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Directors present:
David Fertig, Carol Spooner, George Barnstone, 
Leslie Cagan, Ray LaForest, Jabari Zakiya, 
Teresa Allen

Not present: Charles Smith, James Ferguson,  
Marion Barry, Dick Gregory, Bert Lee, 
Pete Bramson, Robbie Robinson (back injury), 
Janice K Bryant (ill)

Proposed Agenda:

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 
6:30 pm Review and Adoption of Meeting Agenda 
6:45 pm Adoption of Minutes from previous meetings 
7:00 pm Report from Board Chair 
7:15 pm Report from Executive Director...including 
update on office move Q&A/discussion 
8:00 pm General Community Comment 
9:30 pm Adjourn for the evening 

Meeting convenes  6:45

Chair Cagan - Thanks the tech crew and everyone involved
in producing the meeting(s).
Gives info for broadcasts and webcasts.

Review and Adoption of Meeting Agenda

Cagan - Goes over agenda changes moving some items
to later.
"Possible bylaws vote" listed on the agenda 
is not going to happen...

Matthew Lasar has emailed a statement for the iPNB
to act on regarding upcoming FCC policy changes.

Allen - Pleased to be in this historic place.
[All Souls Church is signifigant in the Civil Rights movement]
Concerned about putting important things to the end 
of the meeting for people who have to leave on time.

Cagan - continues to go over agenda [ posted at the top of
each of these pages and D.C. iPNB meeting info ]

MOTION: To adopt agenda

agreed


Adoption of Minutes from previous meetings

Secretary Spooner - Asks whether the board has received June minutes
that have been distributed. September minutes not ready yet.

Barnstone - asks there is a quorum? 
A: yes [5 people required, one third of the board]

Cagan - suggests tabling adopting minutes 
agreed

Report from Board Chair

Cagan - Has a tough time deciding what to say...
Realized that next week in the first anniversary of the
lawsuits settlement that 
moved things forward at Pacifica.
Wants to take stock of the last year.
We [in the U.S. and the world ] are in a time of great crisis.
We fought to regain Pacifica not just to reclaim the network, but
because the network is needed in facing the struggles in the world.
Unfortunately, after this past year we are far from solving the 
in the internal issues at Pacifica. 
Finances still an issue. Alot of progress in  
bylaws revision and governance
restructuring, but a long way to go.
We haven't come very far in dealing with programming 
matters nationally and at the five stations.
Doesn't suggest that people aren't working on these 
things, but people at the 
network and at the stations are on overload.
We need to find a way to make decisions and 
move on, and get things done.
Not having the bylaws revision complete is 
hurting Pacifica badly.
It is taking much badly needed energy that 
needs to be applied elsewhere.
Alarmed at how we treat each other when we disagree. 
We have not made a lot of 
progress in learning how to disagree constructively 
and work together.
During the struggle to re-gain the network we 
found a way to work together
and this has to happen now. We need everyone 
working on things, can't afford
to spare anyone. We have much more in 
common than what divides us. 
Our real differences are the powers 
that be that run the country and the world.
The immediate challenge is to get through this 
weekend and the iPNB and
people attending these meetings.
Responds to an email that requested an 
update on the Democracy Now! contract.
Nothing ready to report yet. The committee 
that was formed has engaged a few
lawyers that have done some evalution that 
was handed in a couple of weeks ago
and there hasn't been time to evaluate it yet. 
It will be presented to the board when that is done.

It's been a very challenging year. We need to 
resolve the bylaws revision
and get past the interim phase that we are in.
[applause]

Report from Executive Director - including 
update on office move 

Dan Couglin - Reads from report 
Thanks the national staff for their work.
The number one priority of the national office to establish
financial stability of the foundation.
Very good fundraising at the stations this year.
[applause as station fundraising figures are given]
Station financial organizing going well.
Still, major financial issues still unresolved;
$1.4 million debt from hijacker national board.
New permanent controller and
development director will be hired

Decline in CPB funding for KPFK and WBAI  likely due
to drop in fundraising in recent hijacker years.

