Hola.. to everyone,

This is  kahlil jacobs-fantauzzi just checkin  in with folks. I am happy
that folks are continuing to do  some  of the very important work around
the   issues at KPFA and Pacifica. As a local advisory board  we put forth
many resolutions but until we empower the community we still have not won.  The
next Pacifica national board is  the last weekend in OCT. in Texas and we
need  many folks to be in attendance.(more info call Media Alliance
415-546-6334) Also it is important to know that the DA is has  not dropped
all charges against protesters.  I am being charged for resisting  arrest
and  have a  trail.. on OCt. 28 at 9am. PLEASE DO COME OUT and  support.
People should also  call mayor Dean of  Berkeley dean@ci.berkeley.ca.us or
 510-644-6484 and also  the  DA John Adams  (what a name) 510-644-6683 or
510-272-6222 and demand that all the charges be dropped for all
protesters fighting for the right of free  speech. Also  ask  them  why
certain people are being treated differently.

On a personal  note I am very busy teaching at Potrero Hill  Middle School
 in San Francisco and going to  USF  to get my masters at night. If folks
are interested  in helping out.. .we are creating a community
technology/computer resource  council that will  meet and find ways
community and schools can work  together to  incorporate technology into
the public schools..  specifically  using  the  arts/ multimedia. Get in
touch if  you want to help  out and finally good  news.. congratulations
to all who helped in any way in the fight to release  the puerto rican
political prisoners...  a couple  of weeks  ago 11 out of  the  16 p.r.
political  prisoners  were  released and many  chose  to return to puerto
rico. Their freedom  is  a result of all of our hard  work  so lets
continue and fight for the  release  of all  political prisoners and
control  of  our radio network PACIFICA.

Forward in Struggle,
Kahlil  Jacobs-Fantauzzi

______________________________________________________
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UPDATE:  July 30, 1999

Fineman Quits, Pacifica vacates KPFA Building $20-30 Thousand Dollars worth of Damage done to KPFA Facilities by IPSA Goons - KPFA's transmitter still in the hands of Pacifica criminals, broadcasts emanating from Houston, TX

TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEW WITH MARK MERICLE ON THE CURRENT SITUATION

Date sent:       Fri, 30 Jul 1999 22:43:15 -0700
From:            Marshall Stax <robins@ix.netcom.com>
To:              freepacifica@recordist.com
Subject:         Mark Mericle on KMUD re: KPFA "opening" today
Send reply to:   freepacifica@penguin.josephson.com

This just in...
 

Listening to KMUD's local news tonight... on RealAudio... they talked with
Mark Mericle this afternoon, at around 2:20 PM and asked him about the
situation now and about how he remembered the evening he was taken in
handcuffs from the station (on 13 July).
 

------------------------start-----------------------------

MM:  We cannot resume local programming probably till Monday or
Tuesday.   Pacifica still has control of the transmitter.  Pacifica
still has control of the frequency.   In addition to that, the security
force inside of KPFA did somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty to
30-thousand dollars worth of damage.  Our production studio is down; most
of the windows in the station are broken; we have only one way of getting
out of the station, which is a violation of the fire code, so only 10
people at a time are allowed into the building.

Pacifica is still in control of the facility; some of us staff have
access; we're inside the facility assessing the damage and trying to
figure out what we need to do in order to resume locally-controlled
broadcasting.

Given these conditions, we can't resume local programming right away at
all.   Pacifica is broadcasting from Houston, Texas; we need to go to the
transmitter and unplug what they're doing in order for us to resume
locally controlled programming.

The armed guards are still up at the transmitter; they're in control of
the transmitter.  We can't go on the air until Pacifica pulls the plug on
the ISDN that is broadcasting from Houston.
 

Dr. Berry doesn't know anything about radio.   She doesn't know what it
takes to operate a local radio station and do quality programming.  It's
another indication that Dr. Berry needs to leave the Board of Pacifica
Radio, because she's ignorant of what it takes to do radio.
 

In terms of broadcasting, we don't know what they've done at the
transmitter; we don't know what they've done in our control room in
terms of the equipment that links KPFA to its transmitter.

