Hide your credit card!

March 31, 2018
A note to staff from Andrea Katz:

Happy holidays to those of you who observe something this weekend.

The dates of the SPRING FUND DRIVE are:

Wednesday May 2nd to May 30th.

The schedule and a list of deadlines will be sent shortly.

During the month of APRIL, leading up to the drive, each program will be required to sign up 1 new BAI BUDDY per week during their show.

Information in the April e-Newsletter informs listeners about the initiative during April; for every 85 new BAI Buddies, we will reduce 1 day of the fund drive.

Tony Bates will be communicating about scripts and pitch ideas that you can use.

Here come the usual fund drive reminders for producers:

1- Premium pricing is sent to Tony Bates for approval prior to your registering an item.

2- Register premiums as soon as possible. Same day or at show time registrations cannot be accommodated.

3- Premiums are registered through the staff page (www.wbai.org/staff). Where schedules and dates of the drive are also posted.

4- Premiums are not registered until you receive an email saying it has been put on the donation site and a link for you to check the accuracy on give2wbai.org.

5- Previously offered premiums must be registered. Just fill in the form with your show name, the name of the premium, the code in the description box, check off previously offered, and enter the air date. Put XXX in all other fields.

6- Weekend through Monday show registrations need to be completed by end of business on the Thursday before.

7- Tallies for each day are posted on the staff site.

Thank you all for you hard work keeping us going with terrific premiums!

Let me know if you have any questions, and have a good weekend!

And a jump start demand from the clueless manager:

Dear WBAI Staff and Producers,

WBAI Management is launching a new initiative effective April 1, 2018 where we expect each hour show to generate 5 new BAI Buddies for the month of April. This initiative would significantly reduce our on air fund drive days. As you know, fund drive represent over 85% of our income whereas it should be closer than 35% at most. In an effort to diversify our revenue stream. You should be receiving an e-mail from Tony Bates and Andrea Katz shortly with instructions and suggestion to best increase your chance of success.

Management will do its best to support you in this endeavor because it will be a win win for all - less on-air fund drive days; less pressure on Management to generate revenue on air, less pressure on producers to generate on-air revenue, more time spent producing shows for our listeners.

Note: On an average a BAI Buddy donates $15.00 per month. With 168 show hours in a week we can generate $12,600 per month of new BAI Buddies.

Thanks,

Berthold Reimers
WBAI Radio 99.5 FM
General Manager 

Why Agarwal cut out

March 28, 2018
Dear All,
Sub: Notice for Resignation

I have concluded that I cannot be effective in my job and have decided to give this notice for resignation. I have written a detailed Memo to PNB and provided hundreds of pages of documentation in support of my reasons for doing so. These reports lay out very vividly many requests that I have made over last two years, which have largely not been addressed. Out of respect and privacy, I am providing a shorter version only, for Pacifica Wider Governance. However I have not marked PNB Memo as “Confidential” and any one can request the full copy from any PNB Member. A full copy along with the attachments will also be available at the National Office in HR records.

Briefly, following are the primary reasons for my resignation:

a. There are extremely hostile working conditions and excessive workload and demands on my time. I have documented this in my successive CFO Reports for last one year.

b. As I have reported several times, our Audits, both for Financial Statements and Retirement Plans are seriously delinquent since 2016. We are able to complete our audits in approximately 500-600 days from the Year closing. I have requested adequate resources, both at the Stations and National Office, but PNB has failed to take any action. Stations have not made Central Services payments of over $600,000 in last two years. So, National Office cannot make any hiring decisions in the absence of regular cash flow. We are in a perpetual cycle of delay and default and spend excessive time in seeking extensions. Attached is a list of Due Dates and Audit Delinquencies.

c. We are seriously delinquent in our Retirement Plan matters and have not paid the contributions since FY 2015. We are critically behind in our compliance reporting and will attract heavy penalties. Few months back, I had resigned as Plan Trustee as I cannot take personal responsibility for such failures. PNB has failed to mandate the stations to set aside money to pay the outstanding dues. In the absence of a qualified Human Resources Manager, it is very difficult for me to deal with such complex matters.

