R. Paul Martin has posted an addendum to his Treasurer's Report for Nov. 12. It contains interesting and clarifying information re the new "studio", etc. Go here for that. Then scroll to the bottom of Reimers' Pledge Revenue Form for further clarification by R. Paul.
Nov. 19: I recommend that you check out the most recent comments attached to this post.
If anyone brought up the outrageous banishment of Sidney Smith at the November 12 WBAI-LSB meeting, it was not included in Mitchel Cohen's recording, but it should have been. Sidney has posted another response to our exchange on this incident, which has yet to be dealt with properly. Berthold Reimers, ever the turkey with his head in the sand, not only owes Sidney an explanation and apology, he owes accountability to the listener-supporters of WBAI.
Nov. 19: I recommend that you check out the most recent comments attached to this post.
If anyone brought up the outrageous banishment of Sidney Smith at the November 12 WBAI-LSB meeting, it was not included in Mitchel Cohen's recording, but it should have been. Sidney has posted another response to our exchange on this incident, which has yet to be dealt with properly. Berthold Reimers, ever the turkey with his head in the sand, not only owes Sidney an explanation and apology, he owes accountability to the listener-supporters of WBAI.
Uncle Sidney: Why not broadcast on the internet? Spreaker, Talkshoe and iHeart can set you up.
ReplyDeleteKew Gardens Troll
Have any of you Sidney fans closely reviewed some of the content on his blog and words? Are you blind? Did you really think he would admit it? Not hard to figure out. What does that say about you Chris?
ReplyDeleteI've seen it and said that it didn't make him look good, and could be exaggerated into something more. However, the pictures aren't pornographic or illegal, either. If you aren't familiar with Charles Pitts, you may not understand how I compare the two.
DeleteSDL
It might say that I don't jump to conclusions? Sidney's blog is not what one might expect to see from a man his age, but neither does it qualify as porn. Kinky? Perhaps, but far more offensive mindset ooze out of WBAI every day. And I don't think the police have been summoned. If people are discomfited by his blog or admitted homosexuality, it is they who have a problem.
DeleteI have no problem with homosexuality at all, I would not be a fan of this blog if I did. I have hung out in gay clubs with gay friends men and women in the past and more. I fully support the LBGT community. That is not what I'm getting at. I have a problem with the sexualization of kids. It isn't just his images it is some of his comments on them as well. I was a Sidney fan too until I saw the blog linked by you Chris.
ReplyDeleteAre you suggesting that homophobes would not visit (or approve of) this blog? If so, why? I, too, have a problem with pedophilia... a huge problem, which is also a reason why I think one has to be extremely careful not to make false accusations. As I have stated previously, I have seen parts of Sidney's blog that made me uncomfortable, parts that made me appreciate his creativity, and parts that neither pleased nor displeased me.
Delete@bklynsteph: I understand you and agree with you overall. However, the question is more about the lack of any actual accusations and the silence by WBAI management on the matter. When Charles Pitts was fired, there was no secret as to why, and he was far more extreme. People just want honesty from management, really.
ReplyDeleteAnyway. I decided to call out people and put a post on the Blueboard. Let's see who is for real and who slams me.
SDL
I agree with you, SDL, what is really troublesome and not in dispute is Berthold Reimers' handling of this. Let's say that it wasn't he who called the police, as has been said, he is still guilty of not directly contacting Sidney and, in fact, not uttering a word about this. He may have been forced to address it at the recent "executive meeting," but that doesn't help to clarify a situation that is as ugly for the way it was handled as the charge upon which it is based. I said, charge, not deed.
DeleteIt is ironic that Frank Lefever is the one who—in a post to the Blueboard—asked who "the rat" is. Someone named Sean Rhodes, Lefever said that it was more likely Tony Ryan, Andrea Katz was also mentioned and R. Paul points the finger at Reimers.
Of the accused, only Sean Rhodes responded, saying that he has never "had it in for" Sidney and was not even present when the incident occurred. Whether he actually gave the order or made the NYPD call, Reimers is personally involved, and here's where the irony comes in. Remember how Lefever always defended and made excuses for Berthold Reimers' blunders? He went out of his way to let us know that he had Reimers' ear and even boasted of having played a major role in this jerk's hiring as iGM. So, now it turns out that the "rat" Frank Lefever wanted identified might well be his old friend, a person who, he once intimated, would not have his $100,000.00 job at WBAI were it not for his recommendation.
