Friends of Arlene Engelhardt, a longtime presence at WMNF radio in Tampa, warned her a year ago when she took on the job as Executive Director of Pacifica Radio that it could be a volatile experience.
She's definitely in the thick of it now, after she opted to terminate the hosts and producers of KPFA radio in Berkeley's Morning Show on Monday. KPFA is one of the five stations owned directly by Pacifica.
For those of you who care about community radio, this is a big deal. Pacifica Radio also owns stations in New York City, Washington D.C., Houston and Los Angeles. Today the KPFA Morning Show did air, with co-host Aimee Allison announcing that the entire staff had been fired the day before.
WMNF in Tampa airs Democracy Now! and Free Speech Radio News, which previously were only accessible off of Pacifica radio's satellite, though those shows are now available for download off of the Internet. Other shows like Counterspin and Explorations are also shows that in the past were made available to stations belonging to the Pacifica network.
Aaron Glantz, a former colleague of mine when I worked at KFPA in the 1990's (mostly as a volunteer reporter/anchor but on occasion for pay), has written a description of what's happening that he posted on the Huffington Post last night.
It's unclear why Pacifica's Executive Director Arlene Engelhardt would make such a move, which is guaranteed to lose the network's flagship station both listeners and dollars, while simultaneously undercutting its very reason for existence.
She didn't return my phone call seeking an explanation, which is not much of a surprise. Yesterday, her critics posted a video on You Tube where she refused to disclose her salary.
"That is not public information," she said, forgetting that all non-profits are required by law to disclose the salaries of their top executives annually when they file their tax returns (Pacifica's 2009 return is available on the website Guidestar,org and Engelhardt conveniently neglected to include her salary).
Englehardt disagrees. This is from the website Berkeleyside.com
The cuts had to be made because KPFA lost $1 million in 2009-2010, is on track to lose $500,000 this year, and cannot make payroll, said Englehardt. It follows protests by KPFA employees on November 4 over staff cuts.
“We are greatly concerned about how we are going to keep this station going,” said Englehardt. “KPFA is in dire financial straights. The station is not operating in a sound fiscal manner.”
Some KPFA members dispute this and argue that Pacifica Foundation actually owes KPFA money since they have space rent-free in the Berkeley building. They also say that the board of the Pacifica Foundation spends money recklessly on board meetings and other managerial matters.
On Monday, the Communications Workers of America, the union representing KPFA staff, filed an unfair labor practices complaint against the Pacifica Foundation with the National Labor Relations Board. The CWA accused Pacifica of not bargaining in good faith. They have also said Englehardt violated KPFA’s contract by firing individuals rather than eliminating positions.
There will be a protest against the layoffs outside KPFA on Martin Luther King at 11 am today.
The conversation on The Morning Show Tuesday morning was a free for all, with people interrupting and contradicting one another. Edwards-Tiekert and Allison were replaced as hosts by Alfendary, although they appeared as guests on the show. Englehardt came in and out of the studio and was continuously interrupted and contradicted by CWA staff. At one point she said “I don’t think this is very good radio.”
But the free flowing exchange on The Morning Show also reflected the passions and contradictions that have been a hallmark of KPFA. It is a station with fiercely devoted listeners, a progressive political viewpoint, and intense internal partisan bickering.
The future of The Morning Show is not yet clear, but Englehardt said on the air Tuesday that it would be replaced by two shows produced at the Pacifica Station KPFK in Los Angeles, “Sojourner Truth” and “Uprising.”
One piece of information that had vexed KPFA supporters came to light on Tuesday’s unorthodz broadcast. Englehardt told listeners that she made $90,000 a year, “which is a low figure for the kind of job I do.”
Not being anywhere near the scene, we wouldn't dare venture an opinion on what the correct course is, though having formerly worked on The Morning Show, I know that there are thousands of listeners who rely on it for news and information in the Bay Area every day as they go to school or work. Good luck, Arlene. You're going to need it.
This article appears in Nov 4-10, 2010.