d. I and some other officers had met the CA Attorney General on Dec. 11, 2017 to express our concerns regarding PNB dysfunction and its inability to act in its best interest. A full copy of the filing is available at the National office. Lack of direction and decision making has resulted in continued deterioration in financial health of the organization so that it is finding itself teetering on the edges of bankruptcy. I and Bill Crosier, former IED, had put together a Financial Stabilization and Recovery plan on the directives of CA AG in March, 2017. However, there is no support or initiative for its implementation.

e. Recent PNB action in approving a $3.7 million loan has put me in an impossible position. The loan mandates extensive accounting and financial reporting requirements which cannot be met in any foreseeable period of time. We do not produce Balance Sheets monthly, so cannot track / report our liabilities on a current basis. We generate Balance Sheets only at the time of audit which is running about 500 days late. Under any loans, it is almost mandatory to produce current audit reports in a reasonable time. We cannot comply with this requirement. There are other documented delinquencies like non-compliance and non-payment of Retirement contributions which puts us in direct breach of loan covenants. I have repeatedly informed PNB of my serious concerns, but it has had no effect in its decision making. It is unconscionable for me to wait for a few months and then report default when it is clear that we will not comply at the outset. Our accounting and reporting is so deficient that, at the present rate of progress, it will take years to come close to meeting the demands. This is ONLY IF, extraordinary resources are devoted for improving the situation, which I have not seen happening in last two years.

f. CFO / National Office is ineffective in making improvements in accounting or strengthening internal controls. Two stations do not have Business Managers and cannot maintain their records completely or accurately. Other stations are struggling with shortage in resources so that they cannot keep up with their regular demands. There is no active support or interest from Local Station Directors to take an active part in helping the situation, where deficiencies are highest. Instead, there is resistance and challenge in making any changes and demanding accountability.

g. Most of the decisions for solving our financial crisis have been led by a few Directors. CFO has very little or no role. No spreadsheet analysis has been done how the loan and interest will be paid off or how other critical payments will be made There does not seem to be any other option, but for selling assets, but that is not favored by the Directors. So, it puts me at great odds with those who are driving these decisions, and make working conditions quite stifling. These decisions are also at odds with General Legal Counsel and Auditors who all have recommended development of a comprehensive debt repayment plan and restructuring and reorganization.

h. For Last 5 years, our Revenues are on a declining trend or barely stabilized, but our losses have been mounting. We have accumulated deficits of over $4 million. No measures have been taken to improve working capital at stations which are struggling to pay their bills. This is not a sustainable position. CFO is restricted from playing an active role because of local station politics.

In summary, I am not seeing any path going forward, for me, as CFO to provide the leadership and direction to the Foundation in financial matters.

My departure should not be a surprise to many. I have expressed my concerns and inability to function for last few months. Yet, notwithstanding my personal disappointments, I will try my best to ensure a smooth transition. My last day of work at Pacifica will be Friday, May 4, 2018.

However, I do reserve the right to cut short my notice period if the hostilities increase or working conditions become unbearable.

Thanks for your time.

Sam Agarwal

Chief Financial Officer
Pacifica Foundation
1925 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, CA 94704-1037
Bus Cell: 612-205-6658
Work: 510-849-2590 x 208
sagarwal@pacifica.org

Attachments:
Due Dates and Audit Delinquencies

Copy:
Regalia & Associates, Auditors
Audit Committee
National Finance Committee
All Local Station Boards, 
General Managers, Business Managers all stations

SHIP OF FOOLS

The manifesto, so far. Look for this mark of ignorance on the backs of the following:

Milton Allimadi (Morning Show – Tues.)

Daulton Anderson (High Praize)

Peter Bochan (All Mixed Up)

Pam Brown (Morning Show – Tues.)

