There have been a number of articles on the Pacifica Board situation, and they keep coming. Here's a new one. It's from the SF Weekly and it has some depth to it.
Here is another video interview with Summer Reese, conducted by Steve Zeitzer at the still occupied Pacifica headquarters on March 31, 2014. We are told that Margy Wilkinson was asked to tell her side, but she was unable to take the time.
Here is another video interview with Summer Reese, conducted by Steve Zeitzer at the still occupied Pacifica headquarters on March 31, 2014. We are told that Margy Wilkinson was asked to tell her side, but she was unable to take the time.
You should also check out today's "Off the Hook" program. You will find it in its entirety if you go to the WBAI archive (7 PM), but I have simplified things by extracting the pertinent segment, which is a live phone interview with Summer Reese.
All of these interviews are impressive, with the Zeitzer interview being by far the most impressive.
ReplyDeleteI'm aware that some have paranoid fears with respect to Reese, but let's be ever-so-slightly realistic: In the present situation concern for the competence and motives of her opposition must surely be infinitely deeper than paranoid free-floating speculations as to Reese.
In my judgement there is to date every reason to see Reese as a seriously competent, energetic, knowledgeable, sensible, and committed chief executive.
She's also, in my judgement, the last chance this shambolic once-noble-and-idealistic enterprise has remaining.
It's a slight chance, but it's a chance – the only chance.
~ 'indigopirate'
I agree, Indigo. Zeitzer is a professional journalist whose personal beliefs are sincere as well as in tune with the Pacifica that once was and ought to be again. He is not a TV talking head, nor does he have a horse in this race. I hope he keeps trying to get Wilkinson, but she may well be smart enough to see that as a potential disaster.
DeleteGiven the quality of Zeitzer's interview here, Wilkinson would be well advised to avoid him – but, damn, I'd love to see it.
ReplyDelete~ 'indigo'
Zeltzer stands to lose his program if Reese is ousted; as to his credibility, this "professional journalist" typically shoots from low angles so that you don't see how few people attend his staged protests. It is highly doubtful that he made any reasonable effort to contact Wilkinson; he is highly partisan and has been in Reese's camp since she protected his program from being cancelled or moved to a less-friendly-to-Zeltzer time slot.
ReplyDeleteAs it is, Reese made no plans to cover the rest of the severance package for WBAI's laid-off staff, so the Social Security and other deductions will be coming out of other stations' budgets again. Reese has failed on several other issues within Pacifica pandering to her supporters on the board, and the chickens have come home to roost.
As I see it, your speculations regarding Mr. Zeitzer's motives, approach to his profession as a photographer, and future carry little or no weight when you make them anonymously and without any supporting facts.
DeleteAs for Ms. Reese's actions regarding WBAI, I have been critical of some of her decisions myself, but the polluted atmosphere that Pacifica and its stations find themselves in these day may well have dimmed the clarity of our crystal balls.
Oh, come on, that interview almost sounded like Zeitzer and Reese rehearsed beforehand -- such softball leading questions. Absolutely no hardhitting questions for Reese. Still, she's articulate and knowledgeable -- no doubt about that. She is sometimes inconsistent -- on the one hand, she 'would never' belong to a union -- on the other hand, she's the most 'pro-union' management that Pacifica has ever had. Of course, this is a self-serving interview.
ReplyDeleteAlso, just because Wilkinson might not give an in-depth interview to the 'press' is no indication that she has something to hide -- she might be doing that for legal reasons as there could be some future litigation and she doesn't want to be on record before that time. Just a thought...
rj