Updated with audio July 26, 2017 6:15 PM
Many months ago, confronted by ESRT’s turning to the courts for enforcement of WBAI/Pacifica’s contract, Crosier presented WBAI/Pacifica’s offer in settlement to ESRT, which offer consisted of suggesting ESRT settle for a small fraction of the value of the contract.
Crosier and WBAI/Pacifica were surprised in the time following that there was no response from ESRT to their offer in settlement.
Today, after WBAI/Pacifica had pointed happily several days ago to the fact that following some local officials having sent letters sympathetic to WBAI/Pacifica to ESRT, ESRT had requested a meeting, concluding that WBAI/Pacifica’s ‘pressure’ would force ESRT to present a ‘reasonable’ counter offer as to financial terms, Crosier, Himmelstein (WBAI/Pacifica’s pro bono firm), et al were ‘disappointed’ that ESRT presented no counter offer in settlement, but instead presented a series of questions centering solely on WBAI/Pacifica’s ability to pay monies due per contract, and particularly focusing on why WBAI/Pacifica claimed it was unable to raise the monies due by a signal swap, with the accompanying sale of their existing frequency, which, as a commercial frequency in the center of the FM band in the New York Metropolitan market, is of considerable value.
According to Crosier, they attempted to explain why they found this ‘very, very difficult,’ ie, effectively impossible to accomplish.
There have been several points in the past years where signal swaps have been proposed, internally, for various reasons, principally financial. Such a swap would require, according to Pacifica’s bylaws, a vote of the Pacifica National Board, and on all such previous occasions neither the local nor the national stakeholders were able even to approach the possibility of such a change.
That internal dysfunction is the reason why a signal swap is effectively ‘very, very difficult’ in WBAI/Pacifica’s view and understanding, if not quite simply impossible.
This line of argument as to why ESRT ought to accept WBAI/Pacifica’s continuing as it has in the past, not paying them the monies contractually due, seems to have had little effect on ESRT’s position to date.
~ ‘indigopirate’
What Berthold Reimers had to say. It is essentially complete, but I edited out some musical interruptions and confusion derived therefrom.
Well, they can't take a vote or approve most things because of people like Andrea Casanave, Cerene Roberts, etc...
ReplyDeleteSDL
Adriana. True.
DeleteDid they really think Credico's efforts were going to sway Al Smith's erection?
Obviously BAI is following the Jack McCoy tactic. How does an attorney get a solution to a difficult case? Bluff. Now BAI's firm is actually suprrised that the ESB turned them down? Then again, all attorneys get paid (unless yours is pro bono) to think tactically. Tactically not always being logically.
ReplyDeleteI still think these shitheads are throwing away money by not having a reality show made about them.
ReplyDeleteSDL
Chris, go check out RPM's answer to my usual first week question about how the beg-a-thon is going. It seems not good at all.
ReplyDeleteSDL
It's all in keeping with WBAI's history of selling bogus cures and catering to those who make and/or distribute them. The crooks are able to get on the air with their bogus wares and services because the people who run WBAI are themselves criminally inclined.... just look at Reimers, Kathy Davis and, yes, Null—they are just three of the many permanent and transitory swindlers who prey on whoever tunes in.
DeleteThis morning, I heard again the Gwen Scott interview wherein this annoying woman, Natalie, lies and deceived the listeners, just as she did before 2015, when Ms. Scott was still among the living. Of course they don't mention that she died a marathon or two ago or that the 3-DVD set can be had much quicker and cheaper online. It wouldn't surprise me if they are cranking out unauthorized copies on the station's disc duplicator, an illegal practice that previously garnered them a lawsuit. Ironically, the late Ms. Scott's product is among the very few sold by WBAI that isn't a swindle and Ms Scott sold the disc set at a very reasonable price.
This morning they also aired a hysterical sales pitch from Margaret Prescod, who was selling a "documentary" on Chinese trade dominance. Why, one must wonder, do these fools at Pacifica think such products are going to make up for their own mismanagement and general ineptitude? They keep telling us that it is important to buy this twisted history stuff, because—in essence—it will help Pacifica save the world.
These highly overpriced, generally irrelevant products contain, they say, absolutely vital must have information. Huh? Don't the Pacifica stations exist for our edification, wasn't KPFA, the first station, created to counteract the commercialism Lew Hill heard when he strolled from one end of the dial to the other? The answer is "yes" and the question then becomes, "why are Pacifica stations selling what they were meant to give away?"
R. Paul Martin will occasionally speak up, but he does nothing to correct the situation, he just keeps his weekly hour of air time, and wastes it with crap. We don't see him or fellow intermittent complainers like Mitchel and Frank doing anything about it—they are all hopelessly attracted to whatever attention or feeling of importance Pacifica can give them by default.
Of course, I can't disagree with you.
DeleteThe Scott premium has been on a lot, so I would have to guess it is one of the more successful ones, or is that less unsuccessful ones?
