KPFK dropping 'Deadline LA' show after 20 years?*

Makeshift on-air sign observed on my last visit to KPFK. Photo: LA Observed

[July 4 update: "Deadline LA" is staying on the air.]

For at least 20 years, KPFK has been airing a more or less weekly radio show devoted to talking about the news media in Los Angeles and beyond. For most if not all of that time, Barbara Osborn has been the host. Since she has become director of communications for Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, the show has been more in the hands of Howard Blume and Gail Holland, both of them staff writers at the Los Angeles Times. I have been on several times, and the show has tackled issues on the LA media scene from many directions through the years.

Anyway, the show's run is coming to an end. [* Update: Maybe not. Further discussions are ensuing. More to come.]

On July 11 the Pacifica station at 90.7 FM will be dropping several shows and adding more Spanish-language programming. The note from KPFK general manager Leslie Radford makes it sound as if the shows could have gone on if the program manager had presented the boss with some options, and there is also the possibility of a future podcast.

As of July 11, Indy Media on Air, Deadline L.A., Treasures of the West, Poets' Cafe, and Theatreworks will no longer be broadcast on KPFK 90.7FM.

In an effort to diversify our programming further, we are complying with the Pacifica National Board mandate to increase our Spanish-language programming by five hours. We will be doing that between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.

On June 15, I requested the Interim Program Director give me options to re-arrange the existing programming to accommodate this change. He hasn’t presented me with those options, so I’m left with simply cutting the programming in this timeslot.

I understand this is harsh, but please understand that it isn’t intended to be disrespectful of your contributions to KPFK, nor is it a judgment on the quality of your show. I am very grateful for all you’ve done for KPFK. It is simply that I have no options except to make this cut across the strip. If you would like your show to continue as a podcast, please talk to Interim Program Director Alan Minsky.

Leslie Radford
General Manager, KPFK 90.7FM
Gerente General de KPFK 90.7 FM