Cooper / Schubb Attack the Pacifica Board by: Lyn Gerry, Jan. 10, 2002

PNB to Quit, Cede Power to New Board to Democratize Pacifica. November18, 2001

Dred Scott Keyes Fired From WBAI, by: Bernard White, October 22, 2001

Utrice Leid Issues Edict

Urgent Message To All Supporters of the Pacifica Campaign, (June 14, 2001), from: Juan Gonzalez

A Spirited Demonstration Launches the Boycott of KPFK (May 16, 2001), by: Vince Ivory

March 24, 2001 Demonstration at KPFK with Photos

Amy Goodman Officially Fired From WBAI's Wake Up Call, March 14, 2001

Mario Murrillo: Statement to the WBAI Staff Regarding His Resignation. March 12, 2001

U. S. Congressman Censored at WBAI, March 5, 2001

Report on the KPFK Demonstration on March 3, 2001, by: Vince Ivory (with photos)

Juan Gonzalez RESIGNS ON AIR from Democracy Now! 6a.m. Wednesday, January 31, 2001 (Transcript)

Crackdown on Democracy Now! Amy Goodman letter(October 18, 2000)

Pacifica Reporters Threaten Strike

Statement by Southern California Americans for Democratic Action on the Crisis in the Pacifica Network (September 2, 1999)

Press Conference Thursday on KPFK Pacifica Radio Conflict (September 8, 1999)

Enfoque Latino, KPFK's Only Spanish Language Public Affairs Program Has Been Canceled (September 4th, 1999)

Audit Committee Wants Pacifica's Financial Records (September 3, 1999)

Award Winning Journalist Banned from Radio Station KPFK for Exercising Free Speech Rights (Sept. 1st, 1999)

Mary Frances Berry's "Stealth" Visit to WBAI (August 27, 1999)

Legislators lash out at Pacifica -- Panel Vows to Scrutinize Books (August 21, 1999)

Update: California Legislative Committee Hears Testimony on Pacifica Crisis... May Seek Subpoenas or Audit of Pacifica's Secret Financial Documents

Pacifica Will Boycott Legislative Hearings (August 18, 1999)

Media Alliance -- Five Demands (August 10, 1999)

Pacifica Accountability Committee (August 5, 1999)

Ralph Nader Letter to Mary Francis Berry (August 4, 1999)

More Than Ten Thousand March and Rally in Berkeley [on July 31st] to Defend KPFA (August 1, 1999)

What You Can Do Today To Let Mary Frances Berry Know She Should Resign (August 1, 1999)

Pete Bramson's Statement, Berkeley Press Conference (July 28, 1999)

Update: Weekly Demonstrations Begun at KPFK (July 26, 1999)

Pacifica Accountability Public Meeting, July 24th, 1999

Fair News Release (July 16, 1999)

Cooper/Schubb Attack the Pacifica Board
by: Lyn Gerry
Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 09:35:39 -0800

From: "Lyn Gerry" <redlyn@loop.com>

Subject: {FP} Cooper/Schubb attack the Pacifica Board

Sender: owner-freepac@recordist.com

Reply-To: "Lyn Gerry" <redlyn@loop.com>

Here is the latest "update" from Marc Cooper and Mark Schubb of KPFK in their contra war against network reform.

While a fairly poor effort to rally support for their failed cause, this, along with the abuse of the airwaves, should be grounds for immediate dismissal for serious misconduct.

Like the announcements being read in rotation by KPFK personnel at the direction of the management, this reflects a planned campaign by the station managers to willfully distort the actions, motivations, history and causes of the Pacifica Crisis in order to maintain control over their rather lucrative and prestigious fiefdoms, while continuing to ban and fire others who wish to provide information to the listeners contradicting their version of events.

There is a big difference between an opinion and a lie: the difference is the ingredient of cynicism. While a judge, steeped in the societal norm of hierarchies of command, would probably consider the mere fact that a manager had criticized his bosses on the air or refused to follow their directives reason enough for a dismissal based on serious misconduct - my objections are on different grounds - Pacifica mission grounds.

One of the central issues of the conflict at Pacifica, and of the "Healthy Station" broadcasting model, is whether the programming is a media product sold to consumers who choose to purchase it or not (in the form of contributions) or whether those listeners are participants in a project of public education and dialog designed to impact the world in which we live in a particular way.

Pacifica's on-air fundraising has always solicited donations from the community based not on just whether one liked the "product" but on the premise that Pacifica broadcasting generally was dedicated to getting at the truth, and that if nothing else, the views broadcast, no matter how outre or even repugnant, would at least be believed to be true by those expressing them, and that those expressions would be made in sincerity for the purpose of contributing to the welfare of the community, not with the intent of deceit or manipulation.

On these grounds, the announcements being read on the air at KPFK, and the parallel campaigns at WBAI, KPFT and WPFW - planned since November when settlement talks first came up - willfully fail to provide facts, and distort or obfuscate facts, as well as tell outright untruths. Documentation exists - most particular the timeline, particpants and their own past actions - which are in their possession of those managements concerning finances and policies and sequence of events. Yet, these facts are not presented in the full knowledge that their disclosure would alienate the allegiance of the listeners who they are trying to manipulate. Lying on the air to the listener-sponsors is serious misconduct and should be dealt with as such.

Lyn

------------------------

From: savepacifica@peacenet.org
Reply-to: savepacifica@peacenet.org
Subject: PNB to Quit, Cede Power to New Board to Democratize Pacifica

November 18, 2001

Dissident and majority members of the Pacifica National Board of Directors agreed Sunday on a formula that would turn control of the network over to an interim board that would in turn set up a structure for democratization of Pacifica. Dissidents and majority factions would each appoint five members to the new board, and five would be appointed by heads of the five Pacifica Local Advisory Boards. (LAB chairs would not be able to appoint themselves.) Democracy Now!, which has been broadcast only over KPFA for many weeks, would return to its broadcast slot over the entire network, pending resolution of complaints filed against Pacifica by Democracy Now! staff.

Dissident Tomas Moran announced the agreement Sunday morning in a statement broadcast live on KPFA's Sunday Salon from the board's meeting in Washington, D. C. The agreement for a new board may be implemented within days, pending legal review.

Local board elections would be held within six months in each Pacifica broadcast area, at which time new LAB representatives to the national board will be elected. Until then, all decisions by the Pacifica national board will be made by two-thirds vote. When the new LAB representatives are named, decisions will again be made by majority vote, except in case of bylaw changes.

Moran said that members of the current board would resign to make way for the new board. Then the new board would oversee the transition period. It would be authorized hire a new executive director with sharply reduced powers, review the position of the national program director (currently former WBAI manager Utrice Leid), deal with the four lawsuits now pending against the board, and relax the gag rule so that Pacifica's airwaves will be open to discussions of the new Pacifica. It would also review the status of the fired and banned programmers and the Free Speech Radio News reporters who have struck against Pacifica Network News.

An immediate audit of Pacifica's finances will be ordered as soon as the new board takes control. Moran said he understands Pacifica's financial condition is "very dire" following the expenditure by the present Pacifica majority of an estimated two million dollars in legal, security, and public relations fees.

There will be a guarantee of no sale or lease of any Pacifica assets, Moran said.

**********************************************************
website: http//www.savepacifica.net
email: savepacifica@peacenet.org
to subscribe/unsubscribe visit: http://www.savepacifica.net/subscribe.html

Dred Scott Keyes Fired From WBAI

By: Bernard White, October 22, 2001

From: Burnardwhite@aol.com
Date sent: Mon, 22 Oct 2001 17:31:16 EDT
Subject: Dred's Termination

The cleansing of Pacifica station, WBAI 99.5fm, in New York City, continues unabated with another long-term producer being banned and terminated. New station manager, Robert Daughtry, after consultation with former station manager Utrice Leid, has officially terminated award winning producer, Dred Scott Keyes from his position as WBAI;s production engineer. It appears that Robert Daughtry has become the new hatchet man for Utrice Leid who is still calling the shots at WBAI.

Today, October 22, 2001, upon Dred's return from a two-week vacation, he was handed a termination notice that was effective immediately and told that if he attempted to re-enter the premises he would be considered a trespasser. He was also told that arrangements would be made so that he could retrieve his belongings. If the treatment of the other banned and fired producers is an example of how he will be treated, Dred may never see his possessions again. According to Dred, Sidney Smith the Operations Director and his direct supervisor authorized his vacation. However, his letter of termination cited that he had taken an unauthorized vacation. Dred was also charged with insubordination.

This action comes on the heels of a letter he sent to Pacifica's National Board members detailing the destruction of WBAI under the leadership of Utrice Leid and his frustration with attempts to act professionally in what he considered to be an increasingly hostile atmosphere. His memo detailed a verbal attack by Djabel Faye during which time Djabel called him a nigger, has not yet been responded to.

Dred has been associated with WBAI for over 19 years. Some of the awards he has won include:

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF COMMUNITY BROADCASTERS
"Drilling and Killing"; with Amy Goodman and Jeremy Scahill ;The
Southern Roots of Rhythm and Blues and Dreams of Freedom
What To the American Slave is the Fourth of July
Malcolm X Speaks to the Midnight Ravers
The 50th Anniversary of the Peekskill Riots-
Hour Tribute to Tito Puente with Nancy Rodriguez et al.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of BLACK JOURNALISTS
Bob Marley and the African-American Connection

Polk Award
"Drilling and Killing"; with Amy Goodman and Jeremy Scahill

Utrice Leid Issues Edict

_______________________________

PACIFICA CAMPAIGN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2001

Producers at National Radio Network Banned from Discussing the
World Trade Center Tragedy over New York Airwaves

New National Program Director Utrice Leid Issues Edict

Two-hour Daily Specials Broadcast from Ground Zero Blocked

NEW YORK (Sept. 27) -- The new Director of National Programming at the Pacifica Radio Network banned discussion of the attack on the World Trade Center and its aftermath from the airwaves of New York station WBAI.

