KCPT Fixed Their "Week In Review" Problem

What a surprise. I've written a few times here that Kansas City Public Television's show "Week in Review" had real issues of representation on their program. It was virtually always 3 white people and a Black man and that was it. Not one Hispanic or Latinx person represented usually on their panel. Once in a while, yes. Usually, regularly, no. Absolutely not.

So how did they fix it? They didn't have even ONE guest on the program for a panel whatever. Problem solved? Ironically, as Nick Haines interviewed Mayor Quinton Lucas on the show tonight, the Mayor mentioned his own going to the West side of the city on Cinco de Mayo to talk to the Hispanic citizens there. Pretty hilarious. At least he recognizes there is a Hispanic community here and they need to be included.

Question for Kansas City Public Television

You have someone named Vickie Diaz-Camacho telling us how great KCPT is in your advertising but you can't get an Hispanic or Latinx person on "Week In Review" every week?

Seriously?

KCPT and "Week In Review", Covering That White Person's Point of View

Yes sir and ma'am, Kansas City. If you're a contributor to KCPT, rest assured, Kansas City Public Television will cover the white person's point of view. And they'll do so with more white males than anyone else.

This week's version had, yes, two white men, one white woman--very blonde--and thank God for Eric Wesson, showing up week after week.They'll ask for money from everyone--including the local Hispanic community--but have a Hispanic, Latinx person on the show? Fuggedaboudit. I say again, in the year that the Kansas City Star so publicly apologized for covering only the white person's point of view over the years, KCPT keeps giving more of same old, same old. Stunning. Really stunning. And know this. I wouldn't write these things, time and again, if I thought what KCPT and PBS did and stood for was unimportant.

KCPT Week in Review--- 3 White People and a Token Black

Once more, one more time this week, KCPT, "Kansas City Public Television" and their "Week in Review" program has 3 white people and Eric Wesson, a token Black man, on their program. That's it. Three white people and a Black man.

Thank goodness, again, Eric Wesson shows up. Thank you, sir, for being there, time and again. To KCPT, "Kansas City Public Television", there are no Hispanic people in the community. Thank goodness they got 2 white women to appear on the program so they have at least SOME more minorities on the show. So hoping one day they fix this. Hey, we can hope.

The Kansas Legislature is Broken

What you don't and won't hear from more mainstream media in the area like the Kansas City Star, KCUR, KCPT or certainly not from the local TV news stations. This is from Davis Hammet @Davis_Hammet of the organization Loud Light today including the headline above:

--Legislators are hiding who actually wrote bills. --Public hearings are being scheduled with less than 24 hrs notice or entirely skipped. --The day waiting period between debate and the final vote is constantly being suspended. #ksleg

A Solution for PBS and KCPT for Fundraising

Yes, indeed. Herewith, a good solution for PBS and our own Kansas City Public Television for the biannual fundraising. Instead of blackmailing us with God-awful nearly ancient 60s music and musicians.

Instead of all that, why not--please--take your BEST programs and show them, instead? Much of America out here, including me, sees a lot of New York Broadway plays on PBS. Why not use those to fund raise,instead? Sure, chop them up just the same way you do those God-awful 60s music pieces and artists but with this material we can and do only get from you, from PBS. Use Broadway plays, your "Nature" programs, "Frontline", all of it. It recognizes both your viewers education and intelligence as well as their monthly and/or annual contributions they make to your organization and existence. I'll never forget the only way or reason I was exposed to the New York Broadway play of Charles Dickens' "Nicholas Nickleby" was because of a PBS broadcast. And you know what? It hasn't been on in years. This is a perfect example of why and how you could show that, fund raise and still not insult your audience/contributors, all at the same time. They could, at the same time as the programs, run a tape at the bottom asking, begging, pleading, reminding viewers to call and support them, too. It would be perfect. So please, PBS, do this. Please make this change, these changes.Respect us. Respect your audience, your contributors. Make it all make sense. This Fall, stop showing us ancient, disconnected rock and roll. You're not an oldies FM radio program. Do this, instead. Again, please. Please. I'm begging. We're all begging. Really. Give us reasons to watch your programming 52 weeks a year, even DURING fund raising weeks. You'll gain, you'll win and we will, too. Stop insulting your audience and contributors.

