It is no secret that Pacifica has been driven to the periphery of ruin, where it is precariously balanced, ready to plunge into oblivion at the mere gust of further mismanagement.
This is not a result of bad economic times, a New York storm, or shifting public taste—it is more accurately due to years of ineptitude and greed, spurred on by a corrupt, scheming faction of the PNB and LSB cohorts. It is a take-over game led by California manipulators and sanctioned by pseudo armchair activists. It is clear that this unlikely cabal is willing to sacrifice WBAI and other Pacifica-owned stations in order to achieve their goal.
As the game became clearer and the programming shifted into low gear, some alarmed Pacifica supporters remained faithful while the majority simply tuned out. This has resulted in the lowest listenership ever measured.
Many suggestions have been sent to the manager, Berthold Reimers, but he does not even acknowledge receipt of them. Calls are neither answered nor returned, and fundraising stale fundraising infomercials (most are deceptive, some even criminal) have become a steady diet.
The following was received as a comment, but it occurred to me the writer and Pacifica would be better served if it were posted on the main body of this blog. On-air callers with criticism (constructive or otherwise) are likely to get abused and disconnected, but your observations and suggestions might reach them if published here, a spot that many WBAI people—including "management"—read. —Chris Albertson
UNKNOWN WRITES:
Since Pacifica has been a horror show now far longer than its period of true greatness [and on behalf of the dwindling number of those who remember that period, let me assure the doubters that it was truly great], the solution to this has been obvious, though evaporating, for some time. Sell WBAI [though it will garner maybe 20% of what it would have even ten years ago] and yes, even KPFA, which sit on commercial frequencies and would get a nice pile of cash, and turn Pacifica's sights on a website that would gather progressive broadcasts and writings worldwide and be a source of podcasts, also available worldwide. Such a site would have an enormous audience and influence and unite progressives not just in the United States, but around the world, at a time when they are under attack everywhere whether by Trump or LePen. To waste this money on a dwindling audience in areas circumscribed by an FM signal is ridiculous, especially when at least two of those signals would create a debt free Pacifica with the power to be a worldwide influence, and bring people from countries worldwide together and not just Brooklyn & Crown Heights. It would also mean freeing Pacifica from the sad connections to the Gary Null and Voids of this world. The technology is available for video as well and at costs that make the pouring of dollars into the antiquated technology of radio a tragic waste spent merely for the sake of nostalgia for the year by year smaller number of us who awaited the Folio each month and the joy of the most intellectually consequential radio stations of their day. It is time to move on, but I doubt you can reach agreement at Pacifica on anything, much less a radical reworking in technologies as new as FM was when Lewis Hill [Louis Schweitzer?]* gave a gift so recently and horribly abused as WBAI.
* I added Lou Schweitzer's name, thinking that the writer may have made a common mistake.
Amen!
ReplyDeleteThe media landscape is evolving and radio no longer only one of three ways to reach the masses.(Print, Radio, television)
The uncensored internet is where progressive efforts should be focused so their message can reach the coming generation(s) Pacifica should lead the way in protection of the free, uncensored, expression of opinion because the government, both sides of the aisle, are eyeing methods to control access as I type.
There is indeed room for both HuffPost and Drudge...freedom of speech will hopefully lead to discussion and compromise. The internet offers our only way forward no matter which side you agree with.
These two stations could bring north of $100M!
The problem is, as Chris points out, that if the same people are allowed to control that pot of money, the results will be the same. Sadly, the only way forward is for the courts to dissolve the Foundation and turn the remaining assets over to a court appointed receivership.
Pacifica is doomed...the autopsy will show the usual culprits - human greed and ignorance.
Typical Chris. No one has any problem with bad programming or five finger discounts as long as they have their show. Its not their fault. They're too busy serving the supposedly underserved community of several dozens of people in a major media capital to worry about such bourgeois things like ratings or raising money for the station hosting their important program. Then when they get preempted or rescheduled for yet another month long fundraiser to pay overdue bills, suddenly its time to organize. Only their answer is to do what they say otherwise you're a racist or sexist or whatever. Shocked that they failed to persuade anyone with their lecturing and screaming, they start talking about the wonders of the internet or the LMA or any other quick solution instead of actually trying to compromise. No compromise ever they say as they secretly wish they could just sell a station or two. All that money would solve all their problems. Of course this is the same group that can't deliver premiums or pay a phone bill.
ReplyDeleteI note that the author of the suggestion appears to see WBAI/Pacifica’s purpose as ‘progressive’ advocacy.