National Program Director Utrice Leid, on the eve of her departure as interim station manager at Pacifica station WBAI (99.5 FM) in New York City, instructed local public affairs producers this past weekend that they were to refrain from broadcasting the programs they had prepared and instead play music and poetry.

"Beyond the Pale," a one hour progressive Jewish radio show which had prepared a special report on the September 11 attacks, and on the one-year anniversary of the new Palestinian Intifidah, was canceled as a result of the edict. "Radio Free Eireann," a 90-minute program that covers Irish and Irish-American issues, refused to abide by the order and took phone calls on the World Trade Center tragedy instead.

"It's an astounding irony that Bessie Wash, the Executive Director of Pacifica, would promote to Director of National Programming someone who would prohibit discussion of the biggest news story of the decade," said Bernard White, the former program director of WBAI and now a staffer with the Pacifica Campaign. "How can Pacifica make any pretense of being a legitimate news organization when they are likely the only news outlet to forbid discussion of a story of such national and global magnitude?"

Leid further instructed the Arts Director at WBAI to inform Aniruddha Das, the South Asian host of the weekly radio show "Asia Pacific Forum," that his voice was no longer to appear on the air. Aniruddha Das's program has been canceled three times since September 11. The latest edition of "Asia Pacifica Forum" was to focus on the spate of racial attacks and discrimination faced by Muslims and people of Arabic and Asian descent.

"This is outright censorship," said Das. "It is an absolute outrage that as South Asians around the country face harassment and threats following the World Trade Center attacks that our voices would be taken off the air."

Leid's promotion to National Program Director comes less than a month after an August 10 incident in which she physically accosted Amy Goodman, the host of Pacifica's popular daily public affairs program "Democracy Now!". The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), which represents Goodman and other "Democracy Now!" staff, has filed a workplace safety grievance against Ms. Leid on their behalf.

Goodman and the staff of "Democracy Now!" left the studios of WBAI following the incident and have continued to broadcast from an offsite location within the evacuation zone near where the World Trade Centers once stood, pending a resolution of their grievance. Leid, in her new position, will now supervise Goodman and oversee all national news programming.

Pacifica Foundation Executive Director Bessie Wash has blocked the broadcast of "Democracy Now!" and suspended Goodman and her staff without pay, although many stations -- including Pacifica station KPFA in Berkeley, CA -- continue to air the program. Since September 11, "Democracy Now!" has broadcast a daily two hour "War and Peace Report," which now airs on public access and cable television stations around the country.

During her controversial nine-month tenure at WBAI, Leid has fired or banned nearly two dozen producers and staff from the station, including award-winning African American journalist Robert Knight, and canceled programs dealing with labor issues, housing and the environment. WBAI's fundraising and audience has since declined sharply.

The Pacifica Campaign is a eight-month old organization of staff and listeners alike fighting to preserve Pacifica's 50-year tradition of community-based, listener-sponsored radio. 

URGENT MESSAGE TO ALL SUPPORTERS OF THE PACIFICA CAMPAIGN

From Juan Gonzalez, June 14, 2001

Yesterday evening, two more members of the corporate clique which has hijacked control of the Pacifica Board resigned. They are David Acosta, chairman of the Pacifica Board of Directors, and Karolyn Van Putten, a board member from San Francisco.

Along with previous resignations by board member Frank Millspaugh and board treasurer Micheal Palmer, that brings the number of defections from the corporate clique to four since January 31, when I resigned from Democracy Now! and we launched our campaign.

As we expected, the combination of a massive listener boycott and constant, non-violent direct action protests, together with the ever-increasing  legal and political pressures against the board, are having an enormous effect. There are now only seven members left of the illegally constituted majority still opposing the five pro-democracy dissidents on the board.

In addition, Pacifica has reportedly postponed its July 1 board meeting where the remaining members of the clique had hoped to elect new board members.

All of this means we are closer to a victorious solution to the current crisis than we have ever been -- but there are critical days ahead and we should take nothing for granted.

During the past few days, lawyers from the anti-union firm of Epstein, Becker & Green, who represent the corporate clique on the board, have reached out to plaintiffs in the three California legal suits, according to several sources familiar with the discussions. Epstein, Becker wants to begin settlement talks as early as next week. While we in the Pacifica Campaign support the goals of those legal suits, we are not directly involved with them nor in the negotiations with Epstein, Becker. I believe, however, that we should welcome any good faith attempts by the two sides to negotiate a swift solution to this terrible crisis that has engulfed the entire network for more than two years.

We urge Pacifica board members Ken Ford, Andrea Cisco, John Murdock and those remaining on that so-called "majority" to do the honorable thing. They should accept the reality that those Pacifica listeners who have been able to hear both sides of the story have overwhelmingly rejected their policies. We urge them to arrange an orderly resignation of their group and thus pave the way for a transition board that can begin rebuilding the network under new democratic rules.

If these negotiations move forward as scheduled, we in the Pacifica Campaign should be prepared to call a temporary "ceasefire" in our direct action protests, so as to allow a calm and reasoned atmosphere to prevail. But Epstein, Becker must demonstrate that the board is serious about finding a quick solution. If it becomes apparent after a few days that this is just another ploy to buy time, to hoodwink the judge, or a maneuver to bring in fresh replacements for the current clique, we can -- and we will -- immediately end the ceasefire and redouble our protests against the individual board members. And they should be clear: we will do just that.

At the same time, we urge the plaintiffs in the three legal suits to remember that an entire movement is placing its trust in them. While it is understandable that the talks must necessarily be conducted in private, the plaintiffs should resist whenever possible gag rules or private agreements, and they should seek feedback from supporters around the country before deciding key issues. They should also stay united and rebuff any attempts by Epstein, Becker to divide them from each other, or pick them off one by one. All the suits, after all, are joined in one case.

In addition, our movement should reject any moves to seek retribution against Pacifica staff or management who vehemently fought against us during these difficult years. Everyone, especially our adversaries, deserves the due process and fair treatment under a new administration that Pacifica management so consistently refused to its own employees and to anyone who opposed it.

Finally, the negotiators should insist on an immediate halt to the senseless waste of listener funds that continues to occur on orders of executive director Bessie Wash. At WBAI, for instance, a security company during the past few days has been feverishly installing a state of the art security system to control, monitor, and track movement inside and outside the station. The new security pass lock system, the surveillance cameras, and motion detectors will reportedly cost some $50,000 (visit http://www.pacificacampaign.org to see a copy of the bill for the work that was recently supplied to the Pacifica Campaign). For a station that recently lost more than $400,000 in a disastrous fund drive, it is unconscionable to be forking out $50,000 in listener funds to calm the seige mentality and paranoid fears of Bessie Wash and interim station manager Utrice Leid.

To all of you who have sacrificed so much of your time, money and energy these past few months to save Pacifica, I congratulate you and thank you for your efforts. The end of this stage of the fight is within sight. We need only stay vigilant and united and cling to our movement's humanistic values and we will achieve our goals. After that, we will begin the hard work of rebuilding Pacifica as an even grander bastion of free speech and radical dissent than in the past. Then and only then will we be able to proclaim that Pacifica remains the only radio network in America that capitalism and its fellow travelers failed to vanquish.

In solidarity,

Juan Gonzalez

A Spirited Demonstration Launches the Boycott of KPFK (May 16, 2001)

by: Vince Ivory (with photo)

A spirited demonstration of nearly 100 activists greeted KPFK,s spring fund drive on May 16. The Pacifica Accountability Committee, and others, organized the effort, which was endorsed by several grassroots organizations and individuals.

There was a banner of a corporate vulture, demonstrators in vulture masks and signs calling for an end to the gag rule and supporting the boycott of Pacifica Radio stations. A new web site (www.boycottKPFK.org) was announced, and there were bumper stickers to help spread the word.

Veteran activist (and former KPFK programmer) Blase Bonpane told the crowd that Pacifica was off course. "The course of the network is the Mission Statement, which comes from the peace movement. And this station and the network are part, and have been part and parcel, of the peace movement."

"We can't have a station dedicated to peace, justice and humankind behave in an inhuman manner," Bonpane said. "We can't allow a monetarist spirit to enter this particular kind of broadcasting. It wasn't set up to be a money maker."

Pacifica Campaign organizer (and former KPFK programmer) John Martinez described their strategy. "It is a call for a boycott against the pledge drive," Martinez said. "It is not an attack to kill or to damage Pacifica, but it is a way to get it back." Martinez told the group that the diversity which was once the guiding philosophy of KPFK programming was being lost, and that has to be turned around.

Activist Karen Pomer read a statement from Amy Goodman which exposed a bold lie broadcast on KPFK. It had been announced that Goodman had refused to cooperate with KPFK and provide fund drive programming. The statement read: "Wherever a General Manager of a Pacifica station wants me to fund raise, I fund raise. Pacifica management informed me last week, KPFK General Manager Mark Schubb did not want me to fund raise live on the air."

"So it is an outright lie," Pomer said, "what they said today on KPFK, and we need to let as many people know about that as we can." Pomer told the cheering crowd that "turning up the heat on the Pacifica Board of Directors had just resulted in the resignation of Board Treasurer Michael Palmer, an advocate of selling WBAI" (New York).

The other speakers included Preston Wood (International Action Center), former KPFK programmer Arturo Lemas, Lloyd Karch (Industrial Workers of the World), Casey Peters (Californians for Proportional Representation, a group which helped with the recent KPFA Board elections), Nancy Lawrence (Peace and Freedom Party) and Tom Camarella (Pacifica Accountability Committee).

