FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 17, 2001
Concerned Friends of WBAI
www.savepacifica.net
Contact: John Riley (917) 653-7267 or WBAI Listener Action Hotline: (718) 707-7189
Email Updates:
www.savewbai.tao.ca
Mass Protest Prompts Citicorp Employee to Drop Bid to Join Pacifica Board
New York, New York: …
On the eve of a protest that was to begin in front of the Citibank Financial Center at 110 Wall St. and march to the embattled studios of WBAI, Citibank Vice President for International, European, Middle Eastern and African Private Banking, Francesco Rocciolo, told Free Speech Radio News reporter Miranda Kennedy that he was no longer interested in pursuing his candidacy for a seat on the board of the 51-year-old Pacifica Foundation, a board where many businessmen and lawyers have been seated in years.
Rocciolo told Kennedy that he was no longer a candidate for the board partly due to recent protests during which his candidacy and place of employment were criticized.
“This is the first victory in our campaign against a national board that has lost a 50-year tradition of grassroots radio, and we will not allow these pro-corporate elements to silence our network,” said Concerned Friends media-committee member John Riley. On Saturday,
Pacifica issued a statement saying that “its board of directors does not have any members who are Citicorp employees.”
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