This tape was transcribed by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.
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(tape begins with inaudible newscast)
(tape continues with several news stories unrelated to Peoples Temple, up to break for ad)
(tape edit)
Newscaster: Continuing with local news. After a session late last week with the editorial staff of the San Francisco Examiner, Reverend Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple church in Redwood Valley was promised a favorable article in Sunday’s paper. Reverend Jones is somewhat less than satisfied with that article. I asked him to bring us up to date on the matter.
(taped interview) I was uh, interested to– to learn from you uh, just uh– you know, the latest up-to-date information, uh, where we stand in regard to all this adverse publicity you were getting in, uh, the San Francisco papers.
Jones: Media in general has uh, improved the situation, (unintelligible phrase) coverage on uh, the network stations, CBS, (unintelligible word) the news. It was a fair presentation of the paranormal aspects that uh, had gotten into the papers, and uh, our humanistic efforts, uh, missionary service to our fellow man’s been mentioned. People in general have come out very supportive. It’s encouraging to see people grasp a uh, significance that’s there more than involved– there’s more involved than just uh, one church here. It’s the right of uh, lawful assembly. Freedom of religion seems to be very much at stake here, and there’s been some very peculiar aspects to this entire situation. Uh, we’ve had, for instance, a couple of break-ins, one into uh, a church attorney’s home that was reported, uh, Mr. [Eugene] Chaikin, in which papers were gone through, books were ran– seemingly ransacked, and we don’t know that this absolutely connected by any means. But it’s– it’s been a strange type of harassment. Telephones, and so forth, certainly not been (unintelligible word). It’s now begun to cool down due to responsible media, and uh, the Examiner has printed an article that was not to our satisfaction. There’s still negotiation about a human service uh, uh, article that uh, was supposed to appear Sunday, but it hasn’t appeared yet. There have been two (unintelligible word) letters to the editor of the Examiner from people, non-members, I don’t remember what communities they were from, one I think from Ukiah, Ukiah businessman. Generally speaking, I– I think things are looking up.
Newscaster: You spent some time uh, with attorneys in San Francisco, uh– Has there been any decision regarding a possible libel suit?
Jones: No, there hasn’t, uh, not at this time. We are weighing what course of action to take. The– The Christian ethic speaks rather strongly about suits. I’ve never been sued, nor have I engaged in a suit. But there’s another aspect to this case that gives me great consternation. That’s freedom of religion. Uh, there has been I think an infringement upon a decent group of people. We have bothered no one. We’re guilty of none of these charges that’ve been made, and if it would perhaps encourage some of the reporters to be more responsible in the future, that is, not to hurt others, then uh, I might consider it. We have some time really to decide on this matter. Uh, I would prefer that we could communicate with these people uh, who have conveyed these false reports. I do not hope to communicate with people who make abdications and false allegations, but if we could uh, resolve it with the communications media, that’s the one media that has been involved, I would prefer doing this. I do say that every group, every church should be concerned about this, because there’s no end to a thing like this, the type of climate of fear and uh, distrust and prejudice can attack anyone. Who (unintelligible word)?
(Pause)
Newscaster: Reverend Jim Jones of Peoples Temple Church in Redwood Valley.
(unrelated story)
(tape edit, followed for moment of tape noise)
(end of side 1)
(side 2)
(tape opens with several ads, news stories unrelated to Peoples Temple, and tape edits)
Newscaster: –are still investigating (tape edit) the Peoples Temple church in Redwood Valley was promised a favorable article in Sunday’s paper. Reverend Jones is somewhat less than satisfied with that article. This morning, I asked him to bring us up to date on the matter.
(taped interview) Uh, Jim, I was uh, interested to– to learn from you uh, just uh– you know, the latest up-to-date information, uh, where we stand in regard to all this adverse publicity you were getting in, uh, the San Francisco papers.
Jones: Media in general has uh, improved the situation, (unintelligible phrase) coverage on uh, the network stations, CBS, (unintelligible word) the news. It was a fair presentation of the paranormal aspects that uh, had gotten into the papers, and uh, our humanistic efforts, uh, missionary service to our fellow man’s been mentioned. People in general have come out very supportive. It’s encouraging to see people grasp a uh, significance that’s there more than involved– there’s more involved than just uh, one church here. It’s the right of uh, lawful assembly. Freedom of religion seems to be very much at stake here, and there’s been some very peculiar aspects to this entire situation. Uh, we’ve had, for instance, a couple of break-ins, one into uh, a church attorney’s home that was reported, uh, Mr. [Eugene] Chaikin, in which papers were gone through, books were ran– seemingly ransacked, and we don’t know that this absolutely connected by any means. But it’s– it’s been a strange type of harassment. Telephones, and so forth, certainly not been (unintelligible word). It’s now begun to cool down due to responsible media, and uh, the Examiner has printed an article that was not to our satisfaction. There’s still negotiation about a human service uh, uh, article that uh, was supposed to appear Sunday, but it hasn’t appeared yet. There have been two (unintelligible word) letters to the editor of the Examiner from people, non-members, I don’t remember what communities they were from, one I think from Ukiah, Ukiah businessman. Generally speaking, I– I think things are looking up.
Newscaster: You spent some time uh, with attorneys in San Francisco, uh– Has there been any decision regarding a possible libel suit?
Jones: No, there hasn’t, uh, not at this time. We are weighing what course of action to take. The– The Christian ethic speaks rather strongly about suits. I’ve never been sued, nor have I engaged in a suit. But there’s another aspect to this case that gives me great consternation. That’s freedom of religion. Uh, there has been I think an infringement upon a decent group of people. We have bothered no one. We’re guilty of none of these charges that’ve been made, and if it would perhaps encourage some of the reporters to be more responsible in the future, that is, not to hurt others, then uh, I might consider it. We have some time really to decide on this matter. Uh, I would prefer that we could communicate–
(tape edit)
Recorded music for balance of side 2
End of tape
Tape originally posted January 2013