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KPFA: Three Year Financial Summary 10/1/2007 to 9/30/2010
Continuing with the financial transparency project, here are the KPFA financial statements for the past three fiscal years, ending September 30, 2010.
These financial statements are the audited results of the past three fiscal years and include a comparison of the 2010 results with the budget that was prepared in mid-2009 for the 2010 fiscal year.
The layoffs that have been so energetically discussed on Indybay occurred in November of 2010, six weeks after KPFA ended the 2010 fiscal year with a loss of more than $600,000.
KPFA's income statement for the first quarter of 2010, covering the period October, November and December of 2010 is posted here: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/02/19/18672495.php
The layoffs that have been so energetically discussed on Indybay occurred in November of 2010, six weeks after KPFA ended the 2010 fiscal year with a loss of more than $600,000.
KPFA's income statement for the first quarter of 2010, covering the period October, November and December of 2010 is posted here: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/02/19/18672495.php
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Yeah, so? KPFA never claimed to be a Fortune 500 company. Why don't you ask the Koch brothers for funding?
New financial details about KPFA's budget
Financial documents show that KPFA was already outperforming its budget by $290,000 in the first quarter of this fiscal year, casting serious doubt on Pacifica's claims that it needed to lay off Morning Show co-hosts Aimee Allison and Brian Edwards-Tiekert to meet budget targets (the combined cost of both their salaries and benefits is in the vicinity of $80,000). | SEE LINE 51 COLUMN K OF THIS SPREADSHEET
"These financials go only through December, before KPFA gained any savings from the layoffs because it was still paying severance to most laid off staff at that time," said Barbara Whipperman, KPFA's local board treasurer. "In fact, this shows that Pacifica may have generated an unreasonably pessimistic budget in order to justify the layoffs."
Results from the first week of KPFA's pledge drive show that the new morning lineup is raising much less than before.
Financial documents show that KPFA was already outperforming its budget by $290,000 in the first quarter of this fiscal year, casting serious doubt on Pacifica's claims that it needed to lay off Morning Show co-hosts Aimee Allison and Brian Edwards-Tiekert to meet budget targets (the combined cost of both their salaries and benefits is in the vicinity of $80,000). | SEE LINE 51 COLUMN K OF THIS SPREADSHEET
"These financials go only through December, before KPFA gained any savings from the layoffs because it was still paying severance to most laid off staff at that time," said Barbara Whipperman, KPFA's local board treasurer. "In fact, this shows that Pacifica may have generated an unreasonably pessimistic budget in order to justify the layoffs."
Results from the first week of KPFA's pledge drive show that the new morning lineup is raising much less than before.
1) "Financial documents show that KPFA was already outperforming its budget by $290,000 in the first quarter of this fiscal year, casting serious doubt on Pacifica's claims that it needed to lay off Morning Show co-hosts Aimee Allison and Brian Edwards-Tiekert to meet budget targets"
If one follows Tracy's link at the bottom of her post, one sees that "the first quarter of this fiscal year" includes December, when there was an exceptionally successful fund drive. The layoffs, OTOH, occurred in early November, long before that fund drive.
2) "In fact, this shows that Pacifica may have generated an unreasonably pessimistic budget in order to justify the layoffs."
A budget that turns out to have been overly pessimistic leaves you with some cash reserves, while a budget that turns out to have been overly optimistic, after you have previously exhausted your reserves, leaves you in bankruptcy court.
But the layoffs were justified anyway, because
a) KPFA needs to build up its reserves that were irresponsibly squandered by the previous, entrenched-staff-dominated, management, and
b) KPFA needs to keep its paid staff levels low enough to be sustainable in bad times, at least until it has rebuilt its cash reserves enough to weather a financial crunch from whatever source.
3) "Results from the first week of KPFA's pledge drive show that the new morning lineup is raising much less than before."
If true, and I haven't examined the data yet, it's the result of:
a) the boycott and sabotage of the Morning Mix by the entrenched staff clique, and
b) a campaign by that clique and their 'SaveKPFA/Wellstone Democratic Club' pals to get people NOT to pledge during the Old Morning Show hours.
If one follows Tracy's link at the bottom of her post, one sees that "the first quarter of this fiscal year" includes December, when there was an exceptionally successful fund drive. The layoffs, OTOH, occurred in early November, long before that fund drive.