Move of national office to Berkeley continues to progress,
planned for March 2003.
New national staff is being put together including Valerie 
Van Isler

Main areas of rebuilding Pacifica:

1) news staff and programming:
Verna Avery Brown will be national news bureau chief working
out of DC.
2) need rebuild strong programming and base of producers.
KPFA's apprenticeship program has been good and their 
materials are being adopted.
3) new technologies - major changes at pacifica.org
and work on the sites of the 5 stations [ webmaster report ]
4) physical plant - progress with KPFK antenna and 
other projects
5) Pacifica archive - successful fundraising for the archive, will
become self supporting
6) Affiliates - only 17 affiliates left when the iPNB came in 
last year, now the number has doubled and is growing. 

People have been responding 

Cagan - questions from the board for the executive director?

Barnstone - what has Pacifica done in working the ACLU 
regarding the situation regarding the current 
day civil liberties situation?

Coughlin - looking to do more 
coverage of civil liberties issues and 
building relationship with civil liberties organizations

Fertig - Pacifica was moved away from 
being a volunteer organization...
how will Van Isler and Avery Brown bring 
together resources, volunteers?

Coughlin - wants reporters at the White House, ACLU, Homeland Security,
but not enough funding

Fetig - how will volunteers be brought in?

Couglin - great training program and new volunteers at WPFW
[applause] and at in various situations at different stations.
It's going to take time to develop and organize volunteers.

Cagan - invites people to eat sandwiches that have been brought in.

Spooner - It's been quite a year...
We've been focusing on news which is 
very important, but that's
not all that we will be doing - arts, 
public affairs.
People around the network have expressed 
that that public affairs
programming etc are being developed fast 
enough. What has been going
on with this?

Coughlin - public affairs and news is very 
expensive it will take time to develop national news...

Spooner - was referring to programming that 
has been developed by volunteers etc.

Coughlin - much has been going on

Zakiya - concerned with the internal 
strife at the station and it's drain
on energy etc. What does the executive 
director's thoughts?

Coughlin - Agrees with what Cagan said earlier 
and Pacifica is a lifeline
to the communities and we want to develop 
less threatening work workplaces.
In Houston there is development of a code of conduct

Allen - wants to hear more about Corporation for Public 
Broadcasting money and the stations

Coughlin - WBAI CPB grant dropped from $430,000 - $380,000, 
KPFK dropped from $230,000 to $185, 000. CPB grants calculated
using audience numbers and fundraising figures.
The boycott against Pacifica in 2001 affected this.
Should be able to get some of the money back for KPFK
because of signal interference issues...

Fertig/Coughlin - some back and forth about KPFK

LaForest - Concerned about programming. 
Is there any development with 
the idea of having outreach coordinators at the stations?

Coughlin - working on it

Cagan - will take questions from other people...

The executive director segment of the meeting
morphs into the 

public comment period...

KhaRabia Rayford, WPFW LAB - Question about 
Verna Avery Brown's upcoming work.
Pacifica is at a crossroads in regarding 
it's identity - activists network
or a news network? There needs to be a 
national outreach director and local
outreach and programming needs to built 
on what people want [need?]


Coughlin - KPFA and KFPK doubled their 
support (revenues) this last year, what
changed? After observations, feels that 
it's the increase 
in progressive programming. Is Working 
on outreach. We have to prioritize
what Pacifica will do in the near 
future with the limited resources. 

Cagan - the issue of a national outreach 
director is not a simple matter.
Feels that the priority now is the local outreach.

Rayford - a national outreach office works toward accountability

LaForest - are the local stations 
budgeted for an outreach person?
A: yes, but not all that stations have the resources

Mary Berg, KPFA LAB - Since getting 
KPFA back after the lockout [1999] they've had a lot of progress 
with inclusion - people having access and 
being involved with the station.
Wants to know what ed thinks of developing relationships with
associate stations as well as affiliates

Coughlin - likes the idea

Miguel Maldado, WBAI LAB - Want to know 
what the developments there have been with regards to 
national programming and a national program director.

