The year 1977 was not a very good one for WBAI. There had been bumps in the road, but this one left quite a few dents. Never fully repaired, the station eventually lumbered on, but things would never be the same again.
Today, as an impenetrable wall looms ahead, dark clouds gather, but there is no concerned listenership to unite in a rescue of WBAI. The audience began its slow walk to the exit when it became clear that the station only wanted their credit card number, not their opinion. WBAI had been a kaleidoscope of intellectual nourishment, New York's only true alternative to the bland commercial wasteland found in the rest of the radio dial. As listener-sponsors, they formed an integral part of WBAI and so, when their station was in trouble, they united as Friends of WBAI, eager to get it back on the right path.
Today, there are no friends of WBAI—very few people care, very few people tune in. Most people haven't even heard of WBAI. Some programs have a faithful group of listeners, but they only tune in once a week for the length of that specific program. Who in their right mind wants to be served slavery horror stories for breakfast, the regurgitated historical falsehoods of bygone scam artists, amateur medical advice, unfunny comedy and bland music. Perhaps more to the point, who wants to buy overpriced products and gamble on delivery from a radio station that has ceased to serve any purpose?
Take a look at the article linked to below. It was published almost forty years ago, but it serves well to illustrate how WBAI fared back in the days when listeners had reason to care.
Here is The Fight to Save WBAI, a comprehensive 1977 look at the station's history and gradual decomposition.
Back then you could have a group like this because WBAI had enough listeners to do it. Now I doubt you could get five people to do the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about something regarding the local board mention in this newsletter. How did one get a seat on it? When did it disappear or what did it evolve into?
SDL
There was a Village Voice article in late 1986 or early 1987 written by a female former staff member which was critical of WBAI. Does anybody remember it or can locate it to post it?
ReplyDeleteKGT
I dealt with the Friends of WBAI as staff liaison at the time of the crisis and occupation of the station in 1976-1977.
ReplyDeleteThe roots of the present local community advisory boards, etc, etc, etc, as well as the structural ‘democratization’ of WBAI/Pacifica may reasonably be placed at that time, and with the Friends.
The Friends began as described, as a support group of listeners, but it fairly quickly evolved into a group which wanted to dictate to staff and management what the station should broadcast as well as how it should be managed, and a number of people were also very much interested in angling for air time for themselves.
Everyone wants to rule the world.
They were universally viewed by staff as problematic in the extreme – though I want to emphasize that that characterization wasn’t applied to most of their membership, who were in fact, simply supportive of the station. As is often the case, however, the leadership, which inevitably defined the reality of the Friends, was another matter.
As I was staff, not Friends, I wasn’t privy to whatever may have been their internal dynamic, only where it led.
As I see it, the move to ‘unionize’ the station, which was very much an ad hoc afterthought on the part of staff meeting at the time of the crisis, and the aftermath of the influence of the Friends leading to advisory boards and committees each and every attempting to have their preferred way with the station, combined with the dynamic set in motion by Percy Sutton’s people coming to dominate the board and the attendant move to advocacy rather than free speech as the station’s raison d’être all combined as something of an imperfect perfect storm.
~ ‘indigopirate’
I was approached by NARAS in 1965. They were in at one of the West Coast stations and now they aimed at WBAI's 25 paid employees. I put it up for a vote and the decision was unanimous: "We don't need a union.
DeleteI took it as a vote of confidence.
Times change.
somehow, I don't think playing the musical version of felipe luciano is gonna cut it . lmao
ReplyDeleteJust curious. Who is Gary Null voting for?
ReplyDeleteKHGT
The Green Stuff party?
DeleteIf you spot check WBAI today, you would barely know there was an election. It's a day they should be shining by covering the election with an all day coverage special. However, you know if Trump wins, we won't stop hearing about for the next four years, or WBAI being sold off, whichever comes first.
ReplyDeleteSDL
I'm listening to Randy talking to Nader and Jill Stein right now. Even you, Chris, have to be impressed.
ReplyDeleteHe is good when he is serious, it's his humor that I find strained and painful.
Delete"He is good when he is serious" and after he takes his bipolar disorder medication.
ReplyDeleteKGT