Today, December 5, 2018, hypocrisy polluted the air at full strength as America finally bid former President H. W. Bush a relatively final farewell. Broadcasters throughout the land scooped up and flung into receptive ears a mixture of prescribed imagination and tears that would make a crocodile weep, as it were.
Apropos imagination, WBAI did not deviate from its toxic trajectory as it began the day with an intensified Mimian Rosenberg Rant. The victims of White America's venom included tantalizing Hollywood Latinas, said the mouth that bores—white old Mimi performed her liar's Limbo routine for a remnant of WBAI's listenership as accomplice Michael Haskins had as hard a time maintaining his balance.
Then Amy Goodman provided an hour of sanity and the morning continued riding a crest of hatred with Bonnie Faulkner blaming every ill on the late Bush. Was he an angel? Far from it, but he was an accomplished illusionist—Faulkner did not have to twist the truth too much, but going overboard is the foundation upon which her show, Guns and Butter, is based. If she did not work hard to foment bigotry and hatred, Reimers would not have dredged her up from the West Coast Pacifica pond.
We don't know if Reimers made the decision to give Faulkner a WBAI soapbox, but that would be in keeping with his years of demonstrated irresponsibility. Linda Perry, however, needs to explain why she—in her role as PD—allowed this to happen. Yes, there have been favorable changes under Linda's command, but far too many unsavory lumps have been left in the soup. We know that fear of pink slips has gripped Mimi and her wrecking crew, so I may be doing Linda a disservice by being impatient, but pinning a rose on a turd makes it no less disgusting.
If Reimers still stands in the way of Linda's hopes for a renewed, acceptable WBAI, she ought to speak up—publicly. I wonder how much Pacifica's new ED, Maxie Jackson III, knows about the situation at WBAI—he has his hands full of inherited problems, but he has also participated in some of the hopelessly handicapped PNB meetings. Indigopirate's excerpts from Tuesday night's PNB meeting provide a sliver of clarity although it is chaired by WBAI's Double Helix Queen, Kathy Davis.
☁☁☁☁☔☁☁☁☁
Pacifica National Board, Programming Committee
4 December 2018
For those foolish enough to engage in following the decades-long Pacifica Follies, these excerpts from the PNB Programming Committee Meeting of 4 December may prove of some interest in that they provide a measure of insight as to Executive Director Maxie's approach and philosophy perhaps not previously available.
They speak for themselves, I think...
~ 'indigopirate'
I can't believe I just heard Ms. Prescod ranting that Hayek was in league with Keynes. She doesn't know what she's talking about, as they were at opposite ends of the spectrum and famous adversaries. Apparently you just need to start with "unfettered capitalism" (which has never existed) and then can say anything. Why do I listen ? I have only myself to blame.
ReplyDeleteI pop in and out of Prescod, asit were. I love her outrage when the fish ain’t biting and I wonder—in perpetuity—if she as sold any of the 15 Robeson sets she has been stuck with drive after pathetic drive.
DeleteShe was hawking something other than the Robeson set recently, and starting saying "last call" again when the product was not moving. Always fun to hear.
Delete
DeleteThreatening to withdraw her "thank you gift" giving is part of Prescod's m.o. I guess she just can't imagine that only a handful takes her seriously, so she sees failure to fall for her pitiful pitches as conspiratorial.
I hope she gets tossed I the WBAI dumpster, along with Faulkner and a number of local NYC misfits.
Dopey Prescod now displaying her economic ignorance with the typical liberal canard that Adam Smith ignored and condoned slavery. It's simply not so, as a simple Googling will quickly show. Hers is fake news.
DeleteNow she's threatening to withdraw the current "thank you gift" disparaging capitalism.
It's funny, some time ago she had her daughter on, who is a scientist and sounded very intelligent and uncontaminated by her mother's foolishness. Even Margaret sounded reasonable during that talk. Maybe it's all an act.
Prescod is a blight upon Pacifica—Linda should replace her, but I’m afraid she might increase her air time.
DeleteBasic summary of Programming Comm. meeting:
ReplyDeleteMembers realize they have no influence on local managers so they try to tell them how to do their job through the PNB. Good luck with that. The ED has not yet realized the limits of his authority over the local managers and does not and will not have replacements anytime soon. His strategy is to redefine the problem. Meanwhile the bills continue to pile up.
