As the fundraiser fizzles, averaging a low $7,647 daily, and the hawking of a dubious 7-year (they say) deal with Manhattan Neighborhood Network crosses the established demarcation of decency, worker bees are busy buzzing rumors, innuendos, venom and fantasies through the polluted air at 388 Atlantic Avenue. This clueless cast of the current WBAI melodrama awaits in fear and trepidation the primal scream of Pacifica's latest iED, Mr. Livingston a proclaimed fixer-upper into whose paid hands the accumulated cesspool has been plopped.
Will he live up to the task? Will he decontaminate Pacifica? Will he put the loose screws in place? Will he materialize?
With Cerene and her fellow saboteurs plotting the latest takeover with frenetic ass kissing at MNN, recent Pacifica meetings have been uncharacteristically calm and characteristically uneventful.
As always, Indigo is on the case, no longer the baffled pirate, he remains the astute observer. Here is what he has to say about Thursday's smartphonic Pacifica pow wow:
The meeting was civil, perhaps even cordial, as they’ve become of late for whatever reason(s), which is nice enough, but there was no significant information, simply some nice thoughts on this and that, eg, better programming would be a good idea. The usual, pretty much.
The shiny new iED is still largely absent from any public view. He was scheduled for ten minutes but, we were told, was, like Holly Golightly, ‘Traveling’ and so the only sliver of information from him was said to be that he was visiting, having meetings, and ‘making progress’ on HR and Operations.
The overall description as to his activities, which was made in the course of this meeting, is that he’s learning about Pacifica and its history and its issues, and that, therefore, he can’t be rushed.
No information was presented as to any of the significant current issues and questions: ESRT – nothing. Hoped-for extension of audit deadline – nothing. Present income – nothing. Budgets – nothing. Pension plans debt and penalty status – nothing.
Needless to say, nothing about any planned implementation of any changes in structure, programming, whatever.
To date, then, a summary: Whole lot of Plans, Whole lot of Nothing, iED, Holly Golightly-like, Traveling.
What was Holly’s occupation, again?
Extract from February 22, 2018 PNB meeting.
Do we have any idea as to what the contractual arrangement is with Mr Livingston?
ReplyDelete~ 'indigopirate'
All I have heard is that he is expected to find and hire an ED, thus replacing himself. I assume that this is not all he is getting paid for.
DeleteI think we can safely say that such a process is ordinarily by no means inexpensive. Yet we’ve heard neither a whisper nor a word as to what process led to his hire, and at whose urging and/or recommendation, since it wasn’t along the lines of Pacifica’s previous processes, nor have we had any indication, however slight, as to the terms of his hire, nor fees, nor other costs, nor as to his expenses, etc, etc.
DeleteNor have we had any meaningful indication as to his actual bona fides. All we have are the positive statements made on his own web site.
As all matters with Pacifica, it seems to be a matter of faith.
~ ‘indigo’
Yes, all that is very odd, but, as you suggest, par for the Pacifica course.
DeleteAs an aside, the current youth-initiated-and-led movement is both a delight to see, and the strongest possible rebuke as to Pacifica’s failures and its irrelevance, both present and, realistically, prospective as well.
DeleteThese folks are everywhere, particularly on social media, with real force and real impact. They are intelligent, articulate, and passionate, yet level-headed, determined, and realistic.
They and the force of the movement they’ve begun is a pleasure to see.
I see this, socially and politically, as an enormously promising force.
The political thought at Pacifica, for which it abandoned and betrayed its foundational educational aspirations and principles, which included political discussion but was not focused on political advocacy at the expense of any and all consideration, is ancient and deservedly buried in the past.
The current wave has no need for nor interest in these fossils.
Thank heaven.
~ ‘indigo’
Chris and Indigo,
ReplyDeleteBelow are the first lines from Berthold Reimers' email (24 February)to the WBAI Finance Committee.
Dear all,
Sorry for the sudden unavailability. Here is my report:
1. We have $80,000.00 in the bank - $48,000.00 or $60,000.00 of which I hope to keep in escrow for the ESRT (5 months).
5 months. The rent for the ESRB is approximately $60,000 per month. Not $12,000.
Please a comment on this.
Thank you.
