Five years ago, after being named the first Latino program director in the 50-year history of KPFK Pacifica Radio, Armando Gudiño took a call from a worried hearer. She was an old woman, he recalls, a staunch liberal who had given money regularly to the member-supported station, known for its progressive politics and from time to time chaotic infighting. Unaware whom she was talking to, the woman expressed concern about the new date of this Mexican American, who was born and raised in L.A. and held a degree in political skill from Cal State Northridge. "We're worried because the Latinos are taking over," she confided. "So mayhap it's better if this young human being goes back to Mexico and works over there."Gudiño, who never let on who he was, recalled the conversation this week with a sense of humor and twinge of irony, noting that regular the charles Herbert Best liberals can be coloured. But it wouldn't be the last time, he says, that someone uttered concern virtually the station becoming "likewise brown."
At a time when other populace radio stations of the Cross in Southern California receive moved away from ethnically oriented computer programing, KPFK-FM (90.7) prides itself on shows aimed at specific groups, such "Afro-Dicia," "American Indian Airwaves" and "Radio Intifada." Under Gudiño, Latinos are increasingly part of the conflate. It's no coincidence that the station kicks turned the celebration of its 50th day of remembrance year with a concert this Sunday at the Ford Amphitheatre featuring an all-Latino lineup, headlined by the satiric trio Culture Clash. Aside from its long-standing block of Saturday night music shows -- "Canto Tropical," "Canto Sin Fronteras" and "Travel Tips From Aztlan" -- KPFK broadcasts populace affairs computer programing in Spanish five years a week, something level commercial Spanish-language stations don't offer. And last month, Gudiño brought back Betto Arcos, the station's former music director, as the Tuesday horde of "Global Village," a daily world music show that had no Mexican at the mike. (Sergio Mielniczenko hosts a Brazilian show in one case a week on "Global Village.") KPFK even militia a prime drive-time expansion slot every Friday afternoon for a crazy crew of Chicanos wHO anchor a satirical exhibit called "The Pocho Hour of Power." (The terminal figure "pocho" is a intimate put-down ill-used by Mexicans to concern to the Americanized children of immigrants living across the perimeter.) The team, led by syndicated cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz, creator of the daily comic strip "La Cucaracha," will do at Sunday's fundraiser in a broadcast of live skits and parody songs they call "The Pocho Home Companion." L.A.'s brassy Latin fusion group Mezklah will too perform with a new expanded lineup. "I knew coming into this that it would be a priority for me to not only reflect our listeners and our city but to play an active character in providing opportunities for Latinos to be non only in front of the mike but besides behind the mike [as producers]," says Gudiño, world Health Organization calls himself "the straits pocho." "We have at this station right now over two dozen pagan nationalities delineate, including every Latin American country, with the exception of Costa Rica."Of line, the station is no interracial utopia. Racial issues have played a piece in past tense disputes over programming and management, including the late departure of general manager Eva Georgia, a native of South Africa wHO promoted Gudiño to programme director a year later she came aboard in 2002. They took rouse following the ouster of a previous administration accused of straying from the mission of serving a diverse audience in a bid for higher ratings. To some, that meant KPFK was trying to be like NPR. (Translation: Reaching out more to whites.)Today, non even Latinos fully backup the station's Spanish-language scheduling, expanded on Georgia's watch out. Some say it's a mistake to switch from English, which can alienate established listeners without necessarily gaining new ones. Overall, contributors and contributions have been gradually increasing over the last three geezerhood, according to a post representative. Ratings are true low at night for the Spanish-language public personal business shows, which discuss topics such as human rights, healthcare and "genocide through the breeding system." But Gudiño sees a singular opportunity to present reformist politics to the immigrant population, stressing to skeptics "the motivation to share the locus." Still, he hints that this experiment may be just a springboard to creating an all-Spanish public radio station in Los Angeles.Others conceive KPFK should stay focussed on the bilingual interview, that vast mass of pochos out there wHO speak Spanish, mas o menos, simply prefer their media in English. "I think that's the future," says Arcos, who hails from the Mexican state of Veracruz.Gudiño says a review of all the station's long hundred programs is underway, under new world-wide manager Sean Heitkemper, world Health Organization worked for many years at KJAZZ-FM (88.1). The focus will be on drive time, he says, when most people are hearing and the potential for more members, and thus more money, is superlative. He doesn't expect a retreat from Latino computer programing, though some shows may shift clip slot. "No, no, no, we desire to expand it, evolve it and improve it," he says. "We're looking at at this as an opportunity to rebuild."All of these unplayful issues testament be subject to skewering Sunday by the likes of Culture Clash and the Pochos. Alcaraz, the cartoonist, recalls being invited to deliver the concert on a sister programme at the station, "Feminist Magazine." But, as he recalls, there was one caveat issued in an e-mail from the hosts: "Could you come as a female? We don't have work force on our show, as a rule. No offense."None taken. Alcaraz went on as his own complex number writer, Maria Torres, world Health Organization has loved comedy writing "ever since I was a short girl." Without even trying to camouflage his part, Lalo/Maria explained that behind every five-spot successful pochos there's incessantly a secure pocha. "Only at KPFK," the humourist deadpanned. agustin.gurza@latimes.com"The Clash of the Pochos" starts at 8 p.m. Sunday, at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. E., Los Angeles. Tickets, $25, $35. Information, (323) 461-3673 or world Wide Web.kpfk.org.
![[1999] Full Power Of Goa](http://img.mp3fiesta.com/covers/39/3958/alb_78182_th.jpg)