2) "In fact, this shows that Pacifica may have generated an unreasonably pessimistic budget in order to justify the layoffs."
A budget that turns out to have been overly pessimistic leaves you with some cash reserves, while a budget that turns out to have been overly optimistic, after you have previously exhausted your reserves, leaves you in bankruptcy court.
But the layoffs were justified anyway, because
a) KPFA needs to build up its reserves that were irresponsibly squandered by the previous, entrenched-staff-dominated, management, and
b) KPFA needs to keep its paid staff levels low enough to be sustainable in bad times, at least until it has rebuilt its cash reserves enough to weather a financial crunch from whatever source.
3) "Results from the first week of KPFA's pledge drive show that the new morning lineup is raising much less than before."
If true, and I haven't examined the data yet, it's the result of:
a) the boycott and sabotage of the Morning Mix by the entrenched staff clique, and
b) a campaign by that clique and their 'SaveKPFA/Wellstone Democratic Club' pals to get people NOT to pledge during the Old Morning Show hours.
For more information:
http://tiny.cc/indybay_kpfa_aarons
"Yeah, so? KPFA never claimed to be a Fortune 500 company. Why don't you ask the Koch brothers for funding?"
Comments and attitudes as idiotic as this are the reason public sector unions have such a difficult fight on their hands in the Midwest. The perception that these unions are led by spoiled brats who refuse to acknowledge financial realities like you can't lose half a million dollars a year you don't have is the big union problem. If you don't understand the difference between a Fortune 500 company and a not for profit organization that can't run at a six figure deficit, then I really can't help you much.
"Financial documents show that KPFA was already outperforming its budget by $290,000 in the first quarter of this fiscal year'
No, they don't show that. You're inventing an extra $100,000, which is pretty much the way Brian Edward-Tiekert's and the Save KPFA/Concerned Listener's budgets went in 2008-2010. All made-up stuff. The $190,000 surplus (which isn't much) comes from the best week of fundraising KPFA did in more than four years in December 2010, when a minidrive budgeted to make about $175,000 made $362,000, even after relentless attempts to sabotage it by Save KPFA/Concerned Listeners.
"Casting serious doubt on Pacifica's claims that it needed to lay off Morning Show co-hosts Aimee Allison and Brian Edwards-Tiekert to meet budget targets"
That sounds just like Concerned Listeners/Save KPFA. Have one successful one-time fund drive and take on permanent payroll obligations. That is how KPFA got into this mess in thee first place. Look at the numbers:
Revenue 2008 - 4.5 million
Salaries and benefits - 2008 2.4 million
Revenue 2009 - 3.5 million
Salaries and benefits - 2.4 million
Ouch!
"These financials go only through December, before KPFA gained any savings from the layoffs because it was still paying severance to most laid off staff at that time," said Barbara Whipperman, KPFA's local board treasurer. "In fact, this shows that Pacifica may have generated an unreasonably pessimistic budget in order to justify the layoffs."
KPFA gained significant savings from the layoffs: Whipperman is lying through her teeth. The layoffs reduced annual payroll/benefit obligations by $400,000 or more than $35,000 a month. Severance paid was a little over $10,000. Net benefit to KPFA's bottom line in just two months was over $50,000.
Brian Edwards-Tiekert generated a budget in 2010 - and Save KPFA/Concerned Listeners happily passed it - that was - $600,000 - too optimistic on listener revenue to justify *failing* to make layoffs - and left an operating deficit of more than $600,000 and KPFA ran completely out of money.
How 'bout we see how "unreasonably pessimistic" this budget turns out to be with its 3.5 revenue figure before we jack up the payroll again?
Or are we simply determined to lose money no matter what?
"Results from the first week of KPFA's pledge drive show that the new morning lineup is raising much less than before"
Democracy Now is raising as much or more in the 7 to 8 am hour as the older program. Morning Mix is raising a bit less, but it costs $120,000 a year less to produce, so KPFA is ahead, which considering the war waged by Concerned Listeners/Save KPFA is a pretty positive result.
Comments and attitudes as idiotic as this are the reason public sector unions have such a difficult fight on their hands in the Midwest. The perception that these unions are led by spoiled brats who refuse to acknowledge financial realities like you can't lose half a million dollars a year you don't have is the big union problem. If you don't understand the difference between a Fortune 500 company and a not for profit organization that can't run at a six figure deficit, then I really can't help you much.
