Audio Report From April 4, 2008 Meeting On Crisis At KPFA & Pacifica

panels:
http://pacificana.org/public/files/KPFA/Media/2008/20080406-1326-Forum.mp3
http://pacificana.org/public/files/KPFA/Media/2008/20080406-1420-Forum.mp3

break out reports, open mic:
http://pacificana.org/public/files/KPFA/Media/2008/20080406-1616-Forum.mp3

The Crisis at KPFA & Pacifica

Recent elections corrupted & sabotaged

Interim Management extends regime & consolidates power,
degrades elected station board, Program Council & volunteer staff
organization

What happened to democracy, transparency & accountability?

Pacifica finances falter, fundraising replaces peace mission

Other community radio programming & staff issues more below

IS IT TIME TO TAKE BACK KPFA (AGAIN)?

Come to a FORUM to hear and discuss
NEWS & VIEWS OF THE KPFA/PACIFICA CRISIS.

PROGRAM:
Listener & staff speakers and panel discussions, including:

LaVarn Williams, former LSB/PNB member & Finance Committee Chair
Richard Phelps, LSB chair 10-05 to 12-06, former AM & FM announcer
Steve Zeltzer, member of KPFA Labor Collective, producer of Labor Video
Project
Les Radke, Coalition for a democratic Pacifica, former Nat'l Election
Supervisor
also expected: speaker from Staff

Small group discussions/brainstorming. Your questions and input.

WHEN: Sunday April 6th, 12 – 4 pm
WHERE: North Berkeley Senior Center
1901 Hearst Avenue at Martin Luther King Way
Across from KPFA. Close to Berkeley BART
AC Transit buses 15, 43, 51
FREE – donations accepted
FOOD available Wheelchair accessible

More information available at:
http://fair_elections [at] yahoo.com & http://peoplesradio.net & http://voicesforjusticeradio.googlepages.com/

Event Sponsored and Endorsed by:
KPFA Fair Elections Committee
Peoples Radio
Voices for Justice Radio
Coalition for a democratic Pacifica
& others to be confirmed




Highlights of Pacifica/KPFA Crisis

• KPFA recently had a Local Station Board election which former national
election supervisor Les Radke called the worst ever in bylaws and fair
elections violations.
• Pacifica interim Executive Director (iED) advised listeners not to vote
for one slate; a popular programmer used station facilities to lobby for
another slate; he and management ignored the election supervisors remedies
for this violation; management refused to allow timely candidate
information on the air and website.
• The interim General Manager decertified the Unpaid Staff Organization,
right before the Board election, compromising the volunteer staff voting
list.
• Shared program decision making declared irrelevant: The Interim Program
Director (iPD) has degraded the Program Council (PC) to advisory status,
selected new programs without PC evaluation and input; hired then
summarily fired a program host, ignoring the PC and alternative
suggestions.
• Pacifica’s New York station is unable to fulfill its fund drives, is
heavily and increasingly in debt, and is drawing funds from KPFA and the
other stations to meet its expenses, potentially threatening the entire
foundation.
• Yet the iED blocked Directors from examining the books, violating the
Bylaws and state law, although a previous protracted struggle had
re-affirmed this right.
• Interim management extended. The KPFA General Manager Search Committee,
which after two years of work found and recommended an eminently qualified
candidate, is now required by the iED to conduct a second search process.