Kansans! Do You Know What Your (Republican) Representatives Did Last Week in Topeka?

Seriously, Kansans, do you know what your state government representatives did last week in Topeka? Especially the Republican Party Represntatives? Davis Hammet, once again, gives an exellent, factual recap of just what went on over there.

I personally cannot recommend enough that Kansns at least follow Mr. Hammet and his organization, Loud Light, if not also support him and the group (please). He's doing great work and giving great information on Kansas Statehouse business that literally no other source is, Kansas City Star and all local TV news stations combined and included. If you could and would support him, howver large or small, it would be money extremely well spent, I assure you.He gives these excellent, concise summaries weekly, as this suggests. For me, it's a "don't miss" video each week---and I don't eeen live in the state. Now if Steve Kraske at KCUR would have him on his program and Nick Haines at KCPT on his. If only.

When Will KCPT Stop Blackmailing Us?

Every Spring and Fall, for one week, our local KCPT, Kansas City Public Television, PBS , turns insipid. It's all for fundraising. Like now, this week.

The other 50 weeks it's intelligent and/or entertaining and usually informative. For these 2 weeks, it turns into a blackmailing jukebox. It goes from intelligent to insipid and isnulting. It makes no sense. There has got to be better ways, much better ways to raise money than playing music for Boomers. And trust me, this is coming from a Boomer.

Claire McCaskill Asks a Great Question This Morning

Yes, now former Senator Claire McCaskill asks an excellent question and makes a great challenge to local, regional and state media.

Claire McCaskill @clairecmc "Let me say it again. 24 MASS VACCINATION SITES OVER THE NEXT WEEK. ONLY 1!!!! in Jackson County, St Louis County, St Louis City and Boone County. COMBINED! This is a scandal. Where are our journalists? Where are our elected officials? @GovParsonMO" This was her response to this post on Twitter. Mo Health & Sr Srvcs @HealthyLivingMo · Feb 23 Mass vaccination events for this week have been announced. Find more at: https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/events/ #MOStopsCOVID | #ShowMeStrong Again, excellent question. We, here in Jackson County, Kansas City, only just came off Phase 1B, tier 1 in the last few days for these vaccinations which are for 1st responders, emergency services and public heath infastructure citizens only. Now, we're finally but only on high risk individuals 18-64 and individuals, citizens 65 and over. We only just got there very recently, in the last few days. So... Local news stations? KCPT? KCUR? KCTV5? KMBC? WDAF? Fox 4? We have a story for you. And we need to hear about this and badly.For that matter, Governor Parson? Do you have answers for us? Information? Solutions? Any good news? Anything encouraging?

KCPT's Week In Review!!!

Whoo-hoo!!

Big, big news from Kansas City Public Television's "Week In Review"!

They only had 3---THREE--white people on their weekly panel this week--with one token Black man! Eric Wesson!

Hey, they squeezed in one minority. Like last week, they might have even just left him, Mr. Wesson out.

Still no Hispanic or member of the local Latinx community but hey, they got one whole minority person in there!

Whattya' think?  22nd Century they might have a white man, a white woman, an African-American and a Hispanic on the show?

Maybe??

Perhaps I'll call them this week and let them know there is a HIspanic community out here in the area.  Seems clear they don't know it.

Again, I'm just glad they can make sure they ask for money, donations from Black and Hispanic citizens in the area----even if they don't have them or want to have them on the program.

KCPT: Week In Review-- Lily, Bleached White Men

Holy cow.

KCPT, Kansas City Public Television tonight on the "Week in Review" program not only didn't have a token Black person, Black man or woman on the program or a Hispanic but get this. All they had was TWO WHITE MEN.

Let me say that again.

On the local PBS TV station's weekly news program, all they had was 2 white men as guests. With the host, NIck Haines, that makes for 3 white men. Period.  That's it. That's all.

