Bogus News Broadcasts

by the bogus Save KPFA



FROM THE KPFA ELECTION OF 2010

On the last 2 days of the 2010 KPFA board election, several programmers including Mitch Jeserich, Sasha Lilley, and Brian Edwards-Tiekert, broadcast bogus news reports for the purpose of influencing the election in favor of the Concerned Listeners/Save KPFA slate. This was in violation of election rules and station policy. At almost any other station these programmers would've been fired for misuse of the station's airwaves.

The following transcripts were made by Felipe Messina for presentation as evidence of the on-air violations.

First is a transcript of the disinformation broadcast by Mitch Jeserich during "Letters To Washington" on September 29th. Following that is one of a broadcast by Sasha Lilley during "Against the Grain."


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Wednesday, September 29, 2010
"Letters To Washington" -- Mitch Jeserich

... but first I need just a moment of your time. It is the 2010 Fall Fund Drive. And we're going to stick to our same format today even though yesterday, with our results yesterday, we raised $2,100 yesterday. ... But this time, I'm going to take more than just one moment of your time because I have additional important information and news I think you should know about.

We have just found out from our own labour union here at KPFA, the Communication Workers of America, that the KPFA's Local Board Representatives to our National Board are proposing firing the majority of the staff members of three of our most popular shows: "The Morning Show" with Aimee Allison and Brian Edwards-Tiekert, "Against The Grain" with C.S. Soong and Sasha Lilley, and "The KPFA Evening News" with Aileen Alfandary, Mark Mericle, and John Hamilton, and a number of other reporters.

Yes, we are in tough economic times. And, yes, that requires the station to tighten its belt, but shows like "The Morning Show" that bring in a half a million dollars a year help support this radio station. In fact, not only does this pay for the show itself, but it helps subsidises [sic] every other show at the station. Brian Edwards-Tiekert alone has gotten nearly a half of all of our subscribers' to call in.

So, eliminating the station's most popular shows and popular programmers in order to balance the budget doesn't really add up.

My name is not on that list yet, but I'm gonna talk about it until it is. Now, programmers from "The Morning Show," "Against The Grain," and "The Evening News" respect this air so much, think it is so sacred that they're not gonna talk about their proposed firings by Members of the KPFA Board on air. So, I, as a fellow Union Member, am going to speak in defense of them. So, this hour I want to dedicate this hour of this show to those shows and raise funds for them and send a strong message to our Board that firing the programmers, some of the hardest-working people I know, is not the will of our listenership.

So, today this is not about "Letters To Washington," but about worker solidarity and about a free press, the Fourth Estate of the Constitution. I'm hoping you will help us send a message to our Board that this may not be the will of our listenership. They meet tonight. They could vote as early as tonight. So, we wanna send 'em this message by showing the support out there, by raising as much money as we can this hour.



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AGAINST THE GRAIN
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Sasha Lilley & C.S. Soong

(52:53) SASHA LILLEY: "And so the argument is that we need to be thinking about diversity. And, and I would say that's, also, the case here, um, in the media and on the air. Uh, diversity, certainly, in terms of, uh, who the voices are, that you here on the air, um, but also the ideas that you here on the air. And I think that "Against The Grain" tries to bring a breadth of different perspectives very much, of course, on the "Left." Um, and, uh, it's something that, um, is not found in most places and we certainly want to encourage you to support it right now. If you support, not monoculture, but, uh, a, um, myriad of diverse and radical views. We need to hear from you right now. So, uh, please give us a call. 510.848-5732, 1.800.439-5732, 1.800.hey-kpfa.

(53:50, Sasha Lilley passes the baton to C.S. Soong)

(53:50) C.S. SOONG: "510.848-5732 or 1.800.439-5732. So much in this film, so much information and perspective and expert knowledge. Five-ten, 848-5732. One, 800.439-5732. A great time to ssu-, pledge your support to, eh, to, to KPFA, to "Against The Grain.". And, and I'm gonna tell you something. It's not a habit to go into internal station politics, but our Union informed us that several Members of KPFA's Local Station Board, who also happen to sit on the Pacifica National Board, that's the governing Board of the Pacifica Foundation, which is KPFA's governing body, are calling for this program, "Against The Grain," "The KPFA Morning Show," and the "Evening News," [notice SK/CL hosts never say "Pacifica Evening News," post-merger with KPFK turned "KPFA Evening News" into "The Pacifica Evening News."] to be cut back dramatically and to have a number of their staffers fired. And, um, and one of the programmers slated for termination under this plan, pushed, again, by three Members of KPFA's Local Board [sic] happens to be Sasha Lilley.

