From: "Lyn Gerry" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "{FP}" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2001 10:53:55 -0500
Subject: Updates and News
Dear All,
The reason you haven't received mail for several days is that
Northpoint, our bandwidth provider went bankrupt and abruptly cut
off all service to their Bay Area customers. I will be forwarding the
list by hand until we have been able to establish new service for
recordist.com
Here's a bunch of the news of the past several days, in one long
digest.
The situation at WBAI continues to worsen. Grandpa Al Lewis
show was pulled today. Deepa Fernandes, who produces Behind
the News on Wednesday, had her show pulled without explanation
and was subjected to abuse by the two pieces of human
excrement who seem to be calling the shots at WBAI, Utrice Lied
and Diable Faye {misspellings intentional]
Deepas memos are below.
Also, the WBAI advisory was again refused entrance to meet at
WBAI. The NYPD, including the "intelligence division" was on hand
to keep the people out. One interesting point on this. Wake Up
call, the morning show that has been completely replaced with
happy talk by scabs, used to have a segment called shout out,
where families of prisoners could leave messages for loved one's
behind the wall. This has been dropped (not "upbeat" enough I
guess) Grandpa Al Lewis, who does a lot of work with prisoners,
gave the shout out time on his show. This is now cancelled, leaving
all those people voiceless. This in itself is a crime.
There is in my opinion, no excuse, NONE, for supporting this
regime, no matter the crimes of the previous one. I am requesting
that those of you with contacts to producers on the air who have
not spoken out against this, ask them to take a stand.
Needless to say, DO NOT PAY your pledge, or if you have a
current pledge, demand your money back now. Please donate the
money instead to lawsuits or activist activities around this struggle.
Info on the lawsuits and how to donate, and links to the Pacifica
Campaign are all on the Free Pacifica site
www.radio4all.org/freepacifica
Your money is paying the salaries of the people who are doing this.
Don't be a sucker.
Lyn
OK, here are the articles
=================
From: "Save WBAI" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date sent: Sat, 31 Mar 2001 10:20:50 -0500
Subject: Al Lewis fired! (posted Saturday 3/31
Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Radio Free Eireann probably will discuss this, according to post on
Goodlight.
--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bert Holland <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2001 08:41:37 -0500
Subject: Al Lewis fired!
David Rothenberg announced this morning that Al Lewis will
not broadcast today (Saturday) at noon. GrandPa has been
terminated. That's all Rothenberg told about it.
Bert Holland
=========================
Date sent: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 22:11:20 -0500
Subject: Memos to Utrice Leid from Deepa
Fernandes
Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Here are two memos from WBAI's Behind the News producer
Deepa Fernandes, regarding abusive treatment by Leid and her
henchpeople. Leid can be e-mailed at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The memos are in chronological order.
Lyn
=============
MEMO
Wednesday March 28, 2001
TO: UTRICE LEID, Interim Station Manager, WBAI
FROM: Deepa Fernandes, Producer BTN & Our Americas, WBAI
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
As you know, the show that I produce at WBAI every Wednesday
at 5pm, Behind The News, was not aired today. It is now 6.10pm. I
called the station at 5.05pm when I heard that Diabel Faye was on
the air instead of my program, and Fred asked you why I was not
on the air. He said you "shrugged your shoulders" and you said
"talk to Daibel". I demanded to speak with you as you are the
interim General Manager and obviously privy to such weighty
decisions as what goes on the air. You refused to speak with me.
So I did as you instructed and called Diabel after the show. Below
is a transcript of our conversation:
DEEPA: Why was I not on the air today?
DIABEL: (Shouting) YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON
THE AIR TODAY
DEEPA: Yes I am supposed to be on the air today is W... (he cuts
me off)
DIABEL: No you are not, I am on the air now.
DEEPA: Diabel I was there yesterday from after I finished work
until after mid... (he cuts me off again)
DIABEL: OH YOU WERE HERE? AND DID YOU COME AND
SAY HELLO? NO!
Daibel then hangs up the telephone. I call him back, he answers, I
begin to speak and he hangs up. I call right back, he hears my
voice and without speaking hangs up. I call back again and he
hears my voice and... I did this seven times and was hung up on
seven times. SEVEN TIMES.
Utrice, it is now 6.30pm. I have unsuccessfully tried to call you but
your
mail box at extension 2820 is full.
I was not given any notice that we were not going to be on the air.
The last two times this has happened (and for the record the only
times this has ever happened to my BTN program has been during
your time as Interim GM) Diabel Faye had at least called my house
and left a message a few hours before the broadcast was pulled -
although the reason was baffling and unprofessional, at least he
had the decency to call. Today neither he nor you would even
speak to me.
For a station that is currently trying to validate it's new
management and prove it's professionalism, this act of pulling a
regular show is utterly unprofessional. On today's show we covered
three important issues: We looked at South Africa and had an
exclusive interview with a government representative from the South
African ministry of Communication. Another piece was with the
award winning Indian author who has just published a new novel
that won the regional Commonwealth Literature Prize. The author,
Amitav Ghosh, declined the award because of the inherent
colonialism attached to a "Commonwealth Literature Prize". And
then there was the East Timorese man who opened our show by
telling of the torture his family experienced at the hands of an
Indonesian General who is today standing trial in Washington DC
for these crimes. What do I tell these guests?
Without anyone in management at WBAI talking to me, I can only
assume that the pulling of a regular show must be for content
reasons. Is this really the image you want the new BAI to have?
And what do I tell my fellow producers Biju Mathew and Mary
McGrail, not to mention the fantastic Brooklyn College interns,
Fernando Romero and Willie Perdomo who help edit Wednesday's
BTN? Should I tell them all to call Diabel?
