KPFA: What The Rosenberg Recall is *Really* About

Quote from Save KPFA supporter on Indybay: "And then her managers will go down with her"

Text from Save KPFA website:
"Under Pacifica’s bylaws, KPFA listeners may vote to recall only representatives to the KPFA Local Station Board. Other Pacifica board members would have to be recalled by their local listeners. The four KPFA local delegates who sit on the Pacifica National Board (PNB) are Laura Prives, Dan Siegel, Andrea Turner and Tracy Rosenberg. Rosenberg is the only KPFA delegate to the PNB who has supported Pacifica’s autocratic actions against KPFA listeners and staff. Arlene Engelhardt is not an elected representative, she is an employee hired and overseen by the Pacifica National Board. We have to change that board in order to remove her"

Anyone familiar with the history of the Pacifica Foundation and KPFA knows that KPFA has been through more than 6 managers (permanent and interim) since 2002. The last permanent manager fled in less than 60 days. Long-time staff members brag in staff meetings that KPFA is "unmanageable".

Listeners are not doing KPFA or Pacifica any favors by participating in the latest anti-management crusade. Recalling Rosenberg is a route to try to topple Andrew Phillips, Carrie Core, Arlene Engelhardt and the others who have taken on the thankless job of dealing with the endlessly conflict-ridden and proudly chaotic Pacifica stations, including Bethold Riemers in New York and John Hughes in DC, who are also accused of being oppressive and guilty of a thousand different kinds of wrongdoing in their signal areas.

These charges against Rosenberg are absurd and don't stand up to the most simple fact checking. Fox-style truthiness at its finest.

■purged KPFA’s biggest fundraiser and most listened-to local program (The Morning Show), causing morning pledges to drop by more than half and putting the station’s fragile finances at risk

KPFA's financial performance improved by $500,000 in the last 12 months.

■conducted illegal, retaliatory layoffs

Not according to the National Labor Relations Board. It dismissed a claim that the layoffs were in violation of the union contract and found it without merit.

■wasted more than $80,000 of listener money on an anti-union law firm

Save KPFA filed 5 complaints at the National Labor Relations Board. All have been dismissed. Pacifica initiated none of these complaints or costs. Zero.

■diverted workers’ retirement contributions for other purposes

The problem started in 2005. Under a different director and CFO and years before Rosenberg served on any
local or national board. Nothing to do with her whatsoever. Engelhardt and the National Board authorized a seven-year correction which is underway.

■slapped gag rules on KPFA’s staff

Not according to the NLRB. The complaint of gag rules was dismissed and found to be without merit.

■illegally barred KPFA’s elected representatives from taking their seats on Pacifica’s Board.

Dan Siegel stated his position as a legal advisor to Jean Quan was not a political appointment. Siegel then resigned from the position he argued in court he didn't have due to a political conflict of interest.

The point is this is trumped up nonsense by a frustrated minority that wants to send yet ANOTHER general manager and program director and executive director and CFO packing -- and hasn't been able to.