ReplyDeleteThat was not the foundational ideal, nor was it the foundational principle that led to the period of WBAI/Pacifica’s greatest influence, importance, and listenership – now long vanished in the long ago – that principle was one of artistic, educational, and public affairs presentation, broadly defined, with a fierce dedication to free speech and to excellence, and with an openness to any and all perspectives.
‘Progressive’ or any other advocacy is the antithesis of those foundational principles, and, I would argue, has led to the long road of misery, squalor, and irrelevance.
In a time far, far removed from its origins there is simply no need for WBAI/Pacifica. It exhausted its values and purpose literally decades ago, and has long been some shambling, shameful, ever-decaying thing – a wretchedness and an embarrassment to and for all concerned.
This blog has as its title banner the statement that WBAI ought be remembered for what it once was – and there is value in that not only as a contrast to the squalor of its present claimed incarnation but more importantly as a hint and a reminder of what’s possible when capable, dedicated people devote themselves to worthy ideals.
That purpose, today, is far better served on the net.
Let the zombies of WBAI/Pacifica stumble to the shame of their deserved dismemberment and death – their one true dedication, their one true purpose.
The world moves on…
~ ‘indigopirate’
Apparently you didn't get the memo. WBAI is a hermetically sealed bubble. It is only for 'open minded tolerant people and no one else'. If you're to the right of Noam Chomsky, don't even think about entering the building. Don't even walk on the same side of the street. I wish we could hear just one conservative or even a libertarian on the air. I'd bet good money they would get great ratings and funds raised. At least until the mobs showed up and threw him out the window.
DeleteShelton Walden used to have many conservatives on his program years ago. I heard behind the scenes they were angry with him - Bernard & Robert Knight and Mario Murillo tried to get rid of him.
DeletePDR
White-Knight-Murillo are/were prominent members of the wrecking crew.
DeleteWhich would be more likely to get your attention Chris? A website or a radio station in a major market with a website?
ReplyDeleteThe latter, of course. Why do you ask that no-brainer question?
DeleteI'm making the point that there is a certain amount of credibility from being a radio station with a website instead of just being another blogger trying to increase his search results rankings. The writer of the suggestion would just walk away from radio stations in major markets.
DeleteGet it and agree.
DeleteWBAI already has a joke of a website. Selling the stations and having more money for a website isn't the answer, as even using the money for advertising won't help. The simple fact is very few people want to hear the lousy programming WBAI offers, and it isn't going to be changed.
ReplyDeleteAnother fact is that netcasting is a very tough business, even getting noticed among the tens of thousands of stations is nearly impossible. It isn't like tuning around an FM dial with 40 stations or so. Even people who had millions of listeners on FM/AM and went internet have barely been able to get an audience.
Here's an example of what does work. WFMU has been around for decades and built a good reputation as an FM station which offers people a true alternative, particularly becoming well known in the musical underground. WFMU became known worldwide even before the WWW (World Wide Web) came about and people outside their signal could hear them. Now that we have the WWW, an estimated 90% or more of their actual listenership is via the WWW. People literally fly into NYC just to go to their three day annual record convention, which is another great form of advertising.
What does WBAI do for public events? Hold a inaugural night karaoke with a failed comedian and a space cadet.
People can postulate all they want about what Pacifica and WBAI can do to help themselves, but it is all mental masturbation. These clowns simply won't admit they are wrong and change their ways. it's more important for them to think they are correct and important than to admit failure.
Even if Pacifica somehow survives the ESB lawsuit and the California AG investigation, they will remain ever more irrelevant. I have said it is just a matter of time as their geriatric listeners die off and stop donating. The only thing Pacifica and their stations can hope for is the dying listenership leaving them money in their wills. As I say, Pacifica needs its listeners to died for them to survive.
The most telling part in the ESB lawsuit may be Reimers still not being fired over those great negotiations he did with the ESB for years...
SDL
You fail to see the writing on the wall. Young people are finding alternatives to radio for entertainment and information. Radio is NOT the cultural force it once was for those under 30.
ReplyDeleteChris, I think you said you're pushing 80. I'm about to hit 60. Radio has historically been very important for those in our age group. If you have teen kids (I do) you know all so well that radio means nothing to them and they see it as a third or forth tier entertainment device.
My daughters listen to music on radio sometimes. They can't tell you the name of a single personality or station positioner. THEY DO NOT CARE!
Hard for us ancient folk to understand, I know! I work in commercial radio, I see the Nielsen numbers every month, and the trend is there for anyone to see.
ANY method to deliver information/entertainment is legitimate. I would MUCH rather have an effectively implemented marketing campaign and a website than WBAI and a website. With the sale of just two of the stations Pacifica could have over $100 MILLION. That's 100 with a M!!! That's a lot of billboards and TV spots...
