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Eva Georgia steps down as general manager
A glowing memo for the embattled GM as she takes her leave. Here's LAT coverage on the background of the tumultuous tale, which swings from law suits and charges of sexual harassment, to a public statement of support earlier this month by station directors.
No word yet on Georgia's plans. KPFK now in search of a replacement.
BERKELEY, CA -- The Pacifica Foundation announced today that, after five years as General Manager of its Los Angeles station KPFK-FM, Eva Georgia has decided to resign effective October 31, 2007. In a motion adopted recently, Pacifica's National Board of Directors expressed its appreciation of Georgia's "innovative leadership" and cited her successes in the areas of fundraising, programming, and staff diversity.
The KPFK memo continues after the jump.
KPFK memo, continued:
In releasing the resignation news, Pacifica Executive Director Greg Guma described Georgia as a forceful and creative leader. "Her vision, technical skills, and ability to anticipate change have helped KPFK make significant strides," he said. "Being General Manager of a progressive community radio station isn't easy. In fact, it's a tough and draining job. With that in mind, I've reluctantly accepted her resignation. But Eva has made a great contribution, and she will be difficult to replace."When Georgia was hired in 2002, KPFK had a significant debt, signal
problems, only one daily newscast, and little staff or volunteer
diversity. Since then, the debt has been eliminated, studios have
been added and rebuilt, more daily newscasts - including one in
Spanish -- have been added, and the mix of staff and volunteers has
evolved to better reflect the demographics of Southern California.According to the National Board, Georgia's tenure has resulted in
programming that is "more relevant to the needs of the Los Angeles
area's diverse communities," along with successful fundraising
efforts, and increased membership.Before joining the Pacifica staff, Georgia managed an AIDS/HIV
prevention program in Long Beach. But what made her an exciting
choice was more than a decade of journalism and radio work in South
Africa.In Capetown, she had developed and managed a newspaper on behalf of
the Atlantis Development Forum, as well as personally launched Radio
Atlantis, an FM station that recently celebrated 10 years on the air.
She left that station in 1997 to start Cape Talk 567, a progressive
commercial radio station.In the early 1990s, she also helped launch a release from prison
campaign with the South African Clothing and Textile Union (SACTWU),
negotiating with the judicial system for the release of workers
incarcerated due to a rent Boycott and protests against apartheid.In November 2005, she received a Courage Award from the San Francisco-
based Colin Higgins Foundation, named for the acclaimed US
screenwriter. The awards are given annually to people who become
leaders in the face of discrimination.Earlier this year, Georgia was handpicked as part of a special
International Presidential Campaign recently launched by President
Mbeki for her outstanding skills in radio broadcasting to help
support the development and mentoring of upcoming talent in South
Africa.In the coming weeks, KPFK's Local Station Board will seek and review
applicants for Interim General Manager in hopes of recommending a
temporary replacement by the time Georgia departs. The search for a
permanent General Manager is expected to take several months.