I heard Prescod's China thing a couple of times. It seems to be a twisted look at the topic, mainly interested in slamming the USA from yet another angle.
SDL
RPM Is part of management - always has been. He made deals with management to stay on the air and he would mildly criticize them. Everyone at WBAI knows this - he is a fraud.
DeletePDR
I am not aware of anything that might belie that assertion, Paul.
DeleteIf you can Chris, listen to the portion of PNB Finance Comm. call with Berthold. Its very informative. He gets called out for not knowing his own numbers. He thinks he's doing a hell of a job. Any discrepancies are due to the national office. He hasn't had access to Great Plains since Hurricane Sandy but everything is up to date in QuickBooks.
ReplyDeleteSince he has virtually no staff, anything listed as consultant IS his staff. He goes back and forth with his own station's treasurer on the call. You have to wonder just what the others on the call are thinking and what they're going to tell their boards.
I have just added two audio clips: Bill Crosier recounting his meeting with the ESB attorneys, and Reimers answering questions re his tangled web of ESB-related lies.
DeleteHow many more times can they possibly run Blosdale's premium for the face stuff?
ReplyDeleteThey really need to have Daulton Anderson hawk pieces of the real cross to his listeners.
SDL
Daulton is said to have used the cross as kindling wood, but there are plans for a major fundraising dinner, the last supper, arranged by Randy Credico.
DeleteSo what happened to the hardware that Microsoft Dynamics/ Great Plains package was running on? Was it damaged during Hurricane Sandy? Was any effort made to recover the financial data?
ReplyDeleteQuick Books Non-profit is not a CRM package (nor is Microsoft Dynamics GP) so where are the donor records?
Just listened to the clip.
ReplyDeleteNancy was asking about downtime. Berthold had no clue. WBAI has no automation to track it
Bill discussing a backup circuit to the ESB.
A bit odd that both were discussed here on NowThen.....
You have to love the how to get your book published premium, which is such an old scam. I remember being a kid and seeing little ads in magazines for it. What's next? The X-ray glasses gizmo that used to be advertised in comic books?
ReplyDeleteWBAI is really sinking lower and lower with the premiums they are offering.
SDL
I'd love to see some of those books. The woman who is conducting this infomercial sounds dumber than dumb.
DeleteIf all the remnants spent a weekend writing a bestseller, the royalties and movie/TV rights could solve WBAI's problems. Mimi's recollection of life on the plantation and Haskin's insightful look at slavery could compete with Tony Ryañ's definitive "How to Build a Radio Studio While Slowdancing with a Sledgehammer".
I'd like to see Rebel Diaz write a book, without any editing. That would be incomprehensible, knowwhatimean?
DeleteWhat I Learned From Bernard Madoff by Berthold Reimers
SDL
So if Pacifica owns WBAI, and requires WBIA use a standardized accounting platform, why has Berthold Reimers been allowed to use Quickbooks for 5+ years, rather than the Microsoft Dynamics GP package that the other Pacifica stations are using?
ReplyDeleteEven assuming a total loss of hardware from Sandy, the licenses are still valid, and can be redeployed / upgraded. The chart of accounts can be cloned from one of the other Stations if no backup media is available (they are backing up the financial data, right???)
Seems that the Pacifica National Board dropped the ball here and surrendered their view-port into the WBAI finances
You’re dead on here, and this is both in and of itself and also indicative broadly of a significant issue or two:
Delete1) Pacifica has no meaningful lines of authority or accountability.
2) Pacifica has a long history of seriously if not grossly inadequate accounting – as a minor reminder, note that when, a few years ago, Summer Reese launched a major effort to get books in order both at national headquarters and at the various units, a major effort was launched to remove her as executive director – which ultimately succeeded.
3) Reimers is perhaps the most extreme recent example of both these issues. Reese attempted to fire him, but it never happened. He has long insisted on using Quickbooks, despite numerous attempts at insisting he use Pacifica’s standard software. When challenged he’s most often grumbled that Quickbooks is ‘superior’. Perhaps it is to him. Some time ago, hearing how he approached his numbers, I concluded that, whenever his cv, he is in fact a data entry clerk – he has the mindset of a classic data entry clerk of the sort who’s limited to that function because he’s literally incapable of any higher grasp of the numbers and the actual overall picture.
~ ‘indigopirate’
"Data entry clerk" is a perfect description, indigo! That's exactly Reimers' level, but he can't even perform that task without self-serving curlicues.
DeleteThere's nothing "wrong" with Quickbooks. For a small non-profit Quickbooks and the Unified Chart of Accounts (UCOA) is the recommended way to go. UCOA cross checks with the 990, so it reduces audit and tax prep time as well.
DeleteWhere Quickbooks Standard falters is true multi-user / multi-site organizations like Pacifica. The newer QuickBooks Enterprise Solution is said to close that gap.
