If you are old enough for the above to look familiar, you probably recall grabbing your coat or purse in preparation for leaving the theater. Wednesday's judgement in WBAI's most calamitous case of mismanagement may be having a similar effect on the Atlantic Avenue cling-ons as they are forced to acknowledge the existence of reality.
Although anticipated, we first heard the outcome of this regrettable case of justice done this morning, when Jim Dingeman posted a brief note to another site. Now we have a follow-up from Jim, who, essentially, says that it's time to do something.
In all fairness to Jim, he is among the few who saw the storm gathering and wasn't afraid to say so, but the time for action began when the ESB contract was put on the table several years ago. It was a time when, instead of perceiving a disaster looming on the horizon, Berthold Reimers began his disappearing acts and allowed a self-centered race-prepossessed group of thought-impaired opportunists to commandeer WBAI and engage in a ludicrous charade.
Hiding behind a flimsy shield of deception, Reimers and his willing vandals cleared the way for the impending fade to dark. Having had a few hours to think about today's judgement, Jim Dingeman posted again:
A tremendous amount of effort was put into organizing a press conference/rally at City Hall. There were a lot of difficulties as all involved with this know, including a lackadaisical use of the airwaves to mobilize listeners in overwhelming Numbers to participate.
That was the weakness of the effort at that time and remains at this time..at this time it means that there is a need to be up front with the listeners COMPLETELY as to what is needed going forward and what concretely are the options right now.
I am advocating right now the need for accurate and realistic outlining by those in the know about what the options are.
This needs to be known by thousands and the continuance of deliberate mediation must end now...no more Potamkin village presentations because it is now irrelevant.
The decision today, 1.8 million and really from what I understand close to 2.4 million to settle and then of course going forward the need to promptly meet the bills at WBAI let alone continue what has proven to be a failed grid incapable of meetings it own fiscal costs is a grave, grave situation.
The options are grim and to make headway as many people as possible need to learn in an unmediated manner what the hell is going on..after all, it is their willingness to loosen their purse strings that needs to be persuaded in hitherto unanticipated dimensions..millions, not hundreds of thousands.
I am glad people just got on the phone* and started to talk almost immediately today when the news aired at 6:00 PM.
This needs to be done every week from now on..candid and uninhibited comments from the listeners to the management..simply one step among many to try to get through all this.
People also need a clear and unfiltered idea of what the options are..secrecy will not help this. —Jim
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Here is that broadcast. The fade-out ending indicates the WBAI archive's split—you aren't missing anything.
There is no one at WBAI/Pacifica capable of producing listenable radio, and in the world of the internet there is literally no need for them.
ReplyDeleteThey substituted leftist politics for a belief in and dedication to a spectrum of quality radio literally decades ago – and have no actual interest in radio.
Only their political beliefs. Only their narcissistic selves – an interest very nearly no one shares within the reach of their signal, which reaches 20 million souls.
They are deeply incompetent and deeply corrupt, and an incarnation of endless tedium. The only ‘hope’ would be to replace 99.5 with a completely different organization having no ties to the past.
In that sense WBAI/Pacifica literally cannot be saved.
They took the turn to strident political advocacy long, long ago, and have long seen it as their defining purpose.
Let them.
There is no saving fools from themselves.
~ ‘indigopirate’
If Crosier doesn't wake up once and for all and get rid of WBAI's management, expect more of the same nonsense - black nationalism, extendomercials, snake oil, etc., which means ever more ex-listeners and less money.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe these people are capable of changing their thinking. They still won't say Reimers and Bates, as well as most of the WBAI programs, need to be scuttled.
I propose, at the very least, that since WBAI has no interest in overnight programming that they lease the 12AM - 6AM slot to some outside group(s) willing to pay for WBAI's prime real estate and power. Religious broadcasters are known to be good, reliable payers. They can surely rake in more than any begging in that slot will make.
That's just a start, of course.
I still think WBAI is on some sort of chopping block as we know it.
SDL
I don't see how WBAI could not be in death row at this time—it's utterly useless and look at the shows Bates and Reimers have brought in lately: Haitian All-Starz, The Blacks, Rebel Diaz, etc.
DeleteIt's over even if it were just a matter of paying the debt, but there is so much more that needs to be thrown out before the station begins the rehabilitation process.
Just heard a Kathryn Davis promo about one of her upcoming sponsored events dealing with "Death and Dying". Perhaps Berthold Reimers and Tony Bates should attend.
ReplyDeletePeople seem to miss an important point in all the ESB talk. WBAI can't even afford the $12,000/month. Yet, WBAI wants to move to another building which wants to charge $12,000/month. If they move to that building, how long until WBAI finds itself repeating this same scenario?
ReplyDeleteHere's an idea that is a twist. Maybe Pacifica should sell WBAI and use some of the money to lease time from another station for, say, 12 hours/day? Kind of like a program service. That's a hell of a lot cheaper than operating a station, even in NYC.
SDL
Kane , one of bai's "race experts" talking about racism .
ReplyDeleteThese people are clueless beyond belief .
I find Kane to be an intolerable, self-important boor.
DeleteAnd, what's worse, he is boring. His rants are repetitive; he keeps grinding away at the same stuff, over and over again.
Delete(JustAlistener)
ReplyDeleteI thought Linda Perry quit/was forced out.
Did she decide to hang around to report in the station's demise?
So Reimers/Bates want the station to go commercial (well, "sponsored" - the non-profit twist on commercial). Wonder if they realize corps don't dole out NPR like $ amounts unless the station has a NPR like number of listeners...
Hadn't heard about the station wanting to move. Aren't they behind on the $5000/mo rent at the current location? The pattern is clear - when the station falls so far behind they've consumed all the good will and are about to be kicked out, they move and do it again.
Who would rent to these clowns? Can they even come up with $24,000 to cover security and first mo rent?
With the FCC attempting to do away with the main studio rule https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-proposes-eliminate-main-studio-rule , the value of the WBAI license increases as the programming source can literally be anywhere.
DeleteWhere that helps WBAI, it means that they could rent/build a studio at a much cheaper location (or simply feed one of the other Pacifica stations, doing away with the studio entirely
Yeah, I just can't wait for the African Philosophy Pack premium on Saturday. They'll never figure it out...
ReplyDeleteSDL
http://www.thrustprojects.com/images/PAT_1.20Group.80%27s.jpg
ReplyDeleteJ.
Your comment has a certain finality to it.
Delete