Let us hope that this round is not moderated by John Kane, who did such a bad job of it the last time. Let us also hope that reasonable, concerned callers are listened to and can have their complaints and suggestions discussed.
Regrettably, these on-air meetings never accomplish anything that might go towards solving or lessening WBAI's management-generated problems, but they are inadvertently a mirror held up to the station's many fatal flaws.
Intelligent listener-supporters have found the only effective answer: tune out. Unless there is a major overhaul of programming and a thorough cleanup of inept staff and volunteers, that solution needs to be carried to its logical end.
The worthy programs heard on WBAI can be reborn elsewhere, but New York is too important a cultural center to waste a frequency on the fluff and bluff we are subjected to year after year. —Chris Albertson
I just came across this Twitter, which shows how deceitful Credico and the Reimers thugs are. This is, of course, a lie designed to put the blame on the real victim: the ESB. There is, apparently, no depth to which these scammers won't sink.
You have to love how WBAI people are trying to piss off the ESRT just weeks before the court date. They should start insulting the ESRT lawyers and their families just for good measure. Stupid beyond belief.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Cerene will get mixed up and start saying "Point of disruption!" So much for her being banned from WBAI premises.
Best host for this laughfest would probably be Max Schmied because he'd probably be laughing along with the rest of us and making snide comments.
SDL
One wonders if they are taking their cue from Trump. WBAI insiders whose concern for the station is real and who have a shred of functioning brain have good reason to be angry with the likes of Credico, Bates, Reimers, Null, Davis, the so-called "professor" and even Linda Perry, who has bought into the victim tale..
DeleteI was joking! I didn't mean for Max to be tortured! I'm going to get a job as a psychic...
ReplyDeleteSDL
I thought you had inside information. :)
DeleteI see why this woman caller is in therapy...
ReplyDeleteSDL
WBAI will screw her up even more.
DeleteRalph kept harping about raising money - Why work to fund-raise when it will be frittered away by poor management.
ReplyDeleteQuestion - What is phone line issue that everyone keeps hinting at? Is the problem facilities based (not enough lines) a crappy phone system (poor choice in equipment) or a lack of money to implement something better?
BTW, I made it to an hour, considering calling in & gave up.
I bet there are many theories (perhaps even proof) as to what becomes of money donated by listeners.
DeleteAs for the phone lines, here I believe you touch on yet another Reimers lie. We have been told that phone instruments were stolen, that Verizon is owed too much money to maintain service, that Verizon has been paid, but there is technical trouble, that.... in other words, all kinds of stories, some that contradict others, none that seem to establish contact.
When I was with WBAI, we never had such problems—I wonder why that has changed.
The main story of why the phone lines were cut is that whoever ordered them didn't check on the pricing and the bills quickly ballooned to where WBAI couldn't pay for them.
DeleteSDL
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI'm in the middle of setting up a community podcasting studio for another NP. Two of the users do a call-in podcast / live show.
To support this, we added a real T1 from a CLEC. The MRC is $450 a month. It comes with an SLA and outage penalties. T1 into the phone system, the Telos Two X 12 Broadcast phone system is downstream of the PBX. Considering the studio is in NYC in much larger market, it should cost less....
Who is this Margaret person?
ReplyDelete~ 'indigo'
Was there a Margaret there?
DeleteSDL, That sounds like the ESB lease...
ReplyDeleteIt does, doesn't it. To be exact, the story is that the person who ordered the phone lines didn't ask about the different plans & prices available, so they ended up with the most expensive plan. Yeah, does sound like the ESB situation, doesn't it?
DeleteSDL
Max is in my shitbook now, as he cut me off! See how scared they are of the truth and/or me?
ReplyDeleteSDL
I noticed, and he has also degraded my esteem for him.
DeleteI was literally cut off at the last word you heard from me. I was then going to say "Number 2 - You're not going to raise any new revenue sources because no new people want to hear the mostly decrepit programming from your sound closet. Your total revenue stream is mostly people in their 60s or older who are dying off one by one. All you can do is move into someone's garage on the edge of town, install a little transmitter and antenna on the roof and save lots of money to continue."
DeleteSDL
Who was that awful woman who broke in as you were being discarded and said nothing that made any sense? I have the distinct impression that her aim was to derail you.
DeleteAll that babbling by Frank and others contributed nothing. There was one woman on the phone who eluded to but never said straight out that WBAI is suffering (among other things) the consequence of attempting to go low IQ black. It's one of several subjects they avoid bringing up.
I think that pesky woman was named Vaya—or something like that—and I believe she is one of Cerene's lemmings. Cerene, BTW wasn't there although this Vaya woman had suggested that she would be.
