Monday, November 2, 2015

If you don't believe they're sinking...look what a hole they're in.


PLEASE NOTE ADDED AUDIO AND TEXT


Treasurer R. Paul Martin has announced that WBAI's Local Station Board (LSB) will be reporting live on the air from 3 to 5 PM today, Monday, November 2. How will they fit into the station's "studio" closet, one wonders.

From 3 to 4 PM The four Directors, WBAI members of the Pacifica National Board, will be on during the first hour, followed for the second hour by officers who are not currently running as listeners.

Originally scheduled for October, this "report" was delayed by what Martin describes as "some shenanigans." He adds that—this marathon still running—the report will include pitches.

The current fund drive is a disaster, raising a daily average of $7,535. That should not come as a surprise to anyone who has spot-checked during the past month: its a lot of Corinne Funari with health advice of dubious merit (Null is out of favor this time around) and even more of Kathy Davis' gentle-voiced nonsense. They are even running the late Gwen Scott again (those nuts and grains apparently didn't work for her) and a recent Ivan Hametz's 3-hour opera program pops up at all hours—it's a good program, but why not have him do new ones? Then, too, there are the usual racist rants and historic distortions, starting with the morning dunce, Haskins, who wants to reclaim history (whatever that means) and vows to stay put at WBAI. The racist ignorance continues with opportunists like Ron Daniels, whose ability to do the Reparations dance while manipulating his selfie stick is more interesting that anything he has to say, and it flourishes on weekends and in the early morning hours when the likes of Rebel Diaz, Lister Hewan-Lowe, Gary Byrd bring out full-strength as well as diluted venom. Mimi Rosenberg (of the Kiwi™ tribe) is also wheelbarrowed front and center where she attempts to prove that it ain't just shoe polish. If you tuned in this Monday morning, you would have heard her proclaim this as Wednesday, with heavy rain expected—no mention of it being a re-run. Mimi's aria is in a DVD package of historical inaccuracies called Truth Be Told, a title that for the most part belies the veracity of its contentOn the absurd side, we have Geoff Brady and his reptilian aura collectors, and John Kane, who bemoans paleface pollution, but wants you to smoke reservation-made cigarettes. This, and other insults to your intelligence is what these fossils, grabbers and mission creepers want you to support.

During the live "Report" (a misnomer for this show), there was mention of the poor quality and unbalanced nature of WBAI's program schedule. Someone—Steve Brown, I think—pointed out that programs tend to be designed, and hosts hired to satisfy the needs of management rather than the listenership. The sharp drop in audience and donations must, in large measure, be attributed to narrowcasting. This is a radio station that strived for wide appeal without sacrificing quality. Intellect was the common denominator, not race nor ethnic origin.

The station sought to give its listeners more than one side of an issue and to do so without imposing a doctrine  of its own. Monday's report contained some objective criticism from LSB members and callers, but the very real issue of dominant internal racism was skirted. I edited the attached audio clips, but only to remove the preamble, extraneous banter, Cerene's entrance music, plugs and phone numbers—the "reports" and shouting matches are intact.

Here is the first hour of the Report. The participants are Janet Coleman, Carolyn Birden, Steve Brown, and Cerene Robertson.

The second hour has LSB Treasurer R. Paul Martin and Secretary Ken Laufer in the "studio" and several callers from the outside. The moderator (facilitator) is Reggie Johnson. 

UPDATE
The latter was facilitator Reggie Johnson's reaction to a dramatic, management-staged entrance by career troublemaker Cerene Robertson.

Several years ago, following physical altercations spurred by Ms. Robertson at LSB meetings, a GM had her "banned for life" from admission to any WBAI locale. Thus, her participation at this meeting occurred via telephone, but not for long. You will hear her make a dramatic entrance when it becomes her turn to report. Here is the explanation, a dispensation sent via e-mail by Berthold Reimers ten minutes before the program went on the air. Nobody in the "studio" knew of it until Ms. Robertson made her dramatic entrance. Here's Reimers' note:

Date: Monday, November 2, 2015, 2:50 PM

I am giving Cerene permission to participate in the LSB show for this special circumstance. Thanks.

Today, Board member Carolyn Birden responded with an e-mail to Shawn Rhodes, who had posted Reimers' note:

I'm sorry that the GM did this, without consulting the other members of the board who would be at that LSB broadcast and without giving us some warning. 

Cerene Roberts has been banned from WBAI premises by five (that I know of) General Managers, for behaviors that over the years have negatively impacted the station and staff to a great extent.    How did she get back into the station?  One manager died (Samori Marksman), one or two left (Leid and Riddle), one was Interim (LaVarn Williams).  Only Berthold Reimers readmitted her to the station, a telling fact, and that without warning to members and staff in advance. 