The list also includes Aimee Allison, and Brian Edwards-Tiekert, and Christopher Martinez, a news reporter, and Max Pringle, a news reporter, and several others. And if you want more information about that, you can go to kpfaworker.org. kpfaworker, one word, dot--o-r-g.

But, and you could also make your voice heard to the Pacifica National Board if you wanna tell them what you think of that plan. In the meantime, we have four minutes left for you to send a message to us and to KPFA because, their, the, the, the argument, the, the ostensible argument that their making, uh, or that we think they're making is a financial crisis at KPFA. Financial, the financial strength of KPFA depends on you. The financial strength of KPFA after this fund drive may determine if a plan like that is implemented or not. Therefore, we are asking you to call, to show your support. We, uh, I don't, I don't wanna say goodbye to Sasha. I don't wanna say goodbye to any of the programmers on this list prepared, uh, uh, proposed on this plan. I want KPFA to stay strong. Do you want KPFA to stay strong? There's one way for you to do it right now: five-ten, 848-5732. Toll-free: One, 800.439-5732. There is a crisis looming at this station. And, uh, you know, if you've listened to me over the years, I'm, I'm not an alarmist. I'm, I'm not someone who comes on the air and tells you, uh, 'my job is on the line.' [Intoning monotonously and ironically, as does what he says he doesn't do.]. Or, 'the station is on the line.'. I'm, I'm telling you because we know. The Union has told us.

Our KPFA Union has told us that numerous programmers and numerous staffers, including Sasha, are under threat. [More doublespeak]. And we want to protect this station from that threat. And if you want to address that threat, you can go to kpfaworker-dot-org. You can send a message there to the Pacifica National Board about what you think of that proposed plan and you can also give us a call. You can tell us that you care about this station, you care about Sasha, you care about the other programmers on that I just mentioned and that you want the station to be healthy and strong and you don't want a plan like that to be implemented. Five-ten, 848-5732. That's the way you tell us right now that you care about what we're doing and you care about the strength of this station. One, 800.439-5732. I haven't really talked about the thank-you gift because something much bigger is at stake. If you want the thank-you gift, that's yours for a $120 pledge. Or a $170 pledge by, by pledging to, for, both, the book, Dirt, and the film, "Dirt" the movie. But this is so big and this is so important. And if it's important to you and if you care about it and you wanna make a statement right now and, not just about "Against The Grain," but if you wanna keep "The Morning Show" healthy and alive and intact. If you wanna keep "The KPFA Evening News" [sic] alive and intact, this is your chance to speak up and to say your piece, and to express your financial support to keep us strong. Five-ten, 848-5732. One, 800.439-KPFA.

Sasha, we've got 90 minutes lef-, 90 minutes? I wish. Or the listeners don't wish. 90 seconds left to talk to listeners, to tell them that their money is doubled, to tell them to support KPFA.

(58:45) [C.S. Soong passes baton to Sasha Lilley]

(58:45) SASHA LILLEY: "Absolutely. One, 800.439-5732. Five-ten, 848-5732. And, uh, yes, we certainly do supp-, uh, appreciate your support. I just wanna say, speaking of the other programs that are at stake, they are programs that, uh, bring you local and regional coverage when local and regional coverage is absolutely disappearing in our media landscape. And if that's something that you support, um, then, really, think about taking a stand right now. And, certainly, we appreciate all the support we can get for "Against The Grain," uh, to keep radical voices alive here on this program, and on this station. And the work that C.S. and I do here on this program. Uh, one, 800.439-5732. One, 800.hey-kpfa. I have to say it's incredibly heartening, uh, to see all the people who are calling in right now. Um, and, uh, on behalf of all the, the programs here at the station that may, um, be endangered. Five-ten, 848-5732 is the number to call. If you can't get through right now, you can also pledge online at kpfa-dot-o-r-g. Uh, it's secure, you know, another great way of supporting the station, supporting the work that we do, keeping KPFA on the air, keeping it sustainable, and not, uh, allowing a moment of economic, uh, difficulty to be an excuse to use austerity, uh, against..."

[Clock runs out, archive clip cuts off Sasha Lilley's pitch conclusion.]

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for more information and updates please visit Support KPFA at www.supportkpfa.org

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