Longtime KPFA radio host Larry Bensky was fired yesterday -- the second sacking of a popular staff member at the embattled station in as many weeks. On March 31, KPFA General Manager Nicole Sawaya was
dismissed. Listeners and staff members protested loudly, including Bensky, who has been with the station off and on for 30 years.

KPFA is the oldest listener-supported radio station in the country and is owned by the nonprofit Pacifica Foundation.

``The organization is exhibiting severe signs of falling apart,'' said Bensky, who plans to file a union grievance over the firing.

Pacifica management could not be reached for comment.

But a letter from Pacifica Executive Director Lynn Chadwick to Bensky cited policy against ``discussing internal matters on our air. Since you have repeatedly violated that policy, your employment with Pacifica is now
terminated.''

Bensky devoted 17 minutes of his two-hour program last Sunday to the firing of Sawaya. Bensky was previously ``terminated`' by Pacifica in December, then rehired after hundreds of protest calls and letters, according to the ``savepacifica'' web site.

Bensky said he `'counts on the same public pressure as was expressed in December to reverse this latest firing.