WBAI

Berthold Reimers is still hiding, even from the staff whose salary he cut off. He still expects them to report to work at their own expense. Some salaried people should have been removed from the station a long time ago (Robert Knight, Kathy Davis and, indeed, Reimers himself) but there are also those who earn their paycheck and without whom the WBAI would stall altogether. Not to give them as much as transportation money and hiding from them is outrageous confirmation of Berthold Reimers' incompetence. He must be dismissed as soon as possible,

Berthold Reimers is still in hiding, but something is going on, and it does not bode well for WBAI's future. If you have listened to the station in the past month, you probably noticed that no serious fundraising has taken place. Last Sunday, the host of "Everything Old is New Again" made a brief statement indicating that things were on the mend. Anyone who heard that and has noticed the absence of pitching and escalation of mindless pap, can easily assume that WBAI's economic situation is no longer dire.

Here's a message posted today on the LSB public list by R. Paul Martin:

"WBAI General Manager Berthold Reimers has informed me that as of tonight 
there has been no new progress in getting enough money for WBAI to pay 

the current $119,000 that it needs for the Empire State Building 

payment, payroll and other bills.

Pacifica Management is still trying to get a substantial amount of cash
together to help WBAI's finances.

When I hear more I'll let people know."
—R. Paul Martin (posted to another list) 

Here, also posted today, is a note from LSB member Cerene Roberts, who is still barred from entering the station and posting on the list LSB list-serv. That, alone, tells us how disorganized and polarized these amateurs have made WBAI's governance. What Ms. Roberts suggests is too logical and reasonable for these management people to pay attention to it. There is a faction that absolutely hates Cerene Roberts, whom they describe as a violent person guilty of going on a destructive rampage. Well, perhaps that's true, but the accusers—who regard themselves as the "good" guys—regularly test people's ability to sit still while they work the wrecking ball. These "angels" will maintain that Roberts' compassion is but a ploy to disrupt the order of things.

Cerene Roberts' post:

Dear Pacifica Lovers,

WBAI's paid staff should have received paychecks on 4/30. They did not. 

And further, they only received 1 business day's notice of this misfortune.

Tomorrow, they are required to begin a 30-day marathon. (This follows a 2-month funddrive during the first half of which all staff offered premiums, etc. During the second leg, they begged long and hard for $300K+ to save the transmitter from ejection/eviction from the Empire State Building.)

In New York City:

• A monthly subway metro card costs $112
• A week's worth of groceries is $40-$75
• A cellphone bill could run $50-$100

At the upcoming meetings of the local and national boards on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, I will bring the motion that WBAI management pay each staffperson at least $250, immediately, providing them the ability to travel, eat and, communicate.

The Local Station Board (LSB) meets on Wednesday 5/8 at 7PM, at Alwan for the Arts, 16 Beaver Street in downtown Manhattan near the bull. (Trains: #4/5 to wheelchair-accessible Bowling Green, #2/3 to Wall Street, #1 to South Ferry or Rector,"J" to Broad.) There will be time for Public Comment. It is hoped that the manager will make an appearance and provide useful financial information. 

The Pacifica National Board (pnb@pacifica.org) meets on Thursday 5/9 at 8:30PM (Eastern) by telephone. It will be streamed at www.kpftx.org. One hopes that reliable information will be presented.

I ask that someone with posting priviledges to the LSB's listserv forward this note. I am blocked from posting to that list.

Cerene Roberts

-- In my individual capacity and NOT on behalf of either the WBAI LSB and PNB