I also must bring up here the fact that my air-check from last
Wednesday, March 21 has mysteriously gone missing. Michael G
Haskins placed my air-check in his mail slot at 6.30pm on
Tuesday evening, March 27, for me to retrieve. At 7pm when I
entered the station (after pounding on the door for 15 minutes and
then you letting me in and telling me I was a part of the "security
concern" so you could not tell me the security code to enter the
radio station I work at) my air-check WAS NOT in Michael G's mail
slot. As interim GM I believe it is your job to make sure this
'missing air-check' phenomenon is addressed.
In case the decision has been made, as Diabel seemed to tell me
it had, that I am no longer the producer of Wednesday's BTN, let
me just tell you a little about next week's line up. In the next 6
days, two utterly inspiring and courageous human rights activists
and leaders will be in NY city - Rigoberta Menchu (Guatemalan
Indian who won the Nobel Peace Prize for her struggles to free her
people) and Xanana Gusmao (East Timorese resistance leader of
the National Council of Timorese Resistance, the most likely
person to become the leader of the new free East Timor). Both
these people have committed to interviews with me for WBAI, for
Behind the News, and also to be aired around the country on Our
America's. Do I go ahead and do the interviews? No doubt our
listeners would want to hear their voices.
Finally, as a woman of color I demand to know why women's
voices are disappearing from the airwaves of WBAI. If you look at
the program line up for Wednesday, besides Democracy Now!,
Behind the News is the only other local program produced and
hosted by a woman. Surely the 'new BAI' should be working to
maintain the few women producers left on the air.
Deepa Fernandes
{ HYPERLINK mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] }
========================================
MEMO
Friday March 30, 2001
TO: UTRICE LEID,
Interim Station Manager, WBAI
FROM: Deepa Fernandes,
Producer BTN & Our Americas, WBAI
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Utrice,
When the program I produce every Wednesday was pulled this
week, I was dismayed and disappointed. When I was later hung up
on repeatedly by both yourself and Diabel Faye as I sought an
answer to why my program had been pulled, I was extremely
frustrated. Right now I am down right angry. Your behavior towards
the 8 middle school children visiting WBAI this afternoon as a part
of their Radio Reporters program was inexcusable.
Utrice, you demanded to know �under what auspices� I was
bringing eight young children of color into WBAI? This was after
you grilled them personally as to what they were doing in the
station. I am their radio teacher, and even I was terrified by the
manner in which you accusingly questioned these 10-13 year olds.
Is it any wonder these usually articulate and bubbly kids were
completely non-responsive?
Let me tell you �under what auspices� I bring eight children of color
into WBAI. (And maybe this will explain why it is I apparently
�broke station policy� by not seeking permission first.) As I tried to
explain to you, these children were my guests. Yes, they are my
students, but they were also my guests. The two are not mutually
exclusive. If you have listened to my programming on WBAI you
would know that I frequently air the voices and work of young
people. And never once in the time I have worked at WBAI have I
ever had to �get permission� to bring guests in to the station.
Furthermore, these young folks are part of the reason WBAI exists.
They are from communities that support the very existence of our
station. You now tell me I have to clear every guest I bring in to the
station. Does this apply to every producer, or only those who have
young, low-income children of color as guests?
You insinuated that my teaching radio to young children from
Harlem was never cleared with station management. This is
completely untrue. This project was dreamed up last year, before
you were in position of management at WBAI. The project was
born from a collaborative project between Public Affairs Director
Rosemari Mealy and myself when we joined with Crossroads
Middle School from Harlem the same school that today�s guests
attend - and Affeni Shakur to produce a beautiful program of the
poetry of Tupac Shakur. Rosemari Mealy was one of the key
dreamers and supporters of this program called Radio Rootz.
Deposed station manager Valerie Van Isler was also an
enthusiastic supporter of a program that facilitates the teaching of
radio to the most misrepresented and under-represented people
(youth of color) in all other forms of media. If management
changes, it is not up to me to get new clearance for an existing
program.
Furthermore, it is extremely unsettling that you, interim station
manager, could so coldly declare to 10 year old Diane Lopez, when
she courageously told you she was going to produce a radio piece
to air on WBAI, that �well that is news to me.� These kids need
every bit of encouragement they can get to think their voices and
opinions are valuable. Even if this was news to you, a more
appropriate response to a 10 year old would hopefully have been
more encouraging. Every other producer the kids encountered at
the station (during their brief visit), Mario Murillo, Jose Santiago,
Chris Abrams, Brother Shine, Marjorie Moore and Mathew Finch all
welcomed the children to the station with a smile. None of these
producers knew the children were coming either.
Let me end by telling you what one of the children, Carlton Taylor,
asked me we were leaving the station. (And after they watched you
summons me to your office like a naughty child gets summonsed
by the principal). Carlton put his arm around me when I came out of
your office and asked, �Are you alright? Was she mean to you?
She sure hated the fact that we were in the station. I�m sorry if we
got you fired.� What do you say to that? The one thing I have
learned about kids, Utrice, is that they tell it exactly like it is.
Deepa Fernandes
=======================
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date sent: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 16:21:36 -0500
Subject: (Fwd) WBAI on allegations of violence
Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
On behalf of the WBAI Local Advisory Board, I have been asked to
circulate
this statement by the board. Could you please disseminate it
further.
Thank you very much.
Andrew Norris
WBAI LAB member
_______________________________________________________
The WBAI LAB comments on allegations of violence made by
Pacifica management
The members of the WBAI LAB abhor violence and condemn its
use by whatever party. In the midst of the continuing crisis,
allegations of violent behavior are being broadcast on WBAI, other
Pacifica stations, and affiliates