New KPFA manager reports to listeners

Andrew has the experience, the career credentials, the knowledge and work history of and with KPFA that is needed to get the job done and Phillips signals the ability to recognise the real from the real fools.

Entrenched/ fav mngement clique: Be afraid-- be very afraid-you will not intimidate or ingratiate this one-his voice is one of true authority. No more depending on favoritism to get ahead. Oh Dear! What are mediocre talents (Slave KPFA/CL'ER'S) to do??? I guess we will soon see-won't we now?

Smile.

He said on the air that listeners are "squabbling about insignificant issues" and that KPFA has an "auto-immune disease." Hella respectful, isn't he?

He says some extremely stupid things about both unpaid and paid staff, and can't seem to add to 100%.

He praises David Salniker and Pat Scott.

Actually, what most are asking is, where did they dig him up? This guy's most recent radio experience is from 20 years ago, and much of it was from the New Guinea tourism bureau. Where he was a "manager" back in 1970.

It's pretty clear he doesn't have an open mind and has been hired to be Arlene's henchman. Seems very bad for KPFA.

While the world watches in horror at the nuclear holocaust unfolding in Japan, with radiation circling the globe, contrary to the lies of Democrat Obama who just stated that no radiation will reach the USA (what science course did he take?), proving again that you should only vote for the anti-nuclear Peace and Freedom Party or Green Party, while the US prepares to widen its blood for oil wars to include Libya, and while we prepare for peace marches across the US in commemoration of the Democrat-Republican supported illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq on or about March 19, 2003 to steal their oil as well as to protest the blood for oil wars in Afghanistan to protect the Caspian sea oil pipeline and in Pakistan to steal their oil and gas and to encircle the oil rich province of Tibet that has been part of China for 700 years and will remain so forever as well as encircle oil rich Russia, we had to hear once again a false and insulting Hate Pacifica message from the government agents on the KPFA evenings news on March 17, 2011 at 6:50 p.m. Hear it at:
http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/68341

Their lies included the following:
1. They stated John Hamilton was laid off. They did not state he was bumped by his friend Brian Edwards Tiekert for the lousy $25,000 a year part-time job to read the news. Young men like these two can do much better just waiting tables where you get not only wages, tips and medical benefits but also meals and uniforms.

2. They claimed that the government operator majority on the Local Station Board, through their treasurer, learned that KPFA was billed $30,000 at $400 an hour (standard for partners and experienced attorneys in San Francisco) for 4 months work, which works out to 75 hours or almost 19 hours per month. They failed to state that KPFA was billed this figure because Republican Party plant, Brian Edwards Tiekert, filed numerous charges, as did his fellow government agents at KPFA, forcing KPFA to defend itself. Apparently, Pacifica's lawyers do not have the expertise, so they hired a law firm. No labor attorney will oppose any labor union, so they ended up with a management law firm. The people costing us money are the people who filed the charges, all of which are false. As to KPFA having to pay this bill instead of Pacifica, that may be how it looks on paper, but it is all one pot.

3. The charges are false because the lay offs were necessary as there is a serious budget crisis at KPFA, caused by the government agent majority on the Local Station Board, who spent the entire $1 million reserve fund and did nothing to stop the bleeding for 2 years, causing Pacifica to order its executive director, Arlene Englehardt, to carry out the necessary lay offs.

Meanwhile, we hear nothing about our peace march on the evening news. We have heard in the morning a tape announcing the peace march and Dennis Bernstein on Flashpoints, March 17, 2011 shortly before 6 p.m., announced that he would be broadcasting the peace march from 12 to 2 p.m. on March 19. The obvious question is, where is the news department?

One place they may be is at the March 19 Local Station Board meeting. That's right; the government agent majority scheduled an LSB meeting on the same day as this annual peace march, which peace march was planned no later than December 2010, and is well known to the world as being the anniversary of the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq.

For the benefit of the new interim general manager, here is the story of Brian Edwards Tiekert's Republican Party law firm:

The case is Edwards Tiekert v Pacifica, Alameda Superior RG10549212 and the docket with printable documents is found at:
http://apps.alameda.courts.ca.gov/domainweb/html/casesumbody.html
The complaint in TIFF format, which must of us can print with no extra programs, is at
http://apps.alameda.courts.ca.gov/domainweb/service?ServiceName=DomainWebService&PageName=itree&Action=25289492

See also
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/12/03/18665521.php

The full biography of the reactionary Republican Party lawyer, Harmeet Dhillon, may be found at the Smart Voter website since she ran for Assembly against Democrat Tom Ammiano in San Francisco in November 2008. See
http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/state/vote/dhillon_h/bio.html

