WBAI:: January e-Newsletter

e - N E W S L E T T E R
January 2012

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From the Station Manager

To the Listeners:

Berthold Reimers

Dear WBAI Family,

On behalf of WBAI management, staff, producers, volunteers and interns, I would like to thank you for your moral, intellectual and financial support. I am so excited to share with you our accomplishments over the past 18 months since I became General Manager. I will also take the opportunity to reflect on how WBAI covered important events of this past year.

You, the listeners, unequivocally communicated your expectations, disappointments and satisfactions with our programming of the past ten years by your e-mails, letters, phone calls, and contributions and we have been paying attention. We revamped our programming grid by broadcasting Al Jazeera English in an attempt to diversify and expand the breath of our international coverage. We brought shows ranging from Law and Disorder to George Galloway's Mother of all Talk Shows to Guns and Butter that provide in-depth analysis during the morning hours.

We lightened up the mood with world music that can't be found anywhere else. This world music cluster is reaching a new international and younger audience that listens online. We brought back The Gary Null Show, which has evolved into a hybrid of current public affairs and health issues that keeps our listeners abreast of socio-political trends in the U.S.

We brought economist Richard D. Wolff who explains the shortcomings of our politico-economic Capitalist system through a Marxist point of view. Starting in January, The People with Rakim Brooks, will bring together scholars and activists in conversation focusing on the voices of the People across the nation. Finally, we brought you Occupy Wall Street Radio and OWS to WBAI where we are documenting how this movement is changing that very political discourse in this nation.

We thank you for recognizing our efforts by substantially increasing your contributions, your visits to our facebook page and to our blog, as well as by accessing the archives, following our Tweets, attending events and signing up for this e-Newsletter. We look forward to an exciting new year.

Events

January 4, Wednesday, 7pm -'The Million Man Mosh featuring Living Colour, 24-7 Spyz, DJ Afrika Bambaataa and Ronny Drayton. This event is a fundraiser for Ronny Drayton's son, Donovan, who has been wrongfully imprisoned at Rikers Island for the last four years. Highline Ballroom, 431 W16th ST. $30 in advance, $40 at the door. Tickets

Smiley + West

January 12, Friday, 6-9pm - Live Broadcast of Remaking America- a panel moderated by Tavis Smiley, the panelists include: Cornel West, Suze Orman, Michael Moore, Barbara Ehrenriech, Majora Carter, and Vicki B. Escarra.

January 14, Saturday, 2-4pm- Saturday Cafe'- Quickly becoming Saturday
afternoon's downtown go-to destination, the Cafe' features up and coming musical talent and speakers on contemporary issues. "An impressive combination of entertainment combined with informative thought provoking dialogues in an old time European atmosphere- reminds me of Paris in the 30's." Excellent Mediterranean food and drink will be available. Free hors d'oeuvres for early-birds (hummous, baba ganouj, etc.). Entrance is $5 to benefit WBAI. Lafayette Grill, 54 Franklin St. (Between Broadway and Lafayette)

January 14, Saturday, 7:30pm- Pardon Our Analysis: A Gathering for Gil Scott-
Gil Scott Heron

Heron. Featuring Brian Jackson, Vernon Reid, Nona Hendryx, Carl Hancock Rux, Gordon Voidwell, Kimberly Nichole, Sandra St. Victor, Felipe Luciano and Abiodun Oyewole of the Last Poets, The Black Rock Coalition Orchestra and more, artistic direction by LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs. Symphony Space, 2957 Broadway at 95th Street (NYC). Tickets

January 16-17, Mon. thru Tues., 6am-12midnight: Martin Luther King Jr. Fund Drive- On the16th programs will focus on the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. and on the 17th we will tie in the Occupy Wall Street Movement with the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Desi K Robinson +
Christine Black

January21, Saturday, 9:30am-6pm - TEDxManhattan "Changing the Way We Eat" -live screening at WBAI. Hosted by Christine Black of The Sustainable Restaurant Corps and Desi K.Robinson of Women in the Making. RSVP is required and a picture ID is mandatory to enter WBAI studios. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $15 made to Sustainable Restaurant Corps. Light refreshments will be served. Email here to RSVP.