They should take more phone calls and talk less about themselves, their shows, etc. I think Max was far better than Kane who, even as a caller, seemed out of it.
All in all, another waste of time.
I forget her name, but she's a JUC YUK, if memory serves me right. Obviously, she tried to run interference, but she only succeeded in being a contender for Babbling Bob's well earned title.
DeleteIt's obvious I hit them like a thunderbolt and found their weak spot. Maybe there is a rule about criticizing Reimers too hard (like suggesting he be fired) that will cause you to lose your show or something of the sort? Who knows, but I DO know suggesting Reimers be fired is going to get you cut off the phone.
Max is better than Kane, indeed, but part of the reason is that Kane rambles on and on.
All in all, it comes down to this, again. These people have NO concept of reality. They keep rambling about raising money, however, they don't understand they can't. Lefevre is a great example with his Left Forum crap. When is he going to realize that after all the time he has spent there, no one cares? I have said it before. They have a limited and dwindling listenership and they need to live within the financial limits of what revenue they can continue to suck out of them. That's it.
SDL
But even the money thrown at them by the remnants is drying up as more slop is dished out by low-aiming amateur narcissists.
DeleteLet the fat lady sing.
I believe I've located Reimers in an alternate (and far more interesting) universe...
ReplyDeleteThough there also seem to be parallels with many, many, many, many other Pacificans...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wulZFVNSo8s
~ 'indigo'
Frogs have more sense.
DeleteHAHAHA!
DeleteSDL
As odd as this sounds, I have come to enjoy listening to these. Drama, craziness, angst, buffoonery. Where can we hear it? Is it posted somewhere?
ReplyDeleteIf you go to the WBAI site at WBAI.org you will soon find it posted for download. I was going to post it here, but dead air is more informative. WBAI is a diseased deceased station.
DeleteYou have to be careful of posting it or you may catch the AIRS virus (Alternate Insanity Radio Syndrome).
DeleteSDL
I'm OK, I developed an immunity. Didn't even need the shot.
DeleteThanks, Chris.
ReplyDeleteI expect Pacifica will go on for many more years - its demise was predicted long ago yet, like Keith Richards, it defies all natural laws of survival.
I stumbled across the ever-ongoing Pacifica show while cruising Youtube. At that time the PNB meetings were posted and they were, well, fascinating. Since then I have rarely missed a broadcast of the board. I've become familiar with the actors and wait to hear the snippy comments devolve into shouting, chaos, and confusion. Hours to pass an agenda approval and then adjournment.
Sad situation to some I'd guess; to the disinterested it is great entrainment. I'd be sorry to see it go.
I understand what you are saying—it's like watching the Hindenburg slowly turn to ashes and twisted metal, you know that's how it will end up, but you can't look away.
DeleteI. of course, have deep roots when it comes to WBAI, but I would rather see it extinguish itself than go on being what it has become at the hands of opportunistic vandals. I thought I could help by using my blog to tell it like it was so that people can realize the extent to which it has been disfigured.
I think the ESB association—which, ironically, I am responsible for—will prove to be the backbreaking straw.
I think they need to fly the PNB into an arena and do a pay per view, dumping a bunch of Nerf weapons in between them (like in the film Mean Guns, but non-lethal) and let them fight with each other.
DeleteYou know what would be a fun trick to play on Adriana? When she starts her muted crap, tell her that yes, she's muted. See how long it takes the moron to figure out she isn't muted.
SDL
Nobody would believe it wasn't rigged.
DeleteOK, how about one of those pay per call to vote phone line things? When people start acting up on the PNB meetings, Mr Chairman opens up the vote phone lines to have listeners vote on whether the loudmouth(s) should be muted. Pacifica could charge $1.00/call.
DeleteThat or make the the same old loudmouth eat a pack of the under 18 prohibited curry. I can speak from experience that this is super hot stuff, even for a hot food maven like myself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrTDpaNfjFo&t=396s
SDL
Thank you for including those subtitles—made all the difference.
DeleteBates is on WBAI doing an infomercial about a movie about Cuba, that I'd playing in a local NYC theater. And he is not asking for contributions to WBAI. What is up with that!
ReplyDeleteThey may be getting a percentage of ticket sales. These scammers—and Bates is among the most offensive, unprincipled ones—do nothing without reaping some benefit.
DeletePraying every day that WBAI will fall to its knees...corrupt, deceitful place, run by years by scumbags, some of those scumbags long deceased.
ReplyDeleteLet's start the bidding at $5 million. Do I hear $5 million for WBAI?
