What’s going on with Pacifica Radio Network? They have faced a financial crisis for years, stemming from paying rent to the Empire State Realty Trust, who house the transmitter for Pacifica station WBAI in New York. In 2016, a legal judgement allowed the Empire State Realty Trust to seize Pacifica’s assets if Pacifica was unable to pay nearly $2 million in back rent and fees. This week that situation came to a head, as ESRT threatened to seize Pacifica’s assets and take Pacifica member stations off the air. A short-term loan to Pacifica for the purposes of paying off ESRT is being finalized to avert an asset seizure. But what’s next for Pacifica’s financial future?
In this hour, Esty Dinur speaks with Bill Crosier, Interim Executive Director of Pacifica, and Ursula Ruedenberg, Pacifica’s Affiliate Network Manager, for the first half of the show. On the second half, she speaks with Sherry Gendelman, former Interim Executive Director of Pacifica and former Chair of the Pacifica National Board.
Please note that due to a changeover in archive administration, 25 minutes of this interview were not recorded and are unavailable in the archive.
