My e-mail has been all a-flutter today with details of the news that Juan Gonzalez, co-host of Pacifica Radio’s Democracy Now, has resigned in protest of the crackdown by Pacifica management on free speech at the network’s program and forced management changes at Pacifica’s NYC station WBAI, where Democracy Now originates. Gonzalez tendered his resignation live on-air, apparently without any prior notice to the program’s staff or to his co-host Amy Goodman. Explaining why he chose to resign in this manner, Gonzalez said, “And I know you can’t say anything, Amy, because of the gag rule at this station as there are at many Pacifica stations right now and that’s why I felt it important to resign as I make this statement.”
The program airs live at many stations, although it has been reported that the feed of the program on Pacifica’s Washington D.C. station WPFW was silenced as soon as Gonzalez made his announcement. Local community station WEFT airs the program on tape–the station’s 4:00PM airing of the program contained the full resignation.
Media watchdogs Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) released a media advisory on the situation accompanied by the text of Gonzalez’s resignation letter. Audio of the resignation is available in mp3 from radio4all and this transcipt of the resignation has been circulating.
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