In terms of the damage, our main production studio is down; we don't
know what they did; we don't know what the extent of the damage is.  We
think we might have lost two high quality speakers which cost four
thousand dollars apiece.
 

(Mark was asked what it felt like to return this morning):

MM:  It felt extremely strange to come into a building where I was
removed more than two weeks ago in handcuffs and arrested for
tresspassing, for doing my job.  And then to see the very person that
orchestrated the takeover and lockdown of KPFA, Gene Edwards.

We're not fully in control of the building yet because Pacifica's
union-busting lawyer and Pacifica's hostile-takeover artist are still in
control of the building; we have access but not control.

FINEMAN QUITS...

From:            George Maurer <kiteman@vom.com>
Subject:         {FP} Re: FINEMAN OUT!!??
Send reply to:   freepacifica@recordist.com

That's Right! She heard it Right! Dennis stated that he was
on the phone with Michael Fineman for over two hours, asking
questions, even as demonstrators staged something of a sit-in
at his offices. At about 5PM Fineman & Assoc's dropped Pacifica
as a client. It would seem that they couldn't afford each other.
 
 
 
 

The guess by the volunteers at the table was that the doors would be
Opened at 1-1:30 if the electricians were done.

There was a great series of speakers from 9:30 until 10 am bringing
everyone up to date - Larry Bensky shared a good analogy for the current
situation:  You're in your house  - some people bust in and "housejack"
you and kick you out of your house. They hold your house, they misuse it,
they use your credit cards and your bank account, they tell lies about
you. Then ---- they throw open the door and say "You can have your house
back" - trashed and in debt. BUT.... they have also taken the deed to your
house and maybe they'll just sell it anyway! Van Jones had another one:
The KPFA community members and staff are earthquake victims. Supporters
and staff have been through a terrible earthquake while they were in the
building - now they are being told to go BACK into the building that
hasn't been repaired and is not retrofitted. I, as usual, took lots of
pictures at the press conference and will post them soon on the FSM-A
site.  I plan to go back in an hour or so and see if the chains are off
the door yet.

Barbara Lubin explained that they HAVE to go into the building to protect
it. Pacifica's Board essentially announced that the building would be left
open and available and they weren't responsible for whatever happened
after that.

Susan

Susan Druding
FSM-Archives Webmaster
http://www.fsm-a.org/kpfa
 

-------------------------

Dear Media Group Folks,
>
>The planned press conference scheduled for 9:00 AM Friday has been
>postponed. Despite Mary Berry's promise to open the station at 9 this
>morning, there is  no sign of Mary Berry. A group of programmers,
>representatives and supporters are speaking in front of the station. The
>City of Berkeley is doing a safety inspection of the KPFA office. They
>are inspecting the offices room by room at the request of the staff etc.
>They are filming this process for the record. The next events are
>unpredictable. We are enthusiastically encouraged to attend the rally
>tomorrow. KPFA is demanding details in writing before returning to work.
>
>Michael Costello
 

1) Rally Builds Despite Pacifica Propaganda Efforts
2) People Of Color Nationwide Counter MF Berry's Divisive Campaign
3) TV's Michael Moore Supports KPFA Workers And Community
 

1) RALLY BUILDS DESPITE PACIFICA PROPAGANDA EFFORT
----------------------------------------------------------------
  Despite Pacifica's propaganda campaign, with Mary Frances Berry's bogus
"offer" as its headline, support continues to build throughout California
for Saturday's historic rally and march.  PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD THAT THE
RALLY NEEDS TO BE BIGGER THAN EVER, THAT THE FUTURE OF FREE SPEECH,
COMMUNITY CONTROLLED RADIO DEPENDS ON A MASSIVE SHOW OF STRENGTH IN THE
STREETS!

(Meet at 11 a.m. Sproul Plaza, march through Berkeley, past KPFA, to
1:30 rally at MLK Jr. Park, MLK at Addison Streets.  3 blocks from
Berkeley BART station.)
 