Regarding the purpose of community radio...you're correct to point out that it should not only advance progressive ideas/agenda(s) It is simply amazing to watch the kids in Berkeley burning down their school because an alt-rightwinger is speaking. Seems most amerikans only want freedom of speech for those who agree with them. Community radio should expose listeners to a range of ideas and allow people to make their own conclusions. The shrill nature of political discourse in this country is getting very old very fast. Pacifica should be at the forefront in offering CONVERSATION...not screaming and violence.
To keep programming on a high level, Pacifica could not risk succumbing to popular trends or commercial dictates. Hence, the core of Lew Hill's idea was the radical concept of voluntary listener sponsorship.
DeleteIn the years of my association with Pacifica, there was never any question about its purpose. The "community" our stations were meant to serve included people of all ethnicities, ideologies, creed, etc.—the common denominator was intellect and the need to hear unembellished truth. We had the great advantage of access to the BBC transcription service, but we also had producers whose output attracted attention worldwide. Dale Minor's reports from Vietnam ("The Battle of Danang" was purchased by the BBC). and the remarkable series on the Civil Rights movement, "This Little Light" come to mind.) These were real documentaries that did not conform to viewpoints reflected in commercial reportage—if there even was such a thing.
When our slim budget did not allow such expenses, we raised money earmarked for the specific project.
There is no valid reason why the approach we had could not have been maintained—with allowances for changing times. Substance is substance—honest reporting has not officially been replaced by fake news, as far as I know. :)
Pushing 80? I will be 86 this year.
@Tom Taylor: No, I didn't fail to see your point, and I agree with it. The thing is that what kids are listening to on the web is mainly music services and not news/current affairs. When some kids do listen to news/current affairs, they listen to something very different in format than older people like us do/did - short videos or audio, as one finds on youtube. Normally, five to fifteen minutes is the length of their attention span, so using the web would require a major change in how things are presented. The days of the hour or longer talk based show would have to be modified to, essentially, short bits. Please remember that we are dealing with kids who have been raised on corporate culture like never before in history and have short attention spans.
Delete"Seems most amerikans only want freedom of speech for those who agree with them" Human nature. Everyone wants what they want and fuck the rest.
"Community radio should expose listeners to a range of ideas and allow people to make their own conclusions." You mean make people actually think and debate?
No, being told what to do is so much easier.
Anyway, I know about the current state of radio and how the numbers are down, but millions and millions of people still listen to it. I think one problem has been how generic it has become since the Clinton Administration allowed for five or six corporations to own so many stations in a market. Add to that the demographers who only know numbers and not actual quality and you have the sort of painting by numbers radio we have now.
SDL
Chris,
ReplyDeleteRegarding WFMU: Two years ago I was at Barnes and Noble on 18th Street, near Union Square. I met a fellow with a WFMU shirt. I spoke to him about WBAI and he told me something interestIing- something, which I had heard at WBAI; but which I had dismissed as improbable.
Janet Coleman had approached WFMU. Coleman stated that she would vote for a LMA (PSO or whatever it is properly termed)- IF she could keep her programs.
Who the hell listens to Janet Coleman?
Ed Manfredonia
@Ed Manfredonia: There has been mention of some sort of WFMU using WBAI's signal in the past, but it all seems to come from the WBAI side, and probably wishful thinking. WFMU's Ken Freedman is a smart man who knows the station format has a limited appeal. I don't think he is going to waste any money trying to reach a slightly larger audience with a radio signal when most WFMU listeners are listening via the web.
DeleteSDL
With respect: You’re factually wrong. A few years ago Freedman made a formal public presentation and took questions. As usual, for the usual reasons, nothing came of it.
Delete~ ‘indigopirate’
I'm not familiar with that. Can you point me to more information? It would be foolish for WFMU to spend more money on a better signal, in my opinion. It's still a fringe music station, after all.
DeleteSDL
I have to work from memory, by and large, and memory is ever and always an unreliable witness, but I distinctly recall hearing his presentation. There was another contender as well, the Manhattan Network, I think.
DeleteI believe the time sequence was something along the line that, following the hurricane-driven relocation and Summer Reese’s requiring large staff layoffs from WBAI as she was simultaneously trying to put finances in order, which was of course resisted, there was a push to investigate a fallback option. The first thought was a sale and signal swap, and the second thought was an LMA/PSOA. There was the usual resistance along the lines of ‘But what about our progressive mission’ and ‘What about my program’ and ‘How can we know the LMA/PSOA operator will be virginally pure and committed to our mission and will hand the station back to us when we want it back?’ In other words the expected nonsense.
