FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 24, 2000
AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISTS THREATEN STRIKE TO FIGHT CENSORSHIP AT PACIFICA RADIO NETWORK
Pacifica Radio's top free-lance reporters and contributors today say they are prepared to strike Pacifica's national-news program to protest on-going censorship at the 50-year-old community-radio network.
The dozens of journalists from across the Americas, Europe and Asia, many of whom have won the industry's top awards, are calling on Mary Frances Berry, who chairs both the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and the Pacifica Foundation, to publicly renounce censorship throughout the network, and to reassert the editorial independence of Pacific's local and national-news divisions. Should management not meet the demands sent today, the stringers say the 3-month strike will begin on January 31, 2000 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific time.
The striking journalists comprise a majority of active contributors and reporters to Pacifica Network News--PNN--a daily, half-hour news program that airs on some 70 radio stations nationally. In a recent two-month period, nearly 70% of Pacifica's stories came from its stringers.
Virtually the entire news staff of the network's flagship Berkeley station, KPFA, and its New York station, WBAI, are supporting the action. Strikers say this action in no way targets the local news divisions of the network's five sister stations.
"Censorship puts the credibility of the Pacifica Network at risk," said 6-year PNN contributor Robin Urevich from her home in Los Angeles. "Pacifica has built its 50-year reputation on consistently challenging the Establishment, by not bowing to the political agendas of corporate sponsors and by its producers and reporters functioning free of interference from management. This freedom is now under attack," Urevich added.
Pacifica has long been a bastion of free speech--from broadcasting Alan Ginsberg's "Howl," to defying the HUAC witch hunts, to airing the commentaries of death-row journalist Mumia Abu Jamal. Since the crisis last spring, when armed guards were called in to lock out staff at KPFA, Pacifica reporters say management has subjected journalists, contributors and independent producers to repeated acts of alteration, suppression and censorship of news stories and public-affairs programming, which they say are of vital interest to the listeners of Pacifica and the broader communities it serves. Reporters also note that management has repeatedly silenced programs in mid-broadcast, and ousted signature voices such as Polk award-winner Larry Bensky.
In November, Pacifica Network News director Dan Coughlin was "removed" after airing a story detailing a boycott by sixteen Pacifica affiliates over the issue of censorship. Most recently, veteran news anchor Verna Avery-Brown, the only African-American national-news anchor in public broadcasting, resigned amidst the crisis at PNN. Brown cited, among other concerns, censorship and a disturbing trend away from progressive coverage in Pacifica's national news. The strikers are also demanding that Coughlin be reinstated.
"We believe Pacifica management seeks to intimidate and censor those who try to report on matters that management prefers to keep quiet, said PNN contributor Aaron Glantz from his base in Berkeley. "One result is that the independence of news production is now seriously under threat," Glantz added.
CONTACT:
Pacifica Reporters Fighting Censorship, (212) 439-8087 Arron Glantz, Berkeley, (916) 705-7528 Robin Urevich, Los Angeles, (323) 663-8057 On-Line Press Kit: www.savepacifica.net/strike E-mail: pnnstrikers at savepacifica.net
======================================== REPORTERS LETTER TO MANAGEMENT
January 24, 2000
Via Certified Mail and Fax
Ms. Mary Frances Berry Chairperson, Pacifica Foundation c/o the U.S. Civil Rights Commission 624 Ninth Street NW, #700 Washington, D.C. 20425
Dear Mary Frances Berry,
We, the undersigned Pacifica reporters and contributors, protest the on-going acts of censorship against Pacifica's staff by Pacifica management, and those who act on its behalf at each sister station. In the aggregate, these acts compromise both the core principles on which the Pacifica Network was founded, and our ability to submit work to Pacifica Network News.
According to Pacifica's Mission Statement, the network promises to "promote freedom of the press." We believe the censorship on the part of Pacifica management, beginning in the spring of 1999 with the crisis at the network's flagship Berkeley station, KPFA, is intolerable and creates a chilling effect throughout the network. These actions, at the least, promote not press freedom, but silence and fear.
In response to the following acts of censorship, we will not file stories or commentaries with Pacifica Network News for the next 3 months beginning on January 31, 2000 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific time, unless the demands listed below are met.