 Given that Cerene has been guilty of assaulting three members of the LSB (two of whom filed police reports of her actions),  Reimers' decision was rash and ill thought out. At LSB meetings I take care to keep my distance from Cerene.

     The broadcast studio at 388 Atlantic Avenue is very small, and when Cerene burst into the room without warning and took Steve Brown's seat next to me, I was extremely uncomfortable:  I was sitting closer to her than I cared to be, about the same distance away as Mitchel Cohen was when she struck his arm. There wasn't much room for me to move away, although I tried to do so. As usual, Cerene came to disrupt the meeting, divert us from the purpose of the broadcast, and promote herself as the queen of flimflam.    

Yes, I am sorry she was there, but even more to the point I am angry that the GM has so little concern for the physical safety of the staff and members.  Two of those three assaults occurred at the former station, the third at a PNB meeting; the most recent banning was occasioned at an LSB meeting at the station (Wall Street)  at which she tried to foment even more disruption than was already in process by deliberately encouraging some very rowdy behavior.

  Fortunately for the us (and for WBAI's general manager, who would most likely have been sued otherwise), no further assaults took place yesterday.  I trust that "for this special circumstance" means that people can access the station without fear of more trouble from that particular board member.

Bob Young, who Chairs the LSB also commented:

Berthold 's unilateral decisions countermanding  the LSB radio show are a serious problem. Berthold allowing a banned person on the premises creates another controversy. I am also concerned that allowing the same Board member who was banned to make a statement  using the initials JUC as a contact e-mail, on the air, during election season, is a violation of Pacifica electioneering rules.  It concerns me even more that nothing will happen regarding any of these issues. The Pacifica environment seems to be a lawless one at best.

Steve Brown adds his complaint and a few details. Click here for a PDF file of his letter. 

31 comments:

  1. I've been busy the past few days and am now playing catch-up on things. I downloaded this and shall listen. I'm kind of surprised such a thing is even broadcast.

    I still have to laugh how the main subject matter for extendomercials for WBAI, a highly political station, is hocus pocus. Just shows how the management knows their friends' political crap doesn't bring in listeners.

    Anyway. I wonder if Null is having a good laugh or not. The daily average is more than I thought it would be without him. I would have thought $5,000 give or take a bit. Could it be that Null is a money maker, but not as big a savior as he or we thought? Is it possible the daily average could be higher if there were more variety to the extendomercials, rather than the same few rerun to death?

    Oh, I just turned on WBAI and learned from Mimi it's a vampiric evening. I just turned off the radio...

    SDL

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    1. For Mimi, every evening must be vampiric. You should have heard the rest of that long blather—she is really unbelievably loony.

      I listened to the two hour "report," thinking that I would grab it in the archive and post excerpts, but the WBAI Archive has vanished from the station's website. If they deliberately disappeared it, I can understand, but since the entire archive is gone, I assume that it's just another technical failure. They have no idea how useful a well designed, updated website can be.

      There was a moment of shock as a creaky door opened and rendered Reggie speechless—he went to music. It turned out to be Cerene, who is "banned for life" from entering any of WBAI's premises. I just found this explanation, an e-mail from Reimers to insiders:

      "Date: Monday, November 2, 2015, 2:50 PM
      I am giving Cerene permission to participate in the LSB show for this special circumstance."

      At the meeting, she gets into an argument with Birden and Coleman, who wonder why she sides with KPFA rather than BAI. She evades giving an answer that makes any sense—truly, a nasty piece of work.

      R. Paul Martin makes more sense, but he goes on and on and on with a pitch. Ken Lauder also pitches, revealing how little he knows about the original purpose of WBAI. All in all, as they pitched for support, they demonstrated perfectly why that is the last thing anyone of intelligence ought to do. Isn't it amazing that these fools will tell you how dysfunctional WBAI and Pacifica are while, in the same breath urge that you send in your money? Idiots.

      They took a few calls from generally unhappy listeners. A woman was angry because one of the DVDs she received in her "Reparations" packet was blank. She called management to complain—stating that the set is also "overpriced"—but got no results. Apparently, all the sets included this "bonus" blank!

      Null was back on a what's wrong with BAI kick earlier in the afternoon, but that, too, cannot be retrieved at the moment.

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    2. I've said it before and will say it again. I think Mimi is psychotic. Don't just listen to her on the air, look at her behavior at WBAI functions.

      I guess I am lucky to have downloaded the 2 hour shindig when I did because now the archives aren't responding. A glitch, I would imagine. That's what happens when you have Katz running a website. Cats would do a better job.

      I didn't listen yet, maybe later. You say they took calls. Is that from new phone lines or another makeshift hook-up?

