Events

Current Activites of FCM and in the past

Barsamian Examines Media and Democracy in FCM Presentation

by

NOTED JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR TO MAKE PRESENTATION ON MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY

Kansas City, Mo. , 10/3/19  – David Barsamian author of a book with Noam Chomsky – Global Discontents: Conversations on the Rising Threats to Democracy, will present his views on the state of the media on October 30, at 6:30 PM at All Souls Unitarian Church, 4501 Walnut in Kansas City.

A tireless and wide-ranging journalist, Barsamian is important to the independent media landscape with his weekly radio show, “Alternative Radio” now in its 34th year – and his books with Noam Chomsky, Eqbal Ahmad, Howard Zinn, Tariq Ali, Arundhati Roy, and Richard Wolff.

“Alternative Radio” airs locally on KKFI FM 90.1 on Wednesdays at 9:00 AM.  An interview with him will him live air on Tuesday, 10/29 on the station at 6:00 PM on the “Radioactive Magazine” show.

David is the recipient of many awards including the Media Education Award, the ACLU’s Upton Sinclair award, and Friends of Community Media’s Media Excellence Award.

Admission at the door will be $15, $10 for students, low-income people, and seniors.  A reception to meet Mr. Barsamian is at 7:30 PM for $25 (includes an event ticket and refreshments).  Autographed books and CDs will be available for purchase.  Ticket proceeds will benefit Friends of Community Media, a non-profit 501(c)3 group.

– 30 –

People may order tickets for the October 30th event on brownpapertickets.com by searching with the keywords “Barsamian” or “Media and Democracy”.

Sponsored by the All-Souls Forum, KKFI and United Minority Media Association.

Good Turnout to Monthly Social Event

by

Had about 10 people come to FCM’s monthly social get-together and discussed issues until Midnight. Next FCM meeting is scheduled for 3/9 – but may have to reschedule. Next potluck/gathering will be probably 3/23.

Grassroots Radio Conference 2011

by

Friends of Community Media hosted a grassroots radio conference in 2011 at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Kansas City. Kansas City’s community radio station, KKFI, was a sponsor with other local activist groups.

Some photos from the event.

Reminder for Friday, 6/21/18 – Happy Solstice!

by

This is a reminder that the monthly pot luck of Friends of  Community Media will be tomorrow evening, 7 PM.  This time, we’ll be at Spencer’s place:

4550 Warwick Blvd. # 508

NOTE:  This is “Oak Hall”, which is a 12-story apartment (condo)
building half way between the Nelson gallery and the Country Club Plaza.

THE STREET MAY BE CLOSED TO THROUGH TRAFFIC.  They may have a human at
barricades on Warwick at both 45th and 46th.  Tell them you are visiting
Oak Hall at 4550 Warwick Blvd.

This Friday’s Potluck

by

This Friday, 7 PM, social event / potluck – Tom’s house.  Some will be given on Electronic Frontier Foundation association from Spencer, and upcoming August event from Bill.

 

Reminder meeting is not Saturday this month

by

Reminder: The next FCM Meeting is next Wednesday, 3/14/18 at 6:15 at the KKFI annex room (39th & Main – rear door). We need to discuss when our meeting days and times would be the best for everyone. This meeting does not mean that it is every second Wednesday, necessarily or at this time every meeting.

Book Discussion Saturday

by
Thank to those who came to hear David Barsamian last Friday. As announced we are having a book discussion about his newest book and his presentation.
 
GLOBAL DISCONTENTS
Conversations on the Rising Threats to Democracy
 
Please join us this Saturday at 10 A.M – 39th & Main – rear door next to parking lot, KKFI Annex Room, second floor down the hall.. It does not matter whether you have finished the book or purchased the book, yet.
 
Also reminder of this – Saturday FCM general / board meeting KKFI annex Noon.

Barsamian Column for the Kansas City Star

by

This was a column that David Barsamian wrote for the Kansas City Star which they said they would publish, but didn’t

-= Tom Crane =-

GUEST COLUMN FROM DAVID BARSAMIAN

 

Mr. Barsamian will be visiting at a public event in Kansas City on Friday, December 1 at the St. Garabed Armenian Church at 4400 Wyoming.

 

Journalism is a bedrock of democracy and it is very disturbing to see what’s happening to journalists here and around the world.  From Istanbul to Cairo and Washington to India attacks on journalism and their profession are occurring more frequently than ever from the highest levels of government.  The President has called the media “the enemy of the American people.”  This reminds of slanders of Hitler and Stalin.  In the just released book I authored with Noam Chomsky Global Discontents: Conversations on the Rising Threats to Democracy, he discusses terrorism of a different kind, the efforts of repressive states to silence the media.    The only way to expose political corruption is through strong media, and signs of this corruption can be seen when there are increased efforts by those in power to deligitimize and muffle the press, radio, TV, and the Internet.  Control and manipulation of the media both directly and indirectly, is a tactic used by authoritarian regimes everywhere.  When legitimate reporting is subverted by propaganda, when a population becomes distracted by the media which should be providing accurate information, when people become an audience – then a nation finds itself at risk.  For example, when a nation is led by what I call “magical thinking”, as what is happening with the Trump Administration’s position on climate-change, we have to find the tools to protect and insulate ourselves from the dangers we are facing.  A good defense is to remember history and remember the past as a way of maintaining our balance against false information – what has been called “alternative facts”.  While there many pseudo-news outlets on the Internet, people become too focused on witty or scathing postings on sites like Facebook.  . . . but outrage and ridicule are not enough.  Simple slogans, memes, and catch-phrases are not the solution.  People should contest political policy issues directly through confronting elected officials, peaceful demonstrations, voter registration, and becoming well-informed.  It is through books and newspapers such as the Star, that people need to become educated to understand the very complex world we live in.