N E W S L E T T E R
JUNE 2011
|
|
 | Berthold Reimers |
Dear WBAI supporters,
It has been 8 months since I became General Manager of WBAI 99.5 FM Radio and I would like to share with you how proud I am of the accomplishments of my staff and specifically my Interim Program Director, Tony Bates.
We have regularly met our fund drive goals, and improved our fulfillment rate from 65% to 78%. Better yet, we began the process of transitioning to pitching for shows without offering a premium, therefore asking you to support the program instead of focusing on premiums. Let me again remind you that we have provided new programs such as Al Jazeera English, a program that even Secretary of State Hilary Clinton dubbed the best news in the world. We have brought eclectic world music shows to the morning, from 10:00 am to noon. I also encourage you to listen to George Galloway's The Mother of All Talk Shows on Wednesdays from 9:00 am to 10:00 am and to Professor Richard D. Wolff (Economic Update) on Saturdays from noon to 1:00 pm. Effective Monday, June 6, 2011, we will move Free Speech Radio News to the morning from 5:00 am to 5:30 am and broadcast Al Jazeera English for half a hour in the morning from 5:30 am to 6:00 am. However, we are also broadcasting Al Jazeera English in the evening from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm, as well. We have brought back award winning health guru, Gary Null, who has adopted a new dynamic format where he addresses public as well as health issues. We have revitalized the art strip from 2:00 to 3:00 pm and brought back Polk Award winning journalist Robert Knight with his 5 O'clock Shadow from 5:00 to 6:00 PM.
We are continuing to improve our procedures and operations. The distribution of paid premiums as well as the collection of past pledges is a priority. Handling of premium complaints has become better organized, resulting in many more satisfied members. We are starting a capital campaign to move out of our present location and we would appreciate your support and expertise. We will continue to explore and experiment so that we may bring you the most entertaining, intelligent, and informative programming. June Announcements: - Andrea Katz has been appointed Interim Assistant to the Station Manager and Development Director
- WBAI has the opportunity to host international volunteers through Volunteers for Peace. Homes are needed to house the volunteers during their stay here. If you have a spare room and would like to broaden your own world while opening your home to another, while helping WBAI, please contact andrea@wbai.org.
|

Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival
This year's Clearwater festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 18 and 19 at Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. 
WBAI listeners can take advantage of a $20 discount off Saturday, Sunday, Weekend or Weekend w/camping tickets. (No other discount applies.) Discount code is "activist" at www.ClearwaterFestival.org or 845-418-3596 Visit the WBAI Stage and say hello! 
Inspired by Pete Seeger's desire to clean up the river over forty years ago, the Great Hudson River Revival initially helped raise the funds to build the sloop Clearwater, which has since become a world-renowned floating classroom and a symbol of effective grassroots action. Today, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater is a non-profit organization that sails at the forefront of the nation's environmental challenges. The revenue raised by the Revival goes to support Clearwater's numerous educational programs and its work toward environmental and social justice- as well as keeping the Clearwater afloat. Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival will feature a number of superb storytellers and family-oriented entertainers as well as juried crafts, the Green Living Expo, the Working Waterfront with small boat exhibits and rides, environmental education displays and exhibits, and the Circle of Song where audience participation is the focus. Performances by: PETE SEEGER, THE INDIGO GIRLS, MARTIN SEXTON, ARLO GUTHRIE, DAVID BROMBERG, PETER YARROW, DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS, SUZANNE VEGA, BILLY BRAGG, JOSH RITTER, THE LOW ANTHEM, DAR WILLIAMS and dozens more! The festival is wheelchair accessible and most stage programming is staffed with American Sign Language Interpreters.  
|
Volunteer Highlight :: Arnold Freeman
|
Volunteers are the lifeblood of WBAI and this month we are proud to
highlight Arnold Freeman. Arnold, who lives in both Peekskill and Hoboken,
 | Davi |
travels in to help the station out and has been a volunteer at WBAI since 1987!
Arnold started when the station was at 505 8th Ave and moved to Wall Street with us, commenting,
" Through the good times and the bad times, conflict and turmoil!".
When not helping with premium mailings or answering phones in the tally room here, he works at The Young Adult Institute as a Habilitation Assistant.
Recently, another phone bank volunteer stated that he had rarely participated in as interesting conversations as the ones he had while waiting for the phones to ring during the pledge drive. Arnold is one of those "interesting and interested" people and we thank him for his long standing and admirable commitment to WBAI.
Volunteers are consistantly needed in all areas. If you have a specific area of expertise; graphics, audio, word processing, web design, etc. please call to arrange hours at your convenience. (Did we mention how much fun + how satisfying volunteering is?!) Please call: 212.209.2826 or email volunteers@wbai.org.
|
"I want to express my thanks and appreciation for what Tony Bates and Berthold Reimers are doing for our beloved WBAI. Because of your efforts, for me the programming is now often deeply informative, sometimes even
mind blowing. I think you have both resurrrected our station and I can
now listen and be educated by it again every day. I'm sure your hard work is much appreciated by many of us listeners and members. Thank you!"
Alice Shields, NY
Please send your comments, complaints, or compliments related to any program subject matter aired this month to andrea@wbai.org. Submissions should be limited to 400 words and please include your full name and location. We reserve the right to edit where deemed necessary.
|
|
|
|
|
|