Ed Manfredonia
Chris Indigo,
ReplyDeleteHere is another lacuna of information from Reimers' 24 February email to the WBAI Finance Committee. This disproves the assumption that WBAI needs to cover a vast area with its legacy radio broadcasts.
6. Tony Bates took the initiative to contact social media people and now when people go online to say : tunein radio, there is a 30 second ad and WBAI gets a portion of that. More people listen to WBAI on the internetvthan thru regular radio. We are finalizing the paperwork so that Apple apps iTune can also generate money.
Thank you.
Ed Manfredonia
Ed,
DeleteWhat's the split on the 30 second spot. Does Pacifica have a say in the spot, could be a culture and political clash.
I use Alexa to move from station to station. When I say, "Alexa, tune in WBAI" (or 99.5), I get a commercial of some kind. So far, I've heard one for house mortgage and one in Spanish, the latter delivered at a pace that would leave Amy Goodman in the dust.
DeleteWhen one asks for WNYC, one gets a public service-oriented promo for WNYC/NPR. The latter, of course is apropos... the WBAI is anything but. I can't imagine that whatever money this might bring in is worth the twisted message it sends.
Non-commercial radio? Just another lie.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI suggest that Indigo change his name to Stanley.
We then purchase a safari hat for him.
We then purchase a bloodhound.
Elephant rifle optional.
And send him looking for Mr. Livingston.
Thank you.
Ed Manfredonia
Ed Manfredonia
Thanks for the thought :)
DeleteA complementary thought-line on my part is this:
This sort of work is generally entrusted to my assistant, Debbie.
In this instance something from Accuracy International is probably the preferred choice, probably an AX50, I’d guess. I rely on her judgement, though, that’s why she’s the Debbie :)
~ ‘indigo’
ps: At the moment she’s engaged on a project for Koko (Hekmatyar), but I can always reach her.
I am amazed that the current begathon is taking in as much as it is. I can't imagine from where or from whom the money is coming. Are there really that many idiots with disposable income out there?
ReplyDeleteYes, one has to wonder why, but it is still about $3,000 less than previous amounts. Add to that the WBAI debt, which is larger than ever and growing. Also, we are not told how much of that money is actually spendable income.
DeleteEven a low-priced board and microphones would be a good investment. How much did the "Yellow Magnets" get paid for nothing—Berthold Reimers gets $100,000 to $110,000 for less than nothing (if we figure in the damage he does).
Welcome back to As Pacifica Turns. Today we consider the theory that Livingston was brought in as a stopgap because 'they' didnt like Crosier pushing the idea of bankruptcy. Livingston's firm is being used to find a regular ED but of course it takes time to find someone fooli- uh capable of running the network. When Crosier starts blabbing the B word and the CFO agrees, 'they' panic and decide to bring in Livingston to run things as an IED and then name his successor. What do you think Chris?
ReplyDeleteOne circulating assumption at WBAI is that the on-air pushing of an MNN deal is having a negative effect on the drop in fundraising results.
DeleteThese poor people will come up with anything to avoid facing the truth, which is more realistically: General neglect, ineptitude, cluelessness, and an overdose of toxic ego flatulence.
I don't know who recommended Mr. Livingston, but I really don't think it was a move meant to stifle bankruptcy talk. A modicum of scrutiny soon blows that theory—for all we know, Livingston might support bankruptcy when and if that green curtain is raised.
Since they are selling ads on the stream, wouldn't that be considered commercial income, with a cut to the IRS? And I believe some of the PROs (BMI, ASCAP, etc.) now want an additional fee if you are using Tune-In or Apple...
ReplyDeleteSubject: What To Do With Bad Programming on WBAI
DeleteCommon Sense tells you that bad programming needs to be improved or replaced.
At WBAI the programming is not to be touched so other strategies have to be tried including the following:
1. Talking louder and longer about the same boring topics.
2. Adding a co-host who is in total agreement with you on every issue.
3. Appointing a committee to review the program.
4. Asking hosts of other bad programs how they function.
5. Lowering the standards to show how well the program is doing.
6. Reclassifying the program in order to change its perception.
7. Bring in guest hosts who will say the exact same thing in a different way.
8. Link the bad program to a charity so that listeners will overlook any mistakes as earnest efforts to support a good cause.
