Founder Lewis Hill's mission was to create a new kind of radio, supported by listeners, owing nothing to sponsors, providing an outlet for creative expression, and a safe haven for artistic experiments with the radio medium. Predating National Public Radio, and beginning with KPFA-FM in Berkeley, CA, the network added four stations (in New York City, Washington D.C., Houston and Los Angeles), over the next 28 years. Perhaps best known as a chronicler of social justice movements and cultural change, the Pacifica stations have consistently embraced the performing and literary arts, offering sometimes the only forum for cutting edge and classical arts, and providing a stage to experiment with radio drama, spoken word, sound sculpture and the art of radio documentary.
Below we present some milestones from Pacifica's broadcast history.
August in Pacifica History
August 1, 1957: Death of Pacifica Radio Founder Lewis Hill.
August 2, 1961: Special report, produced by Gene Marine and examining the British economy, broadcasts on Pacifica station KPFA. Program receives the 1962 California Associated Press Radio-TV Associates award of excellence. [Archive # BB1357]
August 3, 1977: Pacifica station KPFK broadcasts interview with the American Indian Movement's John Trudell about their struggles against repression by the Federal government. [Archive # KZ0226]
August 4, 1954: Position of president of Pacifica created. Founder Lewis Hill returns to Pacifica Radio.
August 5, 1993: Pacifica Radio broadcasts from a conference on U.S. post-Cold War policies in Latin America. [Archive # PZ0219]
August 6, 1983: Two survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bombing are recorded by Pacifica station KPFA for later broadcast. [Archive # AZ0787]
August 7, 1959: Jacques Barzun speech on the role of universities in fostering human creativity is recorded by Pacifica station KPFA for later broadcast. [Archive # BB0028]
August 8, 1964: Lenora Forestal tells about her year in New Guinea with anthropologist Margaret Mead. Recorded by Pacifica station WBAI for later broadcast. [Archive # BB0693]
August 9, 1990: Documentary exploring the future of telecommunications is broadcast by Pacifica Radio. [Archive # AZ0905.08]
August 10, 1985: Assemblywoman Maxine Waters and Commissioner Mary Francis Berry speak at Women's Solidarity Day at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. (Berry becomes chair of the Pacifica Foundation board of directors in 1997.) [Archive # KZ2510]
August 11, 1971: Brief history by Dr. Wayland Hand of witchcraft and magic is broadcast by Pacifica station KPFK. [Archive # BB0267]
August 12, 1990: Jack Herer's talk in favor of legalizing marijuana and the use of hemp is recorded by Pacifica Radio for later broadcast. [Archive # KZ1554]
August 13, 1990: Broadcast of The Vision: Voices of the Intifada, which presents important perspectives among Palestinian leaders about their uprising. Produced by Phyllis Bennis. [Archive # PZ0168.04]
August 14, 1971: Discussion of sadism and masochism by Bob Milne is broadcast by Pacifica station WBAI. [Archive # BC0002.02]
August 15, 1962: Talk on guerrilla warfare and its impact on society is broadcast by Pacifica station WBAI. [Archive # BB3515]
August 16, 1950: IRS grants tax-exempt status to Pacifica.
August 17, 1966: Author Mark Lane talks about his book Rush to Judgment about the Warren Commission's investigation of the John F. Kennedy assassination. Broadcast by Pacifica station WBAI. [Archive # BB3098; BB1270]
August 18, 1992: Kenny Ausubel's talk about preserving biodiversity in our food supply is broadcast by Pacifica station KPFK. [Archive # KZ1867]
August 19, 1996: Ralph Nader's acceptance speech for the Green Party's presidential nomination is recorded by Pacifica Radio. [Archive # KZ2249a]
August 20, 1960: Amededd Ozanfant discusses architecture and his experiences with architect Le Corbusier in a broadcast by Pacifica station WBAI. [Archive # BB4023]
August 21, 1977: Songs of Northern California Native Americans, recorded by Jaime De Angulo, is broadcast by Pacifica station KPFA. [Archive # AZ0894a]
August 22, 1990: Discussion of gender bias in the courts is broadcast on the feminist magazine program on Pacifica station KPFK. [Archive # KZ1553]
August 23, 1968: Muhammed Ali's speech to university students during the Vietnam War protests is broadcast by Pacifica station KPFK. [Archive # BB4667]
August 24, 1946: The Pacifica Foundation files for incorporation in the State of California.
August 25, 1972: Gloria Emerson, New York Times reporter, discusses her experiences covering the Vietnam War. Broadcast by Pacifica station WBAI. [Archive # BC0957]
August 26, 1983: KPFK women's collective presents a seven-hour broadcast, Violence Against Women. [Archive # PZ0331]
August 28, 1971: Reports on the deaths at San Quentin, including that of George Jackson, are broadcast on Pacifica station KPFA. [Archive # BC0241]
August 29, 1981: Sparked by the arrest and torture of Larry Johnson by Colombian officials, Pacifica station WBAI broadcasts a discussion about the protection of foreign journalists. [Archive # IZ0383.01]
August 30, 1999: East Timor conducts a U.N.-supervised referendum on independence from Indonesia. The violence on this island is reported by Allan Nairn and Amy Goodman on Democracy Now!. [Archive # PZ0342.246]
August 31, 1986: The Jerker, a Robert Chesley play dramatizes the reflections of a man dying of AIDS, airs on Pacifica station KPFK. Because it included graphic sexual language, the FCC ruled that it violated an indecency policy.
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