Here's a rare bit of good news: Pacifica Radio, the venerable alternative radio network, has a mostly new board with grassroots support that seems intent on repairing the damage of several years of conflict. With any luck this ends the reign of the illegally constituted national board that had locked out local volunteers, censored and fired programmers from national shows like Democracy Now, and inexplicably seemed bent on selling off its precious community radio licenses. More details at Save Pacifica.
Here in Texas, critics of the ousted national board are declaring a local victory at Pacifica affiliate KPFT-Houston as well. One sign that things are changing for the better is the recent resignation of station manager Garland Ganter. Ganter had presided over KPFT's switch to a bland "Sound of Texas" format, had provided canned content to KPFA-Berkeley during Pacifica's lockout of volunteer staff at that station, and is even accused of assault and filing false charges with the police during an ongoing dispute with local advisory board members.
So the good guys sometimes win. Now... if there were only some signs of a democratic resurgence at Austin's KOOP.