ReplyDeleteGary Null: You know I bring in half the revenue to this station.
Thank you Mr. Null. Do I hear...
Amy Goodman: Don't you guys owe me $2 million?
Listen. Maybe if you didn't charge us while giving your program to others for free...
Dan Coughlin: This is pointless. The only way to proceed is execute an LMA with Manhattan Neighborhood Network.
Clear Channel: We bid $100,000.
OK. I need to rethink this. I'll be right back.
WBAI went silent again at 6:05 PM on Wed., 9-20.
ReplyDeleteThat's been happening a lot lately. Reimers has to fabricate a new excuse—better yet, join his cohorts and come clean at the nearest precinct.
DeleteYou have to laugh at that pop-up window on WBAI's website that reads "ESRT: Stop Profiteering Off 9/11 - Be Fair to NYC's WBAI Pacifica Radio," and wants you to sign a petition, signed by an entire 485 people. A 50kw radio station in the middle of the FM dial can only get 485 people to sign an on-line petition. That's pretty pathetic.
ReplyDeleteSDL
It's very pathetic! Being fantasy-based, one would think they might go all the way in their instinctive emulation of Trump.
DeleteThis is what one can expect when one open a little store and offer damaged goods at inflated prices. Reimers, Credico, Davis, Bates and peripheral dross like Haskins and Mitchel are scammers—plain and simple.
That said, turning a New York City radio facility with an illustrious early history and highly favorable technical resources into a third-class rural trailer station is something that deserves consideration as a Guinness entry.
I think the petition itself is pathetic. Its complete fiction. Linking a contract dispute to 9/11 is disgusting. We now know they could have gone to Times Square back in 2005 but they chose to stay. Instead of dealing with the issue honestly, they're just making wild accusations in order to walk away from $5 million debt knowing they can go to Times Square. On the other hand, can they move? If I were the owner of the Times Square site, I might have second thoughts about signing up Pacifica.
DeleteTo people who advocate bogus “cures”, deliberately confuse fact with fiction, truth with lies, and “community” with born-again bigotry, anything goes. I no longer jest when I refer to the WBAI opportuuists as callous crooks. In several cases, that is putting it mildly.
DeleteNext they'll be associating the Hurricane Irma, The end of the print edition of the Village Voice, Sirius/XM radio and Kermit The Frog with their attempt to swindle the ESRT.
DeleteSDL
Yes, and Geoff Brady will chime in that it came from outer space, riding on a CIA-controlled pterodactyl's contrail. There is also a vicious rumor involving massive looting of auras.
DeleteExpect to hear the Kathy Davis/Tony Bates duo offer refurbished black auras as a premium if the October bega-thon hasn't been rendered null and void by thousands of new listener-sponsors recruited through the Geek Squad flyer handout.
They have interns at WBAI, but you have to wonder what they can even learn about radio, considering they only have a sound closet. maybe how to dodge bills?
ReplyDeleteSDL
Those recruitment spots are hilarious. I especially love the one where a young lady mentions all the aspects of broadcasting a WBAI intern learns. I assume its something she recorded before realizing that she represents nothing more than another unpaid worker. Kinda like Haskins' slavery continues thing.
DeleteApropos Haskins, don't you love the ones he "produced" wherein young ladies from Africa, the Ukraine and other far away places never go back to their homeland without streaming WBAI?
BTW, Alex Steinman of the WBAI Geezer Squad must not have heard the station's outrageous claims of being victims of the bad, bad ESRT.... today, he posted a response to a fact-based observation by Hank Lamb about how wrong BAI's attitude is: "We would love to get out of the contract. But it's not as simple as you present. We are trying to negotiate with ESB to find a way out."
Huh?
Back in the mid 1990s I knew a girl who was doing a show at WFDU, since she was attending the university. She originally learned her radio as an intern at WBAI, back in the 505 8th days. You know, when they had a real station and studios.
DeleteWell, as for streaming, as you may remember, Babbling Bob claims he has listeners in outer space, so...
WBAI's ESRT fiasco can best be summed up as WBAI trying to get as close to a free ride as they can.
SDL
Yes, a free ride at any cost.
DeleteIt looks like his embarrassing failure on the steps of City Hall took the bombast out of Ron Credico. Perhaps these pathetic selfies are finally seeing themselves as the losers they so clearly are.
ReplyDeletePerfect example of what shitty programming is , jordan journals .
ReplyDeletePredictable, boring , race based psycho babble .
It is what observant people expect from Jordan. Did he blame the hurricane on white people?
