KPFA Labor Programmer/Labor Musician and Activist Francisco Herrera Banned By KPFA Bosses

http://www.kpfalaborcommunity.net/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=135



KPFA interim manager Lemlem Rijio who refuses to recognize the unpaid staff organization (UPSO) despite calls by the KFPA Local Station Board and the Pacifica National Board has now banned KPFA community volunteer programmer Francisco Herrera without any warning or notice. This is similar to action she has taken by Rijio to purge Youth Radio and other programs.
Lemlem Rijio has been also actively supported by Concerned Listener supporters on the board including labor education Warren Marr and his wife and Alameda Labor Council staffer Susan McDonough. Marr and McDonough when they were campaigning for the board did not inform KPFA listerners that they were a married couple and might have a "conflict of interest". Marr has also now been used by KPFA labor programmer David Bacon on his weekly show as an interviewer for guests. Bacon when introducing Marr has not mentioned that Marr is also on the board as a listener representative and should not be doing programming while representing the listeners. This rule was made to prevent conflicts of interests but apparently it does not apply to supporters and members of the Concerned Listerner's grouping.
Letter From Banned KPFA Programmer Francisco Herrera
Date: Apr 2, 2008 11:30 AM
From: Francisco Herrera
Date: Wed, Apr 2, 2008 at 7:56 AM
Subject: response to silencing
To: igm [at] kpfa.org


Dear Lem Lem, I am writing in response to my silencing
as a volunteer broadcaster. I appreciate the
cordiality we have had with each other since we met
and the one or two times we have spoken since then.

With all due respect, I experienced your decision, to
ban me from the air as an insult to the work I have
done in the benefit of our community radio station and
as an over reaction, particularly after examining
other programs which constantly raise funds and
promote products, events or campaigns. From the
beginning of our conversation last Friday(3/28/08), I
expressed to you that I entered the La Onda Bajita
program (3/21/08) with the clarity of mind that I
would not sound as if I was fund raising. I welcome an
investigation and believe it will be helpful.

I understand my directing people to the web site:
http://www.keepnewcollegealive.org might have been
misconstrued as fundraising particularly by people who
are bent on demonizing members of the New College
Community who were giving positve testimony of their
time at said college during that evening's program.
However, I don't feel it merited such harsh decision.

By way of this note, I simply want to make record of
my disagreement with your decision to keep me off the
air, particularly on the day we were going to
celebrate the life of UFW founder Cesar Chavez and
more specifically informing me 55 minutes before the
show went on the air. With all due respect, I will
also request the national and local board to
investigate the harshness of this decision and ask
some action be taken on my behalf.

Sincerely,
Francisco Herrera