Specifically:
--We protest the "removal" of Pacifica Network News Director Dan Coughlin, after he aired a report regarding a boycott of Pacifica programming by sixteen of its affiliates, a boycott called by the affiliates to fight censorship at the network.
--We protest Pacifica's attempts to stifle dissent by using an armed security force to lock out KPFA's staff and reprogram the station's transmitter.
--We protest the April 16, 1999 censoring of CounterSpin at Pacifica station KPFK in Los Angeles. CounterSpin is a weekly half-hour program produced by Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), a media watchdog group. The program included an interview with then recently-fired Pacifica broadcaster, Larry Bensky.
--We protest Pacifica station WPFW in Washington, D.C.'s interrupting the same CounterSpin program on April 19, 1999. We protest station managers having played music that continued throughout the show's normal time slot.
--We protest CounterSpin having experienced a total of five acts of censorship since April of 1999, culminating in CounterSpin's cancellation from WPFW's program roster in December of 1999.
--We protest the censoring of the entire KPFA staff who were forbidden from reporting on the crisis at their station, and the ultimate arrest of reporter Dennis Bernstein, KPFA's two news directors, Mark Mericle and Aileen Alfandary, along with engineer Aimee Pomerleau for allegedly trespassing in KPFA's newsroom. Before his arrest, Bernstein had been reporting on a press conference that dealt with the possible shutting down, reprogramming and/or sale of KPFA or Pacifica station WBAI in New York by management.
--We protest the July 14, 1999 censoring of "Democracy Now!," the network's most popular show. The day after Pacifica management locked out staff at KPFA, Pacifica managers pulled "Democracy Now!" from KPFK, WPFW and KPFA. The main story on the show that day addressed the KPFA crisis.
--We protest Executive Director Lynn Chadwick's preventing the July 14th edition of "Democracy Now!" from being posted to Pacifica's web site. We also protest Chadwick's having blocked the Pacifica Radio Archives from selling or distributing copies of the July 14 program.
--We protest KPFK's management's having formally restricted the KPFK news department from reporting on the Pacifica crisis at KPFA. We protest that only Associated Press stories were ultimately allowed on the air, and we protest that only approved programmers and managers were given permission to discuss the crisis.
--We protest that on July 21, 1999, WPFW carefully cut out a story about the KPFA crisis on the Pacifica Network News (PNN), leaving the impression of a "seamless" show, strangely truncated in length. The action constituted a fraudulent misrepresentation of authorship and violated Pacifica policies.
--We protest the censoring of "Democracy Now!" on July 23 by WPFW. When "Democracy Now!" attempted to air PNN's July 21 piece on the crisis, a WPFW announcer claimed technical problems and played music. Once the "Democracy Now!" segment on the crisis was completed, WPFW returned to the program. We also protest the station having aired a disclaimer following "Democracy Now!"
--We protest the censoring on September 1, 1999 of reporter Robin Urevich. KPFK General Manager Mark Schubb banned Urevich from entering KPFK, claiming she breached journalistic norms by authoring an op-ed piece critical of Pacifica in an independent, bi-monthly publication. Following an outcry, Urevich was allowed to again work on premises.
--We protest the censoring of KPFK's "Enfoque Latino," and "Radio Chicano." "Enfoque Latino" is the station's only Spanish-language public-affairs show. It was cancelled following the airing of a news spot on protests against censorship at KPFK. After public protest, the program was restored. "Radio Chicano," the station's only Chicano program, was dropped after veteran producer John Martinez hosted an on-air forum on Pacifica issues, and has remained off the air.
--We protest continuing acts of censorship, not only of news reports and analysis, but of on-air critiques of the news and public affairs programming at some stations. We protest a recent caller to KPFK's "Beneath the Surface" being hung-up on in mid-sentence when he attempted to critique the quality of KPFK's news and public-affairs programming, just one of numerous acts of censorship in the past several months at this station.
It is clear that censorship at Pacifica is becoming a way of life. These acts started with the crisis at KPFA, and although that station is once again on the air, these acts continue. We believe that censoring any discussion regarding the governance of the network or individual stations is unacceptable. Information about the running of the network generally, and KPFA in particular, is news that our listeners, as sponsors of the network, have a right to hear, and news we have a responsibility to report.