Sometimes, bragging backfires. :)
No I'm not suggesting homophobes wouldn't enjoy this blogs, but they tend not to be as liberal as most of us here are.
ReplyDeleteWell My blog is many things my Queerness amongst them. Yeah in the tradition of Walt Whitman, and other famous faeries I admire youths. Though haven't had personal congress with them since I was a youth. For example my comic "Blue Angelesque" obsession with the French fashion model Charles Guslain.
ReplyDeleteI post images of him all the time. He is in his late teens, and quite lovely.
So yes I'm to some like the old Queer in "Death in Venice" or the obsessed professor in the "Blue Angel". At my age indeed. Actually I've hardly the energy to get out of bed much less go on the hunt for sailors or eagle scouts.
As for this proclivity it has hardly been a secret. It's been common knowledge at the station, and with my listeners if they were paying attention for over 30 years. Yes like Charles Pitts tho' not nearly as extreme. Me I just read the turn of the century poetry about it, and collected Caravaggio prints.
Although both of these things today seem a grave offense.
Guilty of that at least. Yes I can see that some might see some of the art and such on my blog disturbing. A product of these times. When I was a young Queer Radical these issues the images were not considered a problem...I guess I didn't give in to the fear.
Anyway I'm no danger to any day care centers. Also I'm sad that some no longer like me or my work because of my esthetic admiration's. Of course having such leaves one open to attack which finally came. It took 30 years, but came it did. Though ironically I actually did nothing I'm accused of. I downloaded no illegal images...none...ever...not even at home. As you may have heard me talk about porn on the air. I just don't like it as an art form. It's inhumane ugly loveless cruel. I've said this any number of times.
I love good eroticism rare though it is.
Btw the form that porn has taken goes back to before the 1960's when the Mob made, and distributed it all..gay, and straight. What we see now is the visual tradition set down by them. When it became legal in the mid-late 60's the format continued. In other words what we have in most skin mags, and porn sites on the web is the Mafia's idea of what sex is.
That pretty much sums it up. That's why it has no soul no kindness no humor why so many of the images seem to be autopsy pictures. Actually if I were on the air I'd think I'd do another program on the topic.
I think I've digressed.
Right...no I'm not a child molester porno fiend. I'm just some guy is all.
Does this answer everyone's question about my life of sin?
'
Thank you, Sidney. It is not pictures that make this an outrageous situation, it is the lowlife at WBAI who created it. I assume that you miss being on the air, but you are better off staying away from WBAI as long as it remains affiliated with Pacifica. Your talent is not worthy of that gang—it will find an outlet if that's what you want.
DeleteYa know I was looking over my blog. Actually it's not that weird...okay a bit weird my thing about that French fashion model, but hardly a nest of mayhem.
ReplyDeleteI just spoke with a dear friend who's here with me...I actually have company sometimes. My shrink would be proud. Anyway she just read all the comments here, and he agrees with some that my eh..."odd interest" shouldn't be posted on my blog, but rather on my Queer page which is semi-secret in plain sight.
ReplyDeleteThis give me pause...would this be dishonest? Or as she sez be "respectful of the feelings" of the mainstream readers that read my "normal" posts.
I must think about this.
Stay tuned.
@sydney smith: Don't sweat it. No need to justify something if it isn't illegal and is consentual. To be honest, I could go on a spiel about porn, in my case sadomasochist porn, and how I think very litle of it is any good or follows SSC, or, at least RACK, ideals, etc. I find most of it to be nothing more than a freak show and/or obstacle course. In fact, at one time I had hired what were then two of the best known S/m pornsters for jobs and found them to be so devoid of any actual S/m knowledge that they made total fools of their own arrogant babbling asses in front of crowds. Big talk, camera and websites, but no actual knowledge.
ReplyDeleteSDL
Thanks SDL you're very sweet. Thank you. However I'm tending towards moving the Queer stuff to the Queer page. Actually that would be too much trouble...I've got really lazy in this retirement thing. I may just be bicameral about it, and post all future pervert stuff on my pervert page.
ReplyDeleteI think.
As for the porn world in my limited experience it's rare you get a real artists in it. Many of the "actors" just don't seem to see themselves that way. For something as erotically complex as the S&M field of videos or stills you really need folks that know the drill front back sideways inside-out. From what I've seen "freak show" is being kind.
Sorry you get stuck with duds!
Peace.
@sydney smith: Let me add that, even though we have never spoken, I have been a listener of your since my early teens, a long time ago. Just want to mention that.
