What's at stake in KPFA's Board Election of 2023
What's at Stake in KPFA's Board Election of 2023
Local Station Board (LSB) elections are happening
at KPFA [94.1 FM] KPFA.org,
and it matters.
If you've given $25 to KPFA between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, you'll receive an email to vote.
At stake is KPFA's 7-decade legacy as a progressive and antiwar voice. Since 1949 KPFA has stood up to Joe McCarthy and the witch hunt of the House Unamerican Activities Committee, opposed the wars in Korea and Vietnam as well as nuclear armament.
The Pacifica radio network, which grew to 5 stations in major cities across the country, has been a toothy watchdog and a voice for various progressive and radical movements and at the forefront of the Free Speech movement.
This remarkable radio network has survived many perils, but not all. It's never, ever been out of danger. Mega-corporations and their government agencies, the CIA etc. which subvert the media, overthrow democratically elected leaders and impose dictatorships around the world, are a standing threat to all independent media -- including KPFA/Pacifica.
During the 1990s operatives of the Bill Clinton Administration took over KPFA and Pacifica. We remember them as the "Hijacker regime." Finally in 1999, ten thousand of us in the streets, in the media, in the courts, in the station -- we threw them out. But many acolytes of that regime remained, and their protégés are today back in control, the gatekeeper clique at KPFA.
These folks operate through a faction calling itself the "KPFA Protectors"/"New Day"/"Safety Net" and other misleading names. They have committed various actions to undermine and break up the Pacifica radio network. One recent example: The seizure of $305,000 by Federal Marshals -- which they blame on Pacifica -- was mostly due to their own actions. This same faction in the KPFA LSB has petitioned the FCC to deny the broadcast license to a Pacifica sister station WBAI in New York -- as shown in court documents.
In today's world of bipartisan warmongers playing nuclear chicken, we need to restore and defend KPFA's antiwar voice and defend grassroots social justice programs such as the First Voice Apprenticeship Program which was recently closed down. Instead, the Interim General Manager chose to provide 9 hours/week to war and weapons promoting Ian Masters, a show host who says Mumia Abu Jamal should stay in prison.
Programming and the financial crisis are key issues in this election -- and rescuing KPFA from those that want to steal it away from Pacifica.
Our RESCUE PACIFICA candidates for the KPFA Local Station Board are:
* Pathma "No to Wars" Venasithamby,
* Rich Stone.-APWU, SF Labor Council delegate.*
* Cheryl Davila, former Berkeley Councilmember,
* Dr. Nayvin Gordon,
* Edward Escobar-Alliance for Independent Workers and Screen Actors Guild*
* Steve Zeltzer- Pacifica Mediaworkers Guild,
* Elizabeth Milos- UPTE-CWA 9119* (re-election),
* Stan Woods-ILWU local 6 (retired)*,
*For ID purposes only.
Rescue Pacifica STAFF candidate: (only staff can vote for these)
Anthony Fest
(Our current RESCUE PACIFICA affiliated members of the Local Station Board are: James McFadden, Donna Carter, Daniel Borgström, Elizabeth Milos, Christine Pepin, Frank Sterling, Tom Voorhees.)
The
RESCUE PACIFICA PLATFORM
We are a group of KPFA [94.1 FM] listeners and staff, who value KPFA in our lives, as well as the Pacifica Foundation and the services it provides to 5 radio stations in major metropolitan areas across the country, the historic archives, 250 local affiliate stations, and Pacifica's role as the only nationwide community radio network in the U.S. We came together because others whose aims are counter to Pacifica's mission statement and bylaws have been working to gain control of KPFA and the other stations.
We support:
* Reliable news from a variety of independent sources and the field, not the corporatized wire services.
* An anti-war stance as opposed to support for "humanitarian interventions."
* Support Julian Assange and other such whistleblowers.
* Air time for diverse grassroots community groups including during the morning drive time.
* Bargaining rights for both the paid and the unpaid staff since the unpaid workers produce 70% of the station's program schedule.
* Addition of new technology to broaden KPFA's online reach. Expansion into video content.
* Vigilant free speech and anti-censorship radio
* Democratic governance and shared decision making among station workers and the community.
* Keeping listeners informed about governance matters.
* Restoring a democratic Program Council to Make programming decisions.
* Retaining independence from any privatized ownership.
* No commercial underwriting.
* Responsible budgeting and timely and transparent financial reporting to listeners.
* Keeping the Pacifica Foundation intact.
FOR MORE INFO, please visit:
RESCUE PACIFICA rescuepacifica.net
PACIFICA IN EXILE pacificainexile.org
Pacifica Fightback for Democracy
RELATED ARTICLES
"How the Seizure of a Radio Station in New York led to the Seizure of $305,000 from KPFA"
Why didn't KPFA defend its journalist?
DANIEL BORGSTRÖM
July 6, 2023
Daniel Borgström is currently a member of KPFA's Local Station Board (LSB)
