In the early morning hours of Oct. 7, WBAI RADIO was shut down without warning when Pacifica representatives, led by Interim Executive Director John Vernile and two security guards, entered the station unannounced, demanded the staff leave, locked the doors and fired 12 paid staff and 168 radio producers. They then rerouted the transmitter so that only programming originating from the Pacifica headquarters in California would be aired – eliminating all local programming.
By the next morning, lawyers and plaintiffs obtained a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in state court, undoing the rogue faction’s unprecedented action. Station Management and Staff then reentered the station, finding it dismantled and rendered unable to return to normal broadcasting. Two days later the TRO was vacated in state appellate court – with the exception of the firing of the 12 employees. Pacifica has now moved to have the case transferred to federal court, inaccurately claiming NY State courts lack jurisdiction.
There had been no advance vote by the Pacifica National Board, as mandated by its bylaws, to authorize this action – widely seen by many as a grab to sell WBAI’s valuable license. There have been previous attempts to undermine progressive control over WBAI, but none so brazen or openly illegal as this one. In a dramatic turn of events over the weekend, this rogue faction took cunning steps during Board conference calls. On Friday, the faction muted the phones of 3 WBAI members of the National Board, then disenfranchised them, claiming they have “a conflict of interest” and so could neither participate in the WBAI discussion nor vote on any resulting motion. This led to a Saturday vote, with numerous members barred, to retroactively affirm WBAI’s shutdown/takeover.
But on Sunday, a majority of the board (12 members) called an emergency meeting (boycotted by the anti-WBAI faction) and voted to rescind the shutdown and restore WBAI to full functioning under local control. The Board’s pro-takeover minority meanwhile has vowed to challenge the Sunday vote as “illegal.”
Meanwhile, WBAI Staff, listeners, elected officials, & community groups held a Press Conference on Steps of City Hall in New York City on October 15. So while the legal battle continues, the movement of listeners, producers, and community advocates is growing in its call to In addition, a demonstration has been held in California to show support for WBAI, with another one scheduled outside Pacifica’s Berkeley station, KPFA, on Wednesday.
For More Information Contact: Sally O’Brien, (718) 930-3625