You may have heard fantasists like Haskins, Bates or Reimers talk about the thousands of people throughout the world who listen to WBAI via the internet stream. Did you believe that? Do you, in fact, believe anything these people say?
One indication of abysmal listenership is an inactive phone. Some hosts will tell you that "the phones are lighting up" when there is but one line. They will say "hello" to imaginary people in far-flung corners of the world and the U.S. Like all chronic liars and deceivers, they are averse to reality, and when a caller does get through, he or she is more often than not as familiar to us as to the host.
If you are curious to know how many people are streaming the WBAI signal, the answer can be found here.
Just don't select WBAI and Year on the link provided - it will crash with an out of memory error. Whatever is behind the charts either needs some serious IT help, or better hardware, or both.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I guess early morning is their peak time for streaming, and it's still pretty pathetic.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I have heard several producers call for new callers to call in, which must mean an order from higher up came down to do so.
SDL
Considering the millions of devices out there that can receive a stream, these figures are way below pathetic.
DeleteI wonder if there is a correlation to be made between these figures and actual listenership.
Without Arbitron ratings, it would be difficult. However, last I saw, WBAI membership was under 7,000 members.
DeleteI do believe that The Remnants are a hardcore listenership where most of them donate for membership.
The one thing that is interesting on that chart is the drop that happens after early morning and on through the much vaunted Gary Null, who claims an internet listenership in the millions. Oh, well, but Fass has claimed a listenership in outer space. Actually, Bob may be somewhat correct, when those old hippies of his get stoned and all...
SDL
The Winter Begathon has started a few scant weeks after the end (?) of the Fall Begathon, and I happened to listen to Amy Goodman pitching this morning. She did that thing where she starts listing neighborhoods in NYC and towns in New Jersey and in Nassau and Suffolk counties. I always wonder what the point of that is. Are people actually induced to contribute because she mentions their neighborhood or town? I find that hard to believe. Is there any other reason for Goodman's constant litany of geographical place names?
ReplyDeleteI find that to be silly and tedious, too. I don't think people are going to take out their credit card at the mere mention of their 'hood.
DeleteI think Reimers is making a big mistake (as he so often does) by re-running infomercials that didn't work so well the first few times around.
I used see that technique years ago when I watched PBS. I don't know if it works or not. Maybe it just makes things seem a little more personal?
DeleteMaybe a better technique would be "Come on, John!. Donate or we'll tell your wife about your cheating on her!" Hey, that might work with P.I. Steven Rambam on OTH. "You know, John, I have the pictures i could give your wife..."
SDL
What if they promised to fire Reimers, Haskins, etc., go off the air for good, stifle black racism, reintroduce honesty, and actually return to serving the NY area community?
DeleteThat might be a good incentive.