Editorials

The interim Pacifica National Board held its first meeting by telephone Saturday and elected three officers. 

Leslie Cagan of New York, who represents the former minority board – those working to democratize the station – was elected chair. Carol Spooner of the Berkeley local advisory board was named secretary and Jabari Zakiya of the Washington, D.c. station local advisory board was named treasurer.  

The board voted to hold a face-to-face meeting in New York City Jan. 11-13.  

And it also agreed to return Democracy Now! to the Pacifica airwaves “as soon as possible.” The plan is for the weekday news magazine, aired for several months on only one Pacifica station – KPFA in Berkeley – to become an independent nonprofit entity and to contract with Pacifica for its programs. 

The board appointed a committee to search for new executive director, and passed a resolution requiring station managers to attend the New York meeting and present financial data on their stations.  

The board split along partisan lines (old majority and its supporters vs. new majority and its supporters) on three issues that will now require decisions by Alameda Superior Court Judge Ronald A. Sabraw:  

One was the question of whether to investigate issues at the New York station regarding persons who were fired and barred from the station. Another was around the question of suspending gag rules that are in place at all the Pacifica stations except KPFA. A third question the judge will decide is around firing the board’s current attorneys. 

Spooner said she expects a decision within two business days.