The 10/10 meeting included an overview of what has been happening in Pacifica, as well as discussion of the broader political and economic context in which this is unfolding. We began to explore steps we might take to help keep Pacifica true to it's mission: educating more people about the problems; connecting with activists in other cities; pressuring those in control of the national board and the national staff; building support for WBAI. Above all else, there was a strong commitment to the struggle to save Pacifica.

Since that meeting the situation has taken a new turn. A letter that Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now!, sent to Pacifica's executive director and Board became public this past week. In her letter, Amy explains the harassment the show has been under, raising serious concerns about future actions Pacifica may try to take.

Our meeting next Monday (10/30) will be a timely opportunity for us to share information and focus on our next steps. We will bring a more detailed summation of the ideas generated at the October 10th meeting and we hope everyone will come with ideas for our collective action.

For more information: lesliecagan@igc.org

The October 10th public meeting (see below) was a great success, with a turnout of listeners, producers, local and national board members, and members of the media. A surprise guest speaker was Dan Coughlin, former Pacifica Network News Director, who was fired from Pacifica for not yielding to Pacifica's pressures on the news department. He spoke about how extreme and continuous those pressures were. There was an excellent spirit of unity, and more meetings will be held on an ongoing basis, with the next one scheduled for October 25th. Check back here soon for a full report, and meeting details. PACIFICA CRISIS PUBLIC MEETING You are invited to a discussion about the on-going crisis at the Pacifica Radio network: Tuesday, October 10th, 6:30 p.m. at the offices of DC 1707 - 75 Varick St. - 14th floor (just north of Canal St., the A, E, C, 1 and 9 trains all stop at Canal) Last summer, many on the left were alarmed at the news coming out of Berkeley about Pacifica. In a series of dramatic actions against the network's station in Berkeley, KPFA, the leadership of the National Board revealed a deeply troubling attitude toward the freedom of the sister stations, and raised concerns about the future of the 50-year-old alternative-radio network....including WBAI in New York City. If you haven't been paying attention over the past year, you might believe the situation has calmed down and things are okay at Pacifica. This is not the case. Those controlling the national board have continued to make decisions eating away at the heart and soul of Pacifica, and a great deal is at stake in this ongoing conflict. This past June two New Yorkers - Leslie Cagan and Beth Lyons - joined the national Pacifica Board, thus expanding from four to six the people on the board struggling against those presently in control. Having participated in two national meetings and a recent board conference call, we are convinced that a national campaign to save Pacifica is urgently needed. A critical part for such an effort is sharing information about what's been happening and what it all means for the station's future. Our public meeting on Tuesday, October 10th is an opportunity for us to let you know what's going on. There will be time for discussion of what we can do by working together. We have a lot to talk about and so the meeting will start promptly at 6:30 p.m. We apologize for not getting word about this meeting out sooner, but we hope you will be able to join us next week. And please tell others who might be interested.