In our continuing coverage of the problems facing WBAI in Brooklyn we are told that The Pacifica Foundation has launched a new initiative to save the station. And the goal is to rebuild the station with local programming in a way that the station can sustain itself financially.
Because of WBAI-FM’s severe budget crisis, previously hired staff had to be laid off. The move, according to Pacifica, was necessary due to WBAI’s desperate financial situation, which jeopardized the station and all of Pacifica’s other units and affiliates across the country. They say the only way to prevent the demise of WBAI and Pacifica as a whole was to halt the financial hemorrhaging in New York. The Pacifica Foundation, the parent organization of WBAI, introduced new temporary WBAI programming with the goal of re-introducing locally produced shows as quickly as possible. That service, Pacifica Across America which was launched on October 7th 2019, is a compilation of the network’s current and archived broadcasts.
The new Rebuild WBAI Plan will be a starting point for the station, according to a Pacifica release. “WBAI will produce unique programming of regional, national and international importance. This new and improved programming will include conversations about income and wealth inequality, climate crisis, immigration, white supremacy, racism, corporate power and militarism — WBAI will be fearless in examining some of the most pressing issues of our time. Based on available funding and keeping with best journalistic practices for fairness and accuracy, the station will introduce locally produced content focused on the New York metropolitan area.”
John Vernile, interim Executive Director, will be rebuilding WBAI’s staffing and operations. Jerry Paris, the GM WPFW in Washington, DC, will be temporarily serving as Interim General Manager of WBAI.
The article is inaccurate. Jerry Paris, GM at WPFW-FM in Washington DC has confirmed that he will not serving, temporarily or otherwise as the general manager of WBAI. I would suggest Radio Ink take it down. Mr. Paris is not happy the misinformation is posted on your web site.
You need to do better reporting. Where is the other side in this article?
WBAI is the only one of the five Pacifica network stations to have rising audience, membership and fundraising numbers.
Our staff did not have to be laid off. If we had not been yanked off the air in an early morning sneak attack at the beginning of our fund drive our staff would have been paid by WBAI. How? The same way “Pacifica” did it: With the proceeds of WBAI’s fund drive that were seized by “Pacifica.”
I put Pacifica in quotes because a minority of our Board of Directors is using insignificant arguments about the adequacy of Board meeting notices to illegally block the majority of our Board from governing the Foundation.
Many of us in New York believe the goal of the minority is to damage WBAI to the point that a sale of the valuable commercial license can be ‘justified.’ Sources say proceeds of the sale will facilitate a takeover of the network by a self appointing board majority that will end democratic worker and member control of a network that is unique in the world.
Please dig a little deeper for the facts of your stories.
If they still won’t do a frequency swap, they aren’t serious about becoming solvent. Back in the ’90s givng up 99.5 would have netted them nine figures, and even now it would easily bring eight. I like a lot of what Pacifica stations have done over the years, but the network has always been run by the most breathtakingly stupid people, it’s hard to believe it even still exists.
Pacifica has ruined WBAI.