NEWS
June 21, 1999 Coalition for a Democratic Pacifica
Andrea Buffa 415-546-6334 x309 or
mobile phone 415-303-3540.
KPFA Air Goes Dead as Programmers, Listeners Protest Pacifica Arrests Nine Peaceful Demonstrators
BERKELEY, CA - On the morning of June 21 Berkeley Police arrested nine peaceful demonstrators at community broadcaster KPFA at the request of Pacifica Radio Director Lynne Chadwick. Over 300 outraged KPFA listeners and staff gathered on Sunday June 20 to protest the firing of veteran programmer Robbie Osman. They vowed to camp out in front of the station until Pacifica agreed to KPFA staff demands for mediation of the deepening crisis at the station.
Those arrested include Andrea Buffa, executive director of Media Alliance, and Barbara Lubin, a former Berkeley School Board member and director of the Middle East Children's Alliance. KPFA's signal went dead for two hours Sunday as KPFA staff refused to replace fired programmer Osman.
22 year KPFA veteran Osman is the third KPFA staffer to be fired by Chadwick for violating the so-called gag rule, which prohibits station staff from commenting on KPFA matters on the air.
"Lynne doesn't have the situation under control," Buffa of Media Alliance said. "She's desperately, and aggresively, trying to make KPFA's loyal staff and supporters go away. But it's not going to work: we have kept this station alive for 50 years. We won't stand by and watch it be taken from the diverse community that supports it -- financially, politically and creatively."
At 5pm on Monday June 21, at KPFA, the Coalition for a democratic Pacifica will continue protesting. At 4:30 pm on Tuesday June 22 a press conference will be held.
Osman's firing is the most recent outrage in the crisis at KPFA, the oldest listener-sponsored radio station in the United States. The crisis began on March 21, when Chadwick dismissed respected station manager Nicole Sawaya. After two months, Chadwick and Pacifica still refuse to explain why they fired Sawaya. Pacifica also fired veteran programmer Larry Bensky and disciplined at least six other staffers for discussing Sawaya's termination on the air.
KPFA supporters and staffers will stay at the station until the Pacifica Radio board of directors aggrees to staff demands to: 1) Rehire Nicole Sawaya; 2) Participate in mediation of the dispute; and 3) Reverse disciplinary or adverse action taken against KPFA or Pacifica staff since Sawaya's termination. The Pacifica Radio board meets June 25-27 in Washington DC.