In the course of that, somewhere or other, there was a presentation from Freedman. It was, as I recall, a very real, very well considered, very concrete plan of action, and it sounded very good indeed to me. I’m not finding it offhand, but it must show up somewhere in this blog, I’d think, at least in the form of discussion.
When I google the terms wfmu lma psoa wbai I get hits. One example is http://www.glib.com/wbai_lsb_meeting_20131122.html
Hope this helps a bit :)
~ ‘indigopirate’
Here's a link that contains some clues.
Deletehttp://wbai-nowthen.blogspot.com/2013/09/wimper-from-under-desk.html
Thanks for these urls, guys. Maybe the usual WBAI shenanigans actually helped WFMU, as they would have had to increase their financial intake to broadcast via WBAI. WFMU may have had an increased signal, but I don't think their listenership would have increased much. Everyone into underground music in the area has known about WFMU since I was a kid, at least.
DeleteSDL
You’re very welcome, of course :)
DeleteOnce again I’m relying on memory here, so please bear that limitation in mind…
As I recall, Freedman wasn’t proposing a signal swap, but, rather, operating both stations. FMU was to continue essentially unchanged. WBAI was to move to no more than about one-third news and public affairs, and he was clearly enthusiastic about having the rest of air devoted to arts coverage and music. He seemed more aware of and in tune with WBAI/Pacifica’s original purpose and focus than anyone now at the station.
Frankly, I thought him intelligent and capable, and that such an approach might have been a wonderful thing.
The resistance, though, was as expected – the people now long in place see their ‘mission’ as left-wing political advocacy and have less than zero interest in anything other than that, with only the possible minor exception of having some ‘general interest’ programming to – they would hope – lure listeners to then listen to their political advocacy.
Also, of course, as has always been the case, and was certainly the case as a unifying motivator for the occupation of 1977 (we’re now approaching the 40th anniversary) there was the fear of losing ‘my air time’.
That factor is the BIG one.
Frankly, I thought Freedman’s approach sounded promising. It would have wiped the slate clean, and probably offered something new and worthwhile – and actually far far more in line with the original conception and purpose of WBAI and Pacifica.
It went nowhere, of course.
~ ‘indigopirate’
Interesting, but ain't no one gonna tell those revolutionables how to run their station. They are on a mission to go down with the ship, and ain't nothing gonna stop 'em now!
DeleteSDL
Report on PNB meeting from Cerene:
ReplyDeleteThings went better.
We enjoyed the use of a parliamentarian and folks were civil.
Report-out from Executive Session:
The PNB met in executive session to discuss litigation and other matters requiring the confidential advice of counsel.
No doubt these Valiant Heroes of the People’s Revolution will in the course of their Super Secret Confidential Executive Emergency Sessions & Deliberations put things back in Good and Proper Order in No Time At All and thus accomplish the Miraculous Rebirth of WBAI and Pacifica, the People’s One True Hope !!!
Delete~ ‘indigopirate’
Below you'll see some buying data. Of course this is national data rather just say for New York which may have specifics different but it is kind of challenges the idea that its just a matter of youth a market. And old people are still alive. More on the Youth question and some other comments in a second…but this gives us a broad overview of the buying landscape in terms of entertainment, the book is item buy item and needs to be read completely...maybe it can help--I'm interested specifically on book buying habits.
ReplyDeletewce
This brief overview is from New Strategist Press Who’s Buying 11th edition
Household Spending on Entertainment by Demographic Characteristic, 2013
Spending by Age
Householders aged 45 to 54 spend the most on entertainment, an average of $3,070 in 2013. They are the biggest spenders by far on a variety of items such as fees for participant sports, purchase and rental of musical instruments, and winter sports equipment. Householders aged 35 to 44 are the biggest spenders on fees for
recreational lessons, most of the spending being devoted to lessons for their children. Interestingly, households headed by older people spend more on entertainment than those headed by young adults. Householders ranging in age from 55 to 74 spend more on entertainment than householders under age 35. Householders aged 75 or
older spend more on entertainment than those under age 25.
Spending by Household Income
Average household spending on entertainment rises steadily with income and reached $5,291 in 2013 among households with incomes of $100,000 or more. This high-income group spends at least twice the average on many entertainment categories. Households with incomes of $100,000 or more control more than half the market for such items as recreational lessons, club memberships, and winter sports equipment.