Naomi Brussel (Out-FM)

Eliza Butler (Radio Free Eireann)

Ron Daniels (Talk Back – Vantage Point)

Laura Flanders (Laura Flanders Show)

Margaret Gilpin (Cuba in Focus)

Don Grossinger (Morning Dew)

Katie Halper (The Katie Halper Show)

Mark Hannay (Health Action)

Kim Ives (Lanbi Call – Haiti Show)

Wuyi Jacobs (AfroBeat Radio)

Joyce Jones (Suga’ in My Bowl)

John Kane (Let’s Talk)

Dred-Scott Keyes (The Cutting Edge)

Vajra Kilgour (Housing Notebook)

Bob Lederer (Health Action)

Basir Mchawi (Education at the Crossroads)

Emma Missouri (Out-FM)

Mario Murillo (Former Interim PD and Morning Show Host)

Ken Nash (Building Bridges)

Sally O’Brien (Where We Live)

Marquez Osson (Lanbi Call – Haiti Show)

John Riley (Out-FM)

Mimi Rosenberg (Building Bridges)

Doc Shya (Morning Show - Westchester Report)

Rob Sims (On the Count)

Daniel Vila (La Voz Latina)

Hank Williams (Suga’ in My Bowl)

This list of alleged MNN takeover supporters is certainly neither complete nor reliable, but it is being circulated by a stowaway on the ship of fools we call WBAI. It contains some interesting names and omissions, including a few that seem to have hopped aboard for the ride. Taken as a whole, this is a fickle group and Cerene Roberts—propelled by MNN's Dan Coughlin—has been crawling around for some time in hopes of reaping a dangled personal reward. At least so it is believed and so it very likely is.

In the meantime, CFO Sam Agarwal has submitted his resignation, the Empire State hearing that was scheduled for today, March 29, has been put off for another month, and if there is any real solution to be harvested from the PNB, it is drowned out by the increased volume and pace of the ticking clock. The monotony appears to have put the fat lady to sleep—or is it a coma?

Clear vision

The following, posted elsewhere, is too much on the mark to be ignored by anyone who really cares about Pacifica's future. Like many of us, Stephen D. Cohen—a KPFA area eye doctor—is often driven to responding to Pacifica's current crisis in jest. That may seem inappropriate, but the laughter is a nervous one, a reflection of the drawn out, ludicrous scenario that is being played out while Pacifica sinks. This observation is no laughing matter, but a sobering look that I highly recommend you—especially the PNB players—read carefully and reflect on with the door open:

In my opinion, based on listening to the audio record so far, The Strategic Planning Committee, cannot, by definition, work and will not help. 

Why? Because this strategic planning committee, along with all its predecessors, is populated with the same old stubborn zealots who support each other’s same old magical thinking: that Pacifica programming, as currently produced, can succeed and lead to days of plenty—if only it can be deployed in the “right” configuration. 

Or this whopper: Content that has failed locally can succeed nationally. Even Travis’ idea of panels  to discuss issues of the day won’t work. Why? Because you know the only voices allowed on those panels will be those of the far left, who will no doubt spin up the same circular diatribe and Pacificanista  “debate” which is no debate at all.

It’s simply carping and shrill—as both sides circle up and fire upon each other in vicious “lefter than thou” hooliganism. 

Or seek to root out and destroy the racists and counter revolutionaries on the committee with them—or those who oppose the fantastical Afro-centric history and self delusion that are a signature Pacifica product. 

You see, Pacifica programming is perfect as is.  It’s perfect  if your goal is to engage an ultra-extremely small sliver of the public. A slice so small that if it were apple pie, Jenny Craig would blush and fear ridicule for her stinginess. A pancake so thin that if IHOP dared serve it, they’d be accused of serving a pancake that only has one side to it. 

A set of programs so narrowly appealing that the stations don’t even make the lowest rung on rating services such as Nielsen, Arbitron and the like. Pacifica’s ratings are lost in the noise at the bottom. They don’t rise to the stature of signal. 

That is how miniscule Pugililistica’s appeal is 

By the way, selling ads has only a glimmer of hope. Companies won’t pay much to reach a station with 300 people listening in each quarter hour; out of 30 million.  

Besides Pacifica is likely to only allow ads from Mama Claptrap’s Hashish Brownie shop. And eschew the big bucks offered by Texaco and its brethren.  Who only seek to teach super lefties that they should only trust their rickshaws to the man who wears the star. (And yes, theirs is a golden star, not Mao He’s Dung’s bloody red one)

As long as the same zealots and mentally disturbed members of its “therapeutic community” run the asylum of Puglistica...

