Urgent Letter to Staff -Aug. 2020

The New Day Pacifica (NDP) bylaws campaign was launched August 22 with an urgent message from staff (below) encouraging you to sign the NDP bylaws petition, in case you missed it (ICYMI).

New Day Pacifica is a group of Pacifica listeners and staff who want to keep Pacifica from crashing out of existence in the next year. Pacifica is in deep, deep trouble financially, made worse by a dysfunctional Board. New Day Pacifica is proposing big changes to Pacifica’s Boards and bylaws to make the Boards more accountable to you the listeners. Please join these and a growing number of other endorsers and sign the New Day Pacifica bylaws petition today. For more information go to New Day Pacifica.org or email us at info@NewDayPacifica.org

We’re Signing the New Day Bylaws Petition.

Please join us.

SIGN THE BYLAWS PETITION HERE

  Sonali Kolhatkar, host of Rising Up with Sonali, heard on KPFK, KPFT and KPFA. says:
I’ve been at Pacifica for nearly 2 decades as a paid programmer and have been dismayed year after year watching the local and national boards hamper the workings of stations, undermine worker rights, and generally stand in the way of the Pacifica network thriving. I would support any change to the bylaws that simplifies the structure of the boards and reduces their power to negatively interfere with the day-to-day workings of the station. While these new bylaws are not perfect, they are a very good start to the many badly needed reforms that Pacifica needs and I hope stakeholders will pass them.

  Teresa Allen, Long-time KPFT volunteer, former member of the Pacifica National Board, and co-author of the current Pacifica Bylaws, says:
In writing these current bylaws, we incorporated a process for bylaw change. We have seen the weaknesses of those Bylaws, and I believe significant change is needed. This New Day Bylaw proposal merits serious consideration from our membership and I urge members to sign the petition calling for a member vote on the New Day Bylaws.

  Ian Masters, KPFK host of Background Briefing, says:
The Pacifica Foundation is run by a dysfunctional Board incapable of raising funds and in denial of its looming debt. With a country in turmoil and our fellow citizens in pain this is a time when America needs voices in opposition to the ruin being wrought by the most dangerous and unqualified leader in our nation’s history. But KPFK is about to go dark if we don’t act. Please do your part and sign the New Day Pacifica bylaws petition.

Sharon Kyle, publisher and co-founder of the LA Progressive, says:
I support Pacifica and am honored to be part of the effort to bring Pacifica back to financial and organizational health — there is so much work to be done.” (For more information about Sharon, go to Biographies of Transition National Officers)

Aileen Alfandary, KPFA News Director

Wally James, Host of the Progressive Forum on KPFT, also member of the Pacifica National Board:
“Pacifica is at a very critical time and the current bylaws are not working as intended. We need a change and I support the new bylaws.”

Brian Edwards-Tiekert, KPFA Co-host of UpFront, former member of the Pacifica National Board

  Jonathan Alexander, KPFK Network Administrator/Security Analyst/Engineer, former Chair of the Pacifica National Board, says:
Why is it always the shows with an actual listenership that get attacked, rather than the ones that no one is listening to and no one is donating to? These are the types of shows that Governance protects. Our current General Manager is a true leader and a good businessman, with the majority of the hard-working staff at KPFK behind him. Which in my six years of experience on Pacifica Governance always makes you the enemy. Current Pacifica Governance does not represent the listeners, it does not represent the staff. When there’s an attempt to change the bylaws all factions clutch on like Grim Death to keep things exactly the way they are, stagnant and dying. We need a change.”
Jerry Sumrall aka Larry Winters, KPFT host of Spare Change, says:

Our governance needs major reform if our stations and Pacifica are to survive. Please support the New Day Pacifica Bylaws.” Jerry is also former (unpaid) interim General Manager who stabilized KPFT’s finances and made sure the station paid its Central Services for Pacifica every month.

Miguel Paredes, Creator and Executive Producer of Soul Rebel Radio, KPFK

Mitch Jesserich, Host of Letters and Politics at KPFA, also heard on KPFK

Kiyana Williams, KPFK Audio Engineer / Editor / Producer, says:
I support the newly proposed bylaws. In order for Pacifica and its stations to improve its place in the world of media, society, and the future – which is NOW – some serious and fundamental changes need to be made at the source of the hindrance.

Mimi Kennedy, TV co-star of Mom and frequent KPFK guest

Harvey Wasserman, KPFK host of California Solartopia, says:
“These proposed bylaws hugely help democratize and simplify what’s now a convoluted, paralyzing and outdated governance structure.”

