Nicole Sawaya
Encyclopedia
Nicole Sawaya is the Lebanese-American Former Executive Director of the Pacifica Radio
Network.
Sawaya started her career as a news reporter before moving into radio management. In July 1999 she was controversially fired as general manager of KPFA-FM, the first public radio station in the US and the flagship station of the Pacifica Network. This led to what has been called the Pacifica Crisis, which involved the largest demonstrations seen in Berkeley, California
, since the end of the Vietnam War
, more than 10,000 people marching to demand community control of KPFA. She was hired by Pacifica as Executive Director of the network on September 30, 2007, commencing work in November. She resigned in early December 2007 due to the "level of internecine dysfunction.". She resumed the Executive Director position on March 5, 2008, taking over from interim ED Dan Siegel.
Pacifica Radio
Pacifica Radio is the oldest public radio network in the United States. It is a group of five independently operated, non-commercial, listener-supported radio stations that is known for its progressive/liberal political orientation. It is also a program service supplying over 100 affiliated...
Network.
Sawaya started her career as a news reporter before moving into radio management. In July 1999 she was controversially fired as general manager of KPFA-FM, the first public radio station in the US and the flagship station of the Pacifica Network. This led to what has been called the Pacifica Crisis, which involved the largest demonstrations seen in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, since the end of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, more than 10,000 people marching to demand community control of KPFA. She was hired by Pacifica as Executive Director of the network on September 30, 2007, commencing work in November. She resigned in early December 2007 due to the "level of internecine dysfunction.". She resumed the Executive Director position on March 5, 2008, taking over from interim ED Dan Siegel.