....populate governance, 

....defrock and strip “voice from the voiceful”  executive directors who would dare speak truth to the brutally stubborn power mongers of Pugilistica, 

....insist that Pugilistica’s ED is a neutered lap dog who goes in the oven for dinner if he dares bark, 

....reject, factionalize in order to discredit, repudiate and then fire CPAs for their evidence based advice—advice that is of course suspect because it’s based in the science of finance rather than the tooth fairy economics of borrowing oneself into prosperity.. 

...the flushing of the network will continue and no doubt pick up speed. 

Without a broadening of message and hence appeal this circle cannot hold. 

 —Stephen D Cohen

Mumbling solutions... or not

With Tom Livingston, Pacifica’s iED, presumably speaking from his digs a bit downslope and a bit south and west of Gilman, we have a glimpse as to the quality of his thought, guidance, and leadership.

As well as to the quality of thought, insight, and analysis of the members of Pacifica’s Strategic Planning Committee.

Judge for yourself :)

~ ‘indigo’

Livingston speaks

ps: Try and keep a straight face – work with me here, okay?

xxxxxxxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxx

And here, for the sake of completeness and.... uh.... full exposure, is the meeting in its bare entirety:

PNB Strategy Meeting - Part 1
PNB Strategy Meeting - Part 2

No valid excuses for WBAI

These days. more than ever, the air around WBAI and Pacifica is densely populated with WHY?

Earlier today (Sunday, March 25th), Carolyn Birden added a timely one to Nalini's RadioWaves forum, a list that is beginning to resemble the infamous Blue Board before R. Paul rendered it totally obsolete, but maintains worthwhile traffic. 

I should note that Pacifica's Washington D.C. station, WPFW had live coverage of the event in that city and I hear that a music host on one of the other stations brought the integrated his music with the event. Also, Carolyn's question echos some of Jim Dingeman's and, surely, a few unasked ones. Here is what Carolyn asked: 

"First Things First 

What can our PNB members from WBAI tell us about why WBAI did not cover the March for our Lives in New York? 

Who is responsible for that?"

  My response:

Carolyn, I think this is indeed another case of first things first… 

These years, that "first" is inevitably what they see in their selfies, but the comfort they once may have derived from that now requires an imagination that years have eroded. These self-deluding cling-ons have at last seen and vaguely begun to acknowledge the rays of enlightenment—they are no longer able to ignore the bouncing reality check and its wake of dribble.

They have at last recognized, though not openly admitted how volatile their imagined turf is. Most of them—the worst of the lot—want a remnant of listeners to believe that their initial attraction to WBAI was Lew Hill's visionary upgrade of American radio broadcasting. As if to convince themselves of that, they will occasionally—but mostly during fund drives—boast of working in a commercial-free environment. This, ironically, while they hawk their own wares, services, and bogus—sometimes never delivered—products.

These are not commercials, they insist, but rather essential solutions to long life, wealth, world peace and racial harmony. Purchase a straight-off-the-internet $5 DVD for $125 and rest assured that you have brought peace of financial fulfillment within reach; gulp a splash of tap water from a little overpriced bottle and, poof!, your mother's cancer will scurry away; buy Null's Survival Kit and defy Kim Jung-un, etc.

To put it bluntly, WBAI is largely operated by misguided propagandists, scam artists, and other idiots who, driven by bulbous egos and fabricated self-evaluation, will say anything to maintain their access—directly or not—to Mister Microphone™. "First thing” used to be to flick that light switch on and enlighten the people "out there in the dark", as my friend Gloria Swanson so memorably stated. It is what Pacifica stations routinely did so commendably, but that requires a high degree of integrity, an open mind and honesty. None of these attributes identify the current shell of WBAI or, for that matter, Pacifica Radio. The Pacifica National Board consistently abuses its option to retire to an "Executive (closed) session, thus embracing secrecy when openness is called for, thus deliberately keeping the rest of us in the dark and further undermining trust.

The opportunists underestimate the intelligence and judgement of WBAI’s listenership, but not that of management. As listeners tuned out by the hundreds and WBAI/Pacifica continued to sink to a lower level—the unprincipled donned extra-strength rose-colored glasses and intensified their game.

In an earlier response to Carolyn on the RadioWaves list, I suggested that being a PNB member from WBAI has no meaning. She disagrees: 

"Chris, I respectfully disagree that being a PNB member has no meaning:  four votes on the PNB are four votes to support a station or not; to allow it to continue in what must surely be a planned demolition, or not; to salvage it and reform the programming into something sustainable, or not."   