A REPORT ON WEDNESDAY’S MARCH AND RALLY:

On Wednesday I drove an hour and a half to Berkeley to show support for the return of KPFA radio station to the staff and community. The experience was **TERRIFIC**.  The crowd was strikingly multiethnic and across all age groups... so much for Mary Frances Berry saying she's doing this to increase diversity!

As I was standing at the padlocked and plywood-covered doors of the station with about three dozen people waiting for several hundred others to arrive from their gathering point at the Bart (subway) station, I was very touched by one man in his late 40's who is someone this society has cast out and is probably homeless. He seemed perhaps marginally developmentally disabled and walked like he may have some sort of neurological disorder. He came barreling up on a bicycle after having been to the Bart station to report on when people would be arriving at KPFA's doors where we were. His face was shining with sweat from the exertion and he was luminescent with excitement. "They're coming," he panted joyfully with a huge smile. "About 45 minutes. There's so many and they're coming!!"

About 100 yards from the station doors, a dozen people stood with signs at the busy intersection of University Avenue and Martin Luther King Road. A couple of the signs said, "Honk if you support free speech and KPFA."  And a constant, non-stop cacophony of car horns rose into the air as nearly every passing car responded.

When the marchers arrived, I should have done a count but I'll conservatively guess somewhere around 300-plus people walked up -- signs, flags, "dream catchers" on poles, whistles, drums, and a tremendous amount of energy. The speakers were excellent. After a moving speech from an older African American woman who is on the Berkeley City Council, the rally was structured as a "Gathering of People of Faith." Each speaker was from a different spiritual tradition -- a Catholic priest, two young ministers from a nearby (Episcopal, I think) seminary, a leading person from the Buddhist Fellowship, a woman from an African tradition who smudged the station's doors to drive away the evil spirits who had closed them, and a woman who read wonderful poetry she had written for the occasion.

Only one outcome can emerge from something like this: winning back free speech and our community's radio station.
 

7/22/99

UPDATE...AND ACTION SUGGESTIONS!

A NOTE ON COMMUNICATIONS: We've been told that a few - probably
a very few - among the thousands and thousands of
people who've written, e-mailed, FAXed, and telephoned
Pacifica board members and others during this crisis have
used disrespectful, insulting, sometimes violent language.

PLEASE remember that this is not what we're about, this
is not in the Pacifica tradition, and it will not advance
our cause - quite the contrary.  We understand that
emotions are high around this outrageous usurpation of power.
But please remember that NOONE'S EMOTIONS ARE HIGHER THAN
OURS...the locked out staff and outraged community.  We are
working endlessly to reverse this situation.  But we are
not helped by inappropriate communication.  Thanks again
for your participation, your passion, and your cooperation!

THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY TO HELP US!

1. Call or write Berkeley Mayor Shirley Dean and DEMAND that
she endorse and support a special session of the Berkeley City
Council.  And that she reverse herself and support the
resolution sponsored by Councilmembers Donna Spring and
Dianne Wooley which askes for: 1)Immediate resumption of live
programming on KPFA; 2) Ending the lockout of staff and
community; 3) Returning dismissed staff and volunteers;
4)Removing the gag rule; 5) Establishing a process for
democratic representation of the local boards to the
national governing board; 6) MINIMIZING THE USE OF
POLICE!

Mayor Shirley Dean
(510) 644-6484
dean@ci.berkeley.ca.us

2. Pacifica has reportedly fired spokesperson Elan Fabbri
(known to us as "the fabbricator" for her frequent erroneous
statements about what's happening) and hired an expensive
San Francisco public relations firm, Michael Fineman and
Associates, to tell its story.

PLEASE CALL MR. FINEMAN AND HIS ASSOCIATES and explain to
them who they are representing!  And that they are receiving
subscribers' money to work for Lynn Chadwick and Mary Frances
Berry and AGAINST the interests of free speech, community
radio!

Michael Fineman and Associates
(415) 777-6933

3. Despite repeated denials from now departed spokesperson
Elan Fabbri that they intended to do so, Pacifica yesterday
forced the installation of ISDN telephone lines to KPFA's
transmitter.  Union installers from Pac Bell, fellow members
of CWA 9415, the union that represents the paid staff at
KPFA, refused to cross our informational picket line.  Instead,
a Pac Bell management person, escorted by police, circled
around and entered the property.

