PACIFICA FOUNDATION HIRES MANAGER
FOR NEW YORK RADIO STATION
WBAI/Pacifica 99.5 FM Welcomes
New Manager Anthony Riddle

NEW YORK, New York, February 6 — On Saturday January 26th, Dan Siegel, interim Executive Director of the Pacifica Foundation, announced that Anthony Riddle was hired by the foundation as station manager for WBAI-FM, Pacifica's radio station in New York City.

"We're very happy to have Anthony with us. He has a great history in media, civil rights advocacy, and building organizations. We are very confident that he's going to provide long term leadership to this station and make WBAI again a crown jewel of the Pacifica Network," noted Siegel. Anthony Riddle replaces Interim station manager Robert Scott Adams, who will stay on for a few weeks to assist in the transition.

ELECTION UNSPUN
New Multi-Media Website Provides Critical News and Information for Voters

(February 5, 2008) - Community radio networks Pacifica Radio and Free Speech Radio News have introduced ElectionUnspun.org, a new multi-media website to promote election literacy during the 2008 elections. "Election Unspun is full of compelling and uncomplicated information to help citizens unravel the double-speak of political candidates and media pundits,” said Nathan Moore, Pacifica Radio's National Program Coordinator.

The website features new audio and video productions and blogs that are updated daily, accompanied by supplemental text and background information. Links to other informative elections websites are provided. Daily audio newscasts showcased at the top of the website’s home page include headlines, news features, and interviews. They are also being aired on many grassroots radio stations throughout the US in a newscast also called Election Unspun.

HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY RADIO BEGINS
AS RADIO FOR PEOPLE GAINS FCC VICTORY

Filing  Window Opens: October 12-22

After years of waiting, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has opened a filing window for full-power noncommercial radio licenses this week -- from October 12 to October 22. The window is seen by media democracy activists as a rare and historic opportunity, as it will probably be the last chance that non-profits have to obtain a full-power station for years to come. Hundreds are expected to apply for local stations, establishing a new generation of community radio broadcasters.

Radio for People Coalition

Members of the Radio for People Coalition estimate that more than 200 applications will be filed by local residents for community radio stations. Radio for People, a national coalition of individuals and organizations for promoting community radio, was formed in 2006 to help community radio applicants prepare for this filing window.

The coalition includes: Pacifica Radio, Common Frequency, Free Press, Future of Music coalition, National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB), Prometheus Radio Project and Public Radio Capital. Various activist, radio engineers, and FCC lawyers have also donated countless hours of service to the coalition's work.

A Victory for Community Radio

On the eve of the filing window, community radio gained a victory when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set a limit of 10 applications per group during the application window.  The Radio for People Coalition, as well as thousands of others across the country, had called on the FCC to set this limitation.  Continued...

NICOLE SAWAYA HIRED AS NEW PACIFICA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

September 30, 2007

For information: Dan Siegel, interim executive director 510-849-2590 X 207

(Berkeley, CA - September 30, 2007) On Saturday, the Pacifica National Board announced the hire of longtime public radio broadcaster Nicole Sawaya as Executive Director of Pacifica.

Sawaya will be based out of the Pacifica National office in Berkeley and will become full-time Director in December 2007. She will begin phasing in mid-November. She has asked that she not be contacted until then since she is employed elsewhere and that any questions be directed to the Pacifica National office.

Nicole Sawaya has been in noncommercial media - primarily public radio - for over thirteen years. She started as a news reporter, then segued into management. Since then, she has been general manager at KZYX, KPFA-Pacifica, and KALW. She also worked at NPR in Washington DC.

Sawaya, who is Lebanese-American, has received numerous awards throughout her career, including the Milestone Award from American Women in Radio and TV, Golden Gate Chapter; several Silver Reel Awards from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters; and the 2005 Journalist of the Year Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California Chapter, for her work in building news and public affairs programs at KALW in San Francisco.

Sawaya replaces the outgoing Greg Guma, who said, " It has been an honor to play a small role in Pacifica's continuing evolution. I am pleased with the recent choice of Nicole."

Greg Guma served as Executive Director of the Pacifica Foundation from 2006 to 2007. Board members, staff and listeners thank him for his work on behalf of the network.

COMMENT TO THE FCC IN FAVOR OF LIMITS
ON FULL-POWER RADIO APPLICATIONS
August 29, 2007

As a supporter of community radio, you can do something right now to give locally-based independent media a better chance of competing with large conservative media groups with deep pockets.

There's an easy comment-filing tool with regards to the application limit for full-power non-commercial stations at this address:
www.freepress.net/fcc/comment.php?dn=fullpowerradio

You can also file comments electronically via the FCC website.

Note: Comments are due September 6.

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITIES
IN OAXACA FROM PACIFICA NATIONAL BOARD
July 28, 2007

Whereas, Ulises Ruiz Ortiz is accused of being responsible for human rights abuses against a mainly Indigenous population, against teachers on strike and against anyone who speaks out against this repression;

Whereas, Amnesty International in 2005, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in October 2006 and the International Civil Commission for Human Rights Observation in December 2006, have reported extensive and systematic human rights violations, including assassinations, torture, rapes (of women and men) and arbitrary detention in Oaxaca state;

STATEMENT FROM THE PACIFICA NATIONAL BOARD
July 29, 2007

The Pacifica Foundation supports the Local Community Radio Act of 2007 – House Bill 2802/S, and Senate Bill 1675 – introduced by Senators John McCain and Maria Cantwell, and Congressman Doyle and Congressman Terry – to expand Low Power FM radio to more communities and to many of America's biggest cities.

We encourage everyone to contact and ask their own senators to co-sponsor this bill to help provide access for people to more local media to support workers, families, and communities across the country.

PACIFICA AFFILIATE KUSP WILL EXPLORE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP WITH NEIGHBORING KAZU IN MONTEREY BAY AREA

February 27, 2007

The management of the Monterey Bay's two leading public radio broadcasters, KUSP (88.9 Santa Cruz) and KAZU (90.3 Pacific Grove), announced on Tuesday February 27, that they will explore the formation of a strategic relationship that would improve public radio offerings on the Central Coast.

While no changes in programming are foreseen for the next six months, KUSP and KAZU will begin studying their operations immediately. Should the process point to improvements in service, efficiency and sustainability, station leadership will make recommendations to their respective license holders, the "Pataphysical Broadcasting Foundation and the Foundation of California STate UNiversity Monterey Bay.

STATEMENT FROM THE PACIFICA NATIONAL BOARD
January 26, 2007

Listen to the statement

For more than half a century, Pacifica radio has opposed violence and war and has defended basic rights. The Pacifica National Board takes this responsibility very seriously. At its recent meeting in Houston, the Board adopted motions on several crucial issues and urged Pacifica stations to give them consistent and in-depth coverage.

National Conference for Media Reform
Make the Connection

Memphis, TN / January 11 - 14 2007

Join Pacifica Radio at the National Conference for Media Reform in Memphis Tennessee from January 12 - 14 for live and recorded coverage of the largest gathering of activists, media makers, educators, journalists, policymakers and concerned citizens who are assessing the state of our media and mobilizing for better media. To listen to our live on line coverage (see schedule below) go here.

The conference,  organized by Free Press, responds to our extraordinary moment in history. Never has there been a stronger, more cohesive community of organizations and individuals working for better media. And the need for media reform has never been greater. For information about the conference, go here .