RadioPoetics.org

From Carol Spooner:

I don't blame Nicole for quitting. But it is bad for Pacifica, which is collapsing, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, and desperately needs a strong ED to take control and put it back on its feet. Pacifica will not survive another year of floundering and mismanagement, and the outrageous & irresponsible politicking on the PNB in support of certain managers and staff members holding protected sinecures here and there around the network.

The next Pacifica ED must tell the PNB that they will take the job on the following conditions:

1) That the CFO be immediately terminated for presenting false, misleading, inaccurate and late financial reports, and for failing to take corrective measures at bankrupt WBAI back in 2004 when its financial slide first became obvious. The CFO position will report to and work under the supervision of the Executive Director, and the board will approve the ED's hiring and firing recommendations as to that position.

[The August financial reports projected WBAI would end the fiscal year on 9/30 with an operating surplus, when in fact WBAI was deeply in debt to the National Office and was using restricted grant monies for operating expenses -- all of which was known to the CFO or should have been.]

2) That the WBAI General Manager and Program Director will be immediately terminated and an outside management firm will be brought in to restructure and turnaround that station.

3) That the Washington Bureau Chief position will be immediately terminated. Pacifica cannot afford the $80k+ salary and the headlines service being produced is not carried by Pacifica stations and by very few affiliates.

4) That the corporate counsel will be immediately terminated for compromising Pacifica's required neutrality in the elections and for encouraging, aiding and abetting the PNB and the National Elections Supervisor to violate the bylaws, state laws, and the required neutrality of the elections, as well as for mishandling the investigations and lawsuits for sexual and/or racial discrimination and harassment around the network -- particularly at KPFK -- exposing Pacifica to hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential liabilities.

If the PNB will not agree to all of those conditions, then Pacifica will go down, and swiftly, and any ED is doomed to failure. Then those measures and more -- likely the sale of one of the broadcast licenses -- will have to be taken by a Bankruptcy Trustee.

On the other hand, if those measures are taken and sanity and fiscal responsibility are imposed, then it may still be possible to rescue Pacifica and make it a credible and significant alternative media organization -- which is desperately needed in this country at this time.

Carol Spooner
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Let it come
like wildflowers,
suddenly, because the field
must have it: wildpeace.

~ Yehuda Amichai (1924 - 2000)