The Pacifica Campaign has since announced that there will be an informational picket outside KPFK every weekday afternoon during the fund drive, from 4:00 - 6:00p.m., with a demonstration in support of Amy Goodman and Democracy Now! on Thursday, May 24th. For more information call (323) 878-5680.

photo by: Diana Barahona

Co-sponsors:

ACTION RESOURCE CENTER
Box 2104
Venice, California 90294
(310) 396-3254 (voice) (310) 392-9965 (fax)
www.arcweb.org

PACIFICA ACCOUNTABILTY COMMITTEE
P. O. Box 207
San Pedro, California 90733-0207
(323) 957-4659
www.pacfolio.org

KPFK LISTENER-LAB ALLIANCE WORKGROUP
lark2@mindspring.com

INDUSTRIAL WORKERS of the WORLD/LA-GMB
P.O. Box 207
San Pedro, California 90733-0207
(310) 831-6023 (voice)
www.iwwla.org www.iww.org

Endorsers:

SAN PEDRO CATHOLIC WORKER
San Pedro, California 90731
(310) 831-3460

HARBOR GREENS
P. O. Box 1858
San Pedro, California 90733
(310) 833-2633
www.greens.org/cal/harborgreens

INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER/ LA
422 So. Western Ave. #114
Los Angeles, California 90020
(213) 487-2368 (voice) (213) 487-2368 (fax)
www.iacenter.org

AZTLAN MEDIA COLLECTIVE
323 No. Soto St. #68,
East Los Angeles, California 90033
(323) 261-4513

LOS ANGELES CATHOLIC WORKER
632 North Brittania St.
Los Angeles, California 90033
(323) 267-8789

PEACE & FREEDOM PARTY
L. A. County Chapter
P. O. Box 741270
Los Angeles, California 90004
(323) 759- 9737
www.peaceandfreedomparty.org

PEOPLE AGAINST RACIST TERROR
Turning the Tide / Michael Novick, Publisher
P. O. Box 1055
Culver City, California 90232
(310) 495-0299
www.antiracist.org

PACIFICA CAMPAIGN
51 MacDougal St. #80
New York, New York 10012
National: (800) 797-6229 (voice),
(646) 230-9588 (voice), (646) 230-9582 (fax)
Local (L. A.): (323) 878-5680
www.pacificacampaign.org

Michael C. Ruppert
FROM THE WILDERNESS PUBLICATIONS
P. O. Box 6061-350
Sherman Oaks, California 91413
(818) 788-8791 (voice) (818) 981-2847 (fax)
www.copvcia.com

L.A./ S.M. CITIZENS for SAFE DRINKING WATER
P. O. Box 55335
Sherman Oaks, California 91413
(888) 909-8176
www.nofluoride.com www.fluoridealert.org

ALLIANCE for CHILD PROTECTION from TOXIC ABUSE
P. O. Box 55335
Sherman Oaks, California 91413
(818) 990-3810

COALITION AGAINST POLICE ABUSE
2824 So. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, California 90018
(323) 733-2107 (voice) (323) 733-2757 (fax)

FREEDOM SOCIALIST PARTY
2170 W. Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90018
(323) 732-6416 (voice) (323) 732-6410 (fax)
www.socialism.com

RADICAL WOMEN
2170 W. Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90018
(323) 732-6416 (voice) (323) 732-6416 (fax)
www.socialism.com

VALLEY GREENS
(818) 752-9538

Theresa & Blase Bonpane
(323) 852-9808

LOS ANGELES WAGES for HOUSEWORK COMMITTEE
P. O. Box 86681
Los Angeles, California 90086
(323) 292-7405

BILLIONAIRES for BUSH (or, Gore), Cliff Tasner, founder
(818) 766-5509

Professor Dennis Brutus
Poet in Residence, Worcester State College, Worcester, MA
Patron Jubilee South Africa
Professor Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA
dbrutus@worcester.edu

Amy Goodman Officially Fired From WBAI's Wake-Up Call, March 14, 2001

with: **** CALL TO ACTION BELOW ****

Informed sources say WBAI's interim general manager Utrice Leid officially fired eight-year Wake-Up Call co-host Amy Goodman yesterday from the embattled station's morning show.

The move completes the purge of one of WBAI's most popular and progressive programs following the December "Christmas Coup" that led to the firing and banning of WBAI producers, the censorship of programming, and the installation of security guards at the listener-sponsored, community station. In the hours following the take-over, Leid had said there would be no programming changes.

Sources say Leid told Goodman that the "chemistry" between the morning show host installed after the take-over, Clayton Riley, and Goodman "did not work."

Leid had removed Goodman, and WBAI news reporter Robert Knight from Wake-Up Call in early February after sources say Goodman complained to the interim general manager that Riley had called Goodman a "bitch," physically threatened Robert Knight and called him a "slave" for defending Goodman. Reportedly, those complaints followed a series of abusive, hostile, and threatening actions by Riley on-air and off-air that staff and listeners had repeatedly complained about to WBAI management.

UE Local 404 has protested the hostile work environment at WBAI, and called the firing and banning of more than 10 WBAI staff a "flagrant case of union busting." Pacifica listeners and staff nationwide have protested the moves as an attempt to depoliticize programming at WBAI, and to centralize control at the 52-year-old network's new headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Goodman and former Wake-Up Call host Bernard White, fired within hours of the December take-over, had built the morning program into one of WBAI's most important and successful shows. Goodman first aired her award-winning documentary "Massacre: The Story of East Timor" on Wake-Up Call, and the morning show has since won a number of awards, including a Golden Reel from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters for "Betty Shabazz: The Final Interview." The show's approach and content also reflected deep community roots.

Please protest this retaliatory action against Amy Goodman. Please call WBAI interim general manager Utrice Leid at 212-209-2800. Demand the reinstatement of Goodman, along with all the fired and banned workers. Call WBAI's on-air line at (212) 209-2900. Talk about the bannings on all WBAI shows, and especially on Wake-Up Call. Leid just spent three weeks asking for your money. Now is the time to ask Leid for the programming you paid for.

Eileen Sutton Banned WBAI Unpaid News Reporter

Mario Murrillo: Statement to the WBAI Staff Regarding His Resignation, March 12, 2001

This letter was sent by Mario Murrillo to the WBAI staff regarding his decision to resign. He has given us permission to make it public

Lyn

Dear Friends,

First I want to express my sincerest appreciation to all of you for the support you've shown me and the station during these difficult times. I began answering you all individually, but then it got overwhelming, given the number of responses. So I'm putting these thoughts together for a collective message to all of you.

Attached I'm sending a transcript of my thoughts that I stated on WBAI's Wake Up Call on Friday when I announced my resignation. This is to make perfectly clear where I am coming from. I repeat, this is not a time for personal attacks or vendettas, but for clear strategic thinking as to how to make the contructive change that WBAI needs and deserves.

There are some within WBAI who feel their cause is just, that things were so bad in the past that the changes set in motion must be carried out at all costs. Indeed, much like the reactionary settlers in Gaza and the West Bank, who have "God" as their reference and cannot be convinced otherwise, some of these people in the station today have difficulty reasoning with anybody who may have a different take on their prescription for "rescuing" the station.

My reason for leaving Wake-Up Call is clear. It ultimately stems from my utmost respect for the listeners of WBAI, who can see through "double-speak" and manipulated truth from a mile away. Had I remained on the air under the conditions outlined to me just two days before going on the air last Friday, the listeners would have rightfully lost respect for my role at the station. And your response has been overwhelmingly in support of my action. From the over 30 calls I received on Friday and the dozens of e-mails, only one was hateful, negative, perhaps a bit racist. I expected this.

But your positive words, rest assured, are fuel for those of us who truly believe in community radio. Your support energizes me, and will be with me when I walk into the station again in the coming days.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Mario A. Murillo

(This message comes via the freepac list)

U.S. CONGRESSMAN CENSORED AT WBAI, March 5, 2001

Rep. Major Owens (D. New York) to Make Statement on House Floor; Long-time WBAI Program Cancelled.

New York: Congressman Major Owens (Brooklyn, 11th District) was interrupted without warning and pulled off the air today when he called in as a guest on Pacifica radio station WBAI (99.5 FM). Speaking on "Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report," Owens was several minutes into a discussion on recent changes at the listener-sponsored station when WBAI's interim general manager Utrice Leid came into the master control studio and seized the mic.

Leid then told listeners that the information broadcast by co-host Ken Nash and Congressman Owens was untrue. Later, Congressman Owens said he was "outraged, and caught without any explanation or apology." He said he was hoping to talk about independent media when the interim general manager took control. "I intend to make the statement I was going to make today on WBAI, on the floor of the House of Representatives and put it into the congressional record," Owens stated.

Owens, who has been an outspoken critic of what is now dubbed the "Christmas Coup" at WBAI, said he was "amazed" by today's on-air events. "It's like something in a totalitarian country with the fuhrer intervening," Owens added.

According to Nash, Leid came into the master studio unexpectedly. "She tried to talk to my guest without warning or invitation," he said. "I reminded her that the producer is in charge of the program. I asked her to leave the studio. Leid then permanently cancelled the program." "Building Bridges" is WBAI's only labor show.

The 52-year-old listener-sponsored Pacifica radio network has been embroiled in censorship battles in recent years. The Washington Post has described Pacifica management's actions as "cowardly radio" and "Soviet-style journalism," while dozens of journalists from around the world struck the Pacifica Network News one year ago to protest rampant censorship.

The late-December, midnight take-over of WBAI by the parent foundation created a storm of controversy. Locks were changed, veteran staffers were fired and banned and security guards have been installed at the station. A gag rule has been imposed, and access to the station is restricted. Critics say the New York take- over represents Pacifica management's continuing effort to alter the political content of the entire network.

(Official Text of Congressman Major Owens Speech in Congress Regarding WBAI and Pacifica, March 8, 2001)

It was reported on the WBAI local news tonight that Congressman Major Owens (Brooklyn, 11th District) will approach the progressive-caucus leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus in order to possibly hold hearings on the situation at Pacifica, as well as to address public access to the airwaves in general (March 12, 2001).

Eileen Sutton Banned WBAI Unpaid News Reporter

Juan Gonzalez RESIGNS ON AIR from Democracy Now! 6a.m.(pst) Wednesday, January 31, 2001 (Transcript)

 At the top of today's Democracy Now! , Juan Gonzalez resigned in a call to listeners of Pacifica radio to withhold pledge funds and take the Pacifica stations back from its current corporate oriented board which has "hyjacked Pacifica." Juan called upon listeners to do everything possible to restore democratic listener control over the Pacifica stations. Juan encouraged listeners to contact the: Pacifica Campaign@yahoo.com
or to call: (212) 871-9322.