9. Declare that the program has lower overhead and therefore performs better.
10. Form a quality focus group to examine how to promote the bad program.
11. Rewrite the expected performance requirements for the program.
12. Promote the bad program host to a supervisory position.
I think they are already following a plan: Make bad even worse.
DeleteI don't know how that's working out in terms of listenership and donations, but that plan seems to have top priority. Some say it's the Haskins morning nonsense trickling down through the rest of the grid.
@ Anon of the 12 Suggestions
DeleteSweet list, dude! [bows, trying hard not to trip over own feet]
~ 'indigo'
So I found the Pacifica RFP for the PSOA to operate WBAI from 2013: www.glib.com/RFP_for_WBAI.pdf
ReplyDeleteIs there something more current, or just the as to be defined MNN version?
My understanding as always subject to correction is that that document and the responses of MNN and WFMU at the time immediately following are the only firm information re that time point.
DeleteIn the time intervening, only the usual rumors.
At present MNN is very very much interested, while FMU has made absolutely clear that given the state to which Pacifica has descended they wouldn’t touch anything involved with Pacifica in any way shape or form even with the proverbial ten foot pole.
~ ‘indigothesporatdicallyfriendlyneighborhoodpirate’
It sounds like there are some grownups running WFMU. Maybe Pacifics should pay them to run WBAI. If nothing else, it would upset the JUC folks.
DeleteKen Freedman has made WFMU an international success as a fringe music station. They even hold their annual record fair, which is considered the best one in the Northeast.
DeleteA few times when Freedman did things the listeners didn't like, he listened to their complaints and changed course. No one at WBAI would be flexible like that, since they're ideologues.
You can see how well WFMU operates by simply going to their website wfmu.org.
SDL
Thanks for bringing that up, SDL. I share your impression of WFMU.
DeleteBy way of comparison, WNYC's marathon began today. I will last not for 30 or 35 days, but 5 days. And during those 5 days, programming continues to a large degree. It is interrupted, but all the regular programs still run. The goal is $600,000. That was not the goal for the week. It was the goal for today, Monday. And if they hit that goal (which I believe they did), they would get another $100,000 from the Kaplan Fund, for a Monday total of $700,000. In one day, they will have raised more than triple what WBAI will have raised in a month. Assuming that they are shooting for $600K/day, then by the end of the 5-day thon, they should be sitting on $3 million. That's what you can rake in when people in the NYC market actually listen.
ReplyDeleteGive them something to listen to... and they will. Make them want to hear more... and they will lend support.
DeleteThat's too simple for these WBAI vandals to grasp.
Deals like the one they made with the Kaplan Fund don't just pop up.... the station has to have knowledgable, professional fund raisers to set set them up.
People dine out where the menu appeals to them... they go elsewhere when it no longer does so.
The riffraff at 99.5 likes to criticize NPR and WNYC while pouring layers of hype on WBAI. The fact is that NPR is no more pressured by corporate interest than WBAI is by personal ideological biases, and the programming is far more professional.
Their WBAI-site description of this "special" reveals an ignorance and twist that is appallingly WBAI-ish.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good example of the programming strategy. A co-host in complete agreement, lower overhead in that it is easy to just play jazz instead of coming up with original material and talking louder and longer about the same topic.
ReplyDelete(1/2)
ReplyDeleteThe post starts by saying, in its current fund-drive WBAI is raising less than $8k a day. Last week KPFA started a perhaps 17-day drive to raise $700k, so $33.3k a day. By comparison, I recall reading in a recent post here that a NYC non-profit radio station was aiming to raise $3m at the rate of $700k a day.
We know that when people are stressed the self often becomes less collective. Solidarity can suffer, organisations can fragment. Pacifica has had its share of centrifugal pressures. The other week showed once again that Pacifica harbours a separatist politics on the west coast. 'America First' has found expression as 'KPFA First'. It may not be the majority view but institutionally it's entrenched at the very top.
