KKCR Crisis in Demagoguery #4: Radio demagogue Cures KIUC's Crisis in Democracy!

‘I listened to RTLMC’, said a survivor, ‘because if you were mentioned over the airways, you were sure to be carted off a short time later by the interahamwe. You knew you had to change your address at once.”  http://goo.gl/BGoY4

Demagogues have been parasites on democracy from the beginning. “They exploit a fundamental weakness in democracy: because ultimate power is held by the people, nothing stops the people from giving that power to someone who appeals to the lowest common denominator of a large segment of the population. http://goo.gl/gXdi0 ”

jj “I’m glad we had that conversation”

A radio demagogue wields immense  power.  Kauai  KKCR talk show host Jonathan Jay (jj) wields the power to fear-monger among the ill and semi-literate segments of the population. jj never defines what he means by democracy but is all for it. Although jj was not himself elected to be a talk show host, has no special qualifications to be a talk show host and is not paid to be a talk show -- through an obscure undemocratic process jj is a talk show host and now he is voluntary “giving back to the community”. Unfazed by the non-democratic process that handed him a megaphone to the communal ears of the island jj has no problem using this megaphone to advance his own self interest. The introduction of the printing press allowed the demagogue to propagandize the literate on a mass scale, but the demagogue was still unable to propagandize the ill and semi-literate except by word-of-mouth. Radio allowed the demagogue to propagandize this at-risk populations on a massive scale. Lets take a look at Kauai’s very own demagogue Jonathan Jay and  his sycophantic pettifogging dance of the red herring.

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74 percent vote yes in KIUC election

Posted: Sunday, January 26, 2014 1:45 am

Tom Hasslinger - The Garden Island

http://goo.gl/kgxtxS

Jonathan Jay, one of three drafters of a petition which ultimately sent the issue to a vote, said he was more excited about the high voter turnout than disappointed about the result.

He called the mass participation a positive sign and a step in the right direction.

“It’s awesome that so many people took part in the election,” said Jay, who is running for a board seat, after learning the outcome. “I think that’s good for the co-op and good for democracy and I think that’s the most important thing for a co-op. And I’m glad we’ve had that conversation.”

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Actually jj was running for the KIUC board before, not after “learning the outcome”. jj has run for the KIUC board before and upon losing diagnosed a  “Crisis in Democracy” and now jj is taking credit for the cure! “It’s awesome that so many people took part in the election,” Indeed jj played a big part in this $63,000 election as one of the three petitioners to calling for a special election to reverse a KIUC board decision. Unfortunately it was an expensive exercise in futility as 74% of the 30.000 KIUC members who chose to exercise their franchise agreed with the board decision.  This is the second time jj has called for a special election to reverse a board decision and the second time the KIUC membership has overwhelmingly agreed with the board decision.

As a KKCR talk show host jj talks ad-nauseum about KIUC’s lack of democracy and cooperation. Now at least the literate know jj could care less about “smart meters” for as jj said “he was more excited about the high voter turnout than disappointed about the result”. Smart meters were just a hook baited by jj to fearmonger an at-risk population to increase voter participation in KIUC elections.

A big mahalo to the unelected jj for wasting everyones time and money reaffirming a democratically elected board decision.

KKCR Crisis in Demagoguery #3: Analysis & Reflections on Comments

“Demagogues, are not interested in sharing and contrasting their thoughts and feelings with people; they merely want to club them into line with their own.”

Blogs are an interesting media. Blogs are asynchronous. You post an article and at a time of their choosing those that wish to engage do so. A number of  KKCR affiliated  commenters posted a number of comments. I will use quotes in my analysis of comments but will not attribute these quotes as the curious reader can simply dig out the authors by reading the quotes in context for themselves.

The topic of my post was voter enfranchisement  as a best practice of democratic governance; The questions I posed were two 1) Which of the two non-profits (KKCR or KIUC) is the most democratic? and 2) Who decides whom and based upon what criteria do some peoples who offer to volunteer to become a radio talk show host actually get on the air? No commenter directly answered either question and instead provided a few examples of frequently deployed propaganda techniques.

Off Topic Flak

Some commenters immediately tried to change the subject to smart meters although my post never mentioned smart meters. Here’s a sample:

“Well, you are missing a few really important elements in this report. As one of the community affairs programmers I have an insight on this issue. I am one of those who is opposed to the "Smart" meters. It is researching caller opinions that cause me to eventually have an opinion. Smart meters, GMO's, the PLDC, the illegal takings of Hawaiian lands and many other complaints that are raised to my attention were not on my radar screen until I begin to vet the stories raised to my attention through community voices.”

