Prof in radio station dispute

When a free speech and labor dispute at Berkeley, Calif., radio station KPFA erupted into riots this July, History Professor Mary Frances Berry was at the heart of a free speech controversy that received national media attention. Over the past six months, Berry -- who serves as chairperson of the Pacifica Foundation, KPFA's parent network -- has come under fire from staff members, listeners and left-wing activists who are outraged by what they say are iron-fisted attempts to control local affiliates and centralize power in the non-profit organization's Washington, D.C., headquarters. "[Pacifica management] has been top down, dictatorial," KPFA assistant general manager Phil Osegueda said. According to Osegueda, the controversy began when a popular KPFA general manager was fired in March. People "who worked here for more than 20 years were told 'if you don't like it, you can leave,'" he added. Pacifica Executive Director Lynn Chadwick maintains the personnel decisions made by the board, under Berry's leadership, were part of a series of strategic changes to increase Pacifica's strength as a national programmer. As tension mounted between Pacifica and KPFA staff, some of the local broadcasters began to rant on the air about the controversial personnel decisions. Soon after, Berry clamped down on KPFA, notifying station officials of Pacifica's longstanding "dirty laundry" policy, which bans the broadcast of internal company disputes. "It is not a labor-management issue as Pacifica tries to paint it," Osegueda said. "This is a free speech conflict." The enforcement of the "dirty laundry" policy triggered more animosity from the community. Staff and listeners were outraged in June when Berry fired two broadcasters who ignored the policy. And when three gunshots were fired into Pacifica's Berkeley administrative offices, the network brought in its own private security, further igniting the fury. The situation came to a head July 13 after security guards physically removed veteran KPFA broadcaster Dennis Bernstein from the studio -- while on the air -- for violating the "dirty laundry" policy. Shortly after, the network shut down the station, locking out employees and placing them on administrative leave. Infuriated by the news of Bernstein's dismissal, protesters demonstrated in July, blasting Pacifica's decision and calling for Berry's resignation. Berkeley police stepped in to calm the crowds, arresting over 50 people. "I haven't seen anything like it in Berkeley since Vietnam," Osegueda said. By the end of August, staff members filed a civil rights complaint against Pacifica, Berry was called to testify before the California State Assembly and KPFA went back on the air with the Pacifica "dirty laundry" ban lifted. Both parties have since agreed to settle the dispute through mediation. "There were a lot of pretty violent actions, and a lot of people were hurt and scared," Chadwick said. "The goal is how do we now work together." Berry, who is on a scheduled leave of absence from the University, did not return several calls for comment at three office locations. Her position as a tenured faculty member and the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of Social Thought and History is secure at Penn. School of Arts and Sciences Dean Samuel Preston said the current situation "won't affect her standing, which is based on her scholarly research and work."