HOW EXACTLY HAS PACIFICA BEEN FINANCIALLY GUTTED since the settlement was signed?

Is Pacifica's current dismal financial state only due to dwindling listenership and therefore support? Or are there other fundamental problems with just how Pacifica's budgets and expenditures are determined that has helped bring the network to this point?

Are the dire warnings of Pacifica's financial collapse merely a smokescreen and if so, what is being obscured behind the crisis?

The answers to these questions are being hidden by those who have an interest or interests (whatever those interests are) in keeping the complete financial history of Pacifica and its stations from being revealed publicly.

Pacifica's financial history MUST be released publicly (taking into account privacy requirements, such as publishing aggregate totals of 'retired' staff severance packages per station without revealing who got what) if we are going to effectively implement realistic solutions to this network's financial problems. Isn't this obvious?

Currently, only small connected groups of Pacifica elite 'insiders' at the five Pacifica stations, Local Station Boards (LSB), Pacifica National Board (PNB) and Pacifica National office are aware specifically of the myriad of financial decisions made and actions taken over the last seven years since the Pacifica settlement was obtained (http://www.current.org/radio/radio0120pac.html).

I still wonder who amongst the Pacifica elite have actually seen all of the documents other than Pacifica's thug attorney, Dan Siegel and his buddy, Dave Adelson.

Currently there still seems to be no serious effort, either at the PNB level or the LSB level to force Pacifica's financial history out into the light of day. Yet, these same elite groups throughout Pacifica are adamant that KPFK's building must be put up as collateral for a one million dollar loan (or is it more?) to avoid Pacifica going into bankruptcy (this was told to me by KPFK's PNB member, Grace Aaron). And we are all supposed to accept the 'wisdom' of this emergency decision.

Others in the network are suggesting privately (and even publicly) WBAI or it's signal be sold to raise necessary funds to cover the deficit and more. The glaring problem with this so-called "solution" is that it may put hundreds of millions of Pacifica asset-generated funds directly into the hands of the same people who have brought this network so close to financial ruin to begin with. Maybe these people have a lot to gain by doing so. That would certainly explain the eagerness in certain circles to push for that 'remedy'. The fact of the matter is with such secrecy about Pacifica's finances being accepted as the norm we could be on the verge of a huge embezzlement operation being hatched. Is it beyond possibility?

Who exactly are these people who make these decisions to 'help' the network? Does anyone know? Could this be part of the reason Nicole Sawaya resigned as Executive Director? Good riddance, I say, since she certainly wasn't willing to step up and do the right thing. And what about our exalted previous Executive Directors? How about Dan Coughlin? Could it be that he might have an idea why the network is so down and out, financially?

Whether it's a million dollar loan taken out on KPFK's building (with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco as the lien-holder!) or murmurings of WBAI's signal being sold for a less desirable one along with a move from it's current 'fashionable' digs on Wall St. (owned by Larry Silverstein) to Brooklyn, I don't believe these soon to be implemented decisions are being made with any degree of due process, either from a California Corporate Code standpoint, or a Pacifica bylaws standpoint. This is exactly why Pacifica's listeners are essentially being kept in the dark as to the real situation, someone may get wise and take real action.

In that regard it may take a joint lawsuit against those at Pacifica and it's Board of Directors who would continue to obfuscate, protect or deflect attention from any financial wrongdoing at Pacifica or its stations by continuing to withhold publication of it's financial records. Doing so may be just the 'remedy' that's necessary to finally establish transparent financial records and decision making process at Pacifica and its stations.

So, why hasn't this dialog been taken to Pacifica's largest source of income, its listeners?

Although KPFA properly broadcast a special LSB program today on the topic (To hear the program go to: http://kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=29581), what is desperately needed is for all five stations to simulcast a series of national programs with listener calls where everyone concerned can attempt to clarify Pacifica's situation, how it developed to this point and whether the remedies suggested are adequate, too risky, or whether there are better solutions. Such a national program should be a regular facet (in addition to more local programs such as the one today on KPFA) of real transparency in order to expect any degree of accountability. This process should also take place during more on-air promoted meetings of each station board.

But then, that's not what elites usually like to do, is it? In fact, many of the elites at Pacifica I know or are acquainted with now take it upon themselves to deal with these matters secretly. So what else is new?

Consequently it's going to take those individuals who DO have inside information to generate enough political courage to expose the glaring truths about what is not being revealed regarding Pacifica's finances. This must be done going all the way back to the settlement and even farther.

My message to the rest of Pacifica's family (such that it is), we need to call a temporary truce regarding ALL of the issues fought over in each signal area so that we help create a much more solvent Pacifica. Taking loans out on assets or selling valuable station signals is NOT the solution. Until the mechanisms of financial transparency and accountability are FIRST put in place, we will no doubt see the destruction and continued corruption of Pacifica's foundation by those who have the power of the purse at the stations and at national and who seek to keep it under the table.

Please step up to the plate and speak out while we still have a chance to save this network. There is very little time and window of opportunity to do so is about to be slammed shut.

Jonathan Markowitz
Los Angeles
jonjmarkowitz (at) yahoo.com