Spending by Household Type
Married couples with school-aged children spend the most on entertainment—$4,154 on average in 2013—because these households are much larger than average (4.2 people versus 2.5 people in the average household). They spend more than four times the average on fees for recreational lessons as they shuttle their children to
tennis, dance, karate, and other classes. They spend three times the average on musical instruments. Single parents spend 83 percent more than average on video game software. Married couples without children at home (most of them empty-nesters) spend over twice the average on docking and landing fees and global positioning
system devices.
Spending by Race and Hispanic Origin
Asians, Blacks, and Hispanics spend less than the average household on entertainment. In 2013, Black households spent 45 percent less than average on entertainment, Hispanic households spent 33 percent less, and Asian households spent 6 percent less. Asian households spend more than twice the average on fees for recreational lessons, however, and more than four times the average on musical instruments. Non-Hispanic Whites spend
more than average on nearly every entertainment category.
What you need is an attack on commercialized escapism from young people themselves. If young people are not interested in this particular medium because they are trained to be impatient by commercials, instant gratification, taught to have only a short attention span by movies like Rogue One that use slogans like Empire and Republic without ever giving them any understanding of what hell either of those terms actually mean historically in the future or to the present, in an imaginary context or a realistic one, and if this is their religion, it’s going to be very difficult indeed to break their bad habits to get them on board.
ReplyDeleteIf advertisers try to pick up on trends that are natural, arising from the kids themselves, they have other kids spy on kids for example to catch some teen trends in fashion etc. to co-opt and exploit them, the wise thing to do would be to use their own tactics against them—thus BAI simply needs to incorporate more younger voices who can say, hey, it’s hip to like radio--also it is better to know what the difference is between an Empire and Republic than not—give the kids a shot at programming along those lines. Let the young reignite the old. Instead of selling BAI--pay young people to sell the treasures of the past and the value of critical thinking and the virtue of patience.
Obvously there are very smart young people who see the value of this media as an instrument, something worth using as tradition and would value it archives in any case. Its history and we all need history going forward. It’s like the Woodwright shop show on PBS. Look how long it’s been on. Maybe some people like working with their hands. The value of tradition can mean and ought to be worth something for its own sake not for the sake of fame, riches or ratings.
wce
The internet is the Midis touch of death. Too much gold is worthless. The internet makes all that glitters worthless and makes it difficult to get to what’s important in living life--there is a lot of the superfluous. Was patience ever a virtue? What can teach patience, listening to others for a change, closing that face book or turning off the tweeting. Listen to somebody else.
ReplyDeleteCan the poor afford TYT? So much of the content is exclusive only to paid members--it becomes a closed society. The internet is full of closed societies. This is the mundane version of science fiction’s virtual reality. Its true aspect not people jacking into computers ala William Gibson's melodramatic cyberpunk stories. The failure of prediction or no prediction at all just romance. Popular media is also pushing virtual reality and video gaming as worthy trends to be developed into a form of escapism that is bound to isolate people even more behind closed fake realities. Thus this whole push towards robotics and artificial intelligence will also have a mundane end more in line with automated self service, cashiers, tellers, telerobotic drones and programmed dummies impersonating librarians--no Chappies or Astroboys or Her, or good Terminators versus bad ones will save people jobs. Robots won’t come to the rescue except maybe in telerobotic forms used by firefighters, say. It is the mundane aspect of science fiction that the escapist movies avoid.
The idea of radio supported publicly but free to all is a much better model than having paid subscribers while others are locked out of full content until they pay. The model of such well intentioned sites like Genk’sTYT focused as is on a certain profitable college age demographic. Genk’s own peers? Much younger than BAI’s and perhaps with the money.
When BAI is lost people will see the value of it but then it will be too late. The very model of the strong supporting the weak but still valued is you could say the beauty of the liberal idea over other forms of subscription programming. That it would not sell out what was important but poorly supported simply get better rating. Give liberty or give me death. It would try to do the impossible and carry all that weight, the burden of trying to enlighten, inform and entertain with a mix of cultural programming and true journalism. It's unfortunate that there are no more Lew Hills--no rich literate celebrity that can buy out these self-righteous, but well meaning activists/ propagandist and or opportunists who have got a stranglehold on the station or struggle for control of it--given the failures of the English, French Revolution, the Russian Revolution and the Chinese Revolutions, and the contradictions in the American Revolution and various counterrevolutions, it is not surprising anyway that would be revolutionaries and activist types would screw up or be screwed so badly this way in the Pacifica radio nation and begs the question is the fault in our systems or in ourselves.
wce
I guess it useless now since it seems the doomsday clock for BAI is about midnight and for the rest of us just a few minutes from it if the climate people are right. But what the hell: To gain a younger generation of filmmakers and film students, instead of peddling DVDs of a questionable nature, BAI could’ve helped these young and old independent filmmakers by reviving the Lux Theater shows Max sometimes plays where old Hollywood presented audio versions of some of their films to preview them. In BAI's case offering or presenting audio or radio versions or samples of indie movies. Even Sundance could've found BAI useful in this way.
