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.

KCPT's "Week In Review", Keeping it White, Keeping it Male

Unbelievable. It's supposed to be "Kansas City Public Talevision" but their one weekly local news program is once again, mostly just white. And what isn't just white is very mostly just male.

Once again, tonight, our local PBS station, the one asking us to send them our money and who says they represent us all, had--count them--three white people and one token Black person, a Black man, Eric Wesson, God bless him, on their weekly news program. Two white men a white woman and Eric Wesson. That was it. No Hispanic. No two women. Nothing. That was it.Thank goodness Eric Wesson can and will show up every week. When the program was over, Kliff Kuehl, who runs KCPT, thanked us for sending in money and swore it's about representing us all. Hey, send in your money, folks. We represent you. Right.Our local paper, the Kansas City Star, apologizes for not representing all of us over the years. Then KCPT gives us this. Wow.

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.

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.

A Question for, a Plea to Dos Mundos

 To the Dos Mundos Newspaper

You advertise on Kansas City PBS. 

Can you not arrange, somehow, to help Nick Haines get someone from the Hispanic/Latinx community each week for his program "Week in Review"? You are frequently, repeatedly not represented on the program. Can't someone in the community help him/them get someone reliably on the show? 

Please? 

For your own sake, the sake of that Hispanic/Latinx community and for the sake of the entire community?

Weekly, weekly, there are 3 white people and a token Black man or woman on the show and that's it.

Give the poor man some help.   Help him help you.  Heck, help him help all of us. Let's hear from the ENTIRE community.

Thank you, in advance.

Links:

Kansas City PBS

Kansas City Week in Review

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.

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

KCPT's "Week In Review": "We Got the White People's View Covered!"

First "Ruckus" this week, and now this.


All white.

All the time.

Thanks, KCPT!

Shame On You, KCPT

This week's "Week In Review" was, once again, lily white.

The entire panel.

Not one "person of color" to discuss the city's issues, problems and opportunities.

The Weekly KCPT "White Watch"

I think I've decided I'm going to post out here, weekly, who, precisely, is included and excluded on our local PBS station, KCPT's two weekly news shows as to who is on it and who is off. I've pointed out here, several times, how few minorities are included on the shows. And the shows are "Ruckus" and "Kansas City Week In Review."

Normally, weekly, it is virtually always, as I've shown, merely and only, singularly, white people. Maybe one woman, one white woman but that's it. No Blacks. No Hispanics. No Asians. No one else but white people as though we are some Northeast United States, completely white society and any input from anyone else is unnecessary.

This week, a small gain was made in that "Kansas City Week In Review' with Nick Haines had---count 'em!---one "person of color." They included one, one Black man, God love 'em.

But check this out.

For that one Black person, that one Black person in the chair this week?

The female got bumped.

Apparently, on this show, if not on KCPT, period, they can only allow one minority. One minority at a time.

Isn't that wonderful?

Meanwhile, back on "Ruckus"?

Lily white.

Once again, one more time, the "Ruckus" show had nothing but middle-aged--or older--white males. And yes, they included, on this program, one white woman.

Bless their little hearts.

KCPT and PBS does so much good otherwise and gives us such great programming otherwise but on these two weekly news programs?

They fail the city greatly.

Thank Goodness for KCPT's Lily White Weekly Talk Shows!

I saw a late edition of KCPT's "Week in Review" last night and as I said, thank goodness we have KCPT and their 2 very usually lily white and nearly completely all male talk shows, "Ruckus" and "Week in Review."

On last night's show, it was, yet one more time, all men--except one token woman--and all bleached white.

Ain't it great?

I mean, who else is going to tell us how things are? Who else should tell us how things should be?

Well, middle-aged and elderly white, largely Right Wing--at least on "Ruckus"--males, men, of course!

It's just the way it should be, isn't it?

Heck, on "Week in Review" they even imported the panel leader from England! How fantastic is that?

None of those pesky "people of color" or minorities!

Ain't nobody got time for that!

Besides, there was that one segment last evening toward the end of the show where they squeezed in a very brief story and mentioned now-deceased Royals player Yordana Ventura.

Who says they don't have minorities on KCPT's news programs?