[joe-frank-list] Re: make Joe's radio public

[BILLMILOSZ at aol.com]

To fsedghip at yahoo.ca    -  you raised some very interesting ideas, I found 
your post thought-provoking. Obviously you took some time putting that together.

As I consider the issues you raised, many of which impact all of us as 
consumers of electronic "art"  (music, film, literature, etc.) I want to make a few 
observations.

You mention ThisLife.Org  - Ira Glass's THIS AMERICAN LIFE program which is 
carried on NPR and originates at WBEZ in Chicago.  There is an exact parallel 
here, Joe Frank used to have a radio "home" at KCRW in Santa Monica, and they 
supported him with some money, maybe some administrative help and also provided 
a studio and gear, etc.  But Joe and KCRW had some kind of falling out, if 
not a falling out then at least a parting of the ways.  I'm not sure what it was 
all about, except I know Joe is unhappy about something which he may have 
experienced as betrayal or some other negative action by KCRW or it's management. 
 I can't find any info about it, all I've heard / read /seen from Joe on the 
issue is, "Oh, let's not go into that, let's just move on."  I don't know what 
went wrong, but KCRW DOES seem to have retreated from any position of 
leadership they may have had in terms of free speech and the arts, and they seem to 
be getting more conservative. Maybe it's all that money- I've read that KCRW 
raises more $$$ than any other NPR affiliate. 

In any event, Joe Frank doesn't have a "patron" in the same way that Ira 
Glass does at WBEZ, so he can't offer all his stuff for free.  It USED to be 
online for free at KCRW, but those days have passed. (Maybe Ira Glass should pay 
some royalties to Joe, after all he learned his craft as an intern on Joe's 
show-  some of the This American Life programs even use some of the same music 
used in Joe Frank programs.....  but actually I doubt if Ira Glass & CO have 
money laying around in great heaps.)

Maybe we all need to writing our congressmen to have Joe declared a living 
national treasure and have his work supported by a lifetime federal stipend or 
something, but you know all that security might take the edge off his work. ;-)




    

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