*disclaimer - I'm not a CPA, just a former board member from another non-profit
Let see - Employee who refuses to follow a direct order to follow written policy.
ReplyDeleteThey would be a former employee withing the next 10 minutes, and off the property in 15.
Here's an interesting read from 2002: http://savegrassrootsradio.org/~bame/grc-archive/grc/msg02291.html
Yup. Pacifica, though, sees itself as not part of the world. It sees itself as 'special' – which, in one sense, at least, it is.
Delete~ 'indigo'
Ran the issue of (dead) air alerting past the local resources. Took them 10 minutes to figure out how to build a monitor using a Rasberry Pi, an RTL SDR (receiver on a USB stick) and Linux + Silent Jack. Less than $300 in parts + a pre-paid SIM card.
ReplyDeleteNo excuses anymore Berthold
They were off the air again this morning when Hour of the Wolf was scheduled. Dead station = dead air.
DeleteI'm not surprised to hear that there is an ignored affordable solution. Tony "Sledgehammer" Ryan is totally inept—if he saw a raspberry, I bet he'd try to eat it.
Earth to Pacifica: There is no excuse for Berthold Reimers—don't expect damaged goods to work just because you bought it.
My understanding is that the Reimers will monitor air if and only if it can be done on his 'superior' Quickbooks.
Delete~ 'indigo'
I don't know about his monitoring air, but he is very good at polluting it.
DeleteGranted, but Pacifica does, after all, set the overall standard.
Delete~ 'indigo'
I'm lost here. Are people trying to say that no one knows when WBAI goes off the air? If that's true, then WBAI truly has no listeners, even station staff. That is the most pathetic thing I would ever have heard about WBAI, if it's true.
DeleteSDL
By the way, while the "(dead) air alerting" system sounds interesting (just for techy reasons I'd like to know more about it), what does it do that occasionally checking a $10 cheapo AM/FM radio can't tell you? OK, call me stupid, if it's warranted.
DeleteSDL
That's a point I have made a number of times—The few who may be listening simply don't care.
DeleteBTW, this could not have happened in the early years, because—apart from the fact that we actually had a caring audience—we monitored air 24/7. There is supposed to be someone in charge at the station at all times, but we have a situation where even the "studio"—which also serves as Master Control—us unmanned.
This sort of thing has been going on for a long time, but it would not have been tolerated years ago.
Most of the time, all they would need is an old-fashioned vu meter in the so-called control room.
DeleteThat's what I was thinking, but if no one is paying attention anyway...
DeleteI guess it just tells you how little The Remnants even care about the station they send money to that they don't notice (or care to notice) when it is off the air.
SDL
At The Church, on E62nd, air was monitored live at all times – most critically, of course, in Master. In addition there were monitors set to monitor live air throughout all spaces. It was partly a technical question, of course, but also extremely important in that the dominant standard was the 'Do you do Good Radio' standard.
DeleteThis of course changed with ‘The Crisis’, the coup of Spring 1977.
~ ‘indigopirate’
I remember the monitors at 505. Also, the night no one told Fred about the transmitter maintenance that was to start at 4:00AM, we in the studio got one hell of a loud blast of static in our headphones all of a sudden. You should have seen us all yank them off our heads.
DeleteSDL
Re the (dead) air alerting system - Working on this as an Open Source project. I'm sure their are LPFM / community stations that could also make use of the technology.
ReplyDeleteMajor difference for DAAS is it can send an email or SMS (text) message to the folks who are supposed to care that "their" station is gone silent, even if they are not in the market.
Bill Crosier is an example of someone who should know immediately if a Pacifica station has gone silent.
Interesting information. Thank you :)
Delete~ 'indigopirate'
I like the sound of it. What is kind of ironic is that I am watching Shark Tank repeats on CNBC tonight, featuring some damn stupid items. This sounds very useful, even if to a limited target market, like LPFM stations.
DeleteI wonder if it can be modified to do the same thing on other sorts of broadcasts that should have a steady signal.
SDL
The RTL-SDR USB stick natively covers 24-1766 MHz. Its broadband, however it's really designed to received European television (DVB-T)
DeleteIt's definitely not designed to work in the near-field of a broadcast transmitter as strong signal rejection is not its forte.
For monitoring broadcast transmitters from the studio or office, it's a good fit.
I finally listened to the entire finance committee lunacy and thoroughly enjoyed it. We got lessons in innumeracy from Reimers, musical interludes, etc.
ReplyDeletePacifica needs a new committee - the committees oversight committee...
SDL
Title always comes back to Karl Heinrich Marx and that committee he was alleged to have in him. That, of course, is one of the great premiums WBAI offers these days.
DeleteFeeling a little queasy? Do Cerene and Adriana seem to be doing the Uluru in your digestive track? Well, how do you think Karl Heinrich felt when they laughed at him? All he told them was that he had a manifesto in him—"Don't most people?", he wondered as his itch ii
Indeed, that turned out to be so, and the signs were there—unconnected dots and dashes swimming in a consumed alphabet soup. Yet, even the most perceptive among the observers hadn't a clue as to what was causing people to walk around so funny, in such pain.
