Dear KPFA Listeners
A letter from Chandra Hauptman
former KPFA Local Station Board member
March 3, 2011
I am writing to give clarity and to correct the misinformation, that you have been hearing for the past three months on KPFA, up to and during the current fund drive, from some of KPFA's paid staff including Aileen Alfandary, Marc Mericle, Mitch Jeserich and Brian Edwards Tiekert. This includes the heralding of Brian's "triumphant return to KPFA" on Monday, February 28th, after being "laid off" for the past three months, due to the financial crisis at KFPA and Pacifica. In truth, Brian never left!
Those of you who listen to KPFA regularly have continued to hear Brian on the air, during the past three months, reporting on the KPFA News and sitting in for various KPFA hosts including CS Soong and Mitch Jeserich.
The truth of the matter is that Brian did not have to be "laid off" three months ago. He could have used his CWA union contractual "bumping rights" to replace John Hamilton, as soon as he was notified that he was being "laid off", because John had less seniority on staff at KPFA than Brian.
Brian chose to "leave" KPFA three months ago, because he was hoping that the subsequent on-air and email campaign mounted by the above-referenced paid KPFA staff and their "Concerned Listener/Savekpfa" allies, would pressure Pacifica management into reinstating the former Morning Show with him and Aimee Allison as co-hosts. (I sincerely believe that Brian was one of, if not THE key orchestrator of this campaign.)
When Brian, and his allies, finally realized that Pacifica's management was not going to capitulate to this on air/email campaign, they created the ruse of Brian's "return" to KPFA, on Monday, February 28th, and the subsequent "lay off" of John Hamilton. None of the above named people who "reported" on these events on KPFA, linked the two of them together, nor mentioned that John Hamilton was laid off because Brian finally decided to use his CWA union contractual bumping rights due to having more KPFA staff seniority than John.
Below are excerpts from two statements written by George Reiter and Arlene Engelhardt, that give clarity to KPFA and Pacifica's dire financial situation, resulting in the layoffs of paid KPFA staff members Brian and Aimee:
In Nov. 2010, former Pacifica National Board Chair George Reiter stated: "... What is at stake is the financial viability of the Pacifica Foundation, and its ability to manage the stations in the Network. That viability depends on the ability of each of the stations to raise sufficient money to meet payroll and expenses. That hasn't been happening at KPFA for at least two years..."
In December, 2010, Arlene Engelhardt, Pacifica's Executive Director, stated: "...Over the past five years KPFA has suffered a 27% drop in annual income - including a 30% decline of more than a $1.2 million in annual listener support. Since 2007 KPFA has lost almost $1.5 million overall..."
You can read their complete statements, as well as other factual information about KPFA and Pacifica by going to Support KPFA.org.
I believe that the negative on air and email campaign, conducted by the "concerned listeners/savekpfa" folks", has been extremely destructive and detrimental to the future survival of KPFA and the entire Pacifica Network! In reality KPFA is NOT in the black, as several "concerned listener/savekpfa" folks want you to believe, but is deeply in the hole with carry-over debts from last year. It will take up to two years to catch up, and unless there are several good fund drives this year, even more layoffs of paid staff may be required in the near future. (The linked chart is a graphic illustration of the severe decline of KPFA's financial situation over the past 10 years).
Truth be told, the financial situation at KPFA and Pacifica is so dire that KPFA and Pacifica are actually facing bankruptcy!
** The above statement was written solely by Chandra Hauptman, former KPFA Local Station Board member and long time KPFA community activist (except for the quotes by George Reiter and Arlene Engelhardt).
*** ***
*** ***
THE UNION CONTRACT RE: BUMPING STATES:
"An employee who is laid-off may choose to bump to another job in her/his department where skill, ability, knowledge and job performance are all equal, or could be equal in the opinion of the Employer after reasonable orientation and training."
financial data
10 Years of KPFA Finances in TABLE FORMAT
and, presented as a GRAPH, the same data:
10 Years of KPFA Finances GRAPH
*** *** ***
*** *** ***
for updates, reports & essays on KPFA/Pacifica, please visit these websites:
UNITED FOR COMMUNITY RADIO
PACIFICA IN EXILE
ANN GARRISON, A KPFA REPORTER
LORDS & LADIES vs. the PEASANTS at KPFA
*** *** ***
KPFA 94.1 FM is one of five stations of the Pacifica radio network which are located in major cities across the country. The other stations are WBAI 99.5 in New York, WPFW 89.3 in Washington DC, KPFT 90.1 in Houston, and KPFK 90.7 in Los Angeles. The Pacifica network also has about 160 affiliate stations.
former KPFA Local Station Board member
March 3, 2011
The truth about "Concerned Listeners-SaveKPFA's" latest misinformation
I am writing to give clarity and to correct the misinformation, that you have been hearing for the past three months on KPFA, up to and during the current fund drive, from some of KPFA's paid staff including Aileen Alfandary, Marc Mericle, Mitch Jeserich and Brian Edwards Tiekert. This includes the heralding of Brian's "triumphant return to KPFA" on Monday, February 28th, after being "laid off" for the past three months, due to the financial crisis at KFPA and Pacifica. In truth, Brian never left!