Transcript of Juan's Statement on air. (by Mike Castleman)

Amy Goodman: From Pacifica Radio this is Democracy Now! .... all that and more coming up on Pacifica Radio's Democracy Now!...

(musical interlude)

Amy : ... chimes of freedom. And you're listening to
Pacifica Radio's Democracy Now! and I'm Amy Goodman, here with
Juan Gonzalez.

Juan Gonzalez: Good day, Amy and to our listeners around the country. And Amy, do you realize the anniversary that we're approaching? In the next few days it will be five years since Democracy Now! came on the air; since you and I started working in February of 1996 to produce the first of these shows.

And, I have an important announcement for folks, and I'd like to urge all of our loyal listeners to Democracy Now!, and to Pacifica, across the country, to get a pencil and paper because I've got some important information that has to deal with both the anniversary of Democracy Now! as well as the upcoming fund drive of Pacifica.

I want to give you some numbers. First, there's a phone number that you need to write down. It's: (212) 871-9322, that's: (212) 871- 9322. And, then there's an e-mail address that I want you all to take down, that is: pacificacampaign@yahoo.com. Again, that's: pacificacampaign@yahoo.com.

Now, Amy, you know we've been working together for five years now. And, I have to tell you- since the show's inception- I've been very proud of the ground-breaking work that we've done on Democracy Now. But, and also, more importantly, as a long-time listener for more than 30 years to Pacifica Radio programs; I understand the critical role the network has played in reporting important stories the corporate media ignored; and, thus helping to shape a lot of the progressive thought of a lot of [the] popular movements in the country.

But, unfortunately, I am resigning today, effective immediately, from Democracy Now!; because, I've decided that the current management situation at Pacifica has become intolerable. And, despite my hope that the majority of the Pacifica Foundation's Board of Directors would come to its senses, the situation has only gotten worse- the last straw being the Christmas Coup at this station, WBAI, last month.

Quite simply, I've come to the conclusion that the Pacifica Board has been hijacked by a small clique that has more in common with modern-day corporate vultures than with working-class America. That clique has illegally changed the foundation's by-laws; and, during the past two years it has methodically sought to squash dissent throughout the network: first at KPFA, then at PNN News, then at Democracy Now!, and now at WBAI.This group does not respect free speech, it does not respect labor or civil rights, it doesn't even practice due process for its own managers; and, it's now seeking to radically alter Pacifica's bylaws to pave the way for the selling of one or more stations.

Finally, Amy, I've got to tell you that the consistent attacks on you, the most important public face at Pacifica, has so poisoned the atmosphere at the network that it's becoming increasingly difficult for many people of conscience to continue working here. Amy, you're a wonderful and committed journalist and you've been subjected to slanderous personal accusations and constant undermining of your efforts. And, the board of Pacifica has tolerated, and, I think even encouraged this. And, it's hypocritical of the board to continue to claim in its taped statements that it fully supports Amy Goodman when key managers routinely make your life miserable

This clique on the board insults Pacifica's loyal and sophisticated listeners by asking them to finance its shenanigans with their donations.Therefore, starting today, I will be joining other Pacifica listeners in a national corporate campaign that will not rest until every board member who has orchestrated this hijacking resigns and a new board is in place. A board that is democratically accountable to the network's listeners, to the communities of the stations of Pacifica, and to its staff. Our campaign is calling for listeners across the country to withhold donations to Pacifica in a mass referendum against the board's policies. Instead, we will be urging the listeners to contribute their money to a variety of groups across the country that are battling the Pacifica board, including the legal fund for court suits which are currently challenging the board's legitimacy.

Mr. Murdock, Mr. Accosta, Mr. Palmer, and the other [members of the] clique on the board will soon find out that Pacifica is listener-sponsored community radio. And I am sorry to have to take this kind of action; and, I fully support you in continuing to keep Democracy Now! alive as long as possible under these trying circumstances, Amy. But, I'm sure, and I'm hopeful, that a few months from now, once this clique has been removed, that we may be able to resume Democracy Now!, and [I will] come back as a co-host. But, if not, I guarantee you that the network will not stay in the hands of these people. And, I know you can't say anything Amy; because, there's a gag rule at this station, as there are at many Pacifica stations right now. And, that's why I felt it important to resign as I make this statement; but, my best luck- [my best] wishes to you and to all the other people of goodwill who are still working at Pacifica. And, don't worry, the network will be rescued soon.

Amy: Well, Juan, I don't know what to say, except to say that it's been an incredible honor working with you over the last five years.

Juan: And it's been an honor not only working with you; but, all the other great producers that we've had over those five years- like Julie Drisen, and Dan Coughlin, and Jeremy Scahill, Maria Canino, David Love, Jesu Ko, Karen Palmer, and now, of course, Terry Allen and Chris Abrams. They've all been wonderful; and without them, we couldn't have done the work.

Amy: Well, I'm going to miss you very, very much. Your contribution to Democracy Now! has been, well, something beyond words that I have right now.

We're going to move now into the rest of the program. We're going to play you a documentary. It's produced by Stacy Abramson and David Isay. David Isay, in fact, got his start at Pacifica Station WBAI in New York.

Juan: Oh, Amy, one last word, before I leave. Those phone numbers and those e-mail addresses that I gave at the beginning of my statement; that's the phone number and the e-mail address for listeners who want to support this campaign against the Pacifica Board. That's: (212) 871-9322, and the e-mail address is: pacificacampaign@yahoo.com.

Please communicate with me and others today, or tomorrow and in the coming days, and you can join the campaign to oust this board.

Amy: Juan, it's been, again, an honor working with you.

The documentary by David Isay and Stacy Abramson is called "Witness to an Execution."

______________________________________________________

see:<http://www.pacificacampaign.org>

(supplementary transcription and editing by Lloyd Karch)

STATEMENT BY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AMERICANS FOR DEMOCRATIC ACTION ON THE "CRISIS IN THE PACIFICA NETWORK"

Southern California Americans for Democratic Action (SCADA) calls on the existing national Pacifica Board members to reverse their vote to become self-selecting, and instead move to direct elections by listeners, contributors, volunteers and programmers. The existing board should then step down and individually run for re-election based on explicit campaign commitments as to the future of Pacifica.

SCADA urges the immediate resignation or firing of Pacifica Executive Director Lynn Chadwick as a necessary first step toward resolution of the current crisis.

SCADA demands that the unwritten gag rule or "dirty laundry" rule, which has been used to punish staff members for discussing KPFA's conflict with Pacifica on the air, be formally eliminated. We further demand that the terminations of staff members---who were fired for exercising free speech with on-the-air analysis of the network's crisis---be immediately and publicly rescinded.

SCADA has had a long and fruitful relationship with our local Pacifica station, KPFK. Together, we have participated in many events including the successful Teach In on the War in Yugoslavia, which was aired over Pacifica stations through KPFK's efforts.

Free and open discussions of controversial issues affecting vital public policy is the measure of KPFK's and Pacifica's value. This openness has set them apart from commercial and other public radio stations. Intimidation of programmers and so-called "gag rules" are contrary to and unworthy of the mission of KPFK. If such practices exist, they should stop immediately; if they do not exist, they should not start.

SCADA demands that, during this interim period when the National Board composition is in question and unresolved, that the National Board take no fiduciary actions during this period, such as loans against station licenses, attempts to sell station licenses/frequencies, using station licenses as collateral, or any actions that jeopardize the trust of listeners or compromises the present financial situation of the network. We believe that no financial commitments should be made by the current board while their status is unresolved.

Adopted by the SCADA Board of Directors September 2, 1999 Jim B. Clarke, Executive Director, Southern California Americans for Democratic Action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 8, 1999

PRESS CONFERENCE THURSDAY ON KPFK/PACIFICA RADIO CONFLICT

Days after the Pacifica Foundation admits spending $500,000 on armed guards and P.R. at its Berkeley station, L.A. community leaders and fired KPFK journalists demand democracy, accountability at Pacifica.

LOS ANGLES, CA - Community leaders and journalists critical of the Pacifica Foundation and the management of its Los Angeles station, KPFK, will hold a press conference on Thursday, September 9 at 11 AM at KPFK, 3729 Cahuenga Blvd. West, North Hollywood. The press conference comes on the heels of the Pacifica Foundation's admission to the California Joint Legislative Audit Committee that it spent half a million dollars of subscriber contributions on armed guards and a high-priced public relations firm in its campaign to silence programmers at its Berkeley station, KPFA. The committee had requested the documents as part of an investigation into Pacifica's compliance with non-profit regulations. The Foundation's financial office is located in Los Angeles.

"The documents that have been released confirm what we have claimed in the lawsuit-that Pacifica has been misusing listener contributions to defend its undemocratic and improper practices," said Dan Seigel, attorney for Pacifica local advisory board members in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC, and Berkeley who are suing the organization for unfair business practices and to reverse bylaw changes that make the national board of directors entirely self-selecting.

Last week, several KPFK journalists had their shows canceled or were banned from the station when they covered the crisis spreading throughout the Pacifica network. On September 4, producers of KPFK's Spanish language news magazine, Enfoque Latino, were barred from the station's microphones as they prepared to go on the air for their regular weekly broadcast. Their show, the city's only non-commercial Spanish language public affairs program, was canceled after 13 years on the air, because the producers covered a recent protest against KPFK.

"I was kicked out of the station unjustly and without any formal notification, after having spent 13 years of my life doing unpaid radio work there. I did that work because I believe in the mission of the Pacifica Foundation, and because KPFK is a place where we could openly discuss issues that are important to the Latino community but aren't covered by the commercial media. Pacifica needs to end the gag rule on its programmers and stop using it as a pretext to intimidate anyone who disagrees with the management," said Rubén Tapia, Enfoque Latino's executive producer and host.