"Financial documents show that KPFA was already outperforming its budget by $290,000 in the first quarter of this fiscal year'
No, they don't show that. You're inventing an extra $100,000, which is pretty much the way Brian Edward-Tiekert's and the Save KPFA/Concerned Listener's budgets went in 2008-2010. All made-up stuff. The $190,000 surplus (which isn't much) comes from the best week of fundraising KPFA did in more than four years in December 2010, when a minidrive budgeted to make about $175,000 made $362,000, even after relentless attempts to sabotage it by Save KPFA/Concerned Listeners.
"Casting serious doubt on Pacifica's claims that it needed to lay off Morning Show co-hosts Aimee Allison and Brian Edwards-Tiekert to meet budget targets"
That sounds just like Concerned Listeners/Save KPFA. Have one successful one-time fund drive and take on permanent payroll obligations. That is how KPFA got into this mess in thee first place. Look at the numbers:
Revenue 2008 - 4.5 million
Salaries and benefits - 2008 2.4 million
Revenue 2009 - 3.5 million
Salaries and benefits - 2.4 million
Ouch!
"These financials go only through December, before KPFA gained any savings from the layoffs because it was still paying severance to most laid off staff at that time," said Barbara Whipperman, KPFA's local board treasurer. "In fact, this shows that Pacifica may have generated an unreasonably pessimistic budget in order to justify the layoffs."
KPFA gained significant savings from the layoffs: Whipperman is lying through her teeth. The layoffs reduced annual payroll/benefit obligations by $400,000 or more than $35,000 a month. Severance paid was a little over $10,000. Net benefit to KPFA's bottom line in just two months was over $50,000.
Brian Edwards-Tiekert generated a budget in 2010 - and Save KPFA/Concerned Listeners happily passed it - that was - $600,000 - too optimistic on listener revenue to justify *failing* to make layoffs - and left an operating deficit of more than $600,000 and KPFA ran completely out of money.
How 'bout we see how "unreasonably pessimistic" this budget turns out to be with its 3.5 revenue figure before we jack up the payroll again?
Or are we simply determined to lose money no matter what?
"Results from the first week of KPFA's pledge drive show that the new morning lineup is raising much less than before"
Democracy Now is raising as much or more in the 7 to 8 am hour as the older program. Morning Mix is raising a bit less, but it costs $120,000 a year less to produce, so KPFA is ahead, which considering the war waged by Concerned Listeners/Save KPFA is a pretty positive result.
"even after relentless attempts to sabotage it by Save KPFA"
No, the December fund drive that raised so much was FULLY SUPPORTED by SaveKPFA, which is why it brought in what it did.
As for Democracy Now, it wasn't doing that well for the first week of the fund drive -- here's a comparison of pledges from the SAME fund drive weeks in 2010 and 2011:
http://www.savekpfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/KPFAPLEDGES_JAN-2010-JAN-2011.jpg
However, today, as Brian joined Amy on his first day back, they raised the highest one-day total for DN in this fund drive: $10,430
No, the December fund drive that raised so much was FULLY SUPPORTED by SaveKPFA, which is why it brought in what it did.
As for Democracy Now, it wasn't doing that well for the first week of the fund drive -- here's a comparison of pledges from the SAME fund drive weeks in 2010 and 2011:
http://www.savekpfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/KPFAPLEDGES_JAN-2010-JAN-2011.jpg
However, today, as Brian joined Amy on his first day back, they raised the highest one-day total for DN in this fund drive: $10,430
What is this with the Tracy stuff?
So if Democracy Now raised $9,600 on the first day of the drive all by itself, then the net increase of Mr Bet's assistance added up to $730 .
Don't be inane.
Can't you guys find a better argument to support your position than giving Edwards-Tiekert credit for Democracy Now, which raises 10K in 2 hours all the time with no help from anyone and has for years?
If BET made any difference at all, you should have raised twice that. Doesn't look like he did.
So if Democracy Now raised $9,600 on the first day of the drive all by itself, then the net increase of Mr Bet's assistance added up to $730 .
Don't be inane.
Can't you guys find a better argument to support your position than giving Edwards-Tiekert credit for Democracy Now, which raises 10K in 2 hours all the time with no help from anyone and has for years?
If BET made any difference at all, you should have raised twice that. Doesn't look like he did.
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