As I understand it, all the property used by the stations is owned by Pacifica Foundation, Inc. (hereafter PF). It means that liabilities arising from a station's operations are those of PF & not of the station; likewise, the powers, rights & duties of all post-holders & collective bodies are ultimately determined by PF's National Board. So the stations act as custodians of PF property. Hence the stations have an organisational status, not a proprietary one. It should also be noted that PF, for its convenience, requires each station to produce financial accounts & statements.
Given this, the recipient of a fund-drive is never an individual station, let alone a radio programme, but PF: the station merely holds the money on behalf of PF. Presumably donated property (including cash) is only for the exclusive use of a station or purpose if this is specifically stated by the donor.
Even so, public pronouncements by KPFA on Sa17Feb & W21Feb won't come as a surprise. On the Saturday, the KPFA general manager, Quincy McCoy, told the Local Station Board that the Winter Fund-drive starting 21Feb provided the "perfect pivot for us to tell our story & alter the negative narrative & change a few minds". He continued:
"In this drive, like others, we're going to be transparent about our position in all of this. We need to make the argument that while Pacifica & the Empire are negotiating their way to a deal, KPFA, on the other hand, must raise the necessary funds for us to continue to do our work of speaking truth to power. That's why we need our listeners' support; that's why they should think KPFA first & keep KPFA strong. That's the message that we're going to try to get out to our allies. Every drive I mention in pitches & promos that there's a sacred bond between the listeners & us based on our 60-year mission" – etc., etc. (19:50 https://kpftx.org/archives/pnb/kpfa/180217/kpfa180217a.mp3)
(2/2)
ReplyDeleteSo KPFA's fund-drive started last Wednesday – although given the above one should say 'Pacifica's fund-drive on KPFA ...'. As an example of how Mr McCoy's policy is being implemented take this from Mitch Jeserich, 'Letters & Politics':
"[t]oday is the first day of a two-and-a-half week really critical Winter Fund-drive for us" – he then talks about money owed by WBAI, not by Pacifica; &, also erroneously, that "the Pacifica Board has secured a loan": no evidence has ever been produced for the receipt of such monies. Mitch continues: "[w]e can tell you that management here at my radio station, KPFA in Berkeley, has assured us that listener donations will go directly to their radio station – will go directly to your radio station." He then said "we want to be transparent [... but] some things that we're just not actually being told". So "[t]here is reasonable concern from our listeners about what may happen to their donation once it's made to this radio station. Again I want to stress, we've been told by our management that your donation will be directly used for your radio station." (18:43 https://kpfa.org/player/?audio=280034).
But how can this be true?
Two other KPFA matters. It should be remembered that the station, despite celebrating its apparently successful fundraising in FY2017, isn't as financially healthy as many may think:
1) in FY2015 it made an audited net income of $666 609, in FY2016 an unaudited net income of $187 548, & in FY2017 an unaudited loss of $187 186. That marks a performance deterioration, 24 months later, of more than $850 000;
2) revenue has fallen throughout this three-year period, a fall of 19% for FY2017 cf. FY2015: $3 995 172, $3 575 444, $3 227 162; &
3) a crucial revenue source, listener support, has fallen 13% for FY2017 cf. FY2016: $3 021 284, $2 634 456.
(See http://www.pacifica.org/documents/financial/Pacifica_Audit_FY2015.pdf, &, for the last two years, http://www.mediafire.com/file/75hg8celp9r2zv5/YTD+Sep+30+2017+Income+Statement.xls)
Additionally, KPFA (along with KPFK) hasn't sent to the National Office all the required FY2016 station financial statements, which need to be checked before being used to produce consolidated accounts & statements, all of this to be made available to the auditors who are trying to do their work (Sam Agarwal, Finance Cttee, 13Feb2018, 22:11 https://kpftx.org/archives/pnb/finance/180213/finance180213a.mp3).
The alleged documentary Mimi is pushing as the "true" history of jazz is a worthless, racist distortion of the real story. While the seeds were clearly sowed by people of color, the music was nurtured, shaped and further developed by people of a very wide range of ancestral origins. To maintain that the music owes nothing to white players and composers is absolutely to distort/censor the truth—that sort of thing is second nature to Mimi Rosenberg and her fellow con artists at WBAI.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the original announcement for this show, I knew immediately what to expect.
WBAI and those who pull the strings will soon accomplish something, however: suicide by murder.