July 12, 2006

To Whom It May Concern:

I regret to inform supporters of WBAI and Pacifica that the message circulated by Pacifica executive director Greg Guma is completely inaccurate, and was disseminated without my knowledge or consent.

At 5:56 PM on Tuesday, July 11, 2006, Phil Osegueda, an assistant to Greg, transmitted the following e-mail to WBAI producer and the USOC “union” representative Ken Nash:

“Hello Ken-

“I'm sending you this e-mail from Greg Guma regarding a personnel change at WBAI. Could you please forward it to your USOC listserv, and the assorted WBAI producer listservs that you are associated with? The text is below and attached

“many thanks

“Phil Osegueda

“Asst to the ED”

Embedded in Phil's e-mail was the following message from executive director Greg Guma:

“This memo is to announce that Indra Hardat, WBAI's Interim General Manager, has chosen to return to her regular position as WBAI's Business Manager, effective as soon as a new Interim General Manager is appointed. On behalf of the Pacifica National Board, the WBAI Local Station Board and staff at WBAI, I'd like to express sincere thanks to Indra for her work as Interim General Manager this last year.

“The Local Station Board will immediately commence with the screening and recommendation to the Executive Director of candidates for the next WBAI interim General Manager. A job announcement with details of the application process will be made very soon.

“Greg Guma
“Executive Director
“greg@pacifica.org”

Unfortunately, the content of Greg and Phil's memoranda could not be farther from the truth.

I was neither privy to, consulted about, nor in agreement with this executive memorandum, a copy of which I never directly received, and of which I learned only after it was widely distributed, less than an hour later, at 6:48 PM, on a WBAI "staff list" (WBAIProducers@yahoogroups.com), and reproduced in public fora, including the "WBAI Listeners Forum" (http://www.listenerforums.net), among other venues of which I may as yet be unaware.

Contrary to Greg's memo, I did not resign as interim general manger of WBAI, nor has it been my intention to do so.

It has been a tumultuous year at WBAI, but I remain committed to the process of reducing violence, improving morale, restoring listener confidence, and maintaining fiscal responsibility at WBAI under these most challenging times, despite internal and external opposition from those resistant to WBAI's commitment to the core principles of the Pacifica Foundation.

Any intimations to the contrary are not of my making, and I hope to continue in my current role for as long as it benefits the Pacifica mission.

To paraphrase Mark Twain: “The reports of my resignation have been greatly fabricated.”

Thanks for your consideration in this unsettling affair.

Indra Hardat
Interim General Manager
WBAI