Op-ed by Ziri Rideaux and KPFKnot4sale:
LOS ANGELES - Pacifica Radio, America’s largest non-commercial progressive radio broadcaster, is facing a hostile takeover that threatens the existence of the Los Angeles station KPFK and the entire network. Pacifica’s National Board (PNB) was infiltrated by a politically motivated group and as a result has cancelled mandatory elections, illegally extended their own term limits, suspended multiple members of the Los Angeles station KPFK and put the Los Angeles building up for sale – all without approval of their listener-members. The only thing that stands in the way of KPFK’s imminent destruction is the Los Angeles Local Station Board, which is fighting a bitter legal battle to save their station - and thereby the largest, progressive media outlet in the U.S.
Dear Pacifica Family,
I’m writing to you to update you on crucial developments at KPFK Los Angeles. The Pacifica National Board (PNB) in 2022 has voted to investigate “the most advantageous sale” of our KPFK building. The final PNB vote to sell the KPFK building has not yet been taken. Our KPFK Local Station Board (LSB) has responded a week after the PNB motion unanimously with a resolution to condemn and protest the sale of our building.
Nevertheless, the Pacifica Foundation has put our building on the market – without a contingency plan on how KPFK is supposed to survive after this sale. The building is listed for $4.999 millions. The majority of these funds are already allocated to pay off the FJC loan of $2.5 million and accounts payable of about $2 million - still leaving Pacifica in debt with the $2 million EIDL loan and a first quarter operating debt of $740,000. The KPFA LSB has also demanded that money from the sale be used to reimburse KPFA for the $300,000 that were
seized by Federal Marshalls from their accounts in payment of the Vernile defamation lawsuit.