INTO THE 21ST CENTURY: by David Salniker/Exec. Dir., Pacifica Foundation As many of you know, I am stepping down this month as Executive Director of Pacifica. It has been almost fifteen years since I began as manager of KPFA. About twenty-two years ago, I had the unique pleasure of representing KPFA's Third World Project as an attorney specializing in labor and civil rights. I had no idea then that I was beginning a journey with Pacifica during which time I would serve as Chair of the Local Board, be hired as KPFA's manager and then Pacifica's chief executive. It is a journey that I treasure and would trade for no other. Here are a few things Pacifica and station staffs have accomplished together. Our apprenticeship training programs for women and people of color plus a youth outreach program have made KPFA one of the most diverse stations in public broadcasting. Three of our other stations, because 50% of the board and management staff are people of color, now qualify as minority stations. We established a national program unit and expanded our Pacifica news bureau. Pacifica's national programming staff and station program directors have collaborated to bring very special shows to you. The Iran-Contra coverage, the Gulf War specials and Peace Watch shows (which later became Flashpoints), confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justices, all drew substantial increases in our audiences. The unanimous decision last year by Pacifica program directors to air the Pacifica National Newscast was a first regarding a regularly scheduled program uniting all the stations in the Network. KPFA and Pacifica are now making waves from coast-to-coast, providing alternative news, information and culture to a much larger audience. Pacifica has remained in the forefront of fighting efforts by conservative critics to restrict freedom of speech for artists and media receiving federal funds. We have been joined by Allen Ginsberg, PEN, People for the American Way and many others in defending against Helms-led attacks on "indecency." Our case, which has successfully delayed enforcement of FCC censorship, will be reheard this October and will probably go to the Supreme Court. We have also fought Pentagon restrictions during the Gulf War, Treasury Department enforcement of the embargo on media information from Cuba, and Republican-led efforts to impose "balance" on public broadcasters. We have recovered from a huge financial deficit incurred during the mid-80's. Revenues in Pacifica have tripled in the last decade and approach $8 million; listener subscriptions have grown to $4.5 million. We have built state-of-the-art new studios at KPFA; regained title to KPFT; paid off our short-term, high interest loan at KPFK; expanded our studios at WBAI and WPFW; created and partially funded a capital reserve for a long term broadcast tower lease at the Empire State Building in N.Y., which houses WBAI's financially imperiled transmitter. This alternative, independent, people-supported, people-serving, non-corporate funded institution is now financially stable and can stand on its own two feet. The future is exciting for Pacifica and there are great opportunities ahead for our programmers and our audience. We are beginning to interconnect all of our stations by digital phone lines, our own digital satellite audio network, and on-line computer services. This will create new opportunities for programmers at our stations to jointly plan and produce special shows, feed breaking news stories to our national news bureau, and perhaps even broadcast local programs simultaneously to you and to audiences at 50 to 60 Pacifica Network affiliates throughout the country. KPFA could potentially be distributed by translators to scores of communities throughout Northern California. We may be able shortly to collaborate with several minority consortia, independent producers and other stations to offer hundreds of hours of alternative programming to college and independent stations throughout the country. None of this would have been possible without your patience, help and support. Thanks for allowing me to take this journey with you. June 94 Highlights: Summer Marathon THE MONTH OF JUNE IS SHAPING UP to be an exciting, informative time, with many special programs you won't want to miss. Our Summer fund-raising Marathon starts June 8th and continues through the 22nd. But the specials begin with the month, and continue even beyond the Marathon. Wednesday, June 1: Drawing the Line: Censorship or Responsibility? Program Director Ginny Z. Berson hosts a two-hour panel on KPFA's handling of controversial issues. Wednesday, June 8: Brainstorm at noon: An interview with physicist, Dr. Michio Kaku about his new book, Hyperspace; time warps, the 10th dimension, etc. Thursday, June 9: Noam Chomsky on world order and its rules 9 AM; The Dali Lama of Tibet 10:30 AM. The Best of Sing-Out! Live 1 PM. Friday, June 10: Freedom and Democracy Day. Hear Lani Guinier; Jessica Mitford; Kate Millett; Helen Caldicott, etc. Chicana/o Literature at 7 PM, Santana and Latin Rock at 9 PM. Saturday, June 11 is Hawaii Aloha!; music with Rena Nelson. Pete Seeger, Richie Havens and Linda Tillery in Concert 6:30 PM. Sunday, June 12: South Africa After the Elections 6:30 PM. Monday, June 13: Guitarist Ali Farke Toure performing at the Filmore in S.F. 2:30 PM. Tuesday, June 14: Feel-Good Fascism Day; political analysis with Philip Maldari 9 AM. Wednesday, June 15 noon: The UFO Cover-Up; evidence of alien visits to earth suppressed by our government. And many many more. Read your Folio listings closely! .