Thank God they interviewed Mayor Quinton Lucas at the beginning of the program.

Maybe they don't know Mayor Lucas is Black?

I mean wow.

Seriously, KCPT.

Two white men? 

That's it?

No women?

No Black man or woman?

No Hispanic person?

The local newspaper, the Kansas City Star goes out of their way recently, to apologize for only representing the white, Caucasian side of local news over its history and all you have on your weekly, local TV program this week is THREE WHITE GUYS?

Again, REALLY?

And it wasn't snowing yet so please, please don't try to use the weather as an excuse.

Guys, gals, may I come down and get some of your bleach?

Our KC Star Finally Gets It on Race -- Will KCPT?

 Yes, as I wrote earlier last week, I thought it pretty incredible and courageous and soul-searching for our Kansas City Star local newspaper to own up and 'fess up to their very racist, white supremacist past. Great for them, great for us. Progress. Surprising and again, incredible. Very encouraging and hopeful.

So now, a next step, it makes me wonder aloud here if our local PBS station will ever "get it" on race, too. If KCPT will ever be truly inclusive. I've written about it before.

They used  to have 2 weekly news programs and now they're down to one. Both were heavily, heavily represented by---wait for it--white people. Only. Singularly. And the one now gone was also heavily full of Right Wing and/or conservative and/or out and out Republican Party guests and viewpoints. It was dispiriting to say the least.

And even now, still, to this day, their "Week in Review" program is heavily all white. Here's the latest example.

Where it used to be a solidly, dependably, weekly all white panel, now they seem to have finally, finally committed to having a reliable, token Black person, a Black man.  At least there is that improvement.

But to this day, as in this week's episode, there are 3 white people.

That's it.

Three men, one woman and one Black man, that's it.

Occasionally, occasionally they will include a Hispanic or Latinx member of the community but it is rare, at best. They apparently take money from and advertise the Dos Mundos newspaper but no steady representation of our Hispanic community. It's almost as though they don't live here. Or at least, it's as though KCPT either just doesn't or doesn't want to recognize them, Hispanics in the community.

In their defense, I know this isn't true. I know the station and the host, Nick Haines, want to be fair and representative of us all.

But it ain't happenin'.

It's 2020, very nearly 2021, of course, and still no representation, no reliable, steady, dependable representation of ALL in our community.

But hey, if you're white? Or more, if you're a white man? They got you covered. Great for you.

So come on, KCPT. Do it. Somehow, do it. Get it done. Commit to, somehow, having, say, one white maile, one white female, yes a Black person, male or female and the---wait for it---a Hispanic or Latinx person, again, male or female on your program, on this program, on "Week in REview", week after week after week. Reliably. You owe it to yourself. You owe it to good, fair representative media. 

You owe it to all of us.

KCPT Needs to Rename "Week in Review"

 

They need to just call it "Three White People and a Black Man."

Kansas City Week in Review

Nearly Bleached White KCPT "Week In Review"--With a Token

 I give up.

KCPT, our local PBS station, is supposed to represent us all, across the metropolitan area, but, geez. Their "Week in Review" program with Nick Haines, is supposed to represent us all and they advertise that and they emphasize, day after day, again and again, that the Hispanic Dos Mundos is one of their supporters but holy cow. Time after time, week after week, show after show, it's 3 very, very bleached white people and one--token--Black person.

That's it.

They either can't or just don't or won't get any Hispanic or Latinx person. Nearly never.  So frequently, again, repeatedly, they have the white person and worse, the conservative, if not out and out just Republican Party, white person covered but anyone from the Hispanic viewpoint?

Fuggedaboudit.

Not a chance.

So yeah. I give up. It's going to be a nearly bleached white, largely Right Wing, if not Republican, conservative viewpoint.

Congratulations, KCPT. Congratulations, Nick.

Love to hear what the white people's view is.

Nearly singularly.

Nearly solely.

I guess this is progress. It used to be only all 4 white people. Every time. Week after week.

Sure.  Right.

Never mind.

There's no reason to watch this program any further.

How are they not embarrassed? Professionally embarrassed.