Thanks largely to pressure from supporters like you, the staff
and management of KPFK Los Angeles have refused to allow their
programming to be broadcast on KPFA.  The workers at Pacifica
Program Service in Los Angeles have made the same statement.

IT IS NOW DISTINCTLY POSSIBLE that Berry and Chadwick will begin
broadcasting on KPFA's transmitter, bypassing our building
completely.  One possible site is Western Public Radio in
San Francisco.  It is run by Carolyn Van Putten, the first
would-be scab recruited by Lynn Chadwick (Van Putten was
brought in and was waiting to go on the air to replace Mary
Berg or Robbie Osman after Larry Bensky was
fired in April, should either invite
Bensky on the air.  Both Berg and Osman speak out strongly
about the matter anyway, and Osman was eventually also fired.)

  Van Putten, who has no relationship to
KPFA, was proposed by Chadwick as a Pacifica national board member
at the recent meeting in Washington, but was rejected after
the board apparently concluded that her appointment would
further anger KPFA supporters.  She is a long-time associate
of Chadwick's.  Western Public Radio is a grant and fee
supported training and production facility.  Many of the
signers of the so-called "diversity coalition" letter last
month, which supported Chadwick, are associated with it.
The only local scab to cross into KPFA's building since
the lockout, Chris Howell, also is associated with WPR.

KPFA PROGRAMMING FROM WESTERN PUBLIC RADIO...OR ANY PROGRAMMING
DONE BY ANYONE OTHER THAN KPFA STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS FROM KPFA'S
BUILDING IS SCAB PROGRAMMING!

Also...Western Public Radio shares its space at Ft. Mason
San Francisco, with the headquarters of the National Federation
of Community Broadcasters, which Chadwick formerly headed.
Many NFCB stations have strongly protested Berry and Chadwick's
actions.

Please call Carolyn Van Putten and Western Public Radio...RIGHT AWAY...
and DEMAND THAT THEY ISSUE A STATEMENT LIKE THAT OF KPFK AND THE PACIFICA
PROGRAM SERVICE...THAT THEY WILL NOT SCAB ON KPFA!

Western Public Radio
(415) 771-1161
 

Subject:         KPFA Alert--7/21/99
Date sent:       Wed, 21 Jul 99 12:29:45 -0800
From:            Andrea Buffa <ma@igc.org>

Police tore down Camp KPFA at 4 a.m. today and arrested 10 people,
including KPFA local advisory board member Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi. They
are about to arrest free speech demonstrators at the KPFA transmitter in
the Berkeley Hills so that Pacifica can install a high-speed Internet
connection there and broadcast programming from other locations. This,
while Pacifica claims they want to mediate.
 

NINE PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS INCLUDING LOCAL BOARD MEMBER ARRESTED;
BERKELEY POLICE TEAR DOWN CAMP KPFA Momentum for resignation of Pacifica
national leadership grows, 5 p.m. march planned for tonight at Ashby BART
station to be followed by hip hop, spoken word benefit at Berkeley's La
Peña Cultural Center.

BERKELEY, CA - In the early hours of July 21 Berkeley police officers
cleared peaceful demonstrators, including local station advisory board
member Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi, from the street and sidewalk in front of
listener-sponsored broadcaster KPFA. Dozens of protesters established Camp
KPFA last week and maintained a 24 hour-a-day presence at the station,
which was shut down by the Pacifica foundation on July 13.

"Regardless of how many of us are arrested we are not going away," said
Andrea Buffa, Executive Director of Media Alliance. "The diverse movement
to reclaim free speech radio is spreading through our communities in spite
of Pacifica's intimidation campaign."

Meanwhile, Pacifica national leadership continues to try to install ISDN
line at the station's Berkeley Hills transmitter in a move that would
enable managers to broadcast from outside the station. The Communications
Workers of America, which represents station staff, has established a
picket line around the transmitter.

"Pacifica is escalating this conflict by taking such provocative steps,"
said KPFA news co-director Aileen Alfandary. Mediation between the
community and management began yesterday.