This quote goes on ad nauseum  and has nothing to do with the topic. You would think a talk show host would have the courtesy to stick to the subject instead of trying to hijack it to discuss their issue. This is a typical blind spot for radio talk show hosts. Since as talk show hosts they are so used to setting the agenda or topic they don’t know how to act when someone else is in this role. They are trying to flip the power relationship and try to switch the issue to their own. Moreover they try to ignore the fact that this power relationship exists, which is summed up nicely with the talk show host mantra “you are always welcome to call in”.

Ad Hominem Attack

Another talk show host (posting on my facebook page brought up smart meters as well as launching an ad hominem attack without answering either question.

“ i'm just questioning Ed's timing and there seems to be some beef from our local bloggers against KKCR's programing that is critical of KIUC's handling of the smart meter program and the ballot question slanted to one side over the other. that's all!

“i wondered if Ed posted because of his relationship to the board of KIUC.”

Instead of answering the questions the ad hominem attacker questions character and credibility of person asking the question to avoid answering the question itself. Though this attack against the person is typically done through innuendo of the “are you still beating your wife” variety. Here is a sample from a KKCR talk show host posted on my FB page.

• why did Ed start this blog now?
• could some  “local bloggers” beef over smart meters be the reason?
• what is Ed’s relationship to the KIUC board?

So we are left with the KKCR talk radio hosts answering neither of the question posed, but going off topic and attacking the questioners character through innuendo. Sounds fair and balanced to me.

KKCR is different, small, and supporters don’t want democracy

Some commenters focused on the differences between the two non-profits, however none of these differences prevents any of the democratic practices, such as allowing supporting members to elect the Board of Directors, or instituting a fair and democratic process to select talk show hosts. As anthropologist Gregory Bateson once commented “a difference that makes no difference is no difference”.

Next time I will discuss why radio demagogues are a threat to democracy, the types of democracy and suggest a democratic process whereby a KKCR talk show host can be selected so they really are voices of our community.

KKCR Crisis in Demagoguery #2: KKCR Bans Subscribing Members from Electing the Board of Directors

“The secret of the demagogue is to make himself as stupid as his audience so that they believe they are as clever as he” -Karl Kraus

Early radio demagogue Father Charles Coughlin

The broader the voter franchise the more democratic the institution. If we contrast and compare the bylaws of KKCR and KIUC along the lines of who gets to elect the board of directors we find...

KKCR Bylaws excerpt:

(my emphasis in bold red)

Section 2.1 Classes of Members. The Members of the Corporation shall consist of Voting Members, Subscribing Members, and Ex-Officio Members, all as described in this Article II.

Section 2.2. Admission of Members. The power to admit and expel Members shall be vested solely in the Board of Directors, according to the provisions, qualifications, and requirements for membership stated in these bylaws. Section 2.3 Voting Members. Voting Members shall consist only of the members of the Board of Directors, elected or appointed as these bylaws provide. Upon ceasing to be members of the Board of Directors, such persons shall cease to be Voting Members of the Corporation.

Section 2.4 Subscribing Members. There shall be a class of members to be known as Subscribing Members. Subscribing members shall have no voting rights but shall be entitled to be noticed as to all corporate activities, promotional benefits, promotional gifts and discounts and other special benefits and obligations determined from time to time by the Board of Directors at the annual meeting or any other special meeting called to determine same. Subscribing Members' primary function will be to support the Corporations' activities and fundraising projects. Subscribing Members' names and addresses will be recorded in the records of the Corporation and updated or revised each year. Subscribing Members shall be required to pay dues for each membership year in order to remain a Subscribing Member on the records of the corporation.

Section 2.5 Ex-Officio Members. There shall be class of members known as Ex-Officio Members that shall consist of paid staff members (including but not necessarily limited to the station manager, the program director, and any other senior staff member as may be defined from time to time by the Board of Directors) or such other persons as the Board of Directors shall deem appropriate to be Ex-Officio Members. An ex-officio member shall be entitled to attend all meetings of the Board of Directors for purposes of discussions, making of proposals, devising corporate or program strategy or any other function determined by the Board. An ex-officio member shall have no voting rights and shall not be required to pay dues but shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors.

