Berkeley-Members of the Siegel/Brazon faction, which sits in a slim majority on the Pacifica National Board, continue to express their enthusiasm for network breakup and the sale of one or more of the licenses of the smaller Pacifica stations, in informal online communications. In a Facebook discussion group, KPFA local station board member Kate Gowen called for the “amputation” of New York’s WBAI from the national radio network and former KPFA general manager Andrew Phillips declared “the East Coast stations are toast. Cut em loose”. Continue reading Amputation→
As a long-time supporters of KPFA, even prior to the 1999 attempted take over of our station, we strongly object to changing the Morning Mix programming. If this is listeners’ sponsored radio then we your listeners and supporters must be taken into account on such a major change of community focus. Continue reading Gray Panthers Letter of Support for The Morning Mix→
Berkeley-At Thursday’s Pacifica National Board meeting, the growing extent of the financial disarray at Pacifica was revealed. In a brief question and answer session with auditor Armanino McKenna regarding the network’s last 990 annual tax return, significant problems were uncovered. As mentioned in a previous issue of Pacifica in Exile, the tax return is hundreds of thousands of dollars out of whack with income and expense totals on the audit, released only a few weeks later. Worse, the return contains a certification that missing Schedule B is not required because Pacifica is not a publicly-supported organization. A publicly-supported organization is one that receives at least 33% of its support from gifts, grants or donations from members whose basic purposes are to support the organization. Pacifica has always been one. Continue reading The Tax Man Cometh and The SF Labor Council Weighs In→
Last week SaveKPFA took the MORNING MIX off prime time, replacing it with a show piped in from Los Angeles hosted by Sonali Kolhatkar. During that week we held three rallies at the KPFA station, carrying signs and banners reading: “Bring back the Morning Mix,” “Diversity or Monoculture?” and “Don’t nix the Mix you Dix.” Continue reading Seven Days and Three Rallies: A Quick Summary of Last Week at KPFA→
Berkeley-The first suspension has happened at Berkeley’s KPFA, with the rogue board majority and their supporters hitting 20-year volunteer news anchor Anthony Fest with a month-long suspension from the Sunday night news program, which he hosts. Continue reading Suspension→
On Saturday May 31, 2014 community supporters of KPFA and KPFA workers spoke out at a rally to defend the Morning MIx Shows and also to stand up for the unpaid staff who produce 60% of the programming at the community station. Local community programmers are being threatened with the loss of their shows by a management that disregards their labor and work. An imported show from Los Angeles called “Uprising” by Sonali Kolhatkar has been replaced 5 local community shows which cover labor and many community events at prime time. The KPFA workers also discussed the lack of support for the unpaid staff by management versus the treatment of the paid staff.
To support the “Morning MIx” shows a petition is being circulated
“Bring Back The Morning Mix”
Online Petition To KFPA Pacifica Management And Board Chair https://www.change.org/petitions/rich…
Online Petition To Sonali Kolhatkar “Don’t Replace The Morning Mix” https://www.change.org/petitions/sona…
Production of Labor Video Project. www.laborvideo.org
Berkeley-The financial disarray at the Pacifica Foundation is increasing, and posing a serious threat to the continuing operations of the 5-station national network. The annual tax return (990 form) for the year ending 9-30-2012 has never been posted to the foundation’s website, as the return prepared under the supervision of fired then rehired CFO Raul Salvador, was filled with mistakes. Plans to amend the return within a year of filing have been delayed and possibly scotched by the new board majority regime which took over in February. Continue reading Lies and Deception→
I was raised by several generations of labor organizers, and in every labor dispute my side is easily chosen. I don’t cross picket lines, and I always stand with the workers against their bosses. The current conflict inside KPFA is the first time I’ve ever seen my community divided on an issue concerning labor solidarity. Continue reading KPFA’s Working Majority Gets Screwed by CWA Job Trust→
The Gray Panthers recently celebrated May Day with a musical account of the history of the struggle for the eight hour day, the people who were at the core of that struggle, the demonstration on May first, the Haymarket massacre a few days later and the repression that followed.
One thing that was so impressive about the organizing for the eight hour day, as portrayed by the Rockin’ Solidarity Labor Heritage Chorus, was the breadth of the community effort. This struggle crossed racial lines. It was supported by native-born and immigrants from many countries. Organizers from primarily male unions honored and respected female workers who were seamstresses and maids. This kind of comradeship across social boundaries has been all too uncommon in many of our struggles, union and otherwise. Continue reading A Call for Solidarity at KPFA→