DeleteNo, not in so many words. However, he blamed P.R.'s poor infrastructure on American colonialism, and the severity of the storm on global warming resulting from industrial capitalism.
DeleteSell Pacifica.
ReplyDeleteWhy not lease time for programming overnight Chris? It would bring in some money to get over the hump.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if that can be done, but it would disappear many hours of expendable programming. :)
DeleteThe overnight is the time period WBAI management cares least about, so it would be the best time to lease, if someone wants to lease it.
DeleteHowever, I think WBAI listeners are all listening to George Noory, with his paranormal and conspiracies stuff, on WOR at that time.
As an aside, you know that one raspy voiced woman who always calls WBAI? I think her name is something like Nayat or something similar sounding. Well, she called into Jimmy Church, who was sitting in for Noory the other night and talking with a guest about weather manipulation, and babbled, eventually mentioning Null's prn.fm. Church shushed her and asked her not to push a website and asked if she had a question for the guest. She started babbling, without asking any question, about Utrice Leid and mentioned prn.fm again. This time Church did the logical thing and cut her off with a loud "Thanks for calling" type thing. I don't blame him since her ramblings had nothing to do with the topic and only seemed about pushing prn.fm. Now, what I found interesting is that she was pushing prn and not WBAI. Did WBAI lose another old listener?
SDL
WBAI loses listeners they never had.
DeleteBTW, if there were more than a handful of them out there, we would not be hearing the same old tired ones over and over again. Especially not with only one phone connected.
This morning, on his abomination of a show, Michael Haskins was trying to convince himself that WBAI is a "magical" station. These people are truly living in a make-believe world where lies are the norm.
WBAI IS "magical," but no one knows it because black magic doesn't work like it used to.
DeleteSDL
On October 4, we might see just how magical BAI is.
DeleteIt is very unlikely that the court will decide the motion on the day of the argument. It will probably take weeks, if not months, for the court to issue a decision.
DeleteThank you, I should have pointed that out.
Delete(JustAListener)
DeleteFor Haskins, WBAI is "magical" every time his paycheck clears.
He is the perpetual amateur.
DeleteIt's "magical" that The Blacks have a show.
DeleteSDL
I wonder what number greater today , the number of listeners or potential listeners they lost
ReplyDeleteor the number of times the words white supremacy was said ?
Maybe WBAI can get one of their shows to have a call in segment with Anthony Weiner? Tony Bates sounds like the right guy.
ReplyDeleteSDL
"Ephemeral"
ReplyDeleteI've been dreaming about my decades long career in broadcast. Specifically dreams about doing shows. Much as soldiers dream of wars conductors dream of concerts, and mystics children dream of gawds.
Just now I dreamed of being in studio with old friends. Some of them now gone. It made me wonder if we did any good. Did we help at all?
I hope we did I think we did. I mean in that time for those people. I think yes.
It doesn't matter if we're not personally remembered. In that medium it's rare that anyone is. Our contact was intimate, and on the whole to the good. At least as best we understand the "good'. In the sort of performances we gave. A kind no longer really done. A one on one with a person in the deep of night...you, and them.
Each member of the audience was being spoken to individually. It was a command performance for folks in the sanctuary of their most private places.
I told stories from my life, and related them to the world as it was then. I wrote stories, and performed them. I deliberately played music that I both loved, and hoped would help the folks get through the night.
We did this.
There was a crew of unique brilliant people speaking into the night. We shared intimate space for a few hours in the depths of the dark once twice or several times a week for yes decades.
Margot Adler whom some of you know from NPR started at the same public station I served. I remember things I heard from her on the air that she said near 40 years ago, and they still matter.
What we did mattered.
I have no awards or trophy's. These were rare in the era I worked in. Now there are awards ceremonies in the industry for wiping your butt, and flushing. What we have. What we were given is more ephemeral, and more lasting. We touched hearts souls. We informed were informed gave laughter hope rage confusion insight the whole catalogue.
It was what it was, and still lives in those that were there to share it.
judging from that barometer thing they have on their homepage , it looks like the fund drive
ReplyDeletewill be shorter by about 13 minutes. lol !
Judging by the pre-fund drive pitches I have heard, I am more inclined to believe the drive will be extended.
DeleteThere’s hardly anyone left out there on the receiving end.
Looks like some drama at KPFT Chris. They're trying to bring back the interim GM Bill fired and get rid of Bill instead. They're also going after another director and their LSB chair for assigning unrelated work to interns and 'oppressing' staff. It makes WBAI look dull in comparison.
ReplyDeleteAdriana is not the only badd apple at that station. I'll see what I can find on this.
ReplyDelete