KIUC Bylaws excerpt:

(my emphasis in bold red)

Section 1 – Eligibility. 

Any individual, partnership, joint venture, corporation, limited liability company, political entity or other person or legal entity that has agreed to purchase or purchases electric energy from Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (the “Association”) shall be eligible for membership in the Association.

Section 4 - Voting. 

(A) Each member shall be entitled to one vote upon each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of the members. Voting by proxy and cumulative voting shall not be permitted.

One would think the unelected talk show hosts that offer on-air criticisms of KIUC's  "crisis in democracy" would first take KKCR to task before calling out a more democratic non-profit, which at a least allows all members to elect the board.

How did these talk show hosts miss, and why don't they see this undemocratic zit angrily swelling on the tips of their own noses?

KKCR Talk Radio: Crisis in Demagoguery #1

The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.  - H. L. Mencken

In the article “KIUC ballots on the way” posted Friday, January 3, 2014 on thegardenisland.com Chris D’Angelo  reported the following interaction between Jim Kelley, KIUC spokesman and Jonathan Jay, KKCR radio personality;

“One of the reasons we’re spending money is that we don’t have unfettered access to ‘community radio,’” Kelly wrote. “Do a couple of 30-second radio spots have the same impact as two, sometimes four hours of KIUC bashing every single week?”

Jay said Kelly’s comparison is ludicrous — apples to oranges.

Unlike KIUC, KKCR is a volunteer-run, listener-supported entity, according to Jay.

“And they are welcome to call in,” he said of KIUC representatives. (my emphasis)

Jay said Kelly’s comparison is ludicrous — apples to oranges.

Actually Jay’s comparing  “apples to oranges” is what is “ludicrous” since KIUC and KKCR are not fruits, but non-profit corporations.  A more useful comparison would be to ask which of the two non-profits (KKCR or KIUC) is the most democratic? Comparing the bylaws of both non profits one soon finds KKCR is much less democratic than KIUC. Lets look at a single foundational principle  of democracy -- voter enfranchisement.

At KKCR the voting franchise is extended to “members” which KKCR defines as “board members” which is only between 7 and 15 voters. KUIC defines voting members on a per meter basis, around 30,000 potential voters. Jay who presents himself as a promoter and defender of democracy even went so far as to claim KIUC had a “Crisis in Democracy” after his failed bid to become a KIUC board member. The basis of Jay’s claim was low voter turnout. Only about one quarter, around 7,500 KIUC members exercised their voting franchise. Even if in a KKCR board elections all the 9 to 15 board members voted making the turnout 100% I doubt anyone would be convinced that 15 KKCR board members voting themselves or their friends onto the KKCR board is more democratic than 7,500 members out of a potential 30,000 voting for the KIUC board.

Unlike KIUC, KKCR is a volunteer-run, listener-supported entity, according to Jay.

Actually a salaried Station Manager runs KKCR. Other staff are also paid salaries. Jay fails to mention that to KKCR “listener supported” means everyone has the right to give us money or their time volunteering, but are prohibited from voting for the board.

There are uncounted scores of people who would be more than happy to volunteer to become a radio talk show host to promote themselves or their agenda, but airtime is a limited resource of 24 hours per day. Who decides whom and based upon what criteria do some peoples who offer to volunteer to become a radio talk show host actually get on the air? The process is both unarticulated, obscure and opaque the opposite of acceptable democratic practices. Having on-air tryouts of individuals volunteering to host talk shows and allowing KKCR supporters to vote for these “volunteers” would be democratic and lend some credence to the these talk show hosts who imagine themselves to be the “voice of our community”.

“And they are welcome to call in,” he said of KIUC representatives.

Once the talk show host is undemocratically selected they becomes the moderator of the talk show. As a moderator Jay can chose what to talk about, which caller can go on at length and which caller needs to wrap it up. It seems the height of hubris for Jay to tell elected KIUC board Directors that they “are welcome to call in” and subject themselves to a format controlled by some unelected radio personality. Clearly KKCR talk radio has a crisis in demagoguery which has allowed unelected radio personalities to use it’s community airwaves to advance themselves and their special interests. As Joan Conrow wrote “Four of the most outspoken smart meter opponents have talk shows on KKCR that give them 18 hours of prime air time monthly. That's the kind of advertising no money can buy. And who polled KKCR members to see if they were OK with turning over the talk shows to the no-fee contingent?
KIUC does not have a crisis in democracy. KKCR has a crisis in demagoguery!

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