Comments on: Nicole Sawaya’s departure letter from Pacifica, September 2008

By: Nathan Moore

Nathan Moore — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:31:50 +0000

Hi Mary Janie,

Thanks for the kind words. The NPC position was cut for budgetary reasons – no replacement. I have landed at Free Speech Radio News now — fsrn.org.

~Nathan

By: mary janie

mary janie — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:44:07 +0000

Nathan – where are you and how do you continue on ?
this is the old site I have but find none other even on Google…
want to let some of us know your movings forward?

Because I,for one, thought you were doing a helpful function, did someone replace you or did position evaporate ?

how does all that work or not work well?

thanks.

By: CS Rodgers

CS Rodgers — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 22:33:38 +0000

Nicole Sawaya sadly lost whatever credibility she might originally have brought to the job by enabling the police beating of a KPFA volunteer. Pacifica is sinking towards a disgraceful demise.

See SF Bayview online archives from August 2008 for details.

By: maryjanie

maryjanie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:49:18 +0000

again, I left a comment last week that does not appear….need I copy it again ? so much repetition..

see repost of Nicole’s letter on
http://www.la.indymedia.org
also

seems to fit KPFK’s problems also and in Los Angeles we KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT IS GOING ON at OUR station or at Pacifica…so info is being exposed via these sites instead…

what happened to ‘open informative radio’ ? duh….

sorry for such turmoil and stresses w/strains on all concerned….from prior postings on pacificana.org by Nicole I was impressed with her/your insight and sincere descriptions…and now…what do we [those who pay for radio station's sustenance and volunteer our time and spend hours dedicated to finding and sharing info to be Participative instead of only obedient receptive sheep listeners].

sorry you are both lost to us.

maryjanie

By: Lois Blair Roberts

Lois Blair Roberts — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:44:34 +0000

So sorry Nicole’s tenure did not last . She sounds so dedicated. Am aware of the problems of competing egos and goals that have plagued KPFA.
Do hope that we can struggle on without her and continue to provide free sopeech radio.

By: patty heffley

patty heffley — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 01:08:11 +0000

My Email sig says:

“In solidarity with those of us who love the colorless, odorless
waves that move through little boxes all over the world. the fact that
sound actually emerges, on reflection, is so amazing as to be
nearly unbelievable…..”
-rogue finch

To lose Pacifica and the possibility of no more waves bringing sound would be unbearable….

It’s all true what Nicole says. I only wish she would have acted more forcefully. If she was leaving, do something special, memorable and cataclysmic. That is what is necessary now. Pacifica is nearly dying.

Pacifica is not a radio network any longer. It has been hijacked by little minded one note johnny’s who keep their buddies in power so they can follow along on their coatails. Some directors (and others) LOVE to hear themselves talk. People with little to say and NO solutions.

The biggest fear of anyone in any capacity is to be called a racist. It’s easy to achieve too. Race baiting has hampered the Foundation as much as anything financial because that stops dialogue and action. Meanwhile People of Color all over the US and the world suffer just as much and in the same ways as before this phenomenon took over. In fact Pacifica has done little on the airwaves in NYC where I am from to heal any antagonisms and has done plenty of emotional damage if you have had the pleasure of governing or working there. People of Color who do not tow the line are abused and mistrusted as well.

As a former director of Pacifica (05, 06), I with others tried to bring transparency through Director’s Inspections. Investigations and reports were made and nothing happened. Those who used Foundaton dollars to build their power base through buying expensive useless equipment and looking the other way when it disappeared remain employed today.

No one in a position of power sees fit to preserving the “host” as their primary goal. Maybe it isn’t easy. However that is the job and sometimes it isn’t pleasant. But it must be done. It seems for several years now no one has been able to gather one testicle between themeselves to do the unpopular move: Dismiss those who do not serve the listeners and Pacifica’s mission. And freshen up the air a little too!

Perhaps we need Donald Trump’s favorite words added to the discussion: “You’re Fired”.

Patty Heffley
former Pacifica Director/WBAI