them into huge financial debt. They needed to go.

btw: The Bluegrass Zone is still airing. Sunday morning and afternoon is all Jazz. All that happened was Miles moved out of town. He didn't get kicked out. They did a huge signing off show for him, and presented him with a certificate from Mayor Brown declaring a Miles Willis Day.

What the new program directors did was cut down on the number of shows so they could return to supporting community radio.

Understand, this is community radio, first. This is not a music station. The Pacifica stuff you don't like is the syndicated stuff (but that includes the BBC *and* "This American Life"). This American Life is an expensive syndicated show. They are able to afford it now, because the previous managers were almost criminal in how they used their funds.

The local community talk shows need a radio station like this. Besides, they still have some great music, besides World Cafe.

They still have Souler Grooves with DJ Sun
New LIVE MUSIC in the Studio all days of the week
Jazz and Bluegrass all Sunday
Music all Saturday except for This American Life
Irish Aires
Zydeco
Cajun


I think KPFT has improved. The "Earth 101" show is pretty unique in how it addresses racism. Not to mention Latino Voices, Arab Voices, American Indian Voices...etc.

 

I mean Blues.

RocketMan Tex,

Do you know someone called in yesterday with a $20,000 anonymous pledge for the "Earth 101" Show. that's a new show.

I'd curious what you are upset with? I really do not see a drop in music in the afternoon and weekends. This is not a radio station, and I think it is very revealing that the new directors immediately went out and purchased "This American Life." Why couldn't the previous managers afford that?

imo, here's what they did: they got the slacker music shows to leave who were just playing their favorite music and not really serving the community...and the morning weekday music was replaced to make room for local community talk shows like Earth 101 and Connect the Dots...and they started spending money more wisely.

The music is returning, just you have to be serving the community with it. Do you know they have a homey low-rider music show now?

 

KPFT also has Technology Bytes on Wednesday nights at 8:00pm... 2 straight hours of computer news, questions and answers. Windows, Macs and UNIX are all covered. Awesome show, plus they have chat during the radio show.

BTWFWIW, I made my donation last week!!

http://www.geekradio.com

 

Do they still do the Texas Prison Show on Friday nights? I was telling a guy I worked with in Houston about that show one night and mentioned the bulldyke who was hosting it when he said, "Oh yeah, that was probably my sister. She's on that show sometimes."

I apologized and he said, "Oh no, she's scum."

 

Their current bluegrass show is not good and you won't find a bigger supporter of local music than Rick Gardener, the former bluegrass host.

I didn't know about Miles, so that was my mistake.

I just personally don't care for alot of their current programming. This American Life also airs on KUHF, so I don't see their having it as a bonus.

Even though I'm not a big blues fan, the show on Sunday is good and they do have some decent local music shows. I just don't care for most of the political talk. I'm cool with the BBC, though I'd rather hear the actual broadcasts via the web myself, but some of the others just seem to drone on.

Just my personal preference.

 

I believe when the new station manager came in after the power struggle a few months ago, the schedule did change so there are less hours of music during the day. As I remember I used to be able to tune in at 11AM and now I can't till 1 PM. Also I used to be able to listen to the music all afternoon but now there is some guy on who plays atonal crap. (i.e. Not: Blues, Zydeco, Alternative, Rockabliiy, Texas swing, Bluegrass,Country Rock, Jazz Fusion,Soul, or plain ol Rock ) I don't think being too limited.

I realize their charter is to be a community radio station and their "progressive" bias is sorley needed as a counter to all the conservative spewage that comes over the AM band so I give them money, but I have to admit I find it hard to listen to.
All Things Considered on KUHF is much more listenable infotainment.

Jeep

 

Anybody remember the old Funhouse show hosted by Chuck Roast?