Someone please tell me, please explain to me how this isn't racist.

Fantastic News From KCPT!

I am pleasantly, very, very pleasantly surprised to the point of shocked today.   Our local PBS station,  KCPT, made a terrific, even fantastic and very responsible decision. Here goes.

As a trusted source for public media in the Kansas City area, KCPT monitors community feedback and evaluates station programming, services and initiatives to ensure they effectively fulfill the needs of the audiences we serve. With our viewers, members and community in mind, we have made the decision to pause the production of the weekly roundtable debate program Ruckus.

KCPT will take some time to consider whether we might better use our station resources in support of another program, one that allows for differing opinions but maintains the standards expected of our organization.

The long and short of it is that they, KCPT, are dropping, have dropped their weekly "news" program "Ruckus."

I say again, this is fantastic. That is some great news right there. Obviously Right Wing, Republican host Mike Shanin and all his old, Right Wing, also Republican buddies like Woody "I'm a Fossil" Cozad were WAY out of line. KCPT viewers and supporters deserve far better.

The program frequently had a very Right Wing weighted--and bleached white--panel, time and again. And you would think the host would only be just that, the host, and not interject his opinions, again, in this case, very Right Wing opinions yet there he was, every week, spewing those Republican or Libertarian or whatever viewpoints. 

His counterpart on KCPT, Nick Haines, over at "Week in Review" always did and does just that--that is, kept his opinions to himself. He has also begun having regularly, dependably balanced guests, too, with, specifically, two white people, a Black or African-American and a Hispanic or LatinX guest, thereby giving full representation to the entire community.

I had written KCPT and asked them, a couple times, maybe a few, to make the programs more representative of the entire metropolitan area.  Naturally, I also wrote about this here on the blog. (Perhaps one of you two readers may have seen it).  I thought they could and would maybe tweak both programs so they were balanced and representative of more views. They did it with Mr. Haines' program, I noticed. Perhaps they tried to do the same with Mr. Shanin's program as well. And he wouldn't budge?  Only they, on the inside, know, I suppose.

It's a shame something couldn't have worked out that Mr. Shanin couldn't have stayed with and on the show, kept his very Right Wing opinions to himself and dependably had a truly representative panel on the show, from across the city, week after week but so it goes. Maybe they'll create a new program with a similar format, a new, much better, more responsible host and again, balanced, representative guests for each week's panel.

Anyway, yes sir and ma'am, great, great news! Thank you, KCPT! You did the right thing here! We look forward to your continued success and growth!

Links: 

Mo Rage: KCPT's Lily-White, Bleached-White "Ruckus"

Mo Rage: Clueless Mike Shanin, KCPT and "Ruckus"

Kudos, At Long Last, To KCPT, "Ruckus" and Mike Shanin

A Suggestion, Recommendation, Request for KCPT and Mike Shanin

Yes, a recommendation, suggestion, request for KCPT and Mike Shanin.

Could you please keep Mr. Shanin's very Right Wing, conservative, Republican views to himself?

It's not what we watch for.

We don't watch this newsweekly for the host's own personal political views. Not at all. That's what the guests are for. Leave it to also elderly, white and Right Wing, conservative Republican Woody Cozad or someone, anyone else.

If Mr. Shanin feels strongly enough he wants to give his opinion(s), let him, then, be a guest. It's not difficult. Otherwise, just host the show.

We, the viewers, including the sponsors, funders of the program, watch for someone to oversee the show. We don't want and God knows don't need to know what he thinks or likes or wants, especially when it comes to politics. 

His counterpart, Nick Haines, over on the also weekly news program "Week in Review" can do it. Mr. Shanin certainly should be able to, also.

Side note: a thanks and congratulations to Nick Haines, KCPT and his program for getting a token black person on this week's program. It seems KCPT may finally, finally be making that happen on both these newsweeklies. Occasionally it doesn't happen and it's all lily-white but I think that may have been because of this pandemic we're suffering through presently. Hopefully that's the case.

Of course, neither program still has a token Hispanic on either program so it's still 3 white people, 1 black and that's it but at least they've finally made this improvement.