We believe Pacifica management seeks to intimidate and censor those who try to report on matters that management prefers to keep quiet. One result it that listener-sponsors across the country are denied access to the debate over the political direction of the nation's oldest public-radio network. Further, the independence of news production is under threat.
Recently, even the Los Angeles Times reported on its management having manipulated its own reporters. Censorship puts the credibility of the Pacifica Network at risk since Pacifica has been, until now, one of the few islands in a sea of corporate-dominated news and information. Pacifica has built its 50-year reputation on consistently challenging the Establishment, by not bowing to the political agendas of corporate sponsors and by its producers and reporters functioning free of interference from management. This freedom is now seriously at risk.
Many of us feel dismay and deep concern over what we experience as Pacifica management's growing disregard for the network's founding mission, and what we believe will be the ultimate neutralizing of Pacifica's progressive voice. Should the network be lost to the forces of commercialization, from within or from without, the silence will be deafening.
We would be willing to once again contribute work to the network should the following demands be met:
1. Mary Frances Berry, Lynn Chadwick and the Executive Board, issue a statement assuring staff that acts of censorship will immediately cease throughout the network, and will no longer be tolerated.
2. Mary Frances Berry, Lynn Chadwick and the Executive Board, issue a statement which explicitly states that accurate and fair reporting on issues related to, and about, Pacifica will not be punished.
3. Mary Frances Berry, Lynn Chadwick and the Executive Board, issue a statement declaring that the editorial independence of each station's news division will be respected, and each division will be allowed to produce news free of interference from management.
4. Management reinstates Dan Coughlin as News Director for the Pacifica Network News in order to restore credibility and confidence in the network's national-news program. Coughlin was hired in an open, competitive hiring process, and removed from his position without due process or cause.
5. Management hires a female news anchor of color who, according to her political character and perspective, has a proven track record of being committed to progressive causes.
6. Management intercedes to reinstate KPFK program "Chicano Radio" as well as FAIR's "CounterSpin" to WPFW.
We feel the freedom to report without interference from management, is quickly disappearing. And we trust this action will inform both Pacifica management, as well as other media, that within Pacifica there exists a body of reporters, contributors and potential contributors who seek to protect the voice of this nation's most honored free-speech institution.
Sincerely,
Pacifica Reporters Against Censorship 1959 Preston Los Angeles, CA 90026 (212) 439-8087
Jad Abumrad - WBAI, New York, NY Jim Ash - Decatur, IL David Bacon - KPFA, Berkeley, CA Brian Bahouth - KRZA, Alamosa, CO Analilia Barraza - Fresno, CA Martha Baskin - Seattle, WA Larry Bensky, KPFA, Berkeley, CA Judy Campbell, KPFA, Berkeley, CA Tony Cross - Paris, France Paul DiRienzo - WBAI, New York, NY Steven Dudley - Bogota, Colombia Mary Durran - Montreal, Canada Annie Esposito - KZYX, Mendocino, CA Leslie George - WBAI, New York Aaron Glantz - KPFA Sacramento Correspondent Farhan Haq - New York, NY John Hamilton - WORT, Madison, WI Peretz Kidron - Jerusalem, Israel Sputnik Kilambi - Paris, France Robert Knight - WBAI, New York, NY Travis Lea - Buenos Aires, Argentina Rob Lorei - WNMF, Tampa, FL John Martinez - Los Angeles, CA Mario Murillo - WBAI, New York, NY Kent Paterson - KUNM, Albuquerque, NM Aimee Pomerleau - Berkeley, CA Glenn Reeder - KPFA, Berkeley, CA Leigh Robartes - KUOI, Moscow, ID Lisa Rothman - KPFA, Berkeley, CA Jeremy Scahill - WBAI, New York, NY Scott Schlegle - KBOO, Portland, OR David Sears - WBAI, New York, NY Norman Solomon - Commentator, San Francisco Eileen Sutton - WBAI, New York Vanessa Tait - KPFA, Berkeley, CA Lori Townsend - Anchorage, AK Robin Urevich - Los Angeles, CA Fernando Velazquez - Los Angeles, CA Susan Wald - WBAI, New York, NY David Barrett Wilson - KGNU, Boulder, CO
cc: Executive Director Lynn Chadwick, Pacifica's National Board