Her endorsers are listed at
http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/state/vote/dhillon_h/endorse.html

and her answers to questions are listed at:
http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/state/vote/dhillon_h/questions.html

Her co-chair role of Lawyers for Bush/Cheney'04 and her "journalism" for the reactionary Heritage Foundation, are more fully described at:
http://www.imakenews.com/sfgop/e_article001049029.cfm?x=b11,0,w


Her law firm's website lists a successful lawsuit in which they represented the Republican Party of Los Angeles County. See:
http://www.dhillonsmith.com/2010/05/dhillon-smith-prevails-in-lawsuit-over-the-leadership-of-the-republican-party-of-los-angeles-county/

PHILLIPS spoke succinct truth to negative insider power from such an obvious vantage point of talent-radio voice/raconteur/tough, traveled expertise and experience that he called them by type and title and scared the complacent shit out of the Entrenched/CL/Slave KPFA cadre.

Frightened, they and their acolytes came running ready with their only ammunition, a nasty personal attack aimed at KPFA's Russel Crowe. The Elite/Entrenched/CL'Slave KPFA are scared.

THE PHILLIPS SHOT HEARD ROUND THE ENTRENCHED: "Just because you have been here twenty years, does not mean you will be here 21."and "I remember...working at KPFA was considered a privilege...". -PHILLIPS

Arlene-your instincts are impeccable. Phillips your radio antennae, infallible.

Let the games begin. We who are about to die (laughing) salute you!

Glenn Reeders' comatose, monotone "delivery style" is indicative of the power Mericle wields on behalf of his pals, to the detriment of the entire newscast and department. The ill effects of favoritism and corruption.

Respect is telling Listeners the truth. The whole truth and nothing but- insignificant unless you're one of the two- lay offs- too bad, but lay offs happen, to everyone.

It cost listeners 30k for KPFA to prevent TIckert lawyers from holding onto the morning host job 4 which he did not interview 4, was not suited and staff did not post bringing stations #'s down and continuing a Rigio regime downward spiral

-30k is cheap. so be it.

Malcolm Burnstein: From what we are hearing so far, the new IGM is sounding like a fig leaf over Arlene's exposed genitals.
Thursday at 5:33pm
SaveKPFA Facebook Wall

Most of the lawsuits Pacifica is spending KPFA listener dollars on are about Tracy Rosenberg's illegal attempts to overturn elections at KPFA and KPFK, as well as the PNB. Her attempt to throw out votes of staffers at KPFA? Overturned by a judge because they violated KPFA's by-laws and the California Code of Corporations. The same at KPFK. Now her attempt to have Dan Seigal removed from the PNB and the KPFA LSB have also been stopped by the court. You want to stop Pacifica's wasteful spending on lawsuits? Have Tracy Rosenberg stop trying to illegally thwart democracy at KPFA and Pacifica. Do that and have Pacifica honor their union contract? Viola, no more lawsuits. But it ain't in Rosenberg's nor in Englehardt's blood to do the right thing, ever. Both are pathologically dishonest people.

As for Phillips, he's been out of broadcasting and into landscaping for over a decade! Before that he worked at Pacifica's biggest fail -- and the cause of most of the money problems at the network -- WBAI. Nice choice!

WBAI has been losing listeners and listener support since 2003.
Andrew Phillips, WBAI Program Director from 1989-1993.

--if Miguel Molina and/or Richard Phelps would have made the weird 'Fig Leaf'comment the KPFA News would have 'reported '' this as an example of Gross sexism ! But since it was Mal Burnstein No problem !
Such gross hyprocrisy .

Malcolm Burnstein was a law partner in the Communist Party law firm of Treuhaft, Walker & Burnstein. We now know that the ossified Communist Party of the 1950s-1980s was in part a sex cult, as described in Bettina Aptheker's excellent autobiography, Intimate Politics. She describes her father's incest against her for 10 years, ages 3 through 13, followed by among other things, when she was a UC student, the rape of her by the chair of the Northern California Communist Party, Mickey Lima, father of the current Democrat who loves Republicans, and refers to the fascist USA as a beleagured democracy, Margey Wilkinson, now chair of the LSB and part of the majority of the LSB that is better known as government operatives, which includes Malcolm Burnstein. We were all first alerted to Burnstein during the on air candidate forums for LSB, during which Burnstein viciously and unjustifiable attacked a very nice, young candidate, Felipe Messina, as a "liar" who had made no statements that were in any way false. This is what a government operative does to cause chaos and mistrust. During the last week of the on air candidate forums, Burnstein & Company refused to answer the questions of the moderator and launched into scripted attacks on the "firings" that they believed were planned, when we all know layoffs were necessary. His arrogance was particular notable to the listener as he was clearly an orchestrator of it all, not surprising, as he is an experienced lawyer. At age 76 or so, he has no other reason to sit on the LSB than to promote the Democratic Party-US government agenda to destroy KPFA and Pacifica. His sexual trash talk is in keeping with this agenda.

