Pacifica Foundation
Pacifica Foundation
Controversy
The organization that runs the far-left, marxist-oriented Pacifica Radio network, is named the Pacifica Foundation. In 1999, it literally purged a number of employees of the most left of their Pacifica radio stations, KPFA, San Francisco.
A major article about his appeared in the September 11, 1999 issue of the Peoples Weekly World PWW, p. 17, entitled "Pacifica Board's Actions Set Dangerous Precedent", by Libero Della Piana, identified as "the co-chair of the Northern California District of the Young Communist League USA YCL."
Of interest here is who the Pacifica people were, not necessarily the labor issues and personality issues involved. For reasons that will become obvious in a minute, those named in the article were: Pacifica board:
- Mary Frances Berry - Chair, and member of the US Civil Rights Commission. She is a longtime supporter of leftist and communist fronts and causes, from the Red Chinese educational system to various fronts.
- Nicole Sawaya - station manager, KPFA - fired
- Lynn Chadwick - KPFA General Manager
- Larry Bensky - fired
- Robbie Osman - fired
Two paragraphs from the article are reproduced here to sum up at one view of the labor/policy dispute:
"At the heart of the conflict is Pacifica Foundation's desire to transform KPFA and its five sister stations into more market-driven, centrally-controlled entities. Already, Houston station KPFT had a major overhaul, replacing almost all local community programming and news with music."
"Tensions arose beginning early in the year with the removal of station representation from the Pacifica Foundation board and the firing of popular station manager Nicle Sawaya. Soon, Pacifica instituted a "gag rule" against covering station business on the air and fired several staff for violating the gag rule."
Interestingly, KPFA/Pacifica "..receives some state funding."
In the past, there were congressional investigations into Pacifica Radio because of its blatant communist-orientation, especially the heavy influence of the CPUSA on the station and among its speakers/guests.