On August 31, award-winning journalist Robin Urevich was banned from KPFK for writing about the conflict between Pacifica and its stations in an alternative newspaper, Random Lengths. Ironically, the article criticized several previous incidents of censorship at KPFK. Urevich had been a freelancer and news producer at KPFK for six years. "In Southern California, KPFK listeners could read about the crisis on the front page of the Los Angeles Times, and in other major newspapers. But, they found little information on their own station. Management clumsily tried to keep it under wraps," Urevich wrote.

The Southern California chapter of Americans for Democratic Action released a resolution on September 3 calling for Pacifica's national board members to resign and stand for re-election. The resolution also calls for the resignation of Pacifica Executive Director Lynn Chadwick and an end to censorship at KPFK.

/*This message comes via the freepac list. */

Enfoque Latino, KPFK's Only Spanish Language Public Affairs Program Has Been Canceled.

On what turned out to be their last broadcast (August 21), Enfoque Latino reported on the August 17 demonstration at KPFK, and they gave the Pacifica Accountability Committee's phone number. A few days later the Enfoque Latino producers were informed by Program Director Kathy Lo that the program was suspended for one week, and that there was to be a meeting with management. On August 28, the listeners were told that Enfoque Latino had been pre-empted for a special program and would be back the following week.

The meeting between the Enfoque Latino producers and KPFK management never took place. When the Enfoque Latino producers went to KPFK on September 4, they were informed by the broadcast engineer that their program had been canceled after 13 years. They join reporter Robin Urevich in being shown the door by KPFK management for trying to tell people about what's really going on at KPFK and Pacifica Radio.

Some of the producers of Enfoque Latino, along with Robin Urevich, will be joining with the Pacifica Accountability Committee in the Labor Day March in Wilmington, and hopefully, will have an opportunity to address the rally there. The march starts Monday morning at 10:00, at the corner of Broad Ave. and E St. (Thomas Brothers page 794-E7), and will go to Banning Park. We're asking people to bring something to wear as a gag to protest Pacifica's "gag rule," and bring some food for the picnic afterward.

The next demonstration at KPFK will be Saturday, September 11, from 1:00 - 3:00 PM. KPFK is located at 3729 Cahuenga Blvd. West, North Hollywood.

Oakland Tribune

Audit Committee Wants Pacifica's Financial Records

Friday September 03, 1999

By Cecily Burt STAFF WRITER

A state legislative rules committee voted Thursday to subpoena financial records from Pacifica Foundation, sending a strong message that it intends to find out whether Pacifica violated its nonprofit status and misused listener contributions intended for KPFA Radio.

In a Sept. 2 letter to Pacifica attorneys, Legislative Counsel Bion Gregory warned that unless all of the requested financial documents were received by noon today, subpoenas would be issued. The Joint Rules Committee also rejected Pacifica's condition of confidentiality on any financial records it disclosed.

The Joint Legislative Audit Committee held a public hearing Aug. 20 to gather testimony about the long-running dispute between Pacifica management and KPFA -- a dispute that culminated in an 18-day staff lockout. Pacifica representatives refused to attend, so the committee last week requested they turn over bank records and financial reports for the past year.

The committee also requested invoices and payments made to guard companies and public relations firms, among others.

Pacifica reluctantly agreed to provide the records, but not without first requesting a guarantee of confidentiality, outlined in a letter to the Legislature on Sept. 1.

That condition didn't sit well with legislators.

"The rules committee didn't appreciate having conditions and voted to issue subpoenas," said Hans Hermann, an aide to Assemblywoman Dion Aroner (D-Berkeley), a member of the audit committee. "(Pacifica) was putting us in the position that if something leaked out, the legislature would be held accountable."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 1, 1999

CONTACT:
Andrea Buffa 415-546-6334 x309
Dave Adelson 310-392-0459

AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST BANNED FROM PROGRESSIVE RADIO STATION KPFK FOR EXERCISING FREE SPEECH RIGHTS

[Transcript/RealAudio of Robin Urevich interview on KPFA Evening News, September 1, 1999]

The crisis at the Pacifica network spreads to Los Angeles, as the California Legislative Audit Committee continues its investigation of the Pacifica Foundation.

Los Angeles, CA-Award-winning journalist Robin Urevich was banned from local radio station KPFK for an article she wrote for another publication. KPFK has come under fire for previous incidents of censorship, which Urevich documented in an article for Random Lengths. KPFK is part of the Pacifica Foundation, the nonprofit parent organization of five listener-sponsored radio stations nationwide. At KPFK's sister station, KPFA in Berkeley, journalists were fired for violating the station's "gag rule," and one journalist was pulled off the air by armed guards in July, which led to close to 100 arrests of outraged community members and a month-long lockout at the station. The California Legislative Audit Committee is investigating whether the Pacifica Foundation has misused listener funds; and a lawsuit filed against the organization by local station advisory board members is pending.

"Any decent news outlet will respect the first amendment rights of its journalists. With this action, KPFK management has brought enormous shame to itself and to the Pacifica Foundation," said Norman Solomon, a nationally-syndicated media columnist and media critic.

Urevich was a freelancer and volunteer news producer at KPFK for six years. She also works as a journalist for Latino USA and the California Report of KQED-FM. Urevich won the Golden Mic award for best reporting by a network for a story she produced for Pacifica Network News.

In her article for Random Lengths, Urevich described KPFK management's censorship of two national radio shows, CounterSpin and Democracy Now, when those shows covered the crisis at KPFA in Berkeley. "In Southern California, KPFK listeners could read about the crisis on the front page of the Los Angeles Times, and in other major newspapers. But, they found little information on their own station. Management clumsily tried to keep it under wraps," Urevich wrote.

Today KPFK Station Manager Mark Schubb told Urevich that because of the article, she would have to leave the station and would no longer be welcome there.

"I'm appalled. Robin Urevich is know for her high quality journalism in both the English and Spanish-speaking communities. In addition to the most critical issue here, which is that of freedom of expression, I am also, as a member of the Latino community, very concerned that at KPFK there has been a systematic expulsion of programmers who can communicate with the Latino/Latina community and represent community concerns at the station," said Lydia Brazon, executive director of the Humanitarian Law Project and a member of the KPFK local advisory board.

"Robin is one of the top journalists at KPFK, and it's stunning that they would choose to remove a person-not for violating the gag rule- but for publishing an article about matters vitally affecting the community. It appears that the gag rule extends beyond the walls of KPFK to any activity whatsoever," said Dave Adelson, acting chair of the KPFK local advisory board.

/*This message comes via the freepac list. */

UPDATE: August 27, 1999
MARY FRANCES BERRY'S "STEALTH" VISIT TO WBAI

Pacifica board chair Dr. Mary Frances Berry paid a series of stealth visits to WBAI, Pacifica's New York station, this week.

Dr. Berry first demanded an hour-long interview on the air, without allowing either interviewer to prepare their questions. She refused to take live phone calls.

She then requested an immediate meeting with staff, only about twenty of whom were in the building.

During the course of this meeting, according to some of those present, Dr. Berry stated that there were at least five board members in favor of selling KPFA (presumably herself, Micheal Palmer, David Acosta, Frank Millspaugh, and Ken Ford).

She also admitted that her "six months to succeed" ultimatum to KPFA was an impossible goal, since KPFA would not be provided the resources to succeed.

She evidenced "extreme rancor and antagonism" towards Pacifica in general, according to long-time WBAI programmer and local advisory board member Mimi Rosenberg.

Berry also posited a scenario where KPFA would be sold and smaller stations in the South would be bought.

"Under no circumstances," said Dr. Berry, would she return the national Pacifica office to Berkeley, or allow Berkeley to be a national production hub.

"She is not cognizent of the intent of the stations she rules," concluded Rosenberg. "She made terrible slurs about the people at KPFA...and she was in a room with 90% people of color, and many of us activists, and she chose to lecture us about diversity."

The full text of Mimi Rosenberg's recounting of the meeting, in an interview with KPFA "Flashpoints" hosts Dennis Bernstein and C.S. Soong, may be read at (http://www.savepacifica.net/990826_rosenberg.html).

(Berry also implied that WBAI would be placed in some sort of "receivership" soon, with an inspection team from Pacifica arriving to supervise its operations. There is widespread speculation that Pacifica, having been at least temporarily thwarted in their plan to shut down and sell KPFA by enormous community and political pressure, and having incurred between $300,000 - $500,000 in unbudgeted expenses in pressuring and temporarily shutting down KPFA, may now try to do> something similar in New York, and try to sell WBAI instead.)

/*This message comes via the freepac list. */

Oakland Tribune

Legislators lash out at Pacifica

Panel vows to scrutinize books Saturday August 21, 1999

By Cecily Burt
STAFF WRITER

OAKLAND -- After more than four hours of testimony -- some under threat of reprisal -- a state legislative committee vowed Friday to make Pacifica Foundation open its books and come clean regarding the dispute at listener-sponsored KPFA radio.

The Joint Legislative Audit Committee called the hearing after 24 members of the state Legislature, -- one-fifth of the membership representing 6 million people -- called for an investigation into whether nonprofit Pacifica had violated its charter and tax exempt status.

"This is an issue of extreme importance to the state of California; the performance of alternative media," said committee chairman, Assemblymember Scott Wildman (D-Glendale).

In addition to Wildman, the committee included Dion Aroner (D-Berkeley), Audie Bock (G-Piedmont) and Lynne Leach (R-Walnut Creek). State Sen. Byron Sher (D-Stanford) sent a representative and Don Perata (D-Alameda), also sat on the panel.

Controversy is nothing new to 50-year-old Pacifica. It was founded by anti-war pacifist Lewis Hill to give a voice to alternative views -- views not aired in mainstream media. In addition to KPFA, Pacifica owns four other stations across the country.

But there has been a groundswell of discontent at the station since Pacifica's board voted in February to erode local control. Since March 31, popular staff members have been fired, programs have been censored, a "dirty laundry" gag order was in force, the station was closed and the staff locked out for 18 days, and more than 80 protesters were arrested.