Of course, a manifesto was excruciating and this one particularly so, for it was loaded with useless committees, some of which were of the ruling kind, so this was no mere pamphlet, nor was there a radio voice beckoning him to pay a fee and have it extracted. How fortunate, then, that a distant cousin from the outskirts of an outskirt of Bonn came to call. He was but a laborer, but Mutti Marx, whom they all worshipped, had often lulled him to sleep with her barely perceptible mumbles of wisdom.
Otto instantly diagnosed Cousin Karl Heinrich's problem as prenatal narrative retention and, remembering something Mutter Marx had told him about Chaucer, took on the role of midwife. With a farmhand's muscular arms, he embraced his learned cousin and squeezed out of him a first edition. "I feel another one coming," Karl Heinrich whispered, prompting Cousin Otto to squeezed some more: red turned to green.
Ever so inspired, Otto decided to start a literary squeeze retreat. About seventy years later, a young American named Louis Hill took Otto's idea another step. He had a mission into which this sort of thing was a perfect fit ... the rest is history: Cousin Otto's main squeeze has come full circle. Or has it?
Chris Albertson
S
2:12 AM and there seems to be a replay of the ever more common Silent Carrier program, hosted by The Invisible Man...
ReplyDeleteSDL
It is 6:00 AM on Saturday, and WBAI is off the air (again).
ReplyDeleteChris - you should contact Marc Cooper - he knows all the crap about Pacifica and WBAI
ReplyDelete9:00AM and no audio. Good show!
ReplyDeleteSDL
I don't hear any talk of suing Verizon. This is clearly the final round in this game of death.
DeleteIn case it has escaped some, the face behind Mimi Rosenberg's layers of cork is indeed black, but not in color, more like the bottom of a cesspool.
I will be posting her JUC crap later today. In the meantime, enjoy the sound of silence, courtesy of gross ineptitude.
Listening to David Rothenberg streaming online. He commented that, again, WBAI was off the air because of a "Verizon" issue. He asked engineer Shawn Rhodes (who usually has a lot to say during his "Midnight Ravers" shows while soliciting donations from listeners) if he wished to add anything concerning the "off the air" situation and of course Rhodes had nothing to say. The ESRT may be flexing its muscles at this point of the dispute.
ReplyDeleteIt is unlikely that ESRT is responsible. If ESRT were to actively interfere with WBAI's transmission, WBAI could argue constructive eviction and void the remainder of its lease.
DeleteAgreed. Inconceivable this is ESRT's doing in any way.
Delete~ 'indigo'
Shawn Rhodes, like R. Paul Martin, is part of management - he is spineless and will do nothing.
Delete10 am and still off.
ReplyDeleteAssuming this is really a non-financial Verizon issue - Would take a competent engineer less a couple of hours to build an digital audio player that kicks in when the studio feed is lost.... rack it with the TX and call it a day.
ReplyDeleteThe real issue is you now have an uncontrolled transmitter with no way to remotely remove power.
I wonder how much money is owed Verizon. Why is WBAI the only station to catch the reoccurring V-flu?
DeleteThe real issue is that not a minute of worthwhile, honest programming is lost by WBAI going off the air. Mimi and Haskins can saunter off in search of their plantation days without anyone shedding a tear.
DeleteAren't you being a bit harsh, Chris? Sure, there's some good programming on WBAI, like... like... like... I'm thinking...
DeleteSDL
Granted my first class license is now called a GROL, however WBAI is in violation at this time
ReplyDeleteResponse Time: How long do I have to respond and correct a transmitter malfunction?
A: The personnel designated by the licensee to control the transmitter must have the capability to turn the transmitter off at all times, or include an alternate method of taking control of the transmitter which can terminate the station's operation within 3 minutes. See 73.1350(b)(2). An example of a system of this type, independent of automatic equipment, would be equipment to turn the transmitter off when the studio-to-transmitter (STL) link is turned off by personnel at the studio. This short response time is intended to cover those rare instances where the malfunctioning equipment may be posing a threat to public safety, e.g., by causing interference to a land mobile based emergency radio system.
See Section 73.62 for AM stations and Section 73.1350 for AM, FM, and TV stations, as revised in the Report and Order in MB Docket 03-151, FCC 07-97, released May 25, 2007.
If then they're in serious violation – repeatedly – should the FCC be informed?
Delete~ 'indigopirate'
One would think so, but WBAI appears to enjoy perpetual impunity.
DeleteIndeed. This point has been made before, so please forgive the repeat: The ‘Carlin Case’ involved a simple letter of reprimand placed in WBAI/Pacifica’s file which, absent repeated violations, would have very very little if any effect.