January 22, Sunday, 6-9pm - Occupy the Mind: Progressive Moral Agenda for the 21st Century - Shared Reflections and conversations with Dr. Cornel West, Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Richard D. Wolff, James Vrettos, and Rev. Stephen H. Phelps. The nave of the Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive and 120th St. Free.
January 27, Friday, 10am - Shocking Blue. Edward Rogers and his band The Biba Crowd return to WBAI's airwaves as guests of Delphine Blue, treating listeners to a live performance. Stay tuned to hear details on being part of a small in-studio audience.

Listings of events for not- for- profit organizations must be submitted by the 15th of the month prior to publication of the e-Newsletter for the next month. Email information here.

Host Highlights

Z. Starman

Two New Shows

Astrology Numerology Now: Tuesdays 4-5am

"bEARTHdays are my Business" says Z. STARMAN, acclaimed New York City based professional astrologer and numerologist and host of ASTROLOGY NUMEROLOGY NOW. The show is designed for aficionados of astrology and numerology to call in and get answers and direction on personal growth, romance, finance and relationships or to dialogue on ideas pertaining to astrology and numerology. ASTROLOGY NUMEROLOGY NOW will not only entertain, teach and keep listeners abreast of all things astrological and numerological in a fun and entertaining fashion, but also will feature other professional astrologers, psychic readers and celebrity guests from the worlds of news, entertainment, sports and politics to discuss astrology and numerology. Join in on the fun, the knowledge - REACH 4 THE STARS!

Rakim Brooks

The People with Rakim Brooks: Alternating Thursdays, 1pm

For all the gridlock in Washington, America's political landscape is still more turbulent than at any point in the last 50 years. In 2008, the People heard the call for change, but by 2010 they were engaged in a radical backlash against the Washington establishment. Just when we thought the People were moving rightward, a small private park in NYC was occupied and then thousands of others were marching for the 99 percent. The demand for economic fairness grew and inequality became an almost universal concern. The People tilted left.

The question for 2012 is this: In which direction will the People turn for political and social leadership in this election year?

The People with Rakim Brooks will attempt to answer that question every other week by bringing together scholars, activists and pundits who can help make sense of our uncertain country. Unlike a typical politics broadcast, the themes will be topical rather than general. By investigating poverty one week and foreign investment another, Rakim intends to cover all the issues that are relevant to the public interest and thus offer a comprehensive view of what the People want from Washington, from state and local governments, and from each other.

Rakim H. D. Brooks is the Edwin C. Baker Fellow for Democratic Values at Demos, where he writes on social policy, poverty, American political development, and progressive intellectual efforts in US history.

Brooks received his B.A. from Brown University where he worked with prestigious national think tanks and policy groups, including the Brookings Institution, the Center for Law and Social Policy, and the Drum Major Institute. Among other honors, he was named a John Kenneth Galbraith Scholar at Harvard University in the summer of 2008, and in 2009 he was named a Rhodes Scholar. He received his M.Phil. in Politics from Oxford University in 2011.

Special Report: Occupy Wall St.

On December 17, 2011, Occupy Wall Street teamed up with artists, musicians and faith leaders to demand a space for public expression and to seek sanctuary in an unused lot owned by Trinity Church, an institution that had previously shown support for the movement despite its strong ties to Wall Street. Episcopal Bishop George Packard was the first to scale the fence, and was arrested along with fellow occupiers. Reverend Lawson, a leader of the Civil Rights movement, urged the protesters to keep "treading water" because the country needs them. Music performed by dozens of musicians was broadcast live from WBAI studios and included a guest appearance by Lou Reed.

Dean + Britta

Donate, Donate, Donate!

Pledge $60 and make the season's most important fashion statements;
that you support WBAI and that WBAI is radio for the 99%.

Available in Men's style s-xxl and Women's sizes s-xxl

Pledge Here

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WBAI's Save our Sounds archive project has been accepted as a Kickstarter project. Until January 22, 2012 you can donate to support the saving of 40 years of irreplaceable WBAI audio reels.

The project has a goal of $3,000 to cover the cost of shipping cartons containing decomposing reel to reel tapes to the Pacifica Archives for restoration.