ReplyDeleteEven Disney could use the idea if they felt they needed it but since they're making enough riches off tv trailers and other marketing gimmicks they probably don’t see the need to revive what is supposedly dead. What’s dead may not be dead because of any fault of its own. Sometimes the rival of things is a matter of somebody doing it and then it catches on as if the greatest thing since sliced bread. Like this fellow trying to restart the food automat. He was on the mainstream news talking as if it was something never done before. And channel reported it sucking it up without saying hey wait a minute didn’t we have those in the 1950s.
A lot of the problems indies face is simply a lack of the means for publicity and distribution. If the movie release gets an audience then the share some of the money with our dream version of BAI? It seems though that cable versions of BAI Createtv, Freespeech tv and Link tv don’t want to have any radio component and have stolen the thunder of WBAI at its best. BAI’s unique blend of programming. Some of these radical or cable television progressive channels seems to be where the people who could’ve bought BAI have gone or where the listeners that might've listened to BAI have gone. And these channel beg for money, too.
wce
wce
With respect:
DeleteHere's a thought – for a very very long time WBAI has produced overwhelmingly shitty radio.
Perhaps that's the simpler explanation.
Just a thought.
~ 'indigopirate'
Something to think about is that "Plan 9 from Outer Space" is still the topic of cordial condemnation.
DeleteI have heard it said that WBAI's programming can't get worse, but I have faith in their ineptitude.
Indeed, it's the heart of Tim Burton's Ed Wood pic. A lot of wonderfully fun performances, perhaps Depp and Landau principal amongst them, but good fun, each and every.
DeleteWBAI has long had its sad strings showing, on the other hand – if they were soon to be plucked it would be a minor blessing – minor in that they have effectively no purpose and even less listenership, deservedly so.
If we’re talking Junk Sci-Fi, I think ‘Mars Needs Women’ may be a closer match to WBAI – great title, then the actual pic simply lays there, nothing at all, absent the bizarre appeal of Plan 9 as a spectacular failure.
At present they’re still on their eternally asymptotic infinitely slow fade…
~ ‘indigopirate’
I couldn't even finish that diatribe. I'll go with what indigopirate said, just to keep it simple.
DeleteToday I was thinking, which I do on occasion, "What would Al Goldstein have to say about the political situation if he were alive?" Yeah, too bad he isn't. He would have been good on WBAI, when you think about it. He probably would have even gotten a lot of media publicity.
Maybe WBAI can find a Hispanic version of The Blacks called Los Marrones (The Browns)?
Anyway, my favorite "bad" movie of all time may just be The Trial of Billy Jack.
I still think WBAI should just have a weekly movie fest at The Commons, featuring old blaxploitation stuff like The Mack, Superfly, 3 the Hard Way, Blacula, Truck Turner, etc. I bet it would be both profitable and culturally enriching.
Finally, I do have faith in WBAI, as I do in Trump - everything will be fucked up, down and all around.
SDL
Chris,
ReplyDeleteMy favorite WBAI program was The War Report- the Vietnam War. Who was the programmer?
Thank you.
Ed Manfredonia
As I recall, it was Paul Schaefer. It offered a true alternative to the perspective other stations (TV and radio) presented, a program Lew Hill would have been proud of. I certainly was.
DeleteIt looks like the PNB is keeping busy. They're set to meet on the ninth, tenth and the sixteenth. As long as they don't preempt fundraiser #45657 or it the same fundraiser on day 45657? BTW Where's my premium?
ReplyDeleteWBAI is asking for money again, I see. They better raise a lot to pay for the ESB lawsuit.
ReplyDeleteSDL
Poor Maggie Prescod, she's still trying to sell those 15 copies of the Robeson package. Conprof Ron Daniels was pitching music packages that have all the earmarks of copyright infringement—"documentaries" produced by the Midnight Ravagers contain good mostly Marley music, but they throw these recordings into a pot with snippets of interviews. Their 6-hour Marley mishmash was a mess this past weekend.
DeleteToday, I heard con-couple Bate and Davis selling cancer cures. This is the same shameless twosome that pitched so hard and dishonestly for the infamous double helix water—remember? That, they swore, was THE cancer cure—they (especially Bates) adamantly stressed its efficacy, so we have to wonder why this morally bankrupt WBAI lackey and his pseudo spiritual partner now are equally eager to sell another cancer "cure."