To deal with the dispute, Pacifica hired armed security guards, an expensive public relations firm, and lawyers to defend it from lawsuits. Witnesses estimated the expenses could run as high as $500,000.

Staff and board members testified about intimidation, and a pattern of alleged lies told by Pacifica executives.

"How do you know when Pacifica is lying? When their lips are moving," said J. Imani, a local advisory board member.

Aroner questioned invited staff and board members about whether Pacifica had siphoned listener donations to pay for the security and other unusual expenses related to the dispute, and whether doing so violated its nonprofit status.

"I'm concerned when the parties can't seem to come to some resolution, particularly when it's a progressive radio station," Aroner said. "We should be a model for how we run our progressive lives, because as community-based media, we are always telling (other organizations) how to run their business."

Despite the end of the lockout, rumors of KPFA's possible sale will not die. Susan Stone, KPFA arts director, testified that Pacifica management is absent and inaccessible, and refuses to answer questions about the station's direction and funding. When Pacifica ended the lockout, it was with the caveat that listenership would increase or the station risked being shut down.

The hearing was one-sided. More than 200 pro-KPFA folks crowded the auditorium in the new Elihu M. Harris State Building in downtown Oakland. It may have looked like a Berkeley City Council meeting, but Wildman did not tolerate catcalls, cheers or signs denouncing Pacifica.

Fired General Manager Nicole Sawaya testified, as did Matthew Lasar, an author of a book on the history of Pacifica. National board member Peter Bramson and KPFK local board member David Adelson -- revealed the inner workings of Pacifica's executive board.

Pacifica Foundation board chairwoman Mary Frances Berry and executive director Lynn Chadwick were invited but refused to appear on the grounds that the hearing was an unnecessary intrusion by a political body with no jurisdiction over non profit corporations.

"The deal is, Pacifica has been under governmental scrutiny since its inception," Chadwick said Friday afternoon. "Pacifica has gone through these types of inquiries before; we have a tradition of independence from political scrutiny."

Meigan Devlin, a business manager who reports to Chadwick and handles the finances for KPFA, confirmed that KPFA funds had been used to cover expenses incurred during the crisis. She also said that Chadwick had ordered her in June to disable 250 door codes held by station staff and volunteers, so they would have to ask guards to get access to various parts of the building.

Devlin testified despite being told by Chadwick that no Pacifica staff would appear at the hearing. She and others who spoke of intimidation and received direct or indirect threats not to testify were told by Wildman that their testimony was protected by state law, and he would do everything in his power to protect them.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Letters to the Editor for the Oakland Tribune (and Alameda Times-Star) may be sent to: pstinnett@angnewspapers.com

Or, see the Oakland Tribune Letters to the Editor web page at:
http://www.newschoice.com/asp-bin/feedback.asp?PUID=554
The Alameda Times-Star Letters to the Editor web page is at:
http://www.newschoice.com/asp-bin/feedback.asp?PUID=671

UPDATE: CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HEARS TESTIMONY ON PACIFICA CRISIS...MAY SEEK SUBPOENAS OR AUDIT OF PACIFICA'S SECRET FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

(YOU CAN STILL BE PART OF THE RECORD OF THIS HEARING!)
ALSO...CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST PACIFICA

1. Assembly member Scott Wildman's Joint Legislative Audit Committee heard more than four hours of testimony Friday from nine KPFA and Pacifica related witnesses, two state officials, and 23 members of the public. The hearings were witnessed by 250 people in the Oakland state building auditorium, and heard live by thousands of listeners to KPFA, which carried the proceedings live.

Absent from the hearing were Pacifica board chair Mary Frances Berry, Pacifica executive director Lynn Chadwick, and Pacifica controller Sandra Rosas, all of whom where invited but declined to appear.

Chadwick submitted a statement, which was read into the record by Wildman, stating that Pacifica was founded on the principle of being "free from unnecessary intrusion by governmental and political bodies" and that because she values "the principle of independence from undue political interference with public broadcasting," she would not appear as a witness. Chadwick also stated that because Pacifica is not a governmental body, her attorney had advised her that the committee did not have jurisdiction over Pacifica's operations, a claim which Wildman called "ridiculous."

Those testifying included Pacifica historian Matthew Lasar, who decried Pacifica's lack of formal accountability to its supporters, and called for a share of governance for subscribers. Local advisory board member J. Imani recounted several incidents when he and other young supporters of KPFA tried to discuss the growing crisis with Dr. Berry, but found her aloof, unresponsive, and "not in touch with reality." He recounted several times when Pacifica had lied to KPFA representatives, and said he found Dr. Berry and Chadwick "unwilling to dialogue, compromise, or respect" the KPFA community.

KPFA Drama and Literature Director Susan Stone cited Pacifica misappropriating KPFA's money, and accused the organization of gross negligence of KPFA's facilities during the 17-day lockout. She also pointed out the irony of Pacifica demanding increased audience while causing key staff to quit or be fired, and not providing funding or staffing for future broadcasting.

Several witneses explained the process by which the crisis escalated, centering on Pacifica's increasing secrecy in financial and administrative proceedings, and its institution of a self-perpetuating, unaccountable board. Chairman Wildman and other legislators present (including assemblymembers Dion Aroner, Audie Bock, and Lynn Leach, and state senator Don Perata) indicated they will consider recommending a full audit of Pacifica to either the state auditor, attorney general, or franchise tax board, and may subpoena Pacifica's financial records. The full committee will meet in Sacramento next week to consider its next steps.

YOU CAN BE A PART OF THIS LEGISLATIVE RECORD! Write TODAY and insist that the committee continue its investigation into Pacifica's abuse of public trust and misuse of donor money! (the deadline for inclusion in the record is 8/25).

Assemblyman Scott Wildman,

California State Capital, Room 3091

Sacramento, CA 95814

or via e-mail: Scott.Wildman@assembly.ca.gov

ALSO: Call or write Assemblymembers Aroner, Bock, and Leach and thank them for their concerns (especially if you live in their districts). Ditto for Senator Perata.

2. Civil Rights Complaint filed against Pacifica and U.S. Civil Rights Commission Chair Dr. Mary Frances Berry.
A complaint alleging civil rights violations was filed last week in Oakland by various people associated with KPFA. For the complete text see below.

Complete Text of civil rights complaint against Pacifica:
---------------------------------------------------------
Name(s) and address(es) of the person(s) and/or establishment you believe to have violated your civil rights:

The Pacifica Foundation Management and the Executive Committee of the Pacifica Foundation Board of Directors under the direction of:

Mary Frances Berry, Chair Person of the Pacifica Foundation Board of Directors

c/o United States Commission on Civil Rights

624 Ninth Street NW #700
Washington DC 20425

Lynn Chadwick, Executive Director of the Pacifica Foundation Pacifica Foundation

1929 Martin Luther King Junior Way
Berkeley CA 94704

Garland Ganter,
General Manager, KPFT Houston
419 Lovett Blvd.
Houston, TX 77006

A DESCRIPTION OF THE VIOLATIONS

This should include the date and place of the action(s), and what you believe to be the basis for violation. The pattern of Pacifica Foundation management's violations of civil rights has escalated dramatically since June 1997 when Mary Frances Berry became the Chairperson of the Pacifica Board of Directors, during the period when Lynn Chadwick was the interim General Manager of KPFA in 1997, and since October of 1998 when Lynn Chadwick was selected by the Pacifica Board of Directors to be the Executive Director of Pacifica. The events described below constitute a pattern of actions which, taken together, have violated the civil rights of KPFA station staff, volunteers, apprentices and community members.

 

Violations took place at the Pacifica Foundation, 1929 Martin Luther King Junior Way, Berkeley, CA., 94704, or in the station offices next door.

• In December of 1997, acting as General Manager of KPFA, Lynn Chadwick fired Bari Scott, founder and long-time head of the Third World Department, and a nationally recognized public affairs and music producer and programmer.
• In December of 1998, due to the management process and decisions of Lynn Chadwick, Lawrence Shorter, who had been hired by KPFA General Manager Nicole Sawaya as KPFA's first African-American program director, quit the day after Lynn Chadwick fired Larry Bensky from his position on the Living Room program. (Bensky's first firing.)
• On March 31, 1999, acting with the support of Board Chair Mary Frances Berry, Lynn Chadwick refused to renew the contract of the KPFA station manager Nicole Sawaya a Lebanese American woman.
• On April 9, 1999, acting with the support of Board Chair Mary Frances Berry, Lynn Chadwick fired Larry Bensky for discussing Chadwick's firing of Sawaya.
• On June 18, 1999, acting with the support of Board Chair Mary Frances Berry, Lynn Chadwick fired Robbie Osman, accusing him of having &quotforfeited"his"access to KPFA/Pacifica airwaves" for discussing the firing of Sawaya.
• In June of 1999, Sheryl Flowers, co-host of the Morning Show, quit saying that the current Pacifca Board and management including Berry and Chadwick had created a &quottoxic"environment at KPFA where she could no longer do her job.
• On June 21, 1999, Lynn Chadwick made citizens arrests of 14 people for protesting peacefully in front of the Pacifica Foundations national office.
• On or about June 22, 1999, Mary Frances Berry contacted persons in the Justice Department of the United States and as a result a United States Department of Justice staffer from the COPS Program questioned the Berkeley Police Chief Dash Butler about the Berkeley Police Department's apparent reluctance to arrest the demonstrators.
• On June 27, 1999, acting with the support of Board Chair Mary Frances Berry, Lynn Chadwick hired armed guards from the security company, IPSA whose presence in the station was aimed at intimidating and harrassing staff, volunteers and community members.
• On July 13, 1999, Garland Ganter, KPFT manager acting under the direction of Lynn Chadwick and Mary Frances Berry ordered armed guards to eject KPFA producer and reporter, Dennis Bernstein, from the KPFA building for broadcasting material he and C.S. Soong produced that revealed that the Pacifica Board was considering the sale of KPFA.
• On the same day, Garland Ganter, KPFT manager acting under the direction of Lynn Chadwick and Mary Frances Berry ordered the police to arrest station staff, volunteers and community members.
• On July 14, 1999, acting with the support of Board Chair Mary Frances Berry, Lynn Chadwick and Garland Ganter locked the station staff out of their workplace. Further, Lynn Chadwick and other Pacifica management not currently known ordered the censorship of Pacifica Program Democracy Now which covered the events of July 13, 1999. Station staff, volunteers and listeners were deprived of community radio for 23 days.

