Hip Hop Artists Aztlan Underground perform at KPFK protest, Friday

WHAT: Hip hop artists including, Aztlan Underground

and La Paz will perform in support of suspended hip

hop program Seditious Beats at a protest of listeners,

donors and former staff outside of KPFK studios. They

will also be protesting the banning and firing150

other KPFK volunteers and staff members by General

Manager Mark Schubb.



WHEN: Friday, December 28, 2001 9 AM- 11 AM

WHERE: Outside KPFK's studios 3729 Cahuenga Blvd.

North Hollywood (near Lankersheim)

HOLIDAY GET TOGETHER: Casitas Taco House- 11 AM-NOON

at 3731 Cahuenga Blvd

Call or email and demand 'Seditious Beats' be

reinstated:

General Manager Mark Schubb 818 985-2711 Ext: 503

E-mail: GM@kpfk.org

Josh Berman, Program Director e-mail: jberman@kpfk.org

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 26, 2001)-- In defiance of a

recent settlement of the lawsuits against Pacifica

Radio Network, arbitrary and retaliatory actions

continue by KPFK 90.7 FM management in Los Angeles. On

December 19, Seditious Beats, (http://Seditious.com)

hosted by community organizer Fidel Rodriguez was

'suspended indefinitely' by KPFK management.

The timing of his suspension is highly suspect," said

Karen Pomer organizer for the Pacifica Campaign LA,

"three weeks ago Fidel Rodriguez was the co-emcee of a

fundraising event attended by over 1,000 people for

suspended Pacifica/KPFK flagship program Democracy

Now! in Exile hosted by award-winning journalist Amy

Goodman." Interim Program Director Josh Berman used

the pretext of citing Rodriguez with being late for

the show on two occasions.

In the past six years, Mark Schubb, KPFK General

manager, has banned or fired over 150 staff and

volunteers at the station. He has eliminated people of

color from "drive time" public affairs programs and

drastically cut back Spanish-language programming.

Seditious Beats, is an award-winning three hour live

show "highlighting the positive and uplifting aspects

of Hip-Hop culture which reaches a wide and diverse

audience whose musical tastes often transcend the

boundaries of the genre," said Rodriguez.

Former state senator Tom Hayden honored Seditious

Beats for their "enormous and continuous efforts to touch and transform lives through conscious radio". Until last week,for almost two years Seditious Beats has aired on KPFK Friday (evening/Saturday morning), Midnight to 3AM.

"This is an attack on a youth of color who broadcasts

to many youths of color and who does effective outreach to youths of color and, of course, to a broad range of listeners," said Don White a member of the KPFK Local Advisory Board. "We need to know the 'rationale' for this behavior, and respond to the community that has been contacting us with outraged at the thought oflosing their favorite program."