WBAI needs its listeners to die off, yet they are too stupid to run regular promos telling The Remnants to leave WBAI in their wills. How dumb can you get to run quack "cures" and not get WBAI in their wills?
DeleteBates & Davis have been shoveling their shit as main pitchers for a while now. Ha Null pitched yet?
I bet they haven't used their minimal brain power and started pitching "Dump the Trump" T shirts, or some such things yet.
SDL
Funny , they can't find anybody non-black to pay tribute to.
DeleteHere's just a few, off the top of my head, how about Ghandi, Ralph Nader (while he's still alive would be nice) how about Lewis Hill the founder of Pacifica?
You will never hear any of it from these racist unimaginative a- holes. What you will hear is Martin King , Mumia, Adam Clayton Powell, Malcolm X, Bob Marley, Paul Robeson, Marcus Garvey, Medgar Evers etc.. to you want to puke.
And rightfully so on some of them , but just illustrates where their heads are at , which is imo, the single reason people are NOT tuning in to BAI, but they just can't seem to grasp that concept.
There is no dearth of black people deserving of a tribute, but they repeat the same ones each fund drive.
DeleteOne reason, I believe, is that this is what they have and the present WBAI crew has neither the skills nor the equipment to come up with real radio programs. Non-blacks? Well that would mean acknowledging that talent and achievement is not restricted to people of African ancestry, as they would like their small, uninformed audience to believe.
You are absolutely correct when you say that this dense crew fails to grasp or accept the original Pacifica concept. They have a vague idea, which they toss out over the air when they pitch for money, but only then.
Let me add Woody Guthrie. Margret Sanger would be touchy because she personally believed in Eugenics. Abraham Lincoln? White abolitionists like John Brown, without whom nothing would have changed.
DeleteSDL
The point of the post was supposedly to share ideas. Not presuming all young people won't or can't listen is based on a lack of data about other young people besides the ones we might know personally. We don't know all young people. Where do you find data on them? Advertising actually investigates so we should use their tools. What types of young people etc. Where? How old. How about asking them about radio? Use demographics to actually find out what people are buying might help understand who could support radio. Just saying BAI is low in ratings is meaningless. I don’t agree that everyone knows about Pacifica and Bai. Just because people don’t listen doesn’t mean that. Just because radio is old doesn't mean it's useless. It doesn't have to be super-popular to be successful either. It doesn't have to be on the internet either. It doesn't have to be football.
ReplyDeleteWhat might help entertain people and help sustain BAI's other mission besides simply supplying more entertainment? It may not be the best idea but if filmmakers could preview their films over radio that might gain some following, particularly indie films. I don't how they would do it though, share the money or donate tickets. But the post’s heading was a trick. I think the post hiding should be how to gloat more over Pacifica destruction rather than offer any ideas. I can only hope that anyone seriously looking for ideas to help rather than gloat may find something in suggestions. Do actually demographic research. Good luck.
wce
It is simply ridiculous at this point in time to offer suggestions as to how WBAI/Pacifica might be 'saved.'
DeleteIt serves no purpose other than the private interests of those presently involved, and it cannot be saved.
Various bright ideas have been presented for many years. All have failed, and are continuing to fail. The reason is simple – the people of WBAI and Pacifica.
~ 'indigopirate'
WBAI's destiny is in the hands of people in California, not in its own. Without a forced cleaning up of the people associated with Pacifica by outsiders, there is no chance to do anything about WBAI.
DeleteEven the idiots on the LSB refuse to take any action, especially firing Reimers.
SDL
'BAI has devolved from a serious news and information source, the stuff you couldn't get from mainstream propoganda and CIA sanctioned feeds, to a pity party that's become an I hate whitey and he ain't real because there's no such thing as a Caucasian crusade. What can you say about a group of losers who can only focus on the past and offer no solutions for the future? I suppose they never did a demographic concerning who did and didn't give BAI money during the drives, but it's becoming obvious the station can't support itself based on pledges from its current shows' constituency; hell, they won't even tip the waitress. I don't know who's running this clusterfuck (somehow I have the feeling no one is really running it, more like running it into the ground) but I hope that when it does go under, people start naming names without the revisionism and platitudes we hear coming at us from the station. Only cold hard facts and finger pointing at the proper perps will do.
DeleteA 7 film 3 disc collection for only $300? Wait $300? Did Mimi say three hundred dollars? A three hundred dollar premium?
ReplyDeleteThe inflated price for this product will save wear and tear on the WBAI disk duplicator, and possibly save Mitchel Cohen some work.
