Pacific News Service
Encyclopedia
Pacific News Service is a nonprofit media organization founded in 1969 by Franz Schurmann
, the historian, and Orville Schell
, a noted author, journalist and Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley
. It is an alternative news source.
Its original mission was to supply "mainstream" newspapers with an independent expert source and reporting on the United States' role in Indochina
during the Vietnam War
.
In 1974 after the war ended, PNS changed its objective from covering the Far East to the United States, especially California, under the guidance of Executive Editor Sandy Close.
PNS operates a news wire service, produces documentary films and television shows, and publishes Youth Outlook, a monthly newmagazine by and about young people.
It is known for running stories written by or about those on the margins of society and thus, has been alternately accused of being too far left and too far to the right. Sandy Close, the organization's executive director, identifies as socially conservative and politically radical. In 1995 she was recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Genius Award
for her work in giving "voice to the voiceless" through Pacific News Service.
Currently, PNS also serves as a clearinghouse for news and feature stories from and in America's ethnic media.
Some noted contributors include:
IlkaHartmann.com
Franz Schurmann
Herbert Franz Schurmann was an American sociologist and historian who was best known for his research and writings about Communist China during the Cold War period. He taught at the University of California, Berkeley in the Departments of Sociology and History for 38 years, and he also served a...
, the historian, and Orville Schell
Orville Schell
Orville Hickock Schell III is an activist and writer working on China, and is the Arthus Ross Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society in New York...
, a noted author, journalist and Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. It is an alternative news source.
Its original mission was to supply "mainstream" newspapers with an independent expert source and reporting on the United States' role in Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
during 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...
.
In 1974 after the war ended, PNS changed its objective from covering the Far East to the United States, especially California, under the guidance of Executive Editor Sandy Close.
PNS operates a news wire service, produces documentary films and television shows, and publishes Youth Outlook, a monthly newmagazine by and about young people.
It is known for running stories written by or about those on the margins of society and thus, has been alternately accused of being too far left and too far to the right. Sandy Close, the organization's executive director, identifies as socially conservative and politically radical. In 1995 she was recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Genius Award
MacArthur Fellows Program
The MacArthur Fellows Program or MacArthur Fellowship is an award given by the John D. and Catherine T...
for her work in giving "voice to the voiceless" through Pacific News Service.
Currently, PNS also serves as a clearinghouse for news and feature stories from and in America's ethnic media.
Some noted contributors include:
- Lucy KomisarLucy KomisarLucy Komisar is a New York City-based investigative journalist. She writes about offshore banking, corporate secrecy, international money laundering, and how they relate to corporate fraud; international corruption; the looting by dictators; financing of terrorism; international crime including...
, investigative journalist who wrote on Gladio (Italian branch of NATO "stay-behindStay-behindIn a stay-behind operation, a country places secret operatives or organisations in its own territory, for use in the event that the territory is overrun by an enemy. If this occurs, the operatives would then form the basis of a resistance movement, or would act as spies from behind enemy lines...
" secret paramilitary organizations, which has been involved in terrorist "false flagFalse flagFalse flag operations are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is flying the flag of a country other than one's own...
s" operations, starting with the 1969 Piazza Fontana bombingPiazza Fontana bombingThe Piazza Fontana Bombing was a terrorist attack that occurred on December 12, 1969 at 16:37, when a bomb exploded at the headquarters of Banca Nazionale dell'Agricoltura in Piazza Fontana in Milan, Italy, killing 17 people and wounding 88...
) and also on ClearstreamClearstreamClearstream Banking S.A. is the clearing and settlement division of Deutsche Börse, based in Luxembourg and Frankfurt. Clearstream was created in January 2000 through the merger of Cedel International and Deutsche Börse Clearing...
scandal, one of the biggest financial scandals ever - Andrew LamAndrew LamAndrew Lam is a Vietnamese American writer. He was born in South Vietnam, where he led a privileged life as the son of General Lâm Quang Thi of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. He attended Lycée Yersin in Dalat....
- Lyn DuffLyn DuffLyn Duff is an American journalist with the Pacific News Service and KPFA radio's "Flashpoints", an evening drive-time public affairs show heard daily on Pacifica Radio.- Early years :...
- Renée Montagne
- Richard RodriguezRichard RodriguezRichard Rodriguez is an American writer who became famous as the author of Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez , a narrative about his intellectual development.- Early life :...
, contributor to PBS Newshour - Franz SchurmannFranz SchurmannHerbert Franz Schurmann was an American sociologist and historian who was best known for his research and writings about Communist China during the Cold War period. He taught at the University of California, Berkeley in the Departments of Sociology and History for 38 years, and he also served a...
, co-founder of PNS - Jamal DajaniJamal DajaniJamal Dajani is a Palestinian-American journalist, and an award-winning producer. He currently holds the position of Vice President for Middle East & North Africa at...
- Ilka Hartmann, photographer, reporter
External links
IlkaHartmann.com