The following E-mail indicates that a majority of the Pacifica National Board has informed Pacifica Executive Director Bessie Wash that they want the Pacifica Network to resume broadcasting Democracy Now!, without regard to the studio of origination. So far Ms. Wash has not complied.

Also important here is that one of the non-dissident Board members has broken ranks right before the September 19, conference call where Pacifica Management is to try and stack the Board again.

Subject: {FP} PNB majority demands return of Democracy Now!
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2001 01:34:39 -0400
From: “Lyn Gerry” <redlyn@loop.com>
To: savewbai@lists.tao.ca, freepac@recordist.com

From www.savepacifica.net

National Board votes by slim margin to support Democracy Now!

September 2, 2001: There has been a tremendous breakthrough in the Pacifica struggle -- one member of the Board majority, Valrie Chambers has switched sides, for the moment, to defend Democracy Now!

As you know, Pacifica has refused to distribute new “Democracy Now!” programs since August 14, when Amy Goodman and her crew moved to a location outside of Pacifica's WBAI Radio in New York because of threats and violence directed at the “Democracy Now!” crew by other WBAI staff. Pacifica suspended the “Democracy Now!” staff without pay, and has been airing reruns of “Democracy Now!” with headlines inserted by Feature Story News (FSN), a non-union service that counts among its other clients the U.S. government's Voice of America propaganda service and the rightward-tilting Fox News. (The headline segment is produced at FSN's facilities, though the newscaster falsely claims to be speaking “from the Pacifica newsroom.”)

In the middle of last week, the ground shook. A majority of the Pacifica National Board -- 6 of the 11 members -- signed a letter directing Executive Director Bessie Wash to reinstate the “Democracy Now!” crew, with pay, and to begin carrying the new daily programs from the “DN!” team. (It remains to be seen whether Ms. Wash will obey this directive from a majority of her board.)

The letter was signed, of course, by the five “dissident” Pacifica Board members (Pete Bramson, Leslie Cagan, Aaron Kriegel, Tomas Moran, and Rob Robinson).

What's new is that it was also signed by Valrie Chambers, who until now has sided with the majority that has hijacked Pacifica. Ms. Chambers, in fact, is described as strongly backing this initiative.

Ms. Chambers no doubt is under severe pressure to “return to the fold” of the Board majority. She needs our support to continue acting independent of them.

Should you wish to send Valrie Chambers a brief letter thanking her for supporting “Democracy Now!” and encouraging her to support the progressive voices at the network on other matters as well, her address is: Valrie.Chambers@mail.tamucc.edu

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