An unvarnished blog that dips into the past and comments on the present of WBAI-FM, a once significant, intelligent New York radio station that for years has suffered chronic abuse from within and now nears extinction. Your comments are welcomed and will not be censored.
And that is probably a ballpark figure, since I doubt WBAI is resposible enough to keep all pertinent paperwork. What does it mean to be in debt anyway? So, is another fundraiser coming up soon? How are they going to pay these debts? They haven't sent out so many premiums that the audience is less and less likely to send money. Even people who believe the Palestinians to have broken bread with the dinosaurs are only so stupid.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they can try the old "give us money or the dog gets it" bit? No, the greenies would go ballistic.I don't think that trip to Southern Africa will cut it. (In fact, if its anything like the circa 1979 trip to Cuba, it should lose lots of money.) Pray tell! Maybe firing the people with no finacial support and putting on some decent program would help make money? No, probably not soon enough. I got it! Put on infomercials for all sorts of crap! Yeah, that works. Hey, there is always renting a night at some underground club for an orgy...
SDL (Who just had a big dinner and a whole bottle of wine. So don't mind me...)
That's an early dinner, SDL.
DeleteYes, any figures coming from Berthold Reimers are unreliable. We are never told how much money WBAI gets per Africa trip sold. I'm sure that's a moot point, because I can't see them selling any—the way WBAI handles things, chances are good that anyone biting might get stranded in the middle of nowhere and, what with the ebola scare, it is not such an attractive proposition.
How will they spend the $12,000 that's in the bank? Oops, that was at 7:14 last evening... it's probably gone by now.
For $12,000 these days you can buy enough equipment for a new studio. However,the money will probably just filter away to who knows what. It's not really enough to pay any rents. However, I bet it could pay lots of postage on mailing premiums out... Oh, why would anyone want to do that?
DeleteI have a feeling the Africa trip is an independent thing with WBAI getting a kickback for every ticket purchased by a WBAI listener. Should come to $0...
Speaking of Ebola. Mitch Jesserich showed what a great talent he is yesterday on Letters & Politics with a show on the topic. Best thing I have heard yet on Ebola. It was the kind of show where he is best - dealing with a current topic and giving a history of how we got to this point. Highly recommended.
As for dinner. Well, some rigatone and creamy tomato basil sauce, homemade garlic bread and Spanish wine were begging me to enjoy their company. How could I refuse..? :)
SDL
Equipment has such low priority that I don't think a penny will be spent on it. Yes, it would pay for a goodly amount of postage, but WBAI doesn't even have all the paid-for (by listener-victims) products on hand, because, as Reimers has said, "We can't afford it." Talk about warped priorities!
DeleteI always assumed that the Africa trip didn't originate with the station—the people behind it are just getting free advertising. As we both predict, their cost to the station will be zero.
Mitch Jesserich is good. Apropos programming, did you catch Brady last night? He had a second session with that "Dark Side of Cupid" woman. It was hilarious, so I'll probably post a sample.
BTW, tomorrow morning I go for my first cataract surgery/procedure, so please excuse me if I neglect this blog for half a day—hopefully, not longer.
Yeah, I caught some of Brady. There are really people who buy that stuff at face value, though. There always must be something behind it all. There must always be a conspiracy of some secrecy. However, all these secret conspiracies seem to get exposed. I guess the conspirators must not be as good as they think they are.
DeleteThe problem with that stuff is that it's like a mental form of heroin. For the weaker mind, the more they hear, the more they become addicted to it. It's a security blanket, like religion. It answers all their questions and makes them think they know more than the rest of us. I like this stuff in moderate doses, but I take it tongue firmly in cheek. It's sort of entertaining, like watching a really bad, cheapo horror or martial arts film.
This is why a publisher like Adventures Unlimited has been in business for years. Yes, fairy tales for adults.
Good luck and take care of yourself. Take whatever time you need to heal and don't rush back. Health comes before WBAI. If need be, give Bob Fass a call and let him moderate for a few days. Then we can call this Blog Unreadable... >:P
SDL
Thank you, SDL :)
DeleteDo we hear the death rattle yet?
ReplyDeleteI've heard it for a long time, but I think it's getting louder.
DeleteAll good wishes for the best possible outcome, and the speediest healing, of your cataract surgery, sir. I would imagine vision-intensive activities will need some hiatus, so don't rush back in defiance of medical advice.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much.... and please call me Chris. BTW, thank you for participating in our discussion here. We get a bit carried away at times, but our heart is in the right place.
