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Pacifica Acts to Secure Control of Its Stations

richard

and April 3, 2009
3 Black Journalists Among Times-Dispatch Layoffs

Measure Prompted by Concern Over New York’s WBAI

The national board of Pacifica Radio – which owns five politically and culturally "progressive" stations around the country – has taken steps to "secure our broadcast signals should we need to prevent legal liability," the board said in a statement Thursday night.

The statement was issued after the general manager of the New York Pacifica station, Tony Riddle of WBAI-FM, reportedly wrote to the national Pacifica leadership Thursday saying, "It has been brought to my attention that you have issued an order today to change the locks on the WBAI transmitter room in the Empire State Building tomorrow."

A support group, United for Peace and Justice, announced a rally in New York for Saturday morning to "Save WBAI Radio!"

Disputes between the feisty, listener-supported Pacifica stations and their national leadership are nothing new.

In 1999, such a dispute at KPFA-FM in Berkeley, Calif., the nation’s oldest listener-sponsored radio station, resulted in a lockout and the arrests of 53 supporters.

The New York Times said last year of WBAI, "its turmoil-filled . . . history has featured a fiesta of staff clashes, board eruptions, station coups and protests. Amid accusations of every imaginable form of -ism, on-air personalities and producers have been summarily banned; on-air resignations have not been unknown."

The other Pacifica stations are KPFK in Los Angeles, KPFT in Houston and WPFW in Washington.

Nationally, Pacifica is perhaps most well known for its news show "Democracy Now!" hosted by Amy Goodman and co-hosted by Juan Gonzalez, New York Daily News columnist. WBAI created and transmits the radio simulcast.

The national statement was signed by Grace Aaron, who chairs the Pacifica National Board and is interim executive director of the Pacifica Foundation. It began:

"We have received complaints about programming that may be threatening the financial and legal health of the Pacifica Foundation.  Therefore, following legal advice, we are taking preparatory measures to secure our broadcast signals should we need to prevent legal liability as a last resort.  These precautionary measures will be taken at all five stations under advice of Counsel.  Pacifica is the license holder for all five stations and is ultimately responsible for everything broadcast over all of them.

"No one on the National Board or at the National Office or at any of our Pacifica stations wishes to threaten any high quality, community-based programming at our stations that conforms to the Pacifica Mission. 

"The Pacifica Foundation is facing a severe financial crisis.  Multi-year downtrending listenership at all of our stations has been eroding our membership and net income.  The economic downtrends in society as a whole are also impacting us." 

In New York, "we are at risk of being sued for breach of our lease agreements, which could have dire consequences," including "a loss of our signal.

"As long as our listeners, staff and governance bodies work together to bring needed changes we see no major obstacle to a resurgent WBAI that is more vital than ever."

Aaron said she and others planned to come to New York from the West Coast "to assess what is needed at the station.  We also intend to roll up our sleeves, fix what needs fixing, wipe out any backlogs such as in mailing out premiums, repair equipment, enhance the website and give a boost to WBAI."

Killings Are Binghamton’s Biggest Story in Decades

It was the biggest news in Binghamton, N.Y., since Nov. 14, 1957, when authorities rounded up 65 men who gathered nearby for a secret meeting of mob leaders; the Vito Genovese, Carlo Gambino and Paul Castellano crowd. It was certainly the biggest story since Calvin Stovall became executive editor at the Press & Sun-Bulletin in 2005.

"BINGHAMTON SHOOTING," the all-caps, red-lettered headline said on the paper’s Web site.

"Fourteen are dead after a gunman went on a shooting spree inside the American Civic Association in Binghamton, according to Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski," the story began.

"One of the dead has a satchel around his neck with ammunition and is believed to be the shooter, Zikuski said."

The Web site featured a continually looped Webcast narrated by a Press & Sun-Bulletin reporter, a selection of videos and photographs, opportunities for readers to blog about the horror and a plea for eyewitnesses to call the newsroom.

Stovall, a Gannett Co. veteran, said Friday night that news managers, including himself, were still too busy for anyone to discuss coverage. The incident had drawn worldwide attention.

"Media covering the mass shootings and hostage crisis in Binghamton, N.Y., late this morning and afternoon [were] all over the map," Editor & Publisher reported.

