History: Pacifica
Pacifica was founded in 1949 by Lewis Hill and a group of Pacifist/Anarchists. Hill realized that commercial media, which existed to deliver mass audiences to sponsors, could never engage in the free and open flow of information necessary to promote justice and peace through understanding, nor give artists a place to exercise their creativity without boundaries. Voluntary listener-sponsorship, he believed, was the key. And Pacifica Radio was born. Today, we struggle to preserve that tradition both from attacks from the outside,and now, from the organization's so-called leaders. This section contains writings on the heritage we seek to reclaim.

• The Theory of Listener Sponsorship

- Written by Lew Hill in 1951, this essay explains why listener sponsorship is the key to meaningful broadcasting.
 
• Original Mission Statement

- From the articles of incorporation of the Pacifica Foundation, August 1948.
 

• Current Mission Statement 
         - Go to Pacifica's current mission statement at their site.

Excerpts from Dallas in Wonderland
     - Dallas in Wonderland: The Pacifica Approach to Free Radio,  is a 1967 self-published account of his experiences as KPFK's GM and Program Director in the mid-1960's by Paul Dallas. Dallas writes of gag orders by the Pacifica Board and fierce opposition to elected governance at Pacifica, as well as demonization of community groups calling for democracy at Pacifica. It is disturbingly similar to the controversy that now rages more than 30 years later. Dallas' account shows that until the problem of governance is addressed, and structures put in place for open and accountable decision making, we will fight the same battle again and again.

• The Lengthening Shadow
  - An essay by John Whiting on the founding of KPFA by Lew Hill, and the early years. Whiting served on the staff of KPFA from 1952-1968.

• Pacifica in Vincula

- An essay by John Whiting on the 1995 "putsch" at KPFA, part of the current crisis.

• On Pacifica

- An essay by Chris Koch, a former WBAI staff member. Koch concludes his essay with a defense of radical free speech broadcasting.

• Peter Franck in Z Magazine 1994

- An interview with Peter Franck, former President of the Pacifica Foundation, as he explains the changes in the 80's that led to the current crisis, and the formation of SAVE KPFA.

See the San Luis Obispo Declaration of 1984, which puts an ironic twist on the current situation. This document was signed by Pat Scott, and among other things calls for independent local governing boards!

• By-Laws

- The 1995 by-laws of the Pacifica Foundation.

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