      So, people got the extra "make your own DVD" kit. That's cool. Now they can put whatever they want on it. Seriously, now. The reparations packet must be at least one burned DVD that wasn't burned, I guess. My guess is most of those DVD packs WBAI offers may be burns. Now some are not a violation of any copyrights, as they are freely available for download for FREE use, not sale.

      I did catch a couple of minutes of the Null bitch and whine slot. However, I had to do something more important, like take a piss or something, than listen to his same old shit. I guess Null must be angry that his not being on as much for a beg-a-thon is only cutting into WBAI sales a little and not a lot. Like I said, if they had a greater variety of extendomercials, they may not even need Null now. I think it shows us Null isn't the be all and end all many thought he was. Is Toto finding the Wizard?

      SDL

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    3. Unless the law has been changed, I doubt if WBAI can freely sell recordings of interviews or speeches without a signed release. I have signed many such documents during my career. There is a thin line between charging for "premiums" and selling for commercial profit, I suppose, but I think it is reasonable to assume that the performer (i.e. speaker) is being exploited when his/her words are exchanged for money by a third party.

      As I have said before, I strongly suspect that copyright laws are being broken by WBAI. Such information ought to be a part of the station's published accounting—the totals we sometimes get are inevitably misleading, because they don't reflect the cost of premiums, percentages paid to the vendors, etc. The actual cost and subsequent dispersement should not be among Reimers' secrets.

      I really think that a thorough look at the books will produce fines and jail sentences.

      One caller asked why the station didn't do more to raise money through off-air events. RPM said that it doesn't work! Someone pointed out that the recent comedy event LOST a large amount. We were never told how Daulton Anderson's big church concert did nor if anyone went on the Africa trip, etc. etc. This is all stuff that should be made available to listener-sponsors.

      What you say about Null sounds plausible—I would love to know what his story is regarding the WBAI association.

      BTW, the phone connection was created by Saidia McLaughlin. It was a 646 number, so probably a cell, but it worked well.

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    4. Looks like the archives are up and running again.

      You know the jerks violate copyrights. Wait until they do it to the wrong person or company and get a serious lawsuit up their asses.

      WBAI's finances are a joke. I bet if we saw a real breakdown of costs, expenses, etc. we'd either be shocked to near death or on the floor laughing like we needed straight jackets.

      The off-air fund raisers seem to be more miss than hit.

      What is the comedy event you are making reference to? Anything to do with the likes of Forlano? I heard Dave Kenney's thing a while back made some money. I also heard Daulton's ego trip barely made anything. However, it wasn't his actual concert but one he had his name attached to. Maybe they need more child labor based events, like that one a while ago? Yeah, gave the kids something to do...

      I'll bet the Africa trip never even happened. Forget about how much money it made, but did it even come off to begin with?

      I think Null is on the outs with Reimers, no matter what anyone says. You know his ego can't take his extendomercials being taken off during a beg-a-thon. he needs to be the savior. Now he looks like just a guy who makes some money, but not 40% or 50% of it. Reimers has proven Null isn't as important as everyone thought he was. Let him go have a Green Stuff and vodka and wallow in his tears.

      Funny how individual shows can set up their own forms of phone lines for calls but the station can't even get a cheap cell phone and do the same thing. You buying it? No, I didn't think so.

      The Foundationalists must be loving this.

      But I must let the show go on...

      SDL

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  2. It's amazing that they even get $7500/day. They are hitting the same tiny, aging audience over and over and over. These same donors have listened to something like 150 days of pitching this year. By now, they should be averaging a few hundred dollars a day. I suspect that the fulfillment rate will be low.

    Hopefully, Pacifica will reconsider Steve Brown's suggestion. Sell the station. Reap a windfall. Use a small fraction of that windfall to pay all outstanding debts. Then build a spectacular, first rate internet radio station. The costs will be a fraction of a bricks and mortar station and the project will be flush with cash from the sale so that it will be able to hire real talent and a skilled programming officer to create quality programming for years to come. WBAI could start fresh, with all new programs which will appeal to the under-80 crowd, with no pitching.

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  3. Chris: I have it. I'll send it to you. Gimme an email address.

    KGT

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  4. Thanks, KGT. As you can see, I managed to grab the first hour (second is a blank in the WBAI archive), but I greatly appreciate the offer. E-mail will get to me at DownheartedBlues[at]mac.com

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  5. Speaking of selling recording with and without permission, I notice that BAI has been robbing Armand DiMele's grave lately.

    Not only have they been airing airchecks of his program, I heard pitch for a CD (DVD?) packed full of Armand's wisdom (more airchecks).

    I'd *love* to know what DiMele's contract (if there was any contract) said about that.