DeleteNonetheless, possessed of Pacifican’s worldview, Paul Gorman, on whose show the material had been aired (at noon) felt that it was their right to air whatever they wanted whenever they wanted, so at expense they could ill afford they took the case up the ladder to the Supremes, having been warned by a fair number of sympathetic but sensible folks that they would probably lose, and in so doing establish precedent against their preferred position.
Typically, however, unable to imagine any outcome other than what they desired, they brought the case, and lost.
The stunned silence in The Church when that ruling came down was quite impressive.
They had not gotten their way.
Inconceivable.
~ ‘indigopirate’
The FCC rules and decisions were puzzling to me back in the Sixties. Leroy Jones and I had become good friends by the time I was appointed manager of WBAI, so he readily accepted my invitation to read some of his poetry on the air.
DeleteNot unexpectedly, there were a few frowned-upon words that triggered a letter or two to the FCC (we were monitored regularly by some Catholic "decency" group). The FCC notified me of the letter, but stated that it would go on file and there would be no further consequences because Mr. Jones (Amiri Baraka) was a published, acknowledged poet/author.
That struck me as peculiar reasoning, but that's how it was—the letter went into the FCC's file on us, to be considered at license renewal time. Had there been additional complaints, we would probably have had to pay a fine, but the occasional fuck didn't bother our listenership.
You have to realize that today's FCC is very different than the pre-Reagan FCC. It's budget and staff has been cut substantially, and it's been politicized. Trying to get the FCC to act on any complaint is difficult, unless there are a massive number on one instance.
DeleteSDL
Chris,
Deletehttps://www.fcc.gov/search/#q=Pacifica%20Foundation%20WBAI will take you to the FCC page for Pacifica, including language, EAS, and record keeping.
Back in the day, when FCC rules and procedures were different, we used to keep a log in master control and it was the responsibility of the licensed announcer/board operator on duty to maintain it. Imagine Haskins or Reggie having to do that!
ReplyDeleteImagine Rebel Diaz having to fill out a log?
DeleteSDL
I can't imagine that… Know what I'm saying?
DeleteI remember having to do that. Also playing actual carts as well.
DeleteAnybody have a valid email address or cellphone number for Bill Crosier? He's on the license as the Application Certifier.
ReplyDeleteThis should reach him: kpft@crosierbiomed.com
DeleteYou know how WBAItes always say how much we'll miss them if they go off the air? Well, I was thinking, let them stay off the air all week and see what kind of a (lack of) response they get, since none of their staff nor listeners seem to even notice when they are off-air.
ReplyDeleteSDL
I remember when the vile, allegedly beloved Robert Knight left, a few years back. Creditors used the opportunity to draw attention to himself an Kathy Davis feigned reverent on-air mourning for a few weeks to discretely (so she thought) garner his time slot. There was no outpouring of listener grief (still a few of those back then)—he was gone, the space he had occupied with his nonsense was freed up, and that opportunistic no-talent outhouse philosopher/psychiatry planted herself there.
DeleteWBAI is Bizarre magnet for such people.
You really have to wonder if they even get one pledge per hour being off the radio.
DeleteSDL
Perhaps not even that.
DeleteMore importantly, how much are they paying the call center that's supposed to take these calls?
DeleteI don't know how much it costs per minute, but the call center gets a per minute price, to my knowledge. I remember when the idiot Julianna Forlano called it live on the air to show people how easy it was to pledge, the woman on the other end dragged out the call as long as she could. Obviously that's how the call center piles on their profit.
DeleteSDL
I wonder how much they paid the apparently useless Yellow Magnets before they dumped them.
DeleteWait, the two guys who were going to make WBAI social media stars are no longer working with WBAI? Can you extrapolate more? I must have somehow missed this tidbit of news.
DeleteSDL
Reliable inside sources gave me that news. I guess it was not meant to be questioned, like so many other "management" decisions.
DeleteIf that's true, then they walked away with $10,000 after only 'working' with three shows. Not bad. Where can we get one of these consulting gigs?
DeleteWhat happened to the plan to put 5 more phone lines into the conference room at 388 Atlantic Ave so volunteers could follow up on pledges?
DeleteBerthold Reimers has an inexcusable habit of saying anything that comes to his little mind when faced with criticism or am embarrassing question.
DeleteI think this is just another of his many lies designed to stall a discomfiting inquiry.
A question that needs to be asked of him is: "How much money is being raised and what is it being used for?"
9:30 PM and The Invisible Man seems to be doing an extended beg-a-thon marathon Silent Carrier program.
ReplyDeleteSDL
Nothing unusual there.
DeleteThey're finally back on. Did someone go to the transmitter room and plug in their cell phone to stream it?
ReplyDeleteOn top of that, no explanation at all when they do finally come back on. I mean, you do your audience at least that.
