MissInsideOut
The managers are organized and they have got a game plan.
Tue Jan 8 10:14:55 2002

It seems that some of the station managers are outrightly choosing insubordination as a tool to try and keep their jobs. This tool, however, is part of a more devious scheme by these thugs and thieves. Please let us not forget what these folks are capable of and what has gotten us to this point. Their irresponsible behaviour after today is now well-exposed. While some, like KPFK station manager Mark Scubb, adhered to the letter of his obligation to return Democracy Now to it's air, his adherence to the spirit of the law is another thing. He played DN at 6am but refuse to have a replay at 9am which what was done before he decided not to air DN several months ago. Schubbs interview with Marc Cooper is more evidence that these folks are literally trying to re-hijack the stations ( in fact it is the equivalent of a counter-revolution). Schubb deceives the listenership by confounding the actions of the old Pacifica board and the iPNB. He was part of that whole crew who said nothing at the attempted corporatization of Pacifica. In fact, let's be frank, he was part of it and now is being called to task. Meanwhile a new group has emerged, The concerned friends or somesuch oof KPFK, conceived- I imagine- in some back-room at KPFK. Bob Daughtry, on the other hand, just outrightly claimed, as they all have at this point in their organized attack, that the iPNB has no right to determine programming. The national program director has always had the right to institute "must carry" rules for Pacifica National Programs at Pacifica stations. Since we do not have a national program director and are trying to implement a court order that calls for the specific return of DN, then the iPNB is correct in what the managers are calling "interference in local programming'. Djabel Fayes' cannot justify the station not carrying DN by saying that the iPNB chair, Leslie Cagan, had no rights that he was bound to respect. Yet another example of the lack of respect for the iPNB. Lou Hankins' DC crew was ten minutes late and went off five minutes early, before DNs' sign-off. I'd like to give Mr. Hankins the benefit of the doubt about possible technical difficulties, but it looks mighty suspicious from where I sit. Meanwhile Judge Sabraw has notified PNB Secretary, Carol Spooner, that the rulings that we've been waiting for concerning the release of the expensive lawyers and the formation of the WBAI Committee will be delayed until Wednesday because he wanted to give the minority a chance to file their briefs. The managers have been ordered to appear at the PNB board meeting this weekend. As a group. they may- by that time- try to use the legal system as a group to try and save their jobs. The iPNB must assert its' authority. Not later, Now!! The station managers who are "insubordinate" must be shown the door in no uncertain terms. It's all about saving their jobs. They had it good while Bessie Wash lavished them with expense accounts, first class travel and hotel accommodations, salary hikes and legal protection. This of course came at the expense of the listeners of the network. It has been made quite clear what their course of action is. We have to be just as clear, that we intend to return our stations back to it's listener/subscribers and continue on the Pacifica mission that many of us have dedicated much of our lives. The criteria for being an employee of Pacifica is that you must adhere to that original mission. It is clear that these managers do not. It is Leslie's perogative as chair, to instruct interim Exec. Dir. Joanne Meredith, to fire those GM's who are not carrying out either the letter or the spirit of the law. Let's not forget that Ms. Meredith was part of that trio of women and a baby, who came in the dead of night and stole WBAI. If that means showing her the door, than so be it. There are difficult days ahead. They realize that we are under a 15 month deadline and the more we waste our energy on them, the less energy we will have to complete the task at hand- the rebuilding of the PNB, the creation of LAB elections and the return to excellence in programming that has made Pacifica, one the most notable radio networks in the world.