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    1. From listening to his show (albeit loosely) I gather that his assistants/co-hosts are running it and that this is what he wanted. I may be wrong, but I have a feeling that this one is legit.

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    2. Of course, his assistants/co-hosts are going to continue. How else can they get clients? It's great schtick. Advertise on a "non-commercial' radio station as a "public service". Of course, nobody's paid off. LMAO

      KGT

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  6. Brotha earl and Brotha haskins ... the rise and fall of bai .. i mean jim crow .
    This is the fall part of bai . If anybody doesn't know it by now.
    Even doing the fake phone ringing on this one. perthetic as always

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    1. The phones might be real. This is an old program, going back to a Black History Month in a location far, far away. I think Earl's ebullience is at least 80% faux. I feel they were on the right track as far as the premium goes, but that was about two years ago—the book is currently available from the publisher for $20 (soft cover) and $35 (hard cover). WBAI is asking for $125 . A healthy markup.

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    2. Earl sounded like he was having an orgasm "Yes...Yes...YES! YES! YES!"

      SDL

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    3. Sista Mimi playing the role of the honorary spokeswoman for the black race this morning .
      Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse than the haskins racist garbage . It got worse .

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    4. Watch her gain weight and become the fat lady of Curtain Down.

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  7. Maybe inviting Cerene is part of the plan to destroy the station.

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    1. Could be, Justine. After all, the invitation came from Berthold Reimers, who, arguably, has spent the past 4 or five years in pursuit of a NYC demolition. He certainly should have known that Cerene's physical presence was the thrown wrench, and look how quickly she moved from being an outside caller to actually walking in. She must have been standing in the wings, awaiting her cue. What low-lifes these schemers are.

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    2. The Cerene bit was all a set-up. However, if a fight broke out and lawsuits flew about, I am sure The Foundationalists would have been more than happy. They really never should have said it was Cerene while she was on the phone. Keep her a mystery until she walked in, a la This Is You Life. Would have made for a nicer surprise.

      Bernie is back. Cerene is back. I wonder who will be next...

      Anyway, Chris, I sent you an email.

      SDL

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    3. A set-up? It reeked of one.

      Who will be next? That awful African "playwright" from the morning show, Hamilton, the racist from Guyana, the astrologer? Well, perhaps encore performances by Robert Knight, Clayton Riley, Steve Post, et al. Nobody will know the difference since even the ones who are still breathing sound "transitioned."

      Did you send me a separate e-mail?

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  8. Yes, to the address you listed above.

    I think they should hire Venus Flytrap as PD.

    SDL

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  9. By the way, if you haven't seen, Lefever and I had an interesting little exchange on RPM's BB. Lefever is not looking like a Reimers fan.

    SDL

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    1. I did read that and he sure has made a u-turn. Now he's promoting critique as he searches for a new PD. When will he learn that this is not a business he should be in?

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    2. Listen, these bozos with their PD search committee are silently admitting that there isn't one - ONE - stand out person at WBAI that is qualified to be PD, or they would all, or most, already have said they wanted that person. It's a joke. When the average career span there is now thirty years and none of those people have the talents for the PD position, you are screwed.

      I don't know why, but I say give it to Peter Bochan. He's been around that station since 1970 or so. Could be interesting. He's seen it's different stages, and seems sane.

      SDL

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    3. I think they need someone from the outside, perhaps a listener who does not know the cast of characters personally. What they really need is a new manager who isn't afraid to bruise egos, dodge sledgehammers, etc.

      The place needs to be exterminated.

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    4. Well, I fit your bill. However, you know I would be fired in one day.

      OK, how about Ed Rivera? Remember the story of the handicapped kid, a few years ago, who was left on a school bus overnight because the matron was in a rush to go see Dino, "the Christian Liberace"? He should be old enough now, and he's Hispanic and handicapped. Sounds ideal to me.

      SDL

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    5. These batteries can no longer be recharged.

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  10. I'm calling this beg-a-thon the Funarithon. Does she have some sort of power at WBAI I don't know about? It sounds like half the extendomercials are hers. She has more time than even "Cake" Davis. Jeez!

    SDL

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    1. I think it's neck to neck with those two. They must be bringing in something, but still way short of the desired amount Reimers' dream calls for. I understand that Funari's eye repair hour only yielded $200 in pledges, which is probably half of that after they pay the eye guy and stick to their tradition of not shipping.

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    2. I think it's neck to neck with those two. They must be bringing in something, but still way short of the desired amount Reimers' dream calls for. I understand that Funari's eye repair hour only yielded $200 in pledges, which is probably half of that after they pay the eye guy and stick to their tradition of not shipping.

      Delete