Alternative media activists are concerned about Paul Allen's de facto acquisition of KCMU largely because of the precedent it sets, of a public radio station's programming being controlled by an extremely rich man with extensive for-profit media (as well as many other) holdings. While KEXP has not changed formats upon acquisition, other Allen media properties have; for instance, TechTV, a cable TV network now owned by Allen, was switched from a more investigative tech news focus to one concerned primarily with money and finances. By January, it had gained 75 million viewers and tripled sales with its more business-friendly programming.

There are also freedom of speech concerns. An EMP Volunteer Agreement, leaked to ETS! last summer, contains an enormous, and frightening, variety of restrictions placed on EMP volunteers, many concerning freedom of speech. The two-page, single-spaced, extraordinarily restrictive agreement includes, among other, similar things: "I will keep secret everything I learn through my involvement in EMP that is not generally known to the public. This includes...EMP's financial status, donors, vendors, service providers, or employees. I will also keep secret any nonpublic information I may learn about Paul Allen, his family, friends or business associates, or Mr. Allen's business or personal interests, assets or properties [including Vulcan Northwest Inc. and Vulcan Ventures Inc.]. I will not be involved in the preparation of any book, article, story, video, or film about, or give interviews or comments to authors or members of the media about, any of the following: EMP, Paul Allen, or Mr. Allen's family, friends, business associates or business or personal interests [including Vulcan Northwest Inc. and Vulcan Ventures Inc.]. I will not disparage EMP, Paul Allen, or Mr. Allen's family, friends, ..." etc., etc. "...This agreement is binding on me, my heirs, executors, personal representatives, successors, and assigns..." Needless to say, the same sorts of restrictions, placed on a sister non- profit radio station, would be rather chilling. (My grandchildren can't say anything negative about Paul Allen?)

At minimum, the very existence of the call letters KEXP will promote Allen's museum, and, indirectly, his other holdings in Seattle, helping us to feel good about all of them. While Allen has used his virtually unlimited money to make far more, in tech, communications, entertainment, Seattle real estate, education, and other sectors, he's gotten a remarkably free ride from the media regarding his quiet empire. How much, exactly, does Allen own? Here is a partial list, compiled last month by ETS! intern John Winters. (Thanks, John!)

Northwest franchises and real estate: Seattle Seahawks NFL football (First and Goal, Stadium construction company, includes all proceeds from new stadium, exhibition hall, and related revenues); Portland Trailblazers NBA basketball (Rose Garden Arena); South Lake Union Seaport Park redevelopment; Formal Naval Reserve Base (a 12 acre, $35 million park); Lake Union (223,000 square feet total ownership, $400 million total development costs so far); Quendall Landing in Renton (68 acres mixed business and residential real estate, $500 million to develop so far); Experience Music Project; Cinerama; Union Station & surrounding real estate; and leases extensive space at Smith Tower.

International real estate: The Hospital--an Art space in Camden, England.

Radio: KEXP (Seattle, non-commercial, underwriting agreement with Univ. of Washington); OneOnOne Sports (radio syndication network, also owns three commercial radio stations in Chicago); and two commercial radio stations in Portland.

Charity and other organizations: Clear Blue sky--Production company for Indy films; The Paul G. Allen Foundation for Medical Research; The Allen Foundation for the Arts; The Allen Foundation for Music; The Paul G. Allen Forest Protection Foundation; and The Paul G. Allen Virtual Education Foundation.

Cash: $28 billion in assets; $1.04 billion in public funds.

Investments through Vulcan Ventures (Full or partial ownership): 800.com; Allegiance Telecom Inc.; Aluentive; Apex Learning; ARI Network Services; BOPS; Caspian Networks; Charter Communications; click2learn.com; Colorado Microdisplay; Command Audio; Cyber Source; Dick's Clothing and Sporting Goods; Diego Broadband Inc.; Dreamworks SKG; Drugstore.com; e-Media, LLC; e-Steel; Edison Schools; Encryptix, Inc.; eStyle, Inc.; Fantasma Networks; Fatbrain.com; Genomix; Go2Net Inc.; HarvardNet Inc.; Health Answers Inc.; High Speed Access Corp.; IFILM; imandi.com; Installations Inc.; inviso; iVast; IVT; Kestrel Solutions; LiquidAudio Inc. Magis Networks; Metricom Inc.; myplay Inc.; NetSchools Corp.; Northpoint Communications; oncology.com; OnePage Inc.; Oxygen Media; Paraform Inc.; RCN Corportation; Replay TV Inc.; RioPort Inc.; Rocket Network Inc. Sandbox.com; ScienceMedia; Sharewave Inc.; Stamps.com; Structural GenomiX; TechTV; Terra Stor; The Sporting News; Transmeta; Triscend Corporation; Tularik Inc.; USA Networks Inc.; Versata Inc.; Vulcan Northwest Inc.; Vulcan Ventures Inc.; Wavetrace; Wink Comm; and Xcyte Therapies.