"As hours passed TV cable networks kept changing the death toll from four to 12, to an ‘unconfirmed’ 13 to 15, and then maybe back to four, or not. The Associated Press and newspapers have been much more restrained.

"Two ‘Asian’ men were reported to seen in handcuffs and TV reports declared the crisis over. Then maybe a third man was on the loose. Then perhaps the hostages were still being held."

Obama at G-20: Helene Cooper Gets First Question

"NYT’s Helene Cooper penned a blog on The Caucus yesterday, ‘We’re Not Keeping Score, but . . .’ in which she asked, ‘Is President Obama trying to muzzle his press corps?’" Christine Delargy wrote Thursday on the FishBowl DC blog.

"Well someone seems to have taken notice ‚Äî Cooper got the first question at the President’s press conference today, still going on now, at the G-20 Summit in London."

Cooper, who moved from the State Department to the White House to cover the Obama administration, appeared to be one of a very few U.S. journalists of color assigned to Obama’s overseas trip, and the only African American. The White House press office was not responsive when asked which news organizations or journalists went along.

3 Black Journalists Among Times-Dispatch Layoffs

"The Richmond Times-Dispatch eliminated 31 open positions and laid off 59 employees today, the Virginia newspaper reported on Thursday. Three of those were black journalists. "Affected departments include Production, Circulation, Marketing, Business, Advertising, Editorial, News, Operations, Facilities, Prepress Design Services and Targeted Solutions, a new product development group," the story said.

"In addition, there will be no pay increases for non-unionized RTD employees this year, extending the suspension enacted earlier this year. The RTD will be inviting the Richmond Newspapers Professional Association (RNPA) to join in this needed savings," it continued, referring to the union.

"All full-time departing colleagues will receive severance packages."

Just before the announcement, Chris Dovi and Jason Roop of the alternative Richmond Style Weekly reported, "Veteran reporter Robin Farmer, whose husband is columnist Michael Paul Williams, packed the contents of her desk last night, according to sources."

Newsroom employees confirmed that two other black journalists, photographer Clement S. Britt and editor Mary Goodwyn were also laid off.

Jeff Kelley, a former Times-Dispatch reporter, joined those posting comments under the Times-Dispatch’s Web site story.

"What I cannot wrap my head around . . . is the way in which the Times-Dispatch attempts to hide or, as is said, ‘spin’ the truth," he wrote.

"When I was a business reporter, it was common practice to find those who have been laid off at companies (Circuit City, ‘the credit card company,’ etc‚Ķ) and interview them about the experience. Get the ‘real’ story. Get the feeling of the employees. Get a sense of what it‚Äôs like, and what their future holds for themselves, their families, their career. Yet, the TD shields its people from talking. Because I‚Äôve been there, I can say with certainty that while this story may have been written by a reporter, it was channeled through upper management on both the editorial and advertorial side of the house. As you can plainly tell.

"It’s a sad thing because we’ll never be able to look back on the story and hear from the people who lost their jobs at the TD . . . unlike the stories of Circuit City, LandAmerica, Qimonda, and the like."

Denver Post Editor Greg Moore says, "Woe is me? I don’t believe in that."

Denver’s Greg Moore Impressed by Rocky Staffers

Denver Post Editor Greg Moore says he was impressed as he began interviewing candidates from the rival Rocky Mountain News, which folded its print edition in February. He also said, "One of the things that happens when you go through the kind of constriction the industry has gone through is, you learn from your friends that there is life after newspapers."

In an interview¬†with Michael Roberts of Denver’s alternative publication WestWord, Moore said he began conversations about bringing aboard Rocky staffers in mid-December or January.

"What was that experience like? Were you impressed by the caliber of the talent?" Roberts asked Moore.

"Very much so, very much so," Moore replied. "I was impressed by the work they did that I’d read, but I was even more impressed when I talked with a number of them. One of the things that really, really impressed me is that even when I was talking to a particular person at the Rocky, at some point during that 25-minute discussion, they’d say, ‘I really appreciate you talking to me ‚Äî but here are five colleagues that I really think you should talk to if they’re not on your list.’ That was very impressive to me ‚Äî that sort of camaraderie and selflessness. It impressed me."

Roberts also asked, "Do you consider yourself a journalism lifer? Do you want to be doing this for your entire career? Or, like so many other journalists, would you consider looking at doing something else down the line?"

