 | | Berthold Reimers |
From Berthold Reimers, General Manager: Dear WBAI family, WBAI is alive and well! We have undergone quite a transformative period since I came to the station two years ago, and that process of making our station better is still ongoing. We have reached out to community organizations around the city, forging new partnerships to bring us closer to our listener-members. Examples of new initiatives include a club led by Kathy Davis that brings together a variety of alternative spiritual practices. A spiritual support group takes place on the First Friday, with a book club meeting on the Third Thursday of the month at our studios. We are also sharing our space during off-peak times with several local community theater groups. This serves our charter mission, "to promote and aid creative activities that serve the cultural welfare of the community," while raising awareness of WBAI within the creative community. I encourage everyone to attend their performances! I would like to see more new groups make their way to WBAI. Contributing to the vitalization of the station are 27 new intern and volunteers who assist with production, journalism, and station management. As we bring new blood to WBAI, everyone is initiated into this environment, its proud tradition, and our continuing mission. As previously mentioned, my plan to ensure the future of the station remains a work in progress. Financially, we are still not in the black. Going forward, we need to contain costs and find ways to decrease our reliance on premium donations and on-air fund drives. Nevertheless, this year our local budget deficit is down $200,000 compared to two years ago. I would like to thank Tony Bates, who served as our intern Program Director and helped put in place many parts of this overhaul. I look forward to working with his successor Chris Hatzis, who was selected after a grueling search. A big thanks to all who participated in the search, and let's keep moving forward! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  | | Chris Hatzis |
From Chris Hatzis, Program Director: July's Summer FUNd Drive is upon us here at WBAI and, as always, I encourage all listeners to the station to support the incredibly hard work that our producers do every day to bring you the programs that you like. Supporting the station is really easy; go to wbai.org or give2wbai.org and pledge away. It's fast, easy, secure, and you will be able to see all the premiums we have to offer in one place.
From July 10 to 28 we will be asking for your support. From our new website you can donate to your favorite show quickly and easily. Support your favorite show by letting them know you are out there listening and willing to give back what they give you each and every week. Tell your friends through your various social networks to do the same.
As I have mentioned before, our kind of public radio is raw, immediate and never homogenized. It's not slick, sensational or sexed up. We do not talk down to you, we talk up to you. Almost all producers on WBAI dedicate their unpaid lives to come in, research, produce and create shows, and bring you subject matter that they feel passionate, articulate and sincere about; we respect the air and the listener. It's your chance now to say thanks.
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Kathy Davis
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From Kathy Davis, Public Affairs Director: WBAI is buzzing with energy. In addition to the Interns and theater groups we have had a visit from a group of six grade students from MS328, located in Washington Heights. They along with the entire 6th grade class at their school have been working on a sustainability program that included building an organic garden.  | |
Jane A. & her 6th grade class with Kathy D, - Photo by Joyce Jones,
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Our young visitors, along with their amazing teacher Jane Amendola, worked on writing public service announcements for radio as part of the sustainability program at their school. They recorded their announcements and learned to engineer for each other. You will be hearing their beautiful, creative announcements throughout the coming months. We started the month of July with a visit from Global Youth Connect, a 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1999 by international youth leaders supported by key human rights advocates and scholars. Their motto:  | |
Executive Director Jesse Hawkes with Global Youth participants during visit to wbai studios
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Empowering Youth to Advance Human Rights and Create a More Just World. The group primarily of college age are from: the West Bank, Palestine; Israel; Rwanda; Canada; Pakistan; Uganda; China; Bosnia; Mexico and from Local communities including Brooklyn; Massapequa; and Connecticut. I also want to give you a heads up to stay tuned for an upcoming event called "The People's Agenda" in which some of your favorite producers will participate in an analysis of the politics of the election and an assessment of the real needs of the people. In closing I would like to encourage you to help with our upcoming Summer drive by volunteering to help answer the pledge lines. We need you in this capacity so that we don't lose the generous donations of all who seek to make a pledge in support of wbai. Please call (212) 209-2800 to schedule your participation in the drive. You can reach me through our website at: email for Kathy D __________________________________________________________________________________ LOCAL STATION BOARD ELECTIONS __________________________________________________________________________________ WBAI will soon be holding elections. All listener members and staff are entitled to vote for the Local Station Board. We are hiring a Local Election Supervisor to oversee the process. We need an impartial, hard-working, detail oriented person, with both computer skills, and people skills. This position will report to the NATIONAL Election Supervisor appointed by the Pacifica Foundation. More information including how to apply, is on the WBAI web site at:wbai.org | 