The audio of many iconic voices of the 20thc will become part of the archival collection made available to the public online. Donate $25 or more and receive a thank you gift of Noam Chomsky's Crisis and Hope: Theirs and Ours, a DVD of his historic speech at Riverside Church in NYC in 2009. DONATEHERE.

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Did you know that your donations could be doubled, tripled or quadrupled through matching grants from your employer? Please check with your employer for their specific program. You can also check on our website to see if your employer is on our list of some who participate in this form of matched employee contributions. See the list HERE.
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Please contact General Manager Berthold Reimers to arrange your personal
bequest endowment to WBAI; berthold@wbai.org

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Donate your car online and benefit WBAI at the same time! Vehicle donations are a win/win for everyone. They're the perfect way to support your community and justice radio station. Put your unwanted car, boat, motorhome or truck to good use. It's easier than selling it, and you'll get a tax receipt. We will process your donation and turn that car with miles into smiles for WBAI.

Fill out the online form here
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Become a BAI-BUDDY

Donate with a monthly tax deductible contribution directly from your bank account securely through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). On the 21st of each month the amount of funds that you choose will be donated and a record will appear on your monthly bank or credit card statement.

This form of giving supports WBAI by providing a reliable consistent income, eliminating days of on-air fund drives, and cuts down on administrative costs. Set up is easy here

Volunteers | Internships

Volunteer of the Month: Andrew Wysocki

Andrew Wysocki

Andrew has a bachelors degree in communications and spent the last three years traveling overseas. Upon his return to America he decided to volunteer at WBAI. "I have had the opportunity to do many different types of jobs here such as public relations, and getting sound bites for the Occupy Wall Street show. So far it has been a great experience and I have met many extraordinary people. I recommend volunteering at WBAI to anyone who wants to get involved in free speech radio." WBAI is his favorite radio station. "I like the programs on this station because they are commercial free and cutting edge. Some of my favorite shows are Democracy Now, Gary Null, The Positive Mind, and Talk Back Radio, to name a few. I don't know any other radio stations that expose the truth like WBAI."

If you have well developed skills and talents like Andrew's and would like to volunteer, please contact us here.
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I n t e r n s h i p s

Applications are now being accepted for Winter + Spring (credit and non-credit) internships in audio engineering, marketing, accounting, graphic design, social media networking, event planning, general station support, and business organization . Please email resumes, days/hours of availability, and areas of interest to: internship@wbai.org

In memorium

Lynn Samuels

Lynn Samuels, whose acerbic voice and wit riled conservatives over New York City radio airwaves for more than 30 years, passed away Christmas Eve. Samuels began her radio career donating her time doing office work at WBAI in the late seventies. She quickly got her own late-night show at the station in 1979, where she developed her voice as a host. Her signature Queens accent and unusual take on things drew a loyal listener base. Lynn was a noted pioneer in free-form talk radio, and was able to seamlessly bounce from hard politics to the musings of her everyday life without losing a beat. She went on to work at WOR and WABC after WBAI. At both those stations, she tangled with right-wing hosts. Her last job was a show at Sirius XM Stars. She was 69.

Bob Grant, the talk radio host, who was a colleague at WABC, said Ms. Samuels was "funny, smart and original. What I admired about her was, she wasn't afraid. With all these right-wingers around," he said, referring to her view of him as well, "she just said what she had to."

Monroe Litman

Monroe Litman WBAI's ardent listener and ever-present on-air caller, passed away the same day as Lynn Samuels, Christmas Eve. Known by one name only, Monroe was a major critic as well as contributor to the station. Not known to many who braced when they heard his voice on air, Monroe was a talented illustrator and writer. Monroe is featured in "Caller", a film by Stephen Hutchinson, a writer/director based in New York. Monroe will be missed, he was 80 years old.

Listener Commentary

I am writing to tell you how much I appreciate and LOVE the show that is produced and hosted by Ibrahim Gonzalez, called 'Radio Libre.' I listen to it whenever I can, and there is nothing else like it on the airwaves! New York is a special place, with so many layers of reality, and such a dense concentration of information, stimulus, static, constantly bombarding us. To filter what is worthwhile can be a challenge. A program like Radio Libre does that for us.