DeleteTake it easy.
SDL
Thanks for that.
ReplyDeletePeace.
@Sidney: Maybe this queer stuff is just a phase you're going through. You probably haven't met the right girl. Let me introduce you to my daughter. She's a doctor. And she was Bat Mitzvahed. And she lives in Brooklyn. And she's looking for a nice guy, preferably a Shabos Goy. And She's single. If you see her, you'll wonder why you wasted so much time.
ReplyDeleteKGT
A doctor you say...hummm. She can cook right?
ReplyDeleteWell my Mom always said it was just a matter of finding the right girl. I could be the perfect husband. I sleep all the time, and I'll never bother her. Well I might need help getting down to the Social Security Office, but other than that no problems. She likes "Dr. Who" I hope.
I'm a former WBAI unpaid intern. I share a lot of your concerns and grievances. I'd like to speak with you but only on the condition that it is anonymous and off the record as far as any identifying information. If you are okay with that, please post a way that I can contact you in response to this. If not, we won't be speaking directly at this time, but maybe you can expect to hear about me in the future.
ReplyDeleteI assume that you are addressing this to Sidney. I hope he gets in touch with you.
DeleteAnon: Why don't you try ssmith@wbai.org
DeleteThis is Anon. Apologies for the lack of clarity -- I'm not addressing anyone in particular but have been a frequent visitor to this blog since I started and completed my WBAI internship. I found it well-intentioned but very inadequate as far as the station's organization, culture, and commitment to meaningful reform. The revelation that Berthold Reimers makes a $100,000 salary despite the fact that there are many unpaid volunteers and interns was especially poignant for me to read. Can you verify this? Also, forgive me but for my own understanding can someone give me a synopsis of this blog, who started it, what their previous roles were with WBAI, etc.?
ReplyDeleteThis blog was started by me about 3 years ago when a troll affiliated with Robert Knight followed me online, seemingly for the sole purpose of stifling my criticism of Knight's on air performance. To get rid of this pesky, rather vindictive person (Pamela Somers), I started this blog, which I continue to run. The original purpose was to give a bit of WBAI's history, including our program Folios and the first fundraising marathons (I initiated them, but they were brief, "premium"-free and unscrupulously honest). When Berthold Reimers was hired, it did not take long to see how totally unfit he was for the task. As the station continued to deteriorate and turn into a marketing outlet for quacks and other scam artists, I began to counter the many distorted facts and downright lies that have come to characterize WBAI and—I strongly suspect--have scared off the overwhelming majority of its listener-sponsors. The listenership has never before been this low—it actually no longer justifies having a powerful transmitter atop the ESB.
DeleteI started volunteering at WBAI in the first months of 1961 and eventually left WNEW to accept a staff position as announcer/board operator. It was a very different radio station back then. one that carried on the principles upon which Lew Hill founded Pacifica. I was appointed manager in the mid Sixties (we did not refer to that position as "General" Manager).
I hope this answers your question, but you should know that what I have told you is already available elsewhere on this blog. Use the search option and key words like "folio," "marathon," "NY Times," etc.
I'd just like to add that most of the posters here are very long time listeners and, in many cases, have worked at WBAI in some capacity at some point. It's a knowledgeable bunch. In fact, if anything, I'm the kid here, since I've only been listening since 1978 and co-hosted a show 6 or 7 times about 15 years ago.
DeleteDon't think that we are here to grind axes, because we're not. We are here because we know the greatness that WBAI was capable of and would like to see it return to being an importent left wing voice in the New York market of corporate right wing crap.
"The listenership has never before been this low"
Correct. In fact, when Pacifica brought in Kosof and Guzman because of a loss of half its listenership in the early to mid 1970s, the listenership was still higher than anything it has had for about the last 20 years.
SDL
Thank you, SDL. That's an important point.
Delete"left wing voice in the New York market of corporate right wing crap"?
DeleteIs this WBAI's mission?
KGT
I appreciate the thoughtful responses, and I do not doubt your sincerity, nor do I find this blog's maintenance to be petty. It is clear that WBAI is no longer the great and storied station that it was. I am a younger person who unfortunately was never around for its heyday, but I am a big fan of programs like Democracy Now! which is how I found WBAI. I wanted to hear more great journalism with an emphasis on social justice and it was disappointing to see it treading barely above water on the basis of mostly snake oil salesmen and disreputable people on the air.
DeleteThe figure on Reimers' $100k salary though: where does it come from?