That's a good point, but when the Pacifica National Board itself is laced with corruption and ineptitude, being a member of that board has lost whatever prestige it once had. 

Today, association with WBAI and/or its fellow gamers is the M on Lorre’s back.   —Chris

What's happenin'

Word has it that the Pacifica National Board last night came up with that elusive solution. So far, it's but a small indistinct leak from under that infamous secret chamber door.

Our eyes are on the crystal ball. Stay tuned,  

Are the wheels grinding?

KPFA had an LSB Meeting 17 March, most of which was concerned with lengthy discussion of their voting snarls, entanglements, and disputes, but which also included such items as their financials and some related wider-scale financial observations.

I’ve excerpted only items of possible general interest as to finances, as seen from their local perspective.

‘We have not been doing them on time since… I think 2012/2013… I think the reasons change… They lost Efron in the National Office, who was a wiz, and I don’t know that they have somebody who’s as capable right now… BAI uses Quickbooks… it’s really crazy…. also, their software… it becomes very difficult to produce what should be a simple thing….’

No shocking news here, though the reference to the current CFO struck me as of some interest.

So, then, as the rumors of a Grand Solution Negotiation are afloat somewhere in the æther, these are the most recent tidbits to come my weary way…

~ ‘indigo’

Waiting for that other shoe...

Ken Mills, a springboard for noncommercial media happenings, is still out there, following the Pacifica drama from his aisle seat. Here's something his many readers received today. 

Check it out!

Well, you don't say!

Our Lips Are Sealed…

‘It’s all been behind closed doors…’

‘I cannot talk about that.’

‘It’s confidential matters right now… bear with us for another week… I cannot talk about that… we have met in a closed session… confidential matters… hopefully it will come to an end in a week or so… we don’t want anything to get derailed…

‘Once we have a solution… we have reached a conclusion… it will be announced to all members of Pacifica….’

‘We are trying to save Pacifica from being ruined…  we have legal issues on hand… we have financial issues on hand… it’s all confidential….’

~ ‘indigopirate’

IN SHORT

IN TOTO

Pennies in hell...

It's a lengthy one, but has some interesting information, including more rather damning stuff about Berthold Reimers' outrageous ineptitude.

WBAI Treasurer’s Report March 14, 2018

Did you know?

Geoff Brady's live "special" on the climate crisis, as he imagines it, made me think of the tons of lies WBAI not only heaps upon its dwindling listenership, but expects them to pay exorbitantly for. I'm sure most of you don't need to be told about WBAI's unconscionable lack of honesty, but just in case...

Caught on video...

If you don't think they are desperate, crude and disruptive, take a look at the JUCs ragtag wannabe activists protesting against free speech at yesterday's WBAI LSB meeting. The thugs are all there, including Mimi Rosenberg (in her imagined blackface), gang leader Cerene "Con-ella" Roberts—having orchestrated this mess—is seen seated and calmly taking it all in, and a mob of her recruits, Dan Coughlin's minions, wave their signs and do their Camp Pendleton routine. The so-called "Indys" are more amused than angry—they know they are witnessing a disorganized dumpster load of losers who are still trying to affect a takeover of WBAI via PSOA; it would appear that most of them don't yet know that they are but pawns in a micro power struggle to destroy New York's one-time beacon of intelligent, honest broadcasting. They fail to grasp that a PSOA move will sound the death knell for what little is left of WBAI as a Pacifica station. I'll bet the printed MNN recruitment placards were paid for my Big Brother Coughlin.

Watch them as they make even greater fools of themselves in the following video. Pathetic is not the word for these people or the fantasy scenario that propels them. 

MNN's Marauders—Desperate JUC goons

Carolyn Birden, who has been a staunch supporter and close WBAI associate for many years, posted the following comment in the Pacifica RadioWaves forum:

I was unable to attend the WBAI LSB meeting on 3/14 but saw some videotapes of the usual suspects, reprising their role under Dan Coughlin's tutelage in invading and attacking the PNB meeting (in New York) some years earlier.