DeleteIf you see my old friend, Burton White, please give him my regards. He was around when we did that first marathon.
As it happens, your old friend Burton White served illustriously as the KPFA LSB Chair for the first year of his current term; so i see him at LSB meetings. And, in developments unanticipated a couple of years ago, we have been neighbors since last March. He was the first-ever development director at KPFA back when he worked there, I was a student at Cal Berkeley, and we had a nodding acquaintance through mutual friends.
DeleteMy best wishes for the procedure as well, Chris. I agree with the 'take your time, whatever you need' sentiment as well. You do great work, but it can wait... first things first, and all that.
ReplyDeleteBest,
~ 'indigo'
Mitch's "Letters and Politics", Margaret Pressod's "Sojourner Truth", Ian Master's "Background Briefing" and the 9am shows like "Project Censored" and "Against the Grain" plus the strong lineup replacing the news I installed might have helped if left in place and given time to build audience. They were/are all substantial programs unlike current new offerings. But Summer and Berthold knew better than I and pulled the continuity of reliably good shows thereby interrupting the flow and any possibility of slowly building audience. And with no consistent good quality morning programming it's unlikely there can be success. All the shows I installed would have eventually raised respectable monies and gradually overtaken the dubious informericals. Mario Marillo is a capable radio person, reliable and good at working with local producers though there are very few capable local producers with any real skills sufficient to build new audience. He'll placate the existing morning audience but unlikely to build new audience. There needed to be substantial change in tone and quality to build audience and there must be consistency. I know I'm "blowing my own horn" here but any knowledgeable PD would likely agree with me - I was only doing what was obvious (to me) when I was iPD.
ReplyDeleteChris--My best wishes for your speedy recovery. Take all the time you need--or want. We'll miss you, but that will make your return that much sweeter.
ReplyDeleteI heard part of Brady's program the other night. I had to remind myself that I haven't taken drugs in almost 30 years and that I wasn't drinking.
I've started listening to Mitch Jesserich. He is someone who definitely deserves a better venue than the current WBAI/Pacifica.
As for the Africa trip: I've wondered whether anyone would actually book it. At this point, I don't think very many people would book a ride on the Staten Island Ferry with BAI.
I thank you all for the kind words, advice, and expressed concerns. The operation went very smoothly and painlessly. My neighbor accompanied me there and back—it's great to have such friends. The patch I wear comes off tomorrow when I visit my doctor's office. Won't start a new post, but I'll keep an eye (literally) out for any comments, and place them. —Chris
DeleteGlad you're coming along nicely :)
Delete~ 'indigo'
Happy everything went smoothly. Take it easy and relax.
DeleteSDL
(JustAListener)
ReplyDeleteChris,
Glad the procedure went smoothly, wish you a quick recovery.
(Of course you don't need clear vision to see how twisted things are at Pacifica.)
Andrew, I wish you had been able to hang in there. I think Reese was green but I think she had at least some commitment to Pacifica's ideals. I can't blame her for panicking and going full infomercial, had she survived maybe she could have been convinced to give you a chance.
I had some hope at the time that you could have become defacto GM and perhaps guided the station through the rocks.
But we know what happened to all that...
SDL,
I admit I find some of Brady compellingly bad. Your observation " like watching a really bad, cheapo horror or martial arts film." is perfect.
BTW in my opinion, the station airing "fringe" theories or opinions is not a problem as long as they are not presented as unchallenged truths. I come to WBAI to hear what one "edge" of the populace is chatting about but the station should make listeners aware of the alternate views For example Null's AIDS-HIV denial or anti-vaccine position. I'd let him air it, but call him out on his offer to debate and set something up.
I agree on having contrasting views. However, if you tried to do that with Null, you know he'd huff and puff and threaten to leave WBAI high and dry. I bet he'd call Hay-tie one morning and make all sorts of accusations about WBAI going corporate, etc. I bet you haven't seen any response to Null's "AIDS denial" due to this.
DeleteAs for the fringe metaphysics of people on Brady's show. It's hard to contest most of that stuff as it is like debating religion.
There are tons of "fringe" beliefs out there. Maybe a good idea would be a one or two hour time slot every week dedicated to a new belief every week? You have guests from whatever the belief of the week is and let them do their presentation. No censorship no matter how insane. Now that would be the kind of thing I'd love to hear because I love to be challenged and offended. Could title the show Can You Believe It?
