KPFA General Manager Lemlem Rijio has apparently been forced to resign. A
statement from Pacifica’s executive director announced Rijio’s resignation, thanked her for her service to KPFA and Pacifica, and said Rijio has decided to move on to pursue other interests. Rijio had no comment as of news time.
But it appears that Rijio was forced out in a dispute with the Pacifica National Office over a financial transaction. During KPFA’s board elections last fall, a member of a faction of the board that was opposed to her management inadvertently sent out an e-mail
Rijio’s forced resignation came after a faction of the KPFA board opposed to her management gained a one vote majority following last Fall’s KPFA board election. The board voted in executive session at its January meeting to fire Rijio by a 12-11 margin.
During the election, one member of that faction inadvertently sent out an e-mail far and wide saying that should they win the election their goal was to fire Rijio.
The majority of unionized staff members at KPFA, including the News Directors, as well as some volunteer programmers waged a vigorous campaign to overturn the board’s narrow vote. A minority of unionized staff members supported her dismissal.
Rijio brought to KPFA the first new daily program in more than 10 years, Letters to Washington. She also carried out significant cuts to KPFA staff as the station’s income declined in the last two years. Rijio’s resignation is effective March 31st. There’s been no announcement of an Interim General Manager.
