Listeners give Pacifica an earful; how you can support KPFA

A large group of SaveKPFA supporters turned out last Friday to read a sampling of the thousands of letters sent to protest Pacifica’s slashing of KPFA’s Morning Show, and the “voluntary” departure of seven workers of color.

KPFA’s Kris Welch broadcast parts of the reading live on Living Room, and then took listener call ins. Music programmer David Gans made this recording of the demonstration outside the station.

Among the letters to Pacifica’s executive director Arlene Engelhardt was one from long-time KPFA events producer Bob Baldock: “You barged in and insulted and injured a whole lot of folks you don’t know. This is not progressive. No sanctimonious rhetoric or confused motives can justify it. No blaming it on some dubiously contrived bureaucratic board can make it all right. It is not all right. Undo it. Put our excellent Morning Show team back to work.” | read entire letter

Supporters have been circulating an online petition to bring back the KPFA Morning Show, filled with remarkable comments and signed by many activists, writers and poets, including among others, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Raj Patel, Barbara Dane, Amelia Gonzalez, Dana Frank, Norman Solomon, Gray Brechin and Susan Griffin.

Another way to support KPFA is to attend the station’s locally-planned events, such as this November 30 talk with Chris Hedges, or the KPFA 40th Annual Crafts Fair on December 11-12. All money raised at KPFA events go solely to KPFA (none to Pacifica).

Morning Show labor programmer David Bacon has published a piece about KPFA in Labor Notes. News has also broken that Pacifica is spending listener dollars on a corporate “mangement-side” employment law firm.

A group of KPFA listeners who are educators — professors, scholars, researchers, university staff and teachers — are putting together a public letter of support for the Morning Show. If you fall into this category, please send us your name and academic affiliation and we’ll send you the letter for your consideration.

Listeners at Pacifica’s New York station, WBAI, continue to protest the cancellation or shortening of many shows, including left economist Doug Henwood’s, to make way for commercialism and AIDS denial.

Pacifica management’s Morning Show layoffs violated KPFA’s contract with its union employees, and supporters fear the move will send the station’s finances into a downward spiral, leading to greater cuts. KPFA’s local board, management and workers all back an alternative sustainable budget, which Pacifica management has flatly refused to consider.

Please note: since this Friday, Nov. 26, is a holiday for many, we are cancelling our regular Friday noon action at the station. There will be an action on Friday, Dec. 3. Please stay tuned for new ways to help after the long weekend.