In summary, we believe the above described actions: unjustifiable termination of contracts unfair firings censorship of broadcasts acts of intimidation by armed guards; the ordering of the use of police force against peaceful protestors arrests of station staff, volunteers and community members and the unjustifiable shutdown of community broadcasting at KPFA for 23 days, constitute a violation of our civil rights.

Name(s), address(es) and telephone number(s) of persons filing complaint:

 

J. Imani -- KPFA Local Advisory Board Member
Nick Alexander -- KPFA Programmer
Kirsten Thomas -- KPFA Programmer
Mary Berg -- KPFA Local Advisory Board Member and Programmer
Carrie Core -- KPFA programmer

WITNESSES AND PERSONS WITH INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COMPLAINT

The pattern of Pacifica Foundation management's violations of civil rights has escalated dramatically since June 1997 when Mary Frances Berry became the Chairperson of the Pacifica Board of Directors, during the period when Lynn Chadwick was the interim General Manager of KPFA in 1997, and since October of 1998 when Lynn Chadwick was selected by the Pacifica Board of Directors to be the Executive Director of Pacifica. The events described below constitute a pattern of actions which, taken together, have violated the civil rights of KPFA station staff, volunteers, apprentices and community members. Violations took place at the Pacifica Foundation, 1929 Martin Luther King Junior Way, Berkeley CA 94704 or in the station offices next door. Actions which constitute this pattern include: unjustifiable termination of contracts; unfair firings; censorship of broadcasts; acts of intimidation by armed guards; the ordering of the use of police force against peaceful protestors; arrests of station staff, volunteers and community members; and the unjustifiable shutdown of community broadcasting at KPFA for 23 days.

The following persons were witnesses to or have information bearing on, one or more of the events described in the body of this complaint.

Name(s), address(es) and telephone number(s) of any person(s) with information concerning your complaint.
Over 30 witnesses signed the complaint, including:

 

Kris Welch -- KPFA Programmer
Mike Alcalay -- former KPFA Programmer
Tracy Rosenberg -- Administrative Director, Media Alliance

UPDATE: August 18, 1999

1. PACIFICA WILL BOYCOTT LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS -

PROTEST PLANNED OUTSIDE - LIVE BROADCAST SCHEDULED ON KPFA

2. CHARGES MAY BE DROPPED AGAINST SOME PROTESTORS

3. ADVERTISEMENT CALLING FOR MARY FRANCES BERRY AND HER BOARD TO RESIGN, SIGNED BY PROMINENT ACTIVISTS, AUTHORS, AND ARTISTS APPEARS IN NY TIMES

1. Pacifica reportedly has decided not to send anyone to testify to the California Joint Audit Committee hearings Friday 8/20 in Oakland.

Pacifica's latest corporate attorney, Daniel Rapaport, of the Oakland law firm of Wendel, Rosen, Black, and Dean, wrote the legislative committee last week contesting its jurisdiction over Pacifica, a California incorporated non-profit (which also receives state money for the now threatened apprentice training program).

The legislative committee sought testimony from board chair Dr. Mary Frances Berry, executive director Lynn Chadwick, and controller Sandra Rosas. The hearings are expected to explore whether Pacifica has violated its charter by planning to abandon local programming,(or sell) KPFA, and whether it violated its trust with donors through recent expenditures on armed security guards, anti-union personnel consultants, public relations firms, and corporate attorneys.

The committee has apparently decided not to seek subpoenas for Pacifica's testimony or its financial records at this time.

A PROTEST PICKET LINE...DEMANDING THAT PACIFICA APPEAR TO EXPLAIN ITS OUTRAGEOUS BEHAVIOR...AND THAT THE LEGISLATURE SUBPOENA PACIFICA IF THEY CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO COOPERATE...WILL BEGIN AT 10 A.M. FRIDAY OUTSIDE THE ELIHU HARRIS STATE OFFICE BUILDING...13TH AT CLAY STREETS... IN DOWNTOWN OAKLAND (NEAR 12TH STREET BART). Limited seating is available in the hearing room. A public comment period is scheduled at the end of the testimony.

KPFA will broadcast the hearings live starting at 10 a.m., and lasting to their conclusion.

2. Pacifica has stated it will seek to drop charges in some of the more than 100 arrests of protestors inside and outside KPFA.

Chadwick and Berry have presented this as a gesture of &quothealing" and "reconciliation."

However, both Chadwick and Berry might have been subpoenaed to testify in any trials, and may still face suits for false arrest, since the police on several occasions refused to act, and "citizens arrests" were initiated by Chadwick and scab Houston manager Garland Ganter.

3. An advertisement asking for the resignation of Pacifica board chair Dr. Mary Frances Berry, Lynn Chadwick, and their colleagues on the board, appears in today's N.Y. Times (in N.Y. and the national edition). It was paid for by donors to Friends of Free Speech Radio.

Signatories include Adrienne Rich, Alice Walker, Angela Davis, Daniel Ellsberg, Danny Glover, Dennis Brutus, Dolores Huerta, Helen Caldicott, Howard Zinn, Jerry Brown, Joan Baez, Kathleen Cleaver, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Michael Moore, Noam Chomsky, Pam Africa, Pete Seeger, Rashidah Ismaili AbuBaker, Richie Perez, Sal Roselli, St. Clair Bourne, Tom Ammiano and Vinnie Burrows.

More signatories are being added daily, and the ad will appear soon in other print media.

/*This message comes via the freepac list. */

Media Alliance -- Five Demands (August 10, 1999)

1. RESIGNATION

Pacifica's Executive Director Lynn Chadwick, Board Chair Mary Frances Bery and the Pacifica board members who led us into this crisis must resign.

2. DEMOCRATIZATION

Change the bylaws to increase local control of the stations and to introduce some form of elections to Pacifica's board.

3. RESTORATION

Restore uncensored programming. Restore jobs to all fired and disciplined employees and volunteers.

4. PRESERVATION

No sale, transfer, or encumbrance of KPFA or any Pacifica asset by this board.

5. TRANSFORMATION

Revitalize, improve and diversify KPFA programming by involving new voices and grassroots organizations more thoroughly. Restore the Third World Desk and Gender Desk. Increase diversity of the paid staff.

****************

Media Alliance

814 Mission St. #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 546-6334

Pacifica Accountability Committee

8/5/99

More than 10,000 people demonstrated in Berkeley on Saturday, July 31, to call for major changes at Pacifica Radio. KPFA went back on the air with locally produced programming on Thursday, August 5. This followed the extensive repairs to equipment which had been damaged during the two week occupation of the KPFA building by armed thugs hired by Pacifica management. Pacifica news did not report the demonstration until 8/5 (presumably so that they could spin the story with a report of a "return to normalcy at KPFA).

The next meeting of the KPFK Advisory Board will be Saturday, August 7, at 11:00 AM, at the Jazz Bakery, 3233 Helms Ave., Culver City. The agenda will include the consideration of a public statement on Pacifica and the outrages going on at KPFA.

Our next demonstration will be on Monday, August 9, from 4:00 - 7:00 PM, at KPFK, 3729 Cahuenga Blvd. West, North Hollywood. Some of the money which Pacifica management is using to hire armed "security guards," high-priced spin doctors and even higher-priced lawyers to defend the indefensible comes from KPFK subscribers. A gag rule keeps this from being properly reported on KPFK.

The next meeting of the Pacifica Accountability Committee will be Thursday, August 12, at 7:00 PM. That will be at the Peace Center, 8124 West Third St., Los Angeles.

Ralph Nader Letter to Mary Frances Berry (August 4, 1999)

Mary Frances Berry
Chair, Pacifica Foundation
(202) 337 0382/376 7558
624 Ninth St. N.W. Suite 700
Washington DC 20425

Dear Dr. Berry:

With fewer and fewer corporations owning more and more of the U.S. media, and with advertisers frequently flexing their muscle over commercial stations, Pacifica stations are an increasingly crucial part of the American media landscape.

Stations such as KPFA in Berkeley have offered a diversity of perspectives and voices on a wide variety of issues of the day unheard of on commercial stations; the same goes for WBAI in New York. WPFW in Washington and KPFT in Houston have an opportunity to do stronger public affairs programming to serve the communities of those cities. KPFK in Los Angeles is an important voice in a city that produces so much media that dwells on sensationalism and titillation rather than engaging the American people.

These stations are not mere assets to be bought and sold. They are national treasures. They should be nurtured. To contemplate the sale of any of these stations would be a tragic breach of the trust of so many people who have participated in building and supporting them over the years.

Sincerely,

Ralph Nader

PO Box 19312
Washington. DC

Sunday, August 1, 1999

More Than Ten Thousand March
And Rally In Berkeley To Defend
KPFA

[This article was orginally published at www.savepacifica.net.]

A huge crowd overflowed historic Sproul Plaza on the UC Berkeley campus at noon today, heard a dozen speakers and musicians and poets, and then marched two miles, past boarded and defaced KPFA, to a downtown Berkeley park for a three-hour rally.

Thousands of people picked up postcards to mail to four board members, suggesting that:

1. Executive committee members Mary Frances Berry, June Makela, David Acosta and Michael Palmer resign.

2.The board pass a resolution prohibiting the sale of ANY Pacifica station.

3.The Pacifica national office must remain in its state of incorporation, California.

4. KPFA control be returned to the local community, and February's illegal by-law changes, allowing for perpetual self-appointment, be reversed.

What You Can Do Today To Let Mary Frances Berry Know She Should Resign!