Alfandary pointed out that even as Pacifica -- which took over the station
by force one week ago -- begins mediation with KPFA staff and supporters,
it is taking action that will allow management to circumvent the station's
role in broadcasting altogether.

Media activists continued to call for the resignation of the Pacifica
board leadership as well as the foundation's executive director, Lynn
Chadwick.

"Pacifica's leadership has shown itself to be unwilling to work with the
KPFA community in good faith," said Buffa. "The best way to restore
diverse, accountable free speech radio is for the people who got us into
this mess to bow out."

Pacifica national management locked out all staff on July 13, arrested
staff members and supporters and pulled the plug on all local programming.
 

Dozens of peaceful protesters have been arrested in the week since
Pacifica took over the station. Those arrested include Street Spirit
editor Terry Messman, Global Exchange Program Director Ken Preston, civil
rights attorney Osha Newman, and Prison Radio Project Director Noelle
Hanrahan, as well as a KPFA staffers.

For background information, see www.radio4all.org/freepacifica or
www.freepacifica.cjb.net.

Subject:         Latest KPFA Press Release
Date sent:       Tue, 20 Jul 99 15:44:55 -0800
From:            Andrea Buffa <ma@igc.org>
To:              <dadelson@ucla.edu>, <lbensky@igc.org>, <redlyn@loop.com>,
        <jab@tucradio.org>, <mediabeat@igc.org>, <amyg@igc.apc.org>,
        <sam@accuracy.org>, <belindag@media-alliance.org>

For email and web distribution:

NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:           CONTACT:
July 20, 1999                    Andrea Buffa 415-546-6334
x309/415-309-6334
                                 Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi 510-841-9684
                                 Aileen Alfandary 510-644-3971

PACIFICA INTENT ON REMOTE BROADCASTING:
THREE ATTEMPTS MADE TO CROSS STAFF PICKET LINE DESPITE MEDIATION OFFER
Momentum for Resignation of National Leadership Grows as Supporters
Continue 24 Hour Vigil at Station

BERKELEY, CA - The Pacifica Foundation's national leadership is attempting
to install ISDN line at local broadcaster KPFA's Berkeley Hills
transmitter in a move that would enable managers to broadcast from outside
the station. The Communications Workers of America, which represents
station staff, has established a picket line around the transmitter.
Pacifica has tried to cross the picket line three times without success.
Station staff and supporters are condemning the ISDN installation as
evidence of Pacifica's antagonism toward station workers and listeners.

"Pacifica is escalating this conflict by taking such provocative steps,"
said KPFA news co-director Aileen Alfandary.

Alfandery pointed out that even as Pacifica -- which took over the station
by force one week ago -- insists it is willing to mediate with KPFA
supporters, it is taking action that will allow management to circumvent
the station's role in broadcasting altogether.

Also today the Berkeley City Council will hold a special meeting at 7pm to
consider the deepening crisis at the station. And on Wednesday July 21 La
Peña Cultural Center will host a hip hop and spoken word benefit for
station supporters.

"We're not giving up," said musician and San Francisco State professor Dr.
Loco (a.k.a. Dr. Jose B. Cuellar) at Monday's sold out benefit concert.
"They can't take away our station."

Media activists continued to call for the resignation of the Pacifica
board leadership as well as the foundation's executive director, Lynn
Chadwick.

"Pacifica's leadership has shown itself to be unwilling to work with the
KPFA community in good faith," said Andrea Buffa, Executive Director of
Media Alliance, who has spent most of the past week camped at the station.
"The best way to restore diverse, accountable free speech radio is for the
people who got us into this mess to bow out."

Pacifica national management locked out all staff on July 13, arrested
staff members and supporters and pulled the plug on all local programming.
 

-Dozens of peaceful protesters have been arrested in the week
sincePacifica took over the station. Those arrested include Street Spirit
editor Terry Messman, Global Exchange Program Director Ken Preston, civil
rights attorney Osha Newman, and Prison Radio Project Director Noelle
Hanrahan, as well as a KPFA staffers.

For background information, see www.radio4all.org/freepacifica.

###