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<DIV> </DIV><B><FONT color=#000099 face="Arial Black"
size=10>FAIR</B></FONT> <SMALL>Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting
130 W. 25th Street New York, NY 10001</SMALL> </FONT>
<P><FONT color=#990033 size=5><B>ACTION ALERT</B> <BR>LOCKOUT AT WBAI:
<BR>Pacifica management fires senior staff, changes locks at New York station
</FONT>
<P><B>December 26, 2000</B>
<P>The national management of Pacifica Radio has fired several long-time
staffers at WBAI, the New York City community radio station that is home to the
award-winning show "Democracy Now!": program director Bernard White, producer
Sharan Harper, and station manager Valerie Van Isler (see "Pacifica Management
Move to Undermine WBAI's Independence," <A
href="http://www.fair.org/press-releases/van-isler.html">http://www.fair.org/press-releases/van-isler.html</A>).
<P>Accompanied by security guards, Pacifica executive director Bessie Wash
arrived at WBAI late at night on Friday, December 23, and changed the locks both
to the station and to individual offices. WBAI staff-- including "Democracy
Now!"'s Amy Goodman-- are now being admitted to the building only on a
"controlled entry" basis until further notice. White and Harper have been
threatened with arrest should they attempt to enter the building.
<P>Pacifica has appointed WBAI afternoon talk show host Utrice Leid as acting
station manager. Last week, WBAI news director Jose Santiago turned down the
job, saying he had been falsely assured by management that Van Isler was
resigning voluntarily. Since the lockout, Leid has asserted on air that the
crisis is simply an internal personnel dispute. Given Pacifica management's
recent embrace of arbitrary firings and other autocratic management techniques,
this is at best hard to believe.
<P>The current crisis is reminiscent of last year's lockout at KPFA in Berkeley,
which also came on the heels of a number of politically motivated firings. That
lockout brought thousands of Berkeley listeners out into the streets to protest
Pacifica management's actions and demand greater accountability to the
community, in keeping with the progressive core values laid out by Pacifica
founder Lew Hill.
<P>Over the last year and a half, Pacifica's management has increasingly
orchestrated censorship-- including of FAIR's own radio show, CounterSpin--
retaliatory personnel moves and the disenfranchisement of listeners and local
advisory boards in order to impose its often regressive decisions on the
network. FAIR had feared that Pacifica's recent moves against "Democracy Now!"
(see <A
href="http://www.fair.org/activism/democracy-now.html">http://www.fair.org/activism/democracy-now.html</A>
) were an indication that the network was preparing an attempt to break the
independence of WBAI, one of the cornerstones of the progressive community. The
holiday firings and lockout have more than confirmed those fears.
<P>When FAIR asked for help in supporting "Democracy Now!" against harassment
from Pacifica management this October, members of our email list responded
passionately and swiftly, writing over 1,300 letters to Pacifica in just over
four days, and organizing demonstrations across the country.
<P>Since then, listener meetings and demonstrations have been ongoing, and early
signs are that listeners are responding to this latest crisis with just as much
energy. Despite the organizing difficulties presented by the holiday season and
below-freezing temperatures, listeners have already begun to take action in New
York City. Several dozen people held a vigil outside WBAI's Manhattan studios on
the night of the lockout, and hundreds attended a demonstration outside the
building on Saturday the 23rd. Daily protests are planned outside the station
from four to six pm, beginning Tuesday, December 26.
<P>As a media watch group dedicated to strengthening democracy by defending a
free press, FAIR decries the lockout and recent firings at WBAI. We urge
Pacifica to immediately reinstate Van Isler, White and Harper, and to cease
restricting employee access to the station. We stand in solidarity with the
staff and listeners of WBAI who are fighting to win back democratic, community
control of their station.
<P>For more information about the ongoing crisis at Pacifica, see: <A
href="http://www.fair.org/activism/pacifica-history.html">http://www.fair.org/activism/pacifica-history.html</A>
<P><B>ACTION:</B> <BR>1. The group Concerned Friends of WBAI is urging New York
City listeners to attend a community planning meeting this Wednesday, December
27, 6:30 pm at SEIU Local 32 B-J, 101 Sixth Avenue. For more information, see:
<A href="http://www.wbai.net">http://www.wbai.net</A>.
<P>Concerned listeners in other cities should check the Save Pacifica website
for updates and for links to local listener groups that may be organizing in
their area: <A
href="http://www.savepacifica.net">http://www.savepacifica.net</A>.
<P>2. Please call or write to Pacifica and let them know that you support the
locked out WBAI staffers. Urge the network to reinstate Valerie Van Isler,
Bernard White and Sharan Harper, and to cease harassment of WBAI employees.
<P><B>CONTACT:</B> <BR>Bessie Wash, Pacifica executive director, <A
href="mailto:FALCON1591@aol.com">FALCON1591@aol.com</A> <BR>Phone: 888-770-4944
x348 (toll free) <BR>Post: The Pacifica Foundation <BR>2390 Champlain St. N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20009
<P>As always, please remember that your comments will be more effective if you
maintain a polite tone. Please cc <A
href="mailto:fair@fair.org">fair@fair.org</A> with your correspondence.
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