[PEN-L:1857] Larry Bensky fired from Pacifica

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

(I don't know how many people listen to Pacfica nowadays, but Larry Bensky
was the main commentator during the Iran-Contra hearings, when the radio
station was at its best. They seem to be purging themselves of good people
like him and systematically replacing them with NPR types.)


11 December 1998

Dear Everyone,

Last Monday, as I left the studio after anchoring the first day of
Pacifica's "Impeachment Watch," I was handed a two sentence letter from
Gail Christian, "Director of Program Services," informing me that I was
terminated immediately as host of "Living Room" and "Impeachment Watch." No
reason was given for this sudden action.

A week earlier - again, as I left the studio (this time after a
10-hour-on-air-session anchoring live impeachment hearings) I had been
handed another note, telling me that Pacifica was invoking its right, under
our agreement, to give me 60-day notice of termination.  This was
supposedly because funding had not been secured for transforming "Living
Room" into a weekly Sunday program."

An earlier Pacifica memo indicates that this is untrue (see next page). All
five stations had agreed to run the new program, starting January 1.
Moreover, advance funding is not a real issue, but merely a budget
adjustment, since all national programs I have done for Pacifica (including
"Living Room") have been generously supported by listeners once they are on
the air, and have returned tens of thousands of dollars to Pacifica beyond
their costs.

In any case, if up-front money WAS the issue, I was more than willing to
help raise funds from private donors or via direct mail, as I have done
with great success in the past and had agreed to do in a 10/16/98 signed
document.  However, I was never contacted to do any fundraising for this
effort.

One can speculate about the reasons Pacifica's only live national show is
being cancelled, and this is being done to me in particular.  But the
result is the same.  After almost thirty years of association with
Pacifica, I have been fired summarily via a two sentence note.

Since Monday's termination, I have been offered a half-time position, with
no specified duties, under my old title as "National Affairs
Correspondent," requiring me to sign away my rights to union severance
benefits were I to refuse "overtime, travel out of town, and weekend work."

Pacifica management is well aware that because of the birth of my daughter
last year, and my serious illness with pneumonia earlier this year, which
continues in a form of now chronic asthma, I am no longer able to undergo
the rigors of travel and absence from home.  It is for that very reason
that the weekly program was developed.

So I now find myself disrespectfully dismissed, with no way to tell
listeners what's transpired, about to lose my health insurance at the age
of 61, and - after thirty years - in receipt of a pension statement that
says I am owed $615.  That's $615 TOTAL!

I should add that none of this is the result of decisions or actions on the
part of KPFA staff or management, who, along with the local advisory board,
has been very supportive of me and my work, and has protested this
arbitrary and unjustified action by the national Pacifica office.

Best,

Larry

Home phone (510) 845-9193  e-mail: Ibensky@xxxxxxx

PAGE TWO (a xerox of a memo)

Subj:  Larry Bensky
DATE: 98-11-24  16:28:22 /est
FROM: Vransom  TO: mfberry@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, Junemakela, FMillspa
TO: Garnershaw, S Rosas  CC: ganter@xxxxxxxx, Gmnicole, Kpfkgm, Bmwpw

General Managers please distribute to your Program Directors.  Thank you

M  E  M  O  R  A  N  D  U  M

To:  Dr. Mary Frances Berry, June Makela, Frank Millspaugh, Cheryl
Garner-Shaw and Sandra Rosas

FROM:  Lynn Chadwick

RE: The Future orf the Larry Bensky Show

Date:  November 24, 1998


Living Room, the daily one-hour program hosted by Larry Bensky, will end
as of December 31.  As you are aware, we have been trying to find funding
for a new program that would air on Sunday mornings, 9am to 11am.  The
program concept is a "week in review" from the Pacifica perspective, with
regular participants, interviews, and such.  The first hour would be
produced and the second hour would have call-ins.  WBAI, KPFA, and KPFK
are prepared to air the full 2 hours live: WPFW and KPFT would air the
produced hour at a later time on Sunday.

The budget for the show is:
Half-time host        $18,000
Half-time producer $18,000
Taxes & Benefits    $ 7,200
Engineer                 $4,000
Tapes & supplies    $2,000
ISDN                     $2000
Telephone               $3,000
TOTAL:                         $54,200 full-year, prorated to 9 months =
$40,650

In order to fund the show, I checked throughout the network for
commitments:

PNP Development     $10,000
KPFA                          $ 6,000
KPFK                          $ 5,000
KPFT                          $ 2,000
WBAI                          pass (due to large deficit)
WPFW                      $2,000
TOTAL                      $25,000

These commitments will require budget adjustments.
There is still some $15,000 needed to make the program
Please advise me by November 30, via e-mail to XXXXXXX as to your
thoughts on how to proceed.


Louis Proyect

(http://www.panix.com/~lnp3/marxism.html)