Jim Bennett, interim KPFA Station Manager, has applied for a dispensation of money to pay for some operational expenses related to KPFA. He requested that $1000 be given to the LAB election committee for some of its expenses. He also asked that $1000 be given to the Strike fund. This money will be used to pay stringers who contribute stories to Free Speech Radio News and to defray the program's production costs. Bennett also requested funding to pay for some of Dennis Bernstein's expenses related to the live Democratic Convention coverage. He further wrote "I will probably e-mail you early next week again, concerning some CD burners we would like to get for the station, once I have the exact prices. Of course all the checks can be sent here, and I will distribute them to the appropriate people. Thanks again for all your support of KPFA!!!"

This is an exciting event for those who would like to donate money to their stations during pledge breaks without assisting the Pacifica National Board with their defense expenses. This example shows that an alternative method of station support can and does work.

Anyone who wants to contribute, please make checks out to: "Listeners' Fund/CSRA" and send to Peace & Justice Center c/o North Bay for KPFA (540 Pacific Ave., Santa Rosa, 95404).

Here’s more from Newsday on the "very threatening" call by Clinton White House Radio and Television Production Director Megan Moloney to Democracy Now! producer/host Amy Goodman:

"The President answered all Goodman's questions but appeared flustered, at one point interrupting her to say ‘Now, you just listen to me. You ask the questions, and I'm going to answer. You have asked questions in a hostile, combative, and even disrespectful tone, but...you have never been able to combat the facts I have given you. Now, you listen to this.’

"The next day, Goodman received what she describes as a ‘very threatening’ call from White House radio and television production director Megan Moloney. According to Goodman, Moloney told her several times that ‘I am sending out the word that you will not be welcome and you will not be cooperated with’ by White House staff. Moloney berated Goodman for straying from the ‘agreed’ interview topic of voter turnout; Goodman points out that Clinton's call to her was unsolicited, and says that no such agreement was ever discussed.

"White House spokesman Elliot Deringer went further, telling Newsday (November 10) that ‘any good reporter understands that if you violate the ground rules in an interview, that is going to be taken into account the next time you are seeking an interview.’..."

Below are excerpts from a letter from the Grassroots Radio Coalition released the in conjunction with the N16 action of solidarity by community radio stations across the country: "We Are Pacifica - Community Radio Against Censorship - November 16, 2000."

"We, the undersigned Pacifica Affiliates and other Community Broadcasters will participate in a national action organized through the Grassroots Radio Coalition (GRC) on Thursday, November 16, to speak out in solidarity about the ongoing crisis within the Pacifica Radio Network, including management's recent attempts to censor Pacifica's valuable daily news program, Democracy Now! Many of the stations signing here will consider canceling their contracts with Pacifica if Democracy Now! changes under pressure from management. Some of the stations signing have already dropped Pacifica programming in protest.

"On November 16, we will boycott Pacifica's usual programming and in its place broadcast content informing listeners of ongoing events which have undermined and threaten to destroy the nation's oldest alternative radio network.

"We Are Pacifica - Community Radio Against Censorship" will inform the public about recent events at Pacifica and urge a change of direction from Pacifica Management. We will highlight the value of Democracy Now! and support Amy Goodman's independence as a journalist. With the current situation of corporate control over media ownership, we recognize the profound importance of returning Pacifica to its founding principles and mission. Pacifica is owned by the public. We Are Pacifica!"

Sincerely,

KGNU, Boulder, CO

KMUD, Garberville, CA

KCSB, Santa Barbara, CA

WRPI, Troy/Albany/Schenectady, NY

WORT, Madison, WI

WMBR, Cambridge, MA

KZYX & Z, Philo, CA

KSVR, Mt. Vernon, WA

WMPG, Portland, ME

WCBN, Ann Arbor, MI

KUNM, Albuquerque, NM

WPKN, Bridgeport, CT

WHUS, Storrs, CT

KUCR, Riverside, CA

WGDR, Plainfield, VT

KZMU, Moab, UT

KFCF, Fresno, CA

KDUR, Durango, CO.

• On Tuesday, December 12th at 7:30 p.m., David Adelson, chair of KPFK Local Advisory Board, will be speaking on the Pacifica crisis. The "Tuesday Night Forum" will take place at The Onion/Unitarian Church, 9550 Haskell, North Hills. For more info, contact Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society at 818-893-9095.

• KPFA activists are handing out lots of leaflets in the SF financial district. They had two bright orange signs that read: "Michael Palmer of C.B. Richard Ellis, HANDS OFF KPFA!." This action focuses on two PNB members who are employed by firms with offices in San Francisco: John Murdock, employed by Epstein Becker & Green (SF office is at Two Embarcadero Center) and Michael Palmer of CB Richard Ellis (SF office is at Embarcadero Center West, 275 Battery St.). The report is that employees of CB Richard Ellis seemed curious, asking "Who is this Michael Palmer? I don't know any Michael Palmer." The KPFA activists informed them of the situation with Pacifica. Many other people also stopped to talk.

• Interim KPFA Station Manager Jim Bennett announced the station raised $550,000, which was $50,000 over goal in the last pledge drive. He also noted that KPFA has nearly the largest listener base in Pacifica and that as the Arbitron ratings naturally fluctuate seasonally, the listenership to KPFA has not gone down. Some other Pacifica stations have experienced a decrease in listenership. Jim is very glad of the election of community members to the LAB. He is somewhat worried that not enough staff are being nominated for the upcoming staff election for 5 seats to the LAB.