Couglin - talks about past and planned 
national days of broadcasts 
and other peace programming. As of yet 
there isn't a definite plan
regarding national programming.

Barnstone - the time for this programming 
is now. Demands to know
what ed is doing right now regarding 
programming on civil liberties

Couglin - programmers all the 5 stations 
are working on that constantly. 
Working on getting a beat reporter to 
cover the homeland security act.

Barnstone -Is Avery Brown working on the civil liberties
issues? A: yes

Coughlin - we are all very concerned and are working on 
covering civil liberties issues.

Cagan - doesn't feel that Pacifica or 
people at the stations have
yet risen to this need. We need to put 
a coordinated effort in place
to educate the programmers and increase 
awareness. It will take  more that just the ed.

Barnstone - not to dis the ed, but this isn't happening yet...

Spooner - Back in the mid nineties 
there were many dedicated 
volunteer programmers who doing valuable 
work, they were gotten rid
of and have yet to be replaced in the 
current Pacifica. 
It is not an issue of money, there
are many volunteer resources, we need 
to re-establish a structure
to bring people in etc. There's been 
30 new programs at KPFT...

Reads a comment published in a DC paper
from an unlighted WPFW listener 
complaining about the pre-empting
programming for the national day of 
broadcasting for the archives

Coughlin - there needs to first be more discussion before 
building a programming plan etc 

Spooner - disagrees... Duane Bradley [KPFT]
decided new programming  needed to be done and
has been doing it. Management can go 
look at the mission as a guide etc and
move forward.

Coughlin - that's good for the short 
term but, we want to reinforce
Pacifica's identity in the practice...

Zakiya - There's needs to be accurate 
data before there can be useful discussion
regarding programming. He has called 
for an audit of the programming
at all the stations. When can this happen?

Cagan - the iPNB has asks all the LABs 
to audit the programming at their
stations.

Zakiya - Would like to see the audit be detailed.
WPFW has failed to do their mandated weekly 2 hours of 
bylaws/governance programming. when will this be enforced?

Coughlin - will make sure there will be a programming report.
Has misunderstood that the mandated weekly 2 hours of 
bylaws/governance programming was still in effect.
Will get on it.

Cagan - It's not only up to the ed to get the programming
audits done

Spooner - suggests using the KPFA programming audit as
an example

Cagan - suggests that a list of info being 
sought for programming audits be made up

Allen - agrees that the first step to working on programming
is getting accurate information.
...The gay program at KPFT was good because it brought together
public affairs, arts etc.


(Public comment period phases in)

Susan DeSilva, KPFA LAB - KPFA LAB really wants to see the 
Democracy Now! contract. before it's finalized.
Also with the elections procedure issue, we've gone over and
over it and it's time the national board takes a stand and
moves the process forward.
Applauds what's happening in Houston with all the new programs.


Steve Conely, KPFA - Asks ed whether there would be a national
training program policy? A: mixture of local and national criteria.
Would require a national training director? A: probably not.
Feels that outreach needs to be a main priority. Concerned that there
be a focused, consistent coordinated process.

Barnstone - asks about Asian presence on the KPFA LAB?

Cagan - this is a topic for later...

Spooner - no Asians on LAB, but 13% Asian programming

Cagan - moves on.....

Sam Husseini, WPFW LAB - would you agree that that it is racist to 
imply that U.S. lives are more valuable than Iraqi lives?

Coughlin - would agree with that

Husseini - What plans are there for establishing a DC news bureau
to closely cover the developments on Capitol hill, war etc.
Though there are a shortage of resources, feels the main reason 
for shortcomings in this is lack of leadership.

Couglin - the financial problems are still too much of a barrier
Have to make tough choices.