IF YOU DID NOT GET A POSTCARD (OR YOU WERE NOT AT THE RALLY), please write to:

Mr. Ken Ford
11303 Sherringtonton Ct.
Largo, MD 20774

Mr. William Lucy
NAACP
4805 Mt. Hope Drive
Baltimore, MD 21215-3297

Mr. Frank Millspaugh
32 King Street
New York, NY 10014

Ms. Jewelle Taylor-Gibbs
857 Sonoma Terrace
Stanford CA 94305

ALSO...YOU CAN CALL DR. BERRY TOLL-FREE...AND TELL HER YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF THE MARCH AND THE PRESENT CONTINUING CRISIS AT KPFA...

Thanks to Working Assets Long Distance, a special toll-free number has been set up for calls to Dr. Berry's office. The number is 1-888-387-8263. (There is a rather long message outlining the Pacifica situation which you may want to skip...just follow the instructions and get to the end of the message...and you can then be connected to Dr. Berry's line.)

DR BERRY NEEDS TO RESIGN...STOP THE FARCE OF DANGLING SIX MONTHS OF "FREEDOM" IN FRONT OF THE KPFA STAFF...REHIRE SAWAYA AND BENSKY UNCONDITIONALLY...RETURN FREE SPEECH RADIO TO LOCAL CONTROL!

Or write to Dr. Berry:

Dr. Mary Frances Berry
c/o Office of the President
University of Pennsylvania
3451 Walnut Street
Philadelphia PA 19104

OUR COLLECTIVE ACTIONS ARE INCREASINGLY EFFECTIVE...REMEMBER... WE ARE GROWING...WE ARE DETERMINED...WE ARE GOING TO WIN!!!!!!!

KPFA Staff Begins Station Site Inspection and Cleanup

KPFA's production and engineering staff re-entered the building today, after armed security guards were withdrawn. They were accompanied by Berkeley city officials (including the mayor, vice-mayor, and city manager) and inspectors from fire and building departments. It was immediately determined that there had been damage to the property while it was occupied by Pacifica and the staff was locked out. The alarm system and door entry system were non-functional, there was glass and debris in several rooms, and the front doors were broken and could not be opened. The fire marshall set a cap of 10 people in the building maximum until the doors can be repaired and opened.

In addition, it appears there has been damage, perhaps due to lack of maintenance, to KPFA's transmitter, which is now emitting a weaker and distorted signal of material being transmitted via the lines Pacifica once said were not being installed. The transmissions seem to be coming from Pacifica's juke-box popular music station, KPFT in Houston, to which scab station manager Garland Ganter and scab engineer Bob Cham have apparently returned.

Pending further evaluation of equipment damage, and repair of the building and and transmitter, there are no immediate plans to resume local broadcasting.

[This article was orginally published at www.savepacifica.net.]

Pete Bramson's Statement, Berkeley Press Conference, 7/28/99

This statement was read at a press conference this morning. Since then, we got word that Mary Frances Berry contacted Bill Harvey of the CWA and made a new proposal to the union that included reopening the station but not addressing the fundamental or structural issues. We are still trying to find out more about this proposal. And, the steering committee is discussing it right now. -Andrea Buffa, Media Alliance

Pacifica national board member Pete Bramson's statement at 7/28/99 Berkeley press conference

My name is Pete Bramson. That's spelled B-R-A-M-S-O-N. I have been a member of the Pacifica National Board since March of last year. My day job is as a systems support manager for a computerized ticketing agency, and I live in Oakland.

I take no pleasure in being here today but I cannot remain silent while Pacifica's National Board holds serious discussions in secret about selling KPFA.

KPFA is a national treasure. My commitment is to the KPFA staff and listening community. I hope that by making the public we can help convince the rest of the Board not to go through with this tragic plan.

Pacifica Board Chair Mary Frances Berry has repeatedly said during these past several weeks that she has no intention of selling KPFA. That's not true.

During a telephone conference call yesterday, Pacifica Board Vice Chair David Acosta put forward the following proposal. I want to emphasize there was no vote. But the executive committee of the board was to continue discussing this issue today. I do not serve on that committee.

There are several parts to this plan, which is somewhat complicated and was floated in an incomplete fashion yesterday. So I'll give you the highlights.

Acosta proposed taking out a five million dollar loan against the value of the KPFA license. That could happen quickly. He proposed selling the KPFA frequency, which has an estimated value of 65 to 75 million dollars. That would take longer to accomplish. With a small portion of the proceeds of the sale of KPFA, Acosta proposed that Pacifica set up another Northern California station--perhaps in Palo Alto which Mary Berry said might be a friendlier city than Berkeley. A possible Palo Alto station would havve only a fraction of the potential audience that KPFA currently can reach.

As part of the discussions of selling KPFA, questions were raised about the financial costs of the current dispute--the armed guards and the new public relations firm. While Mary Frances Berry did not provide specific figures on the cost, she did say there may only be enough money left to continue paying the staff for two or three weeks. Mary Frances Berry also said that the new P.R. Firm, Fineman Associates, may quit.

There was no hint that Mary Frances Berry has any intention of trying to reopen KPFA, put the staff back to work and resume broadcasting the wonderful local programs, which have been produced here for 50 years.

We do need our radio station back. I call publicly on my fellow board members to do the right thing and give KPFA back to its community.

Finally, yesterday, Mary Frances Berry called me a fascist thug for disagreeing with her. And she called on me and two other dissenting board members to resign. I have no intention of resigning form the board. I will continue to fight as a member of the Pacifica National Board to save KPFA.

Update: Weekly Demonstrations Begun at KPFK

In Support of KPFA Listener Sponsors and Locked-Out Programmers

Following the successful public meeting at the Sepulveda Unitarian Church on Saturday, July 24, 1999, a demonstration was held Monday, July 26, at KPFK radio station in support of locked-out listener sponsors, volunteers, programmers, and staff of Pacifica radio station KPFA in Berkeley. Four-hundred people attended Saturday's meeting, which ran from 1 - 5 in the afternoon, at which Peter Franck, Larry Bensky, Dennis Bernstein, Roy Tuckman, Helen Caldicott (via phone), Jay Imani and Raphael Renteria spoke. Saturday's event, while attended by station manager Mark Schubb, was not announced or publicized on KPFK. [Transcripts of speeches, questions and responses at the July 24th event are pending.]

Eighty people participated in Monday's demonstration from 4 - 7 p.m., many wearing gags and calling for democracy, ending the "gag rule," ending CPB funding, accountability, and solidarity with KPFA listeners and staff. KPFK staff served demonstrators cookies and lemonade, but refused to participate in the demonstration. Support from people driving by the station on Cahuenga Blvd. West was evident as car-horns were consistently sounding.

During the sidewalk rally at the end of the demonstration, it was decided to hold a weekly demonstration throughout this crisis, the next one being Monday, August 2, 1999, from 4 - 7 p.m. at the station. This event will follow Saturday's upcoming Mass March and Rally to Defend KPFA in Berkeley, at which an expected 20,000 people from all over the state will demand sovereignty from Pacifica's mediated arrogance.

It is pertinent to note that KPFK has attempted to minimize the significant of the the Palmer memo by giving scant attention to the lock-out at KPFA in relation to the same, in which Michael Palmer refers to the selling of KPFA/B and WBAI, in opposition to the will of Bay Area and New York listener sponsors.

Pacifica Accountability Public Meeting, July 24th, 1999

About 400 people jammed the Sepulveda Unitarian (the Onion) to hear a panel presentation on the crisis at Pacifica Radio with Pacifica programmers-in-exile Larry Bensky and Dennis Bernstein. Also on the panel were KPFK programmer Roy Tuckman, KPFK Board member David Adelson, KPFA Board member Jay Imani and former Pacifica President Peter Franck. There was a special message of support from Dr. Helen Caldicott, which was phoned in from Australia.

Bernstein recounted the day that Pacifica seized the KPFA building and replaced the regular programming with archival tapes. Listeners to the Bay Area institution were horrified to hear the news interrupted with a live report of Bernstein being forcibly removed from the studio. That report was cut off, and after a brief period of silence, the tapes began to roll. Several members of the staff and supporters were arrested that evening as the building was cleared. KPFA was without local programming for over two weeks.

Larry Bensky described his presentation to the Pacifica Board of Directors last February, in which he traced the growth of the parent corporation at the expense of the five radio stations and their communities. This was one of many arguments which had been made against the board's decision to make itself completely self-appointed and self-perpetuating, with no direct input from the station communities. Bensky believes that his public statement to the board was the real reason for his subsequent firing.

Helen Caldicott issued an emotional challenge to KPFK and KPFA supporters to get involved in the struggle to save community radio at Pacifica. All the speakers looked at the secrecy and centralization of power which made the current crisis possible. For many people, it was their first opportunity to hear this information because a gag rule prevents these things being discussed in any meaningful way at KPFK.

The event was taped by JusticeVision, and copies may be obtained by calling (213) 747-6345.

 FAIR NEWS RELEASE:
July 16, 1999

Pacifica Leadership Should Step Down for Good of Network

As a media watch group supportive of independent voices in a media environment dominated by conglomerates, FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting) has watched in agony the deepening crisis at Pacifica (and KPFA). Over the years, FAIR had been sympathetic to national board efforts to professionalize the network and give it a stronger national identity. We believe such improvements could have been made within the context of a more accountable board structure. During the current crisis, we've closely monitored the conflict and all public pronouncements -- and we've consulted privately with many of the players, including employees, managers, local advisory board members and national board members. FAIR believes that the clearest path out of the crisis, the clearest path toward restoring Pacifica's credibility as an independent journalistic force, is for the leadership of the national board and the executive director to resign. We offer this conclusion with great sadness, in view of the talents and historic accomplishments of these individuals. In recent events at Pacifica, however, their persistently errant decision making has polarized and escalated the crisis, and threatened the future of this unique media institution.

Contact: Steve Rendall, mailto:SRendall@fair.org

[From PAC Folio, Volume 1, Number 1, August 1999]