DeleteI totaled the monthly telecomm expenses for WBAI between using the document at: https://www.wbai.org/documents/WBAI%20FY16%20July%2031%20IncStmnt%20Prepared%200830.xls.pdf
ReplyDeleteWBAI has an average monthly recurring cost of $10899.50 for telephones. Seems way high even if it includes the STL link.
Anyone know if:
* This includes the STL circuit costs?
* Did WBAI sign a stupidly expensive contract for telecomm as well?
No idea re: STL. But they probably did sign a contract.
DeleteMust be nice to get away with whatever you want (go off air at any time w/no consequences, endlessly lie to listeners, and get paid for it).
ReplyDeleteIf you have heard Linda Perry read her we-are-victims-of-the-Empire-State-Building spiel, you know that even the station's so-called news director has no problem piling on the lies. She has become an irresponsible sellout. This is the woman who once admitted to me, via e-mail, that she found Michael Haskins to be an embarrassment.
DeletePerry was always an idiot. If you had been listening in the late 70s/early 80s when she was first on, you'd know she was that eras Kathy Davis. Perry was all about new age wiccan crap, and a total embarrassment at that time as Davis is now.
DeleteSDL
I once looked into getting an 800 number set up. The standard fee I got was 6 cents per 10 seconds (36 cents per minute). If BAI can't afford to pay their phone bill, how do they afford the call center?
ReplyDeleteThat is one of many excellent similar questions. Thinking (logically or otherwise) is not the Reimers group's metier.
DeleteToll Free Inbound is pretty cheap. The more minutes you propose to use, the contracted cost per minute drops.
ReplyDeleteI'm paying about $6.00 a month for 300 inbound minutes, delivered to an existing number.
Best part is when someone calls your toll-free, you receive their real phone number, or a billing number that can be cross- referenced to the real owner.
Downside is the real 800-wbai-nyc is being used by a scammer... Not WBAI
I think they are paying way too much for the phone circuit. A T-1 circuit can give you 23 bearer channels, which mean 23 phone circuits. If you do Direct Inward Dial you can assign hundreds of direct extensions (I.E. 212-439-9595, 212-439-9596) and when a call comes in on one of the circuits, it tells your phone switch which number it is and your switch sends it to the correct extension. I know one station that has a T-1 which is provisioned for handling analog and ISDN calls, and the last mile is thru the local telco. The cost is about $650 a month, they have 6700 minutes of long distance bundled in and about 45 DID numbers. It is through Level 3, with the last mile of copper thru ATT. If their building had Level 3 fiber it would be about half that price. And the 800 number is charged the same rate as the outgoing long distance (and can be used against the 6700 minutes a month) Additional minutes domestic are about 3 cents/min. A T-1 from Commons to ESRT should be used to feed audio to transmitter. Various boxes can convert the audio at each end, a one time investment. Another option would be to use an internet feed, but that can be a little bit less reliable. If they are still using equalized phone loops, that could be why it's so expensive... If they are spending more than a couple grand a month otherwise, someone is getting ripped off, or there's some serious kickbacks or something going on. Of course if MeMe and friends are calling North Korea at $5 a minute, that could be a different story.
ReplyDeleteFor an eye-opener, toss "call center for non-profit fundraising" into google and see just how many companies specialize in this niche market.
ReplyDeleteThe downside you hand the call center your most valuable information, your donor information, and hope they honor the contract not to recycle it with another non-profit.
Tony Bates has been consistently advertising the $2,500 October, 2017 "Gary Null Retreat" premium a few times a day during this latest fundraiser. If I heard correctly, it was mentioned by either Bates or Null there are a limited number of 30 spots available; which at $2500 a pop would mean a maximum income of $75,000. Apparently if Reimers and Bates have been running the same offer for so long listeners aren't buying in. By the way, Bates asserted he "plans" to be there, which sounds like total B.S.. Since WBAI lauds itself on "speaking truth to power", I'd like Reimers and Bates speak some "truth to the few listeners left" about how much money this summer fundraiser has brought in thus far.
ReplyDeleteIt is all BS, just listen to Null's description of the retreat (I wonder if.he was successful in selling his dining room table for $400?). also listen to his assertion that WBAI attracted a crowd of thousands to a protest against Monsanto. Null, abetted by fellow scammer Bates, is given to extraordinary stretches of fact. That translates into fraud and, o course, false advertising. It is also proof of moral bankruptcy.
DeleteIt would not surprise me to learn that Reimers and his cabal have milked this cash cow dry.
Guess a guy who has to sell his dining room table can't afford a multi-million estate in TX, huh? Null's retreat scam is fascinating. The retreat will take place at a bridal reception hall called Villa Felicita, in Mineola, TX.
DeleteGary suggests that the owner/proprietor, but he is not. According to the Better Business Bureau, the owner is a man named Paul Pennington. Null has simply leased the property for his retreat, as he touts it as his own.
Even better, one of Null's selling points is that through the Villa run magical, medicinal mineral waters: https://thevillatexas.squarespace.com/villa-mineral-waters/
He's lying. The *town* of Mineola did have mineral springs as a drinking source. But they were shut down decades ago. The Villa uses... yep, city water.