Tom Gomez, WPFW area - there's so much going on and there's still
no morning news on WPFW! Got get the big divisions within the
WPFW community which are blocking things from moving forward.
Supports more use of volunteers in news and other things.

Donna Gould, WBAI area - Wants iPNB to address "listener rights"
in  KPFK's bylaws draft
[ had been over looked in the bylaws process ] 
Agreed.
Transparency is essential.
There should be regular unscreened listener 
call-ins at the stations  
- the right of listeners to connect with each other.
It's crucial for the protection and health of Pacifica
that listeners
...Get's clarification on the status of next stage of bylaws draft.

Spooner - new draft hasn't been produced yet
[current unedited bylaws draft]

Susan Lee, WBAI area - Asks the iPNB to Please get in on 
the very unpleasant situation in NY.
Against programmers being commanded from above 
as to their show's content.

Marion Borenstein, WBAI LAB - Has 
envisioned an empowered Local station
board and LSB meetings being held in the different communities
throughout a station's listening area. This is 
where outreach and input from the listeners will happen. 
Not as pessimistic that Pacifica's not doing enough. 
We are too hard on ourselves.
Short range and long range goals should be set up.
People need to know where their money's going.

Kahlil Jacobs Fantauzzi, KPFA LAB - Pleased with 
the progress that has been made in the
last year. What is the commitment to engaging young people of
color in the discussion of building Pacifica? There's needs to be
more diversity in the form of bilingual programming aimed
at youth.
[applause]

Billy Ray Edwards, WPFW LAB - The chickens 
have come to roost on the programming issue
at WPFW. Congratulates the LAB for 
using good judgement in the bylaws
process and seeing though the status 
quo supportive nature of the hybrid and KPFA models.
The issue of diversity needs to be dealt with in programming.
Programming has improved and it will get better.
Doesn't appreciate that WPFW has been treated like a step child
in the way that various people characterize the 
problems of the station.

Kwasi Nkrumah, KPFK LAB - Not as concerned  with 
simply having a dedicated reporter covering the 
main news stories in DC, but Pacifica needs to 
train people to do good alternative
new story coverage at all the stations - to have
the development come from bottom up.
[applause]

Patty Heffley, WBAI area -   All the archives, 
including the DN archives and 
the subscriber lists should remain in Pacifica's 
hands. Supports using the archives more. 
The difficulties between people stem partly from the sense
of powerlessness experienced by many people in the 
Pacifica community in the past. Supports the iPNB from 
stopping people's particular agendas from 
holding up processes. There has yet been proper attention 
to the issue of establishing listener-member binding referendum 
and access to the airwaves in order to connect with one another.
[applause]


David Moore, Missoula MT  - Addresses the 
issue of people not getting
along within Pacifica; would do well 
to remember mission.
Regarding elections procedures; 
wonders  if it might be best for each
station to determine their own [ some groans ]

Andrea Fishman, WBAI area - We need 
to develop ways to respond
to the issues. A way to do that 
is in developing democratic
processes at Pacifica. Wants to work 
on this till it's properly resolved.
Supports establishing binding 
referendum and bylaws ratification procedures.

Deena Kolberg, WBAI - Supports establishing 
an outreach coordinator for acquiring more affiliates. 
Very important. Hiring an affiliate outreach coordinator 
will be a wise investment with regard to
absorbing new technology.

Coughlin - many affiliates have/are coming back. 
Agrees affiliates are an important resource.

Joanie Osberg, WPFW programmer - We have had alot 
of successes we need to appreciate
these more. Supports some reports and discussion 
on the successes with programming
at the stations

Star Bowie, WPFW area - There hasn't been enough 
coverage of what Israel's role will
be in a war with Iraq. Ed Herman and others 
have written articles. Also supports better, 
more in depth long range coverage of Israel.

Cagan - Let's please on time at 9am tomorrow. 
Will try to get better heating in the room.


9:33pm - meeting adjourns

Roger Manning, NYC