DeleteFor $300, I want Mimi to hand deliver it to me with some of that rich fair trade coffee that Amy Goodman was pushing a while back. I thought they were pushing their luck with $100+ premiums that may or may not show up but this is a whole new level.
DeleteActually, there is a kind of twisted logic here. As the number of suckers dwindles, WBAI has to get more from each one to stay (barely) afloat.
DeleteMaybe they can offer replica Marcus Garvey costumes for $1,500?
DeleteSDL
A little early in the day for Al Angeloro on WBAI isn't it?
ReplyDelete(JustAListener)
ReplyDeleteHow long before they start offering the kind of "premium" Madonna promised to guys that voted for Hillary?
I don't know if anyone has said this already, but the board members will not go totally internet because many of their listeners don't have internet access. I personally think that what that letter writer suggested is a great idea, and I think Pacifica would be able to find new success with a much larger audience and coverage that is not limited to what is local.
ReplyDeletePrescod is once again declaring "last call" on whatever crap she is Hawking. Would that it were so!
ReplyDelete@ProvidenceMine: I said a while ago that many of the callers are elderly (often handicapped) and have said they don't have internet access nor know how to use computers or smart devices. However, these are the people who make up The Remnants, as I call the last set of people who donate to WBAI.
ReplyDelete@JustAListener: Davis, Mimi... They'd bite it off for a snack.
SDL
Chris,
ReplyDeleteBerthold Reimers was selected to be General Manager by Steve Brown and his Group.
Steve Brown also selected R Paul Martin to be Treasurer of the WBAI LSB and Chair of the WBAI Finance Committee.
Why do not the individuals, who post to this site, attribute the incompetent selection of Berthold Reimers to Steve Brown.
R Paul Martin has been a disaster as Chair of the WBAI Finance Committee. He sits on his butt and lies. For several years Martin insisted that there was only one phone contract.
WBAI is a pathological entity.
Ed Manfredonia
Frank Lefever (now no supporter of Reimers) used to take credit for selecting Reimers—he said he was a member of a committee whose purpose it was to find a GM. Berthold Reimers was the best of 60 candidates, Frank said. That does not speak well for the rest of them.
DeleteAgree with you re R. Paul. He will occasionally speak up, but I have a strong feeling that it's all about him and that awful show of his.
Hadn't heard of Steve Brown being involved, but it doesn't surprise me and may, in part, account for Null's love-hate relationship with Reimers.
They all lie for survival, but it's no longer sticking.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Reimers voted in by a panel/board, and not appointed by just one person? I wasn't listening very often at the time, so I don't remember. No matter what, he has been chief imbecile for years and made the decisions that have buried WBAI. Furthermore, you can blame the WBAI LSB scum for doing nothing about Reimers.
DeleteRPM can't be blamed for everything, as he has NO power to enforce anything. Reimers has already shown us the utter contempt he has for RPM. If you want to blame anyone for anything related to RPM, blame whoever gave him a show to begin with. I believed he replaced Ira Levin(?) when he moved to Mexico circa 1980.
SDL
60 candidates? Who were the other 59?
DeleteYes. But Steve Brown selected R Paul Martin to be Treasurer of the WBAI Local Station Board and Chair of the WBAI Finance Committee.
ReplyDeleteNow how would I know this? Because Mitchel Cohen selected R Paul Martin.
Why? Because R Paul Martin would forestall any investigation into WBAI's finances.
Ed Manfredonia
I agree. SDL is covering for R. Paul Martin - Martin is corrupt and should be removed immediately
Delete"But Steve Brown selected R Paul Martin" & "Because Mitchel Cohen selected R Paul Martin."
ReplyDeleteWant to make up your mind..?
SDL
I think he means Brown is pulling the strings but it was Cohen that did the actual selection. The only conspiracy here is how they can sell $300 premiums with no shame.
ReplyDeleteThey are the species of sociopaths that I call "true believers". True believers have a "Cause" (which can be religious or secular), and, in their twisted minds, absolutely anything is justified if it advances the Cause.
DeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteIt should read because: Mitchel Cohen told me that Steve Brown had selected R Paul Martin to be Chair of the WBAI Finance Committee.
Mitchel Cohen explained how Steve Brown selected the individuals to run on his slate. Cohen wanted to be Chair of the WBAI Finance Committee and Steve Brown rejected Cohen's proposal.
So WBAI has an individual, who has been fined by the Federal Trade Commission- Steve Brown- for defrauding customers, running WBAI. Thanks to Terry Goodman, who attacked me when I raised this issue. Goodman asked me if Steve Brown should give his money to charity. I don't care- but Brown is a dishonest individual, who provides the bare minimum as required by law to his employees.
Thank you.
Ed Manfredonia