You are all bat shit lunatics and liars. Calm down. Stop making stuff up. Calm down. Eat a sandwich. Jesus.

Calling each other names. Making pep talks and going bananas. Who is the audience here?

Take the dog for a walk, why don't you? Do some gardening, or your laundry. Join the YMCA and take a yoga class. Listen to some podcasts and take a break from KPFA for a little while, it will do you some good.

Let the young people in the Bay Area have a turn. Take some time off to take stock. Chill out. Don't be mean. Have a beer in the sunshine with your friends. Stop telling tales and taking sides.

Grow up.

I met and talked with Andrew Phillips yesterday as part of a coalition of unpaid staff and came away with a very good feeling that Andrew Phillips is a pragmatic, conscientious person who will help resolve some long-standing issues at KPFA and offer effective leadership, sorely-needed, at KPFA.

I've heard that he is "autocratic," but my impression from yesterday's meeting was that while he is fair and listens to all parties, when it comes time to make a decision, he decides unflinchingly and doesn't waffle. I think that is a good quality and sign of a strong leader.

The negative posts I've seen so far seem to reflect people's pre-existing prejudices against Pacifica rather than genuine critiques of Andrews Phillips. Phillips has my formal support, and I welcome him warmly to KPFA.

Once again, I've gotta sigh at the number of people who aren't willing to use their own names here, but thanks to those who are. What's to be so afraid of? It's no secret that there are competing visions of what KPFA and community radio should be. I've always shared the ICR vision, but that doesn't mean I have personal quarrels with the paid staff, the former Morning Show hosts, or anyone else about this and I hope the station can move on, as Andrew Phillips urged.

We're hugely lucky to have a permaculture, i.e., sustainability expert, with a long history of anti-nuclear engagement and reporting, taking the helm at KPFA now. Serendipitous, but sometimes you get lucky. Of course there's nothing lucky about Japan's catastrophe, except, for us, that it wasn't the San Andreas Fault, and the Diablo Canyon and San Onofre nuclear power plants. PG and E is in the process of relicensing Diablo Canyon, SoCal Edison in the process of relicensing San Onofre, and California legislators have made predictable noise about seismic retrofitting. I spoke to Lori Goodman, about the Navajo response, for KPFA Weekend News on Sunday, http://goo.gl/va4q, and I've been watching for signs of a new anti-nuclear movement taking shape here, and for increased support for the pro-active, renewable energy, public power, and community choice movements.

Andrew Phillips raised the issue of emergency preparedness, one of the things we most rely on radio for, and I think everyone can see how woefully unprepared California was for an earthquake on the San Andreas Fault triggering a similar catastrophe. I know no one who even had potassium iodide in their medicine cabinets. Again, I think we're lucky to have a station manager with Andrew Phillips's history with this, as California considers its own vulnerability and the global impact of its energy choices.

"the number of people who aren't willing to use their own names here"

The SlaveKPFA hacks, you mean? Actually, it seems to be just one or two, using various pseudonyms.

"Tracy Rosenberg" this "Tracy Rosenberg" that.

Do KPFA audiences really want to believe that the "Al Queda" of KPFA has caused every supposed mistake that ever happened?

The KPFA Local Station Board candidate forums were squeezed onto the air with a huge amount of energy wasted bucking and dodging the exclusionists at the station, including their own much-loved IGM at the time, Ahmad Anderson, a human resources specialist who never put into place much-needed personnel policies (nor did Ms. Rijiio before him). Despite the difficulties, and unfairness, documented in both the local and national Pacifica election reports, Oriana Saportas, the local election supervisor, managed to find very good hosts for the on-air shows from both KPFA and from local media organizations when staff members couldn't participate; and though of course the shows weren't noticed widely on the air or aired at often-listened-to times, some of the candidates were noticeably strong. Tracy Rosenberg was a very strong candidate, well-prepared, thinking on her feet. Tracy has sacrificed many thousands of hours of her life to KPFA for no pay, including scouring the finances of the station and network, and reporting very clearly about same for years. That is why she is being disparaged so thoroughly.

Renee Asteria, the national election supervisor, was the one who tried to get at least a tiny bit of balance achieved after the airing of unfair material over the air by removing the votes from the two staff members who broke the rules of fairness very openly on the air. She lost the case. This has nothing to do with Tracy Rosenberg. Nor do any of the other charges leveled here, except that Rosenberg, like Renee Asteria, appears to want KPFA to operate more as a welcoming community center encouraging mutual support and information-sharing in a world needing to fight the exclusionists than as a model that merely duplicates the exclusionist model with slightly different characters than we have in power now.

