August 4, 1999

Mary Frances Berry
Chair, Pacifica Foundation
Phone: (202) 337-0382
Fax: (202) 376-7558
624 Ninth Street, N.W. Suite 700
Washington, DC 20425
 
Dear Dr. Berry,
 
With fewer and fewer corporations owning more and more of the U.S. media, and with advertisers frequently flexing their muscle over commercial stations, Pacifica stations are an increasingly crucial part of the American media landscape.
 

Stations such as KPFA in Berkeley have offered a diversity of perspectives and voices on a wide variety of issues of the day unheard of on commercial stations; the same goes for WBAI in New York. WPFW in Washington and KPFT in Houston have an opportunity to do stronger public affairs programming to serve the communities of those cities. KPFK in Los Angeles is an important voice in a city that produces so much media that dwells on sensationalism and titillation rather than engaging the American people.

These stations are not mere assets to be bought and sold. They are national treasures. They should be nurtured. To contemplate the sale of any of these stations would be a tragic breach of the trust of so many people who have participated in building and supporting them over the years. 

 
Sincerely,

 
Ralph Nader