Those of you who listen to KPFA regularly have continued to hear Brian on the air, during the past three months, reporting on the KPFA News and sitting in for various KPFA hosts including CS Soong and Mitch Jeserich.
The truth of the matter is that Brian did not have to be "laid off" three months ago. He could have used his CWA union contractual "bumping rights" to replace John Hamilton, as soon as he was notified that he was being "laid off", because John had less seniority on staff at KPFA than Brian.
Brian chose to "leave" KPFA three months ago, because he was hoping that the subsequent on-air and email campaign mounted by the above-referenced paid KPFA staff and their "Concerned Listener/Savekpfa" allies, would pressure Pacifica management into reinstating the former Morning Show with him and Aimee Allison as co-hosts. (I sincerely believe that Brian was one of, if not THE key orchestrator of this campaign.)
When Brian, and his allies, finally realized that Pacifica's management was not going to capitulate to this on air/email campaign, they created the ruse of Brian's "return" to KPFA, on Monday, February 28th, and the subsequent "lay off" of John Hamilton. None of the above named people who "reported" on these events on KPFA, linked the two of them together, nor mentioned that John Hamilton was laid off because Brian finally decided to use his CWA union contractual bumping rights due to having more KPFA staff seniority than John.
Below are excerpts from two statements written by George Reiter and Arlene Engelhardt, that give clarity to KPFA and Pacifica's dire financial situation, resulting in the layoffs of paid KPFA staff members Brian and Aimee:
In Nov. 2010, former Pacifica National Board Chair George Reiter stated: "... What is at stake is the financial viability of the Pacifica Foundation, and its ability to manage the stations in the Network. That viability depends on the ability of each of the stations to raise sufficient money to meet payroll and expenses. That hasn't been happening at KPFA for at least two years..."
In December, 2010, Arlene Engelhardt, Pacifica's Executive Director, stated: "...Over the past five years KPFA has suffered a 27% drop in annual income - including a 30% decline of more than a $1.2 million in annual listener support. Since 2007 KPFA has lost almost $1.5 million overall..."
You can read their complete statements, as well as other factual information about KPFA and Pacifica by going to Support KPFA.org.
I believe that the negative on air and email campaign, conducted by the "concerned listeners/savekpfa" folks", has been extremely destructive and detrimental to the future survival of KPFA and the entire Pacifica Network! In reality KPFA is NOT in the black, as several "concerned listener/savekpfa" folks want you to believe, but is deeply in the hole with carry-over debts from last year. It will take up to two years to catch up, and unless there are several good fund drives this year, even more layoffs of paid staff may be required in the near future. (The linked chart is a graphic illustration of the severe decline of KPFA's financial situation over the past 10 years).
Truth be told, the financial situation at KPFA and Pacifica is so dire that KPFA and Pacifica are actually facing bankruptcy!
Sincerely, and in true solidarity,
CHANDRA HAUPTMAN
March 3, 2011
** The above statement was written solely by Chandra Hauptman, former KPFA Local Station Board member and long time KPFA community activist (except for the quotes by George Reiter and Arlene Engelhardt).
*** ***
*** ***
THE UNION CONTRACT RE: BUMPING STATES:
"An employee who is laid-off may choose to bump to another job in her/his department where skill, ability, knowledge and job performance are all equal, or could be equal in the opinion of the Employer after reasonable orientation and training."
financial data
10 Years of KPFA Finances in TABLE FORMAT
and, presented as a GRAPH, the same data:
10 Years of KPFA Finances GRAPH
*** *** ***
*** *** ***
for updates, reports & essays on KPFA/Pacifica, please visit these websites:
UNITED FOR COMMUNITY RADIO
PACIFICA IN EXILE
ANN GARRISON, A KPFA REPORTER
LORDS & LADIES vs. the PEASANTS at KPFA
*** *** ***
KPFA 94.1 FM is one of five stations of the Pacifica radio network which are located in major cities across the country. The other stations are WBAI 99.5 in New York, WPFW 89.3 in Washington DC, KPFT 90.1 in Houston, and KPFK 90.7 in Los Angeles. The Pacifica network also has about 160 affiliate stations.
Labels: Brian Edwards-Tiekert, CL/SaveKPFA, Concerned Listeners/Save KPFA, John Hamilton, KPFA, KPFA Worker, Pacifica Radio Network