Ibrahim's clarity of purpose, his love of all that is Latino NY, combined with his worldly perspective, are what it's all about. I want radio that enriches my mind and my spirit! Radio Libre does that. I hope that this communicates to you my appreciation for this unique treasure of a program.
- Patricia Slee

Our old comrade and colleague Lynn Samuels died Saturday morning of an apparent heart attack during prep time for her Sirius Radio program, which aired Sat/Sun 10-1. Sirius folks became alarmed at her not responding to the usual heads-up commo, and called NYPD in emergency mode. Everybody tried, but to no avail. Lynn is gone.

When I first stumbled in the door to WBAI at 505 8th Avenue, she was one of the first people I met. I had come to answer phones (1978), but was usually given supervisor/admin/mother hen tasks. Lynn was the Subscriptions Registrar, back in the days of index cards and multi-part-press-hard-you-are-making-nineteen-copies forms. She did it well, in those way-before Memsys days. She had some rough edges, and a voice that could sometimes cut through concrete blocks, but she was serious and competent. As Music Director in the mid/late 80s, she fought to eliminate a potential serious legal problem for the station, i.e. payola. She was largely successful, though the perpetrators had a lot of management-level support. Lynn served WBAI well. Some obits mention that she also worked in a laundromat; this is true. A 1980 WBAI full-time salary was $88.00 per week. EVERYBODY had some outside job in those days, besides the 40-50 hours per week at our community radio station. When I was Assistant Mgr in the early 80s, I had some pretty skeevy gigs to pay the rent and Con Ed, though I rarely ever got to go home. Robbins discount store was on the ground floor of 505, and we just bought new el-cheapo underwear and socks because we got home so infrequently.

I will miss Lynn. I last saw her a couple of months ago. I'm sorry we didn't go for more drinks and desert after dinner. Off the job, in the last ten years, she was very private. I was honored to be sometimes exempt from that. 450 years ago, we both worked at the Douglaston E.J. Korvettes dept store. She was in Greeting Cards, and I was asst mgr of Patio/hardware/automotive/Xmas . We never met then, but later would regale each other with tales of manager follies and the like (we knew all the same people, but somehow never met). My dept was not allowed to throw out ruined merchandise... we had to ship it to Philadelphia to be thrown out there. We had a lot of inane Philly jokes over that one. Miss ya, Lynn.
- Tom Wisker
WBAI Producer "Weaponry"

Once upon a time I would have contributed but after HypocrisyNow! spent months hosting Juan Cole to cheer on the war on Libya and after Goodman's main reporter doing the same until a Nigerian scholar called her on it, I cannot do so. HN! seems little different from NPR or The Nation. It goes soft on Obomba and it leaves one with the impression that it believes in "humanitarian" imperialism. On that program principled anti-interventionism is dead. More and more people are awakening to the fact that HN! has now turned to identity politics as a substitute for the fight against racism and sexism and to the Dem Party as a sub for radicalism. Too bad.
- John V. Walsh Jr., MD
Worcester, MA

I always enjoy listening to Thump and Growl. Wake Up Call, Democracy Now, Ian Masters then you, Kimberly. What a lineup. I was so excited when I heard you play Portishead and Massive Attack for the first time. I was hooked.
-Richard J. Olsen

Mr. Knight, your last message brought me to tears. I am more than humbled Sir. I am certain that the future of 'us' is safe with big and inspiring brothers like you in our lives. I will do as you ask my brother, 'one dollar honorarium', but I would like you to know that as an African, I owe you a historical debt, and I shall prove it one day when I take my place back at home. I honor and thank you Baba,
- Sduduzo Ka-Mbili
Sitting Chair, ANC-US Interim Branch

The worst program on WBAI was on a few hours ago, The Ethical Doctor. It is nothing but self-pity and self-congratulation by the self-important narcissist, Dr. Vikki Hufnagel. It's all about her. It should be dropped. It produces sheer boredom.
- Mary Jamison

Please send your comments, complaints, or compliments related to any program subject matter aired this month to Listenercommentary@wbai.org with "Listener Comment" in the subject line. Submissions should be limited to 400 words and please include your full name and location. We reserve the right to edit where deemed necessary.

Program Schedule