Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Pacifica's KPFA Morning Show Axed: Show Host Edwards-Tiekert Had Enemies

On Monday, four employees of The Berkeley, CA-based, Pacifica-owned KPFA Morning Show, KPFA's most popular locally-produced program - were fired as part of what was called a "cost-cutting" move. That includes the two KPFA Morning Show hosts Aimee Allison and Brian Edwards-Tiekert, and Morning Show Executive Producer Laura Prives and Esther Manilla.

Oaklanders know Aimee Allison as the local personality for Comcast, as well as a former candidate for the Oakland District Two Council Seat that's currently occupied by Pat Kernighan, who won another four year term on election day. Meanwhile, Brian Edwards-Tiekert was pointed to as the person who made "enemies" on the KPFA Board of Directors.

According to a source via email, Brian Edwards-Tiekert's name was on a list of people to be fired that was created, reportedly, by three members of Pacifica's National Board.

The email states that Edwards-Tiekert was a "key player" in the "SaveKPFA slate" that is in power after October's KPFA Board elections.

Arlene Engelhardt Targeted As Problem

KPFA Executive Director Arlene Engelhardt was targeted by Save KPFA members as the person who made the decision to sack The Morning Show. Save KPFA reports that:

Engelhardt has rejected most of the alternative proposals put forward in a Sustainable KPFA Budget backed by workers, the local station board, and KPFA management, and refused to reveal her own salary and those of other high-level managers. While Pacifica’s plan would lay off a large portion of the union staff, the Sustainable Budget would reduce bureaucratic overhead and board expense rather than cut on-air programming.


Engelhardt let go of the KPFA Morning Show staff and replaced it with "piped-in" programming from Pacifica's KPFK station in Los Angeles.

Protest At 11 AM

There will be a protest of this move today at 11 AM at KPFA on 1929 Martin Luther King Jr Way , near the intersection of Martin Luther King and University Avenue in Berkeley. Save KPFA asks you to call Engelhardt. Her office number is (510) 849 - 2590, ext 208 and her cell number is (510) 402 - 9880.

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