The Continuing Disintegration of Pacifica:

  • The Continuing Disintegration of Pacifica: This week a memo from Amy Goodman, host of Pacifica’s Democracy Now, to the Pacifica Board of Directors was leaked. The memo outlines the harassment and censorious rules that Pacifica management is forcing on the program, in an effort to strip it of the honest and forthright journalism that has become its hallmark. This is the latest move in the widely recognized effort to neutralize Pacifica, move it to the center and potentially make it more appealing to the moneyed liberal cetner.

    For more information and to read the letter, go to Media Democracy Now!

    In my opinion (since you asked), unfortunately I think Pacifica as it once was is a lost cause. Those in power will not let go until it is pried from their lifeless hands, and the foundation itself is dead and bloated. Due to ludicrous contract stipulations Pacifica’s core affiliates are jumping ship like rats, and 2 of the 5 owned stations are in constant turmoil. It seems all that will be left are the stations, which will probably be sold for quick cash to pay off mounting legal debts and the loss of income from subscribers and affiliates. I really don’t see this situation changing, regardless of court victories by those who are trying to take the system back.

    While I don’t think it is a waste to try and do something to put pressure on the Pacifica Board to not completely screw up Democracy Now, they have shown no willingness to listen to listeners, affiliates, or anyone else for the last 5 years, so I don’t know why they’d start now. Instead, I think that efforts are best placed in building new resources and systems, like the growing Independent Media Center movement, which might also provide a new home for journalists like Amy Goodman, that might even exceed the reach of Pacifica–whose reach now is only dwindling anyway.


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