The main agenda item, I understand, was the election of members to PNB committees.  I suspect (the result of past experience with JUC tactics) that the JUC could not get enough nominees or votes to guarantee their control of some committees and so chose to disrupt the LSB meeting itself and buy time to get their act together.  Or to throw another monkey wrench into the next LSB meeting, trying to maintain control in the best way they know how.

  

Just a hunch, based, as I say, on long-time observation and experience of these disruptive tactics by the same actors. —Carolyn

Budget ball of confusion

The Pacifica Finance Committee met last night (March 13, 2018) to discuss sundry financial problems. The current list would make Rapunzel's coif look like a crewcut, so the assembled phone'sters more or less concentrated on revisiting the abominable audit atrocity. As these powwows go, there was eventually a topic drifting which the long simmering battle of the apps surfaced briefly. You know the one: Great Plains vs Quicken. As is the case with so many Pacifica problems, this one owes much to procrastination.

Here's yesterday's pot luck slop as sampled by the ever inquiring Indigopirate: 

__________$$$__________ 

CFO Agarwal reports that they are very very very busy. The FY 2016 Audit is very very complicated, and includes extremely complicated and difficult preparation of Retirement Plans / Pension Plans, for which they have not made all payments/contributions for the last two years and for which they are out of compliance for the last two years.

Also, their third party administrator resigned several months ago and has not been replaced. Agarwal further states that the KPFK arbitration case ‘did not go well’ and this presents further complications. Since there is no third party administrator they are unable to cut checks from these accounts/plans… but the monies, he emphasizes are safe.

They are now at the point where they should be beginning the FY 2017 Audit, but are unable.

The Great Plains accounting software maintenance contract has expired. If the system were to crash, all accounting would come to a halt. Unable to upgrade at present because they can’t find the time.

Too busy. Too many complications. Busy busy busy. Everything is very complicated and there are many things to file and it’s all very complicated.

Busy busy busy.

The CFO has however submitted plans to get everything up to date by March 2019.

He says it will require ~$500,000. Give or take. More or less.

If the building they presently occupy for their offices and which is for sale is sold they will then have to relocate and this will further complicate things further… also further… they are very busy.

Agarwal quickly notes, almost as if in passing, that he Is not involved with loans re ESRT – but that he has raised concerns. In his experience he has never seen a lender approve a loan when the organization’s audits were so late and out of date as are Pacifica’s

In Q&A…

Agarwal is urged to spend whatever it takes to complete audits in order to secure CPB funding. He agrees, but says the bottlenecks are so numerous, and that they are in crisis mode, and that there are two stations with no business managers, eg, KPFK is so swamped, it’s impossible to move faster. Thus, he argues, his long range planning to provide a road map forward, but that additional resources are necessary. The National Office has to spend a great deal of time cleaning up and preparing numbers from the local stations.

He is asked about his communication with the local stations. He says there is constant communication, and the sends timely reminders, that the problem is that the staff at the local level is so busy it can’t prepare and present things in a timely manner. That, he says, is where the problem is… that everyone is getting lost trying to figure out how to put the information together, that they’re in a vicious cycle of delay and can’t get out of it.

Question is posed as to whether special fund raising is desirable and necessary. Agarwal says they have a restricted grant to help with the FY 2016 Audit.

Says current work is piling up as they attempt to deal with catching up with the backlog of the audits. Says ~$500,000 is necessary to catch up with old audits and get current.

Question is posed as to Great Plains being out of date. The upgrade is, says the CFO, very necessary, the cost has been partly paid, but they can’t spare the time necessary to upgrade. Two weeks would be necessary.

Statement/Question is posed as to the urgent necessity of raising the money necessary to deal with the loans sought – this is more urgent than long-term structural and programming questions. Agarwal notes that the most recent completed audit contained a Going Concern note indicating a lack of confidence as to Pacifica’s ability to survive another twelve months. He further notes that he is not in a position to speculate on where Pacifica might raise the necessary funds, but says there seem to be various thoughts and plans.

Agarwal repeats his $500,000 estimate.

Martin poses question as to whether or not there is confidence as to Pacifica’s backups. Agarwal says ‘not fully aware’ and will look into it.

The CFO’s report and Q&A end at this point.

Here's what it sounded like...