"You know what? I’ve been doing this for almost 35 years, so I’ve had a career," Moore said. "I don’t know what the future holds or anything like that. I like doing what I’m doing. I like being in the midst of this struggle and this fight. I like the people I work with and I like the Post. I’ve had a great run here. I’ve been here seven years. I wish there were some other things I was able to accomplish, but I don’t see the end immediately in front of me.

"But I can also envision me doing other things. One of the things that happens when you go through the kind of constriction the industry has gone through is, you learn from your friends that there is life after newspapers. There’s life after journalism. So I’m not afraid. I don’t know exactly what that future is going to be. But for the immediate future, I envision myself still here with my sleeves rolled up with my colleagues. But I also believe I’ve learned a lot over the last 35 years, and a lot of things I’ve learned can be applied in other areas.

"Do you find it exciting, even though times are tough right now, to be in the middle of this whirlwind?" Roberts asked.

"Yeah, I’m excited. I’ve never been in the middle of a hurricane or anything like that, but I imagine when you’re in the middle of a tornado or a hurricane, you probably feel as alive as you’ve ever felt. Your desire and sense for survival is keen, and I feel like that right now. I mean, I am on it. I’m fully engaged in trying to do everything I can to help us get to the other side, and to put out a compelling product online and in print, and to try to be a motivator. I think when times are really tough, that’s when you really need to be a motivator, and not just a naysayer. Woe is me? I don’t believe in that."

Stunned, silent members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s room, after his April 4, 1968, assassination. They include Andrew Young (far left, under table lamp) and King’s colleague, the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, seated in the middle on the far bed. (Photo credit: Henry Groskinsky/Time & Life Pictures)

Life Publishes Unseen Photos from Lorraine Motel

"On April 4, 1968, LIFE photographer Henry Groskinsky and writer Mike Silva, on assignment in Alabama, learned that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., had been shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis," Life magazine says¬†in an announcement. "They raced to the scene and there, incredibly, had unfettered access to the hotel grounds, Dr. King’s room, and the surrounding area. For reasons that have been lost in the intervening years, the photographs taken that night and the next day were never published. Until now."

The photos appear on the magazine’s Web site. About one photo taken in King’s room at the Lorraine, Groskinsky said, "I was very discreet. I shot just enough to document what was going on. I didn’t want to make a nuisance of myself. And right there, almost in the center of the picture, in the mirror you can see the reflection of me taking the picture. It’s very somber, and there I am with a flash camera. So I took a couple of pictures and just kind of backed off."

Statement Promised on Future of Black Book Review

Black Issues Book Review, founded 10 years ago as "a national forum for critical discussion of fiction and nonfiction titles by black authors," hasn’t published in more than a year, vacated its Empire State Building office in October 2007, and has subscribers and freelance contributors wondering whether it will ever appear again.

Ken Smikle, the president of Chicago-based Target Market News who purchased the publication in 2006, told Journal-isms he was preparing an announcement about the publication’s future.

"Target Market News is currently in negotiations that will determine how it goes forward with publication of Black Issues Book Review," he said on Saturday.

"The publication has been on hiatus for a year following a severe drop in the advertising budgets of book publishers and a near doubling in the cost of postage. A new business model has been under consideration for some time and we expect to have an announcement soon."

The magazine, the largest such publication catering to African American book readers, was created in 1999 as an offshoot of Black Issues in Higher Education, now called Diverse, based in Fairfax, Va.

"Within months of its debut, Black Issues Book Review was named one of the ‘Ten Best New Magazines’ by the American Library Journal," a news release boasted when Cox, Matthews and Associates sold it to Target Market News in 2006.

But in January 2007, editor Angela Dodson was laid off. Founding editor Susan McHenry remained as editorial director.

Last year, Clarence Reynolds, the managing editor, left. He, like Dodson, had worked with the magazine in various editorial positions almost from its introduction.

"The last issue that I recall is September/October 2007, with Edwidge Danticat on the cover," Reynolds told Journal-isms. "As far as I know there’s been no other print publication that has stepped in to fill the void of BIBR; and there’s always something to write about in regards to African American authors and readers."

Smikle said the last issue published was a December/January issue released in January 2008. The publication claimed a circulation of 50,000 when it was sold in 2006. [Updated April 4]

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