Sherry Gendelman for BuzzFlash: The Hijacking of the Pacifica Radio Network
October 6, 2021
By Sherry Gendelman
The following is a statement from Pacifica Safety Net, an organization concerned about the current direction of Pacifica Radio, as progressives still struggle with developing a national radio presence. The Attorney General of California has recently begun an investigation into financial transactions of the current board. This commentary represents the case of one party in the dispute.
The Hijacking of A Progressive Radio Network
America’s oldest public radio network has been hijacked by grifters and fringe left operatives hawking snake oil cures, “anti-aging” beauty products as well as Antivax and other unhinged conspiracy theories. As the nation faces a crisis of democracy and the loss of a credible 4th estate, the only progressive radio network in the U.S. is on life support. The Pacifica Radio Network has been a unique national treasure. It is parent to the U.S.’s first listener-sponsored, non-commercial FM radio station, KPFA Berkeley and later WBAI NY, KPFK LA, WPFW D.C., and KPFT Houston.
For decades, Pacifica was one of the nation’s most respected, objective, and independent sources of news that covered what the corporate media ignores. NY’s WBAI was the cutting edge of culture and progressive political broadcasts in the 60’s through the 80’s. It is the birthplace of the iconic national progressive news show, Democracy Now. KPFA was named the best radio station in the U.S. by the Nation Magazine this year, citing the program LETTERS AND POLITICS as the best program in the country.
The Orchestrated Destruction of Pacifica Radio
Despite this illustrious history, the network is now facing financial ruin because of a well-meaning, but fatally flawed set of bylaws implemented in 2003 that has fostered the use of 501c4 dark money – serving to unduly influence internal elections, empowering fringe leftist groups, and allowing cronyism, corruption and coercion to run rampant.
A small group of self-interested multi-millionaires, those who admire the tactics of scientology, and marginal political groups such as the Workers World Party, working in concert, have gamed the system, and have effectively hijacked control of the network. Their guiding philosophy is that there is no need for professionally produced programming, rather their cronies can go on the air with no previous broadcasting experience and spout whatever they wish.
The Catastrophic Results of this Hostile Takeover Include:
1. Increasingly offensive programming similar to the Alex Jones show or a QAnon chatroom.
2. As public radio increased its listenership in the last 2 decades, Pacifica’s donor base has cratered from over 140,000 donors in 2007 to less than 35,000 today.
3. Pacifica has gone through 22 CEO’s (executive directors) in the last 18 years.
4. The loss of over $1 million per year in CPB funding due to the network’s loss of listenership and willful disregard of meeting regulatory requirements.
5. The demise of NY’s WBAI, which now broadcasts a mixture of conspiracy, sectarian leftist and snake oil programs, and rendering the LA station equally unlistenable, resulting in the resignations of well- respected progressive broadcasters Sonali Kohlhatkar, Bob Scheer, and Ian Masters.
6. A self-dealing $3.2 million loan was rammed through to bail out its failing station in New York in 2017. The loan was opposed by the corporation’s General Counsel and Pacifica’s CFO.
7. A successful referendum supported by network members and staff that would reform Pacifica’s dysfunctional bylaws is being undemocratically blocked by an unaccountable, corrupt national board.
8. Pacifica is now at the precipice of insolvency, and even KPFA, the crown jewel of the network, is in danger of financial collapse.
The Future of Pacifica Radio Depends on a Serious Investigative Expose
The Attorney General of California has statutory responsibility for oversight of charitable organizations such as Pacifica.This crisis begs for a serious investigative expose. In fact, the future of this progressive network depends on it. Pacifica’s broadcast signal reaches over 60 million daily potential listeners. If it fails, right wing extremist groups or evangelical Christian stations will likely acquire it.
For more information, please contact PacificaSafetyNet.org
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