SDL
Only $12,000 left in the bank? Oh we're fine-- that covers Bertie's paycheck for another 45 days. Time enough for KPFA to have another pledge drive and ship the money to New York.
ReplyDeleteYou should listen to the finance committee. KPFA hasn't even paid its own central services in 2014. It's behind and owes money to Pacifica national.
ReplyDeleteHad to laugh at a promo for the WBAI feminist film festival taking place at their offices, evidently. A few decades ago they could have filled a small theater. Now? Well, since they really don't have what would typically be called feminist programming, I wonder who will bother coming. Oh. wait. There was something about free wine...
ReplyDeleteSDL
I guess this reflects an overall drop in listenership. They could probably fit Bob's "cabal" into a walk-in closet, and I imagine that Daulton Anderson's average listenership might barely fill a store-front church.
DeleteYesterday morning, he gave WHCR as a station ID. He also seems to have abandoned that big fundraising concert he and his Brooklyn studio owner friend were planning. There is obviously some business going on in that time slot, otherwise I see no reason why he should be playing the same inferior recordings on every program. Recently added to that playlist is a very so-so rendering of "Blessed Assurance," which he claims is becoming a hit. This is one of Berthold's many mistakes, but I bet Murillo leaves it alone. He has his South American agenda going.
I haven't listened to much radio for the past few days beyond Jeserich, due to having the radio on in the kitchen while cooking and eating dinner when he's on.
DeleteWell, I think Fass probably has more listeners (at least loyal ones) than Anderson, really. I see Anderson as a truly dislikable person who, like Forlano, decided to use WBAI for his own purposes. I think Anderson was up to something, but it is falling flat, if not fallen flat already.
Anyway, what on earth are Brady and his guest rambling about? Usually, it's interesting in a train wreck sort of way. Tonight it's as exciting as roadkill.
SDL
I didn't catch Brady tonight, and I have been neglecting this blog, because I'm working on a past due writing deadline. The vision thing is fine, so I'll be back in full swing when I finish the article.
DeleteAnderson is definitely fumbling to find an excuse for the crap he plays. He gives out the number. but does not take listener calls on the air—he says he's taking requests. My request would be for him to leave, and take Reimers with him. :)
Good to hear your vision is doing well.
DeleteAnderson doesn't take calls anymore? That's funny, considering how much he seemed to love those church shout outs. I guess he blew in like a storm and has settled into a load of nothing. What a joke the guy always was.
SDL
Like I said, Anderson is fumbling around, starting features that don't work out and are then quickly kicked aside. The one constant, besides his own trite presentation—he is like a mama doll, give her a 90° vertical turn and she routinely utters a "mama" or "baby wants potty," or something like that. Anderson is programmed to say "my, my," especially when playing a recording on his push list.
DeleteI think he and Reimers has fantasies about church ladies pouring many jingling brooks from their pillbox hats into a river of cash. As Judge Judy would say, "Not happening!"
Over the weekend I went to a part.
ReplyDeleteOne guest said he turned on his radio and heard someone drone, in an unctuous monotone, about how a vegetable found in a Himalayan lake could free us from our enslavement to the medical-military-financial-media complex. He also opined about the Federal Reserve or something.
Next he heard a spacey-sounding woman say that she was visited by homeless angels who inspired her to go by a new name because it's "more expansive."
Then he had work to do. But later he tuned into someone who sounded like a twenty-year-old girl reading news headlines and making jokes that would make even the geekiest and nerdiest people you know wince. Later, he said, "some guy who sounds like the Himalayan vegetable guy on Xanax" interviewed someone who chuckled a lot and claimed that because Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills Nash & Young all came from the Laurel Canyon area of LA, they must have been part of a nefarious scheme hatched by spies in the secret Lookout Mountain military base/gay brothel where captured space aliens were kept alive for experimental purposes.
I had to explain to the hostess--who has never listened to WBAI--that the guest was not, in fact, intoxicated.
"...tuned into someone who sounded like a twenty-year-old girl reading news headlines and making jokes that would make even the geekiest and nerdiest people you know wince."
DeleteBest review of Juliana Forlano yet.
SDL
Justine, you go to the right parties. Next time, ask around... I would love to find out where those reptilians lay their eggs and how they would do as "premiums." That gay military brothel must be the one operated by the Brady bunch.
DeleteChris--I confess: I made up the story about the party. I wish I'd made up what my fictional guest heard on WBAI.
ReplyDeleteSDL--Thanks!
DeleteAnd here I was, admiring you for having been a guest at a party attended by one tenth of the station's current listenership!