In the early years, there was far greater emphasis on in-house produced documentaries. Not the propaganda-type drivel WBAI offers for sale during its fund drives. One might reasonably expect the station to produce even more and better documentaries today, given the relatively low cost of equipment that is considerably more sophisticated (and mobile) than what we had to work with decades ago. We were also on a shoestring budget in those days, but we managed to produce extraordinary reportage from such battle-torn locations as the Deep South and Vietnam. The spirit to do such broadcasting permitted WBAI, made all the more possible by an attitude that invited outside participation rather than discourage it. WBAI was an important step in many people's career, not their final resting place, and there were no secrets held from the listener-sponsors.
DeleteIn my days at the helm, we had 25 paid staff members whose salaries were public information. As Manager, I was paid the highest salary: $12,000 a year. Now such things, and accounting figures in general, are either kept from the public or manipulated to make management look better. Berthold Reimers' salary of $100,000 has surfaced from more than one inside source and raised much criticism, but it has never been denied. Instead, we have seen highly exaggerated descriptions of his activities used to justify the cited salary.
The station is being grossly mismanaged and its listeners disrespected, except when it comes time for soliciting money from them. That has resulted in a listenership too low for Arbitron to measure, and a manager who more or less remains in hiding. Part of a Pacifica station manager's job used to be the weekly or bi-weekly live broadcast called "Report to the Listener." It made perfect sense, especially since the listeners paid the bills, including salaries—they were owed an accurate, detailed accounting and an opportunity to voice their own opinions. It was an easy program to do with all the cards on the table--not so easy when everything you do is veiled in secrecy and deceit is running rampant.
Thank you for your insights, that does help me put some of the experiences and knowledge that I have gleaned into perspective. There is more I would like to say if you're interested, but not on this public Blogspot.
DeleteI can be contacted directly on pacificareport66@me.com
DeleteI think the salary of $100,000 is not out of line for a station manager, PROVIDED HE WERE DOING A GOOD JOB. Where does it way that Pacifica and WBAI employees have to take a vow of poverty? After all, we are not communists.
ReplyDeleteKGT
Were Reimers qualified for the job and actually managing the station as well as circumstances allow, I don't think his $100,000 salary would come under scrutiny.
DeleteThere is a word for what Reimers has been doing since he was hired: "soldiering." In the loaf and malinger sense.
I think even if Reimers were doing a stellar job, $100,000.00 is too much for the manager of a fledgling station that can barely fundraise to stay afloat and does not pay its volunteers, hosts, interns... it's not about a vow of poverty but economic common sense as well as some basic equity and fairness for some of the hardworking people who literally get nothing for their efforts
ReplyDeleteThe problem isn't Reimers salary but what he does/doesn't do to warrant it. I don't feel he deserves anything, and should even be paying WBAI $100,000 per year to be GM. Larry Josephson was considered a lousy GM (even by his own account), but even he wasn't anywhere as bad as Reimers. However, he did have to deal with the Vietnam War winding down, which many claim was the main reason many listeners left. I don't know if that is true or not or partly true.
ReplyDeleteEven the comeback period of '77-'80 with Reed and Harris as GM & PD, which was considered stagnant, was able to make it through things without tons of beg-a-thons, snake oil, and kept the Folio publishing.
I wonder what Murillo is getting as PD...
What I also despise is how people like Forlano, Dancy, Fass, and all the other non-earners put more of a burden on other people to earn more money to make up for their, obvious, lack of listenerships. Doesn't sound like much community spirit to me.
SDL
The Vietnam War winding down may have lost WBAI a few listeners, but hardly enough to make the dent. Larry Josephson was very much a wrong choice for the position, but he was—along with Steve Post and, to some extent, Bob Fass—responsible for the shift that was taking place, a re-directed focus that belied the lofty principles of Pacifica's founders. WBAI was turning into a dumbed down "celebrity"-oriented station with tabloid values. If you heard that station today, you would still find it intellectually stimulating, but the seeds of destruction had been sown. As I need not tell anyone, the vandalism continued and is still going on as WBAI enters its final lap.
DeleteAs I post this, I am listening to that horrid woman, Prescod, pitch for the Pacifica Archives. They are running Marsha Tompkins' remarkable recording of a KKK cross-burning meeting in her hometown of Tuscaloosa. Now, THERE was something one could only hear on WBAI... well, actually not, because we sold broadcast rights to the BBC, the Danish Government Radio Network, and Mrs. Akers, a wonderful, elderly white lady in Detroit whose husband had given her an FM station for their wedding anniversary. Marsha was our Folio Editor, home on vacation and lugging one of our two "portable" tape machines (we owned an HMV and a Nagra). The tapes are quite remarkable and she returned with enough material to do a series, I believe she called it "You Can't Go Home Again."