Still waiting for the day when KCPT recognizes the Hispanic community in the area and on both these programs.

They take money from Dos Mundo but still no representation on the shows.

Pretty sad.

The Racial, Very Racist History of Kansas City So Few Locals Know---Or Care to Know or Acknowledge

I saw this on KCPT this evening. So eye-opening. Most I knew.


Still think the nation doesn't owe African-Americans reparations?

Still?

Links:

Jim Crow Laws: Definition, Facts & Timeline - HISTORY

Segregation in the United States - HISTORY

Racial segregation in the United States - Wikipedia

How Troost Became A Major Divide In Kansas City

The Mixed Legacy Of J.C. Nichols

How qre KCPT's "Week In Review" and "Ruckus" Not Racist?

What do you call a news program in a major city of America that only has white people on it, discussing what are supposed to be local issues?

Not one African-American. Not one Hispanic or Latina/Latino. Nothing.

Only white people.

What is that but racist?

On both programs' panels, not one "person of color." "Ruckus" did, this week, have the head of our local Jazz Museum, Rashida Phillips on at the beginning of the program but no minority, save a woman, on the panel.

Only white people can give answers to what our problems are and what the solutions might be?

And how, exactly, can people like Dave Helling and Steve Kraske and Mike Mahoney support and continue to support this and these programs?

Why does the local Hispanic media like Dos Mundos support this group?

KCPT's Lily-White, Bleached-White "Ruckus" and "Week in Review" Save Kansas City Again!

Yessiree. Here we go again. One more week of KCPT and Mike Shanin saving the city, saving us all with four lily, bleached-white Caucasians on the panel of the weekly "news" program "Ruckus."

Not one African-American.

Not one HIspanic or Latino/Latina.

Nada.

Zip.

They show African-Americans and Hispanics in their promotional commercials and requests for funding and get this, they advertise that they're supported by the Hispanic community's Dos Mundos newspaper but actually have a minority person from the area on the program??

FUGGEDABOUDIT.

They did have 2 whole wimmin on the program so at least it wasn't completely all white males. There was at least ONE minority. I guess we have to be thankful for that.

Given that it's PBS and a publicly-funded program, you wouldn't think this would even be an issue. It is really stunning. Not only is it this way but it's been this way since KCPT began.

You'd think this was 1920's or 1940's or even 1960's America.

But it surely isn't.

In Mr. Shanin's and his program's defense, I will say that they TALKED about inviting a black female singer to be on the program. In the future.

Not done there, our PBS station KCPT also ran FOUR VERY WHITE PEOPLE, again, on "Week in Review."

Not one "person of color."

Honestly. It's stunning.

What chutzpah. What an insult.

It insults our intelligence as well as the audience, the entire city.

Come on, KCPT.

You should be FAR better than this.

Links:

Ruckus - KCPT

Kansas City Week in Review - KCPT

Clueless Mike Shanin, KCPT and "Ruckus"

They've done it again.

Mike Shanin, his weekly news program "Ruckus" and our PBS station KCPT all did it again.

On this evening's weekly program, on tonight's panel, they had 2 white men, a very white--even blonde haired--woman and one black man.

One person "of color."

And even the woman was clearly a Right Winger, very likely Republican since she called out for Mike Pompeo, praising him and saying he should run for President in the future.

Again, I say and ask again, how incredible would it be if KCPT and Mike Shanin and this show--and "Week in Review" for that matter, their other weekly news program--consistently, reliably, week after week, would have, at worst, one white man, one white woman, an African-American of any sex and a Hispanic or Latina, again, of either sex?

How great would that be?

And it wouldn't be difficult, either.

They would finally, at long last, reliably and dependably have a far better cross section of everyone in the metropolitan area instead of so thoroughly covering white people and their viewpoints and issues.

We can dream.

Can't we?

Until they do, isn't this just media approved racism? And segregation?

For now, they cover, again, the white viewpoint solidly and dependably.

That and the old, white viewpoint.

KCPT and any PBS station owes us far more.