Radio station KPFK 90.7 FM marks its 60th anniversary this month, a monumental milestone for a listener-supported broadcaster. While Anyel Zuberi Fields, general manager of the nonprofit station housed in a building at 3729 Cahuenga Blvd. on the border of North Hollywood and Studio City, appreciates history, he is already looking toward the future. “I hope as we move forward that we just don’t survive but that we thrive,” Fields said in an interview with the Business Journal. “I am working with the board to look beyond our comfort zone and what we have done the past 60 years.” Started in 1959, KPFK is one of five listener-supported stations owned by the Pacifica Foundation, based in Berkeley. Like the other Pacifica stations, KPFK leans heavily progressive in terms of the politics of its on-air personalities. The station is home to “Democracy Now,” with Amy Goodman, “The Jimmy Dore Show,” hosted by comedian Jimmy Dore and “Background Briefing” hosted by the erudite Ian Masters. While political talk is a big part of KPFK broadcasts, it is not all the station airs. The diversity of the station’s content is a reason why people tune in as it also presents music, philosophy and health and spirituality programming. “They are going to hear unique content they won’t hear on other public radio stations,” said Fields, who became general manager about 18 months ago. One advantage the station has over its public radio competition KCRW and KPCC is its flexibility to change programing, he added. Fields gave as an example that on July 24 the station will suspend regular programing and air gavel-to-gavel coverage of former special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s testimony before the House judiciary and intelligence committees on Russian interference in the 2016 election. “It is going to be an historic moment with his testimony, no matter what it yields,” Fields said. “Mueller has been a water cooler conversation for many.” The Mueller coverage will also cause the station to temporarily scale back on its latest fund drive starting on July 23 – its primary way of raising money to keep it on the air. KPFK raises on average $600,000 from about 15,000 active donors with each pledge drive that typically last three to four weeks. “Our greatest problem we face is cash flow,” Fields said. “We have been living fund drive to fund drive.” While fund drives are a part of every nonprofit’s existence, it’s become a challenge for KPFK because of the frequency, he added. Station fund drives occur nearly every six weeks or so. One change that Fields wants to bring is to go from fund drives to member drives with a focus on sustaining members who donate on a monthly basis. He also wants to offer experiences for listeners of the great stories from the station’s past and the impact it has made on their lives. “We have to be worthy of the donation instead of just expecting people to donate,” Fields added. “That is a change in the mindset right now at Pacifica.” The station plans an anniversary gala in September.