  Mansoor Sabbagh, Co-producer and Engineer of KPFK’s “Something’s Happening” and former member of the Pacifica National Board

  James and Colleen Nagel, KPFT hosts of Howlin’ the Blues

  Nancy McAfee, Long-time KPFT co-host of “Blues on the Move“, also former host of “Roots Radio” that she had to leave because of family Illness, says:
The survival of KPFT radio and the entire network of Pacifica stations requires the immediate ratification of the ‘New Day Pacifica Bylaws’. If Pacifica stations are important to you — please give this initiative your heartfelt and complete support!!!

  Cary Harrison, Former / Periodic host on KPFK, Air America and CBS

  Adrienne Lauby, KPFA Co-host of “Pushing Limits“:
“Year after year, good people go to the Pacifica Board year after year. They spend their life blood in a struggle to bring people together and so something positive. And, yet every year we fall deeper into the economic hole that will inevitably end the network. The problem is structural. We have to try these new by-laws. At this point we have no other choice.”

  Roy Tuckman (Roy of Hollywood), Long-time KPFK host of Something’s Happening:
For once we have a chance of getting a democratic structure which will allow us to get something done, not just argue. This gives me hope that Pacifica won’t disappear next April, when the big loan is due.

Philip Maldari, KPFA, host of “Sunday Show“:
“I often get asked, ‘Why does Pacifica always seem in crisis?’ I tell them that we have a governance structure that promotes conflict and discourages cooperation. That’s why we have to change the bylaws.”

Alan Minsky, Executive Director of Progressive Democrats of America, progressive journalist, former KPFK Interim Program Director:

“These proposed Bylaw changes are essential for the survival of the Pacifica network, which has been paralyzed due to the internecine wars on the overly-powerful and overly-populated governance boards. These new Bylaws are the remedy. As we need Pacifica now more than ever, please support The New Day Pacifica Bylaws Petition.”

Eric Mann, host of Voices from the Front Lines and co-chair of bus riders union

SIGN THE BYLAWS PETITION HERE


Additional endorsers include:

Henry Slucki, 35 Year Co-Host of “Access Unlimited” on KPFK:
“We at Pacifica, including staff, listeners, and management are basically of one mind—we support a progressive agenda, while we have varying notions of how you implement it. Our present 2 to 3 level structure often creates gridlock, so I like the idea of a simpler structure which will make it easier to get things done for our common purpose, rather than being bogged down in a lot of rhetoric.”

Ismael Parra, Southern California Chair of Writers’ Union:
“Times are changing rapidly in directions that are good and not so good. I support the bylaws change campaign because it is a change in a good direction. I know the history of continuous support for Pacifica given by supporting PNB and listeners and staff members who are proposing and/or supporting these changes. I support them in this effort. They and their predecessors have kept Pacifica on the air since its inception and have changed with the times to keep it going. They have been there for decades through thick and thin and are proposing a leaner way to keep the stations going and manageable.”

Teddy Robinson, Host of KPFK’s Stairway of Heaven

Terry Guy, KPFK Membership Director

Suzi Weissman, Host of KPFK’s Beneath the Surface


Get answers to the most frequently asked questions, including:

  • What is NDP’s relationship to the bylaws defeated in March?
  • What did you think of the “good news” report?
  • Who is opposing the New Day bylaws?

Read through the complete FAQ, with many more questions answered.

We hope to collect at least 7000 signatures on the petition before the ballots go out in the bylaws referendum vote to show that the New Day Pacifica bylaws movement has enough support to win the bylaws referendum (we need many less signatures to file the bylaws petition with the Pacifica Secretary).  For more information including complete text of the proposed bylaws, NewDayPacifica.org, or email us at info@NewDayPacifica.org.

SIGN THE BYLAWS PETITION HERE

Required Disclaimer: This communication has not been paid for by the KPFA, KPFK, KPFT, WBAI, or WPFW LSB or by the Pacifica Foundation. It is a campaign communication being distributed on behalf of, or by, New Day Pacifica. Otherwise, it has no affiliation with or endorsement by the KPFA, KPFK, KPFT, WBAI, or WPFW LSB or by the Pacifica Foundation. Please note that you are receiving this email because you are on the the KPFA, KPFK, KPFT, WBAI, or WPFW membership list.

So Pacifica can survive for future generations