VOLUNTEER’S “STICK IT TO THEM” EMAIL CHANGES THE DYNAMIC AT KHSU

Matt Knight a/k/a Mad Doctor Matt

Matt Knight was a long-time volunteer at Humboldt State University’s KHSU in Arcata/Eureka, located on the far north coast of California. 

Earlier in September Knight was fired because of an email he wrote to Kevin Sanders, KHSU’s Chief Engineer. Knight urged Sanders sabotage the station’s equipment. 

Knight urged Sanders to protest actions KHSU General Manager Peter Fretwell and Fretwell’s boss, the university’s VP for Advancement Craig Wruck.

Knight said in his email:

[Fretwell] is clearly bent on pile-driving KHSU into the ground as part of his sick revenge fantasy. Craig Wruck seems to be very much on board with this idea. These are two twisted, little men. It's time to stick it to them.

Knight was immediately fired when his email became public.

Katie Whiteside

Tempers have been flaring at Humboldt  State and KHSU since Fretwell became GM of KHSU in 2017. KHSU employees and volunteers immediately disliked what they said was Fretwell’s heavy-handed management style. Then, on May 14, 2018 Fretwell fired Katie Whiteside, a popular employee who had worked at KHSU for over two decades. Spark News began covering this story in early June [link].

Whiteside’s dismissal set off a groundswell of protests by listeners, volunteers and some KHSU staff members. The flack was so serious KHSU called off their Spring pledge drive and several major donors said they would no longer support the station. Station meetings were filled with rancor. KHSU’s Community Advisory Board demanded that Fretwell be fired.

Peter Fretwell

Ever since the Whiteside incident, Humboldt State’s strategy has been to back Fretwell and wait until the ruckus subsided to restore normal operations. Then Knight’s ill-advised email gave Humboldt State the moral high ground.

According to reports in the North Coast Journal news site [link] the circumstances that promoted Knight’s email involved a state-ordered seismic retrofit of Humboldt State’s Theater Art Building, where the station is located.  While the earthquake mediation was occurring, KHSU needed to be relocated to another building.

Knight didn’t buy the university’s explanation. He apparently felt that that moving the station was not legitimate and it masked a power-grab by the administration. Humboldt State dismissed Knight’s allegations.

Then Knight – who had been using the air name Mad Doctor Matt – sent an email Sanders recommending the Chief Engineer "discover problems that might take weeks" to postpone or stop KHSU’s move to another building while the retrofit was happening. (We are posting Knight’s email in its entirety at the bottom on this post.)

Humboldt State’s strategy seems to be working. KHSU will hold a pledge drive in early October. Katie Whiteside found new employment at a local PBS TV station. Attendance at the most recent meeting of protestors drew only a handful of people.

Knight later apologized for his email but the damage had been done.  He is now banned from the Humboldt State campus.

Matt Knight’s September 6^th email to KHSU

Chief Engineer Kevin Sanders

Dear Kevin:

I know you want the KHSU move to be your legacy, and I admire your dedication to the station. The plain fact is - there may not BE a station worth that legacy - once your psycho boss's is done with it.

He is clearly bent on pile-driving KHSU into the ground as part of his sick revenge fantasy. Craig Wruck seems to be very much on board with this idea. These are two twisted, little men.

You may be able to stop it. They cannot make this move without you. I am not saying flat out refuse to complete the move. Even though - if you did - they could not touch you. You are beyond their reach. But if you to - say - threw out the anchor - discover problems that might take weeks - and weeks - and weeks to rectify - they would HAVE to back down. I know it's a lot to ask.

But I'd would like you to think about this carefully. You are literally the only person on staff with the juice to stand up to them. They can do nothing without you.

I've always respected to your immense ability and common decency. So I am asking you - no - begging you - to use your power. It's time to stick it to them. Otherwise, they are going to get away with this, and this great radio station is going to come to a very nasty end.

Yours Very Truly,
Matt Knight