Here's Villa Felicita's actual website. Compare and contrast with Null's self-serving PR.
http://www.villadifelicita.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXmCS4B5gpY
Thank you, Kim, for the details. It has become clear to some of us over the years that Null could not possibly find time for all of his stated activities. I also flinch each time he talks about not receiving any money for the good things he bestows on WBAI. The man is so full of it.
DeleteYes, his pitches probably bring in more than most on WBAI, but what are the net figures? Underestimating the intelligence/awareness of WBAI listeners was not as easy in the distant past as it apparently is now.
Had Null any self-esteem. he would stay far away from the likes of Reimers, Bates, Haskins and Kathy. Null is slicker and a more skilled liar, but that is now running out.
Now I'll visit your attached links.
Null the narcissist is bad enough, but this whacked out imbecile Kathy Davis is even worse. She has no shame to speak of when hawking shit, boasting of how a DVD is burned at WBAI, how you can use the info on the DVD to make capitalist money, etc.
ReplyDeleteWhen the hell are they going to hawk the Do It Yourself Scented and Flavored Enema Kit for Fun and Profit?
SDL
Are used to give her the benefit of the doubt and attribute her nonsense to just simple lack of mental capacity, but I'm changing my mind she's calculating, evil, and just a Glaring misfit at WBAI. Having said that, let me add that she could still use a brain.
DeleteDavis is a simpleton and, obviously, mentally unbalanced. However, as the last few years have rolled along, she's added a totally sleazy factor to her repertoire. She will just read any script given to her and hawk any product. The woman simply has no morals to speak of. She's as bad as Tony Bates in the hawking department.
DeleteOn the ESB topic, am I the only one noticing that WBAI's banter about the situation is getting steadily more insulting and deprecating towards the ESRT My grandmother used to say "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." This is the time WBAI should be doing some butt kissing to try to reach an agreement, not piss them off.
Also, from what i remember the past couple of years, OTH and TPCS offered technical help to WBAI only to be rebuffed by Reimers. Reimers doesn't seem to like ideas or help if he didn't think of it. I guess it's an ego thing. You know Reimers and his great ideas of getting consultants:
Tony bates brought in as a beg-a-thon consultant. Remember he gets his paycheck as a consultant.
Remember the pitching coach consultant they had for one beg-a-thon? Yeah, that did really well.
Yellow Magnet made WBAI social media stars, or is that a black hole? Look at their joke of a twitter account at https://twitter.com/wbai?lang=en. 7,768 followers? Are you kidding me? And look at how many likes or comments their posts get. Almost none. I have 280 followers and I get almost as many likes and comments on my posts https://twitter.com/SirDarklust. WBAI is PATHETIC!
Everything in the WBAI universe works opposite of reality.
SDL
The folly of WBAI turning on the ESB and publicly fabricating a scenario that makes them the villain has not escaped me. These people will never admit to being wrong, so they go on the attack, presumably seeking sympathy. That is both dishonest and naïve. Credico's miscalculation contributed to the embarrassment.
DeleteThe pitching coach you meant was brought in by Murillio (another albatross) and clearly made no difference—I listened to hear the trained sellers, but it was the same as always.
One very big mistake was the decision to record and rebroadcast pitches. It is so obvious and open to some ludicrous dating, such as Null's present repeated announcement that he and Berthold will announce a great idea "tomorrow", Prescod selling the same Robeson package over and over again, Natalie having just a great time with Gwen Scott, a couple of years after her death, etc., etc.
Murillo may have brought the pitching coach in, but Reimers had to approve and pay him.
DeleteSpeaking of Murillo, I still say when the history of WBAI is finally written, he will go down as the turning point when his barely one year tenure as iPD caused a massive drop in the small listenership they had by that time, rapidly increasing the financial mess they are in today.
Murillo was a walking disaster.
SDL
Murillo was indeed damaging as he attempted to reshape WBAI to fit into his personal agenda.
DeleteMurillo has been a disaster for years - nothing new. He left WBAI in the late 90's under a criminal cloud, then returned to finish the job. No one trusts Murillo - he needs to go back to his home country, Colombia.
Delete"special" is just another word, and does NOT mean better, good, positive but can be any outside the majority, normality, in any [even more than 2 linear directions].
ReplyDeleteSo people who like to CLAIM the words, "special" as in positively Exceptional,& good are self-selecting their own images/words to brag. Self-definitions are mostly distrusted, invalid and used to spin, slant and claim "special is superior, better than...". Not.
Pacifica may be unusual but not the ONLY different radio set globally. And the hypocrisy, lies, pretenses and denials insure that the positive bragging is not accurate, not really so/true, not valid nor reliable nor provable. But then, the PRIDE of being different to then claim the Right to Attack & Accuse 'them others' is worth the ticket price and hope no one will demand proof or confront the pretenders.