A few months later, I met a young black man from Tuscaloosa at a party in my building. He did not know Marsha, but he had been arrested by her father, the Sheriff, during a Civil Rights demonstration. When I told Marsha about him, she immediately asked if I could arrange an interview. Thus Marsha added another memorable program to her series, I remember very clearly her soft Souther accent when she asked him, "Did daddy beat you?"
Before Prescod came on with her usual hysteria, they ran an archive compilation on singers, including the one in which I am heard describing my good friend, Alberta Hunter. The Archives head, Brian, obviously needs to know more about the tapes he and his crew are preserving--his remarks were uninformed and clumsy, but the material is first-rate.
As for Murillo, at least he seems to be working, but that's what the Bunker gang keeps telling us about Reimers wearing his rear to the bone (no, not backbone, he has no such thing.)
WBAI has hooked up to a new scam. This one called "Neuro Design Engineering," devised by someone named Chris Howard and costing $397.00, apparently not counting WBAI's cut. More on this, later.
Community Spirit? I think not. In fact, I don't sense evidence of any spirit.
I see the problem as simpler: The long-term increasingly overt politicization of Pacifica and WBAI, and their becoming increasingly strident and narrowly focused tools of advocacy.
DeleteOther factors may have been contributory, and many such factors are subject to honest disagreement between and amongst intelligent observers.
The one consistent theme, though, over time, has been the increased abandonment of any actual belief in free speech and in broad coverage and an increasingly narrow and parochial focus on political advocacy, with all other programming at best a subsidiary afterthought.
In the end, of course, this is an impotent and irrelevant echo chamber at any and all levels.
~ ‘indigopirate’
Chris, watching an early to mid 1980s slasher film is intellectually stimulating in comparison to most of what is on WBAI these days.
DeleteI love the Tompkins' story and how she followed things up to the end. Good ongoing reporting.
Reimers is working very hard - bullshitting listeners, bill collectors, etc...
Is the Chris Howard thing the one which had Blosdale and told people over and over about getting a certificate so you can open shop for yourself? Essentially it was a business opportunity infomercial. How long until they have no money down real estate courses on there?
SDL
Here's what R. Paul Martin posted:
DeleteOkay, WBAI did not make its goal in the Fall 2014, 'thon. So the station will be pitching the following "service" to the community over the next few weeks in an effort to make up that shortfall.
I'm seeing the following stuff on E-mails to the Staff, and on Tweets to the general listenership. I wonder if a person could use this to make double helix water all on their own? We're being told that this was a very successful premium during the summer 'thon.
The pitch is:
Become certified in Neuro Design Engineering & Transformational Hypnosis - in just ONE weekend!
Here's one official WBAI link to the information about this premium.
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/WBAI--TRANSFORMATIONAL-WORKSHOP.html?soid=1104013504453&aid=30bLwJwxJAg
Here's a link to this guy's Web page about it. Apparently this is something ongoing, and is not always and only a "benefit" for WBAI.
http://www.rockhouseglobal.com/forthcoming-events/consciousnessunleashed/
This, um, training is being offered by one Chris Howard, and here's some of the blurb about him on the WBAI contact page above, "Chris began his studies in hypnosis at the age of 9, and he began professionally teaching Clinical Hypnosis for The American Institute of Hypnotherapy every weekend all over North America over 14 years ago. He went on to build The AWA, which became the largest NLP and Hypnosis school in the world, and he's had the pleasure to teach in 20 different countries around the planet."
Now remember, the three words "Neuro Design Engineering™" are indeed trademarked. Don't get too hypnotized and miss that detail.
Listeners can look forward to the pitch for this premium to be interspersed throughout the rest of November, and probably for the first couple of days in December.
Yeah, that's it. I say equal time for Rosicrucians!
DeleteSDL
The experiment failed. Or it ran its course. Don't keep it going on life support like someone with Lou Gehrig's disease. It's time to close up shop.
ReplyDeleteKGT
Neuro Design Engineering & Transformational Hypnosis? Sounds like the Sweat Lodge of James Arthur Ray at Sedona, Arizona.
ReplyDelete@: all BAIers: Run like HELL.
Kew Gardens Troll