Perhaps the most succinct and dead-on accurate summary not only of this particular meeting but of much/most of Pacifica's management limitations, period.
DeleteKudos :)
~ 'indigopirate'
Kpftx.org has some audio satire on George H W Bush. Pretty petty. They just couldn't let it pass without one last shot. I hope they feel better now. Perhaps their friends will pat them on the back after showing their anti-Bush Sr. cred.
ReplyDelete
DeleteNot surprising. "If it isn't Afrocentric or fodder for ignorance, it probably ought not to be taken seriously.
The audio clips you link to may have been aired as satire, but they are contrived attempts at humor.
Who is "O" and why was this posted on the meeting calendar?
I was not an admirer of any Bush politico, but Pacifica is largely occupied by hateful ignoramuses these years.
Delet
Q: "[w]ho is 'O' and why was this posted on the meeting calendar?".
DeleteA1: Pauline R̩age's character Рapparently pierced & branded.
A2: "Otis Maclay, Webmaster, web streamer" (draft agenda of tonite's cancelled PNB, page 1).
I just tuned into WBAI for the first time in a while and heard them asking for money again. It will be a while until I tune in again...
ReplyDeleteSDL
WBAI asked for money? Surely you jest!
DeleteGood to see you pop in, SDL—hope you health is good.
Chris,
ReplyDelete50 years ago this month I graduated from college.
Thank you.
Ed Manfredonia
Congratulations, Ed. Fifty years ago, I was a 37 year old grade school drop out. I have often wondered where life would have taken me had I been able to stay in school. :)
DeleteMaxi enters the Lion's Den.
ReplyDeleteHello Producers,
Berthold and I will be holding a staff meeting on Wednesday, December 19th at 7pm at the station. I spoke with Pacfica Foundation's new Executive Director and he will be joining us at the meeting. Please make every effort to attend.
Many thanks,
Linda
--
Linda Perry
Program Director
WBAI Radio, New York
OMG Maxie vs. Mimi. Maxie vs. Mimi. I love it. What a spectacle. This has an almost PPV quality to it except I wouldn't pay $44.95. I might make a donation if they recorded this and uploaded it. Will Maxie finally stand up for reason and common sense or will he meekly support his useless GM? What will he do when faced with the shrill uncompromising voice of Mimi who really believes that slot belongs to her and truly believes she is in charge. The one who truly believes management is accountable to staff meaning her and not the other way around? Its time to step up Maxie. Are you the guy in charge or just another corporate stooge?
DeleteI don't know how open this meeting is meant to be, but I agree that it should be recorded for broadcast. Easily done, technically, since it takes place at the station.
DeleteThank you, Linda, for posting the notice here.
C'mon Chris. You got to sell this. Its Maxie vs. Mimi. Mimi vs. Maxie. This will be an epic battle of wills. A struggle for control over a pathetic program grid and the attached gravy train. The building will be shaking with the massive weight of the egos as these stubborn people fight to retain their bad programs because it belongs to them and no one else.
DeleteMelissa can make a ton of money catering this affair but will she come out ahead after damages to the building?
Hey Buffer. You're on.
Are you ready Chris? For the ten guys in Brooklyn who actually care and for the rest of us who marvel at the level of dysfunction, let's get ready to ruuuuummmmmmble..............
In this corner, wearing the Brooks Brothers suit and trying to be taken seriously, the man who thinks he is in charge and still trying to make sense of how Pacifia works..Maxie...In the other corner, broadcasting on a whole bunch of stations but somehow still has only twelve listeners, Miiiiimmmmmiiii....
I can feel the tension building in the air Chris. Already a stream of volunteers have fled in terror tripping over that red stuff. Only the interns seem unconcerned at the prospect of a program schedule that is actually worthwhile. They are fortunate to have a boss with reality tv experience. Everyone else is tense waiting for the accusations of racism and sexism to start flying across the room. Can Maxie survive the incoherent verbal onslaught? Does he have a surprise announcement to disrupt the attacks from Mimi and her dozens of supporters anxious to make the move to MNN as quickly as possible? Only time will tell.