Pacifica is just a corporation. Not better nor superior nor more honest than most. But the political slant and desire to prove that those in this org & attracted to their radio programs makes everyone included within Pacifica 'a do-good-better-than-you-can' and thus deserve better Rights to criticize anyone else.
How to accrue image-power ? like DT does too,to claim to be the only one who gets to Define who They/ He/ We are....and not allow discussion or dissent. Then collect the few who want the glory & benefits that goes with that Powerful-1 position, with military-ammunitions , publicity-power, and "fire 'em all" who dont bow or agree. Easy.
Pacifica people argue but have similar attitude and assumptions, apparently.
Hypothetically speaking - what could be done with a toll free number that spells out WBAI-NYC?
ReplyDeleteDon't people register such numbers in hopes of selling them? Whoever thought he/she might make out with this one obviously does not know that incompetents have all but reduced WBAI to worthless rubble.
DeleteWhy doesn't Pacifica go on Shark Tank looking for money? I know, the cast would all be out, but imagine Kevin O'Leary rippin' them? Good for laughs.
ReplyDeleteSDL
Well, they do have something original to peddle... the least listened to most dishonest, malfunctioning radio station in the U.S.
DeleteI guess Mr. Wonderful won't buy it.
I know that the basic Shark Tank concept is licensed out worldwide. O'Leary came from the CBC's Dragon Den in Toronto. I've never understood what the appeal is. One person or a group comes on pitching their idea and looking for backing. The 5 judges sit, listen and then 95% of the time abuse them. Naturally, O'Leary is the worst. Do you know who I am? Do you fucking know who I am? I'm worth $500 million. I have money and power. You don't. You suck. Get the fuck out. On top of that, some "genius" got the idea to pair up Mark Cuban with O'Leary on the lecture circuit. That's why I have no respect for Cuban. I don't care how rich he is or how great the Mavs have done. Apparently he has no problem pairing up with a total asshole. But it's all about fucking business.
Delete(JustAListener)
ReplyDeleteI figure if Yellow Magnet or any other vendor/consultant gets paid without forcing Reimers they must be paying a kickback or a favor.
ESB, Verizon, the landlord, the listeners (premiums) - Reimers doesn't pay until his arm is twisted behind his back.
Real problem is if an outside observer such as myself can see the corruption and incompetence why hasn't Pacifica management done something?
Well we know the answer. Pretty pathetic when the only effective ED Pacifica has had in a decade (more?) was flaky Summer Reese.
As Null might say, when the body is weak, the immune system breaks down and opportunistic infections take hold and release their toxins.
I listened to the 2 audio clips. I have 1 question and 2 observations:
ReplyDeleteQuestion: It seems that the fellow who left BAI a lot of money is named Bolton and the money is expected from the Bolton Family Trust. Has anyone heard of him and does anyone know his connection to WBAI?
Observation 1: Listening to Reimers was pure cringe. "I don't know" "I'll have to check that." "I'm not sure." It's like he made no effort whatsoever to prepare. And the worst line was about how WBAI can't use the same software as PNB because of a hurricane from 5 years ago. It's insane. Is there any organization in the US which is blaming software problems in 2017 on a hurricane from 2012?
Observation 2: I can't see what defense BAI has to the ESRT. The only thing I have heard is unconscionability. That is a doctrine which is rarely applied and only in circumstances of extreme unfairness and imbalance b/t the bargaining parties, almost always involving an unsophisticated individual and a corporate entity. There is no way that it is going to be applied to a commercial lease b/t 2 sophisticated entities, where the price was high due to prevailing market conditions and where the parties have performed under the contract for many years. It just ain't gonna happen. So if unconscionability is out, and if there is no other defense, then the only remaining reason for ESRT to make a settlement offer is if it thought that it would have problems collecting on a judgment. (Better to work out a deal where you know you will get paid X rather than get a judgement for 2X which will never be paid.) But if ESRT is satisfied that WBAI has assets that can be attached and sold or exploited to pay the judgment, then there is no reason to settle. There is no reason for them to do anything other than proceed with the case, win it, and then collect by attaching WBAIs assets and revenues. That is why ESRT didn't make a counter-offer and instead asked them a lot of quetions about whether they could raise money or do a swap.
Oh and one last observation: How f-ing amazing is it that the station can still find enough suckers to donate $12K per day on these marathons? It's insane. Haven't BAI listeners been tapped out by now? Nearly half the airtime is spent pitching. I am amazed that people haven't tuned it out entirely by now.
ReplyDeleteSo 3 stations went to 1 WTC? Pretty big hit to the ESB revenue stream. Even less of a reason for the ESB to let Pacifica off the hook.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.insideradio.com/free/empire-state-building-locked-in-tower-fee-suit-signs-fms/article_5ccfd07a-775a-11e7-a1a6-f37d8022c1e0.html