Open Letter to Pacifica Management

November 11, 1999

We protest the firing, cynically called by Pacifica Management a “reassignment,” of Dan Coughlin from his job as Bureau Chief of the Pacifica Network News. It is obvious to everyone that Pacifica Management's action against Mr. Coughlin came as a result of his factual, 20 second report that 16 Pacifica affiliates were boycotting Pacifica for one day in protest of Management's previous anti-labor, anti-free speech and anti-democratic actions.

Pacifica Management's censorship of a reporter and the news is a stain upon the reputation of the Pacifica Foundation.

And there is also the question of where is the voice of long term reporter/anchor Verna Avery Brown?

We demand that Mr. Coughlin be reinstated and that Pacifica Management stop interfering in the journalistic mission of all reporters within the Pacifica Foundation.