Andrew Phillips has taken this job knowing he's fighting some mighty organized, financially-backed, ends-justifying wag-the-dog liars. I hope many will offer him brief strong messages of support and thanks.

Is it true most of the staff are members of the communist party or front groups? That's what we hear out on the Right Coast. Nuthin' wrong with that. My Mum was a member of the Youth Communists at CUNY back in the 1940's.

Still it's so well,...20th century don't ya think.

Good luck anyway. Btw Andrew is a good guy, and a Pacifica from the Heart person. That means he believes in the actual Foundation Mission Statement as opposed to the assorted insular, and self interested revisions we've seen over the decades.

As You Once called Me "the Conscience of WBAI" - I Say Controversy will always be "with US" !!! OK(But is there a BEST ? BETTER Way? (With a Compensation from 'the Majority' for 'the Minority' as in "Proportional Representation"?!

Yes! Be Concerned for 'Immediate Problems' have a Board That Shows History 'PRESENT Status' & "FUTURE" ??!
With a Nuclear 'MUSHROOM' with a "?" Mark in Center (Large with lines Radiating OUT) !!!!

"REPORT To (" & From[my Suggestion]" to KPFA (WBAI) Should (MUST) be On DAILY - ( " So The 'REPORT'
doesn't Sound Like It's Only 'From the TOP Down !!!!
So EveryDay There Can Be UpDates !!!
Some 6 Voices Can make an "OUTCRY" about IMMEDIATE Problems DAILY!!!!
WBAI first Had 'The REPORT' on Weekly - Then It went "Every Other Week" & Then " ONCE a MONTH" !!! That's 'NG' !

Thanks to Ann Garrison's Well-Reasoned Statement !!!

Ironically I Didn't hear Helen Caldicott on WBAI - Till The RECENT Catastrophe !!!! for A Long Time As There are 'ALAS'
So Many Pressing PROBLEMS !!!! Taking Center Stage - Should be a Short Multi-Voiced (Nader,Caldicott,Hedges,Roy, etc) Punctuated with Automatic Fire & Bomb Blasts ?!!! QuickTastes !!! "Save EveryOne & Yourself" !!!
(2 or3 Versions)!

Please Read my Messages on "listenerforums.net" & soon on 'Word Press' ("ifonlysomeonecarestolisten "!!!
More Later !!!! from 50 Year WBAI Listener/Member/ Caller & Folio Photographer(See WBAI Folio-Pacifica Archives)

I don't think any staff are currently in or around the CPUSA. Some of the leading members of the ''save kpfa'' faction are ex CP. The only problem i have with that is they retain what some would call ''Stalinoid ''ways of operating .
Like they are now smearing Arlene Engelhart by comparing her to Right wing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker !!!
Nasty bullshit . It does remind one of the way that Stalinists would label any progressive critic of the Old Soviet Union as a '' Agent of Imperialism ''.

i forgot to write '' "' save kpfa''faction on the Local station board ''.

the vast majority of these comments on kpfa are full of ridiculous innuendo, veiled racism and sexism, and red-baiting.

who cares if some of the kpfa activists are communists, or were decades ago? berkeley is full of old communists, socialists and lefties of various strips.

why do you keep attacking the staff, who are among the most diverse and conscientious (and low paid) of bay area nonprofits?

why do you ignore that many of those targetted by engelhardt are people of color?

look, pacifica is horribly managed, and engelhardt is just the latest dictator from above, taking 20 percent of listener money and refusing to listen to what people want from their local radio station. play favorites with the people who will play ball with her.

what kpfa really needs to do is get a divorce from pacifica.

To denounce a Stalinist like smear isn't remotely ''red baiting ''. Stalinism did more to discredit Socialism than any true red baiters. Most people on the Left realize that .
As for ''KPFA needs a divorce from Pacifica '' that would lead to the destruction of Pacifica. Clear Channel or some other Capitalist media giant would buy up the liscences .
Ask your attornies Burstein, Gendelman, and Siegel . Or your Republican led law firm Dhillon and Smith . Who knows ? Maybe in a moment they will let their guard down and give you an honest answer .

'' Reader '' wrote that opponents of the CL are gulty of ''veiled sexism ''. Bullshit of course . Probably a majority on our side, including the staff of the "'Women's Magazine '', are women. Bit there has been a indisputably sexist statement made recently by a major player in this battle. MaL Burnstein , of the ''CL /Save KPFA '' gang wrote that '' Andrew Philips is nothing but a fig leaf covering the exposed gentials of Arlene Engelhart '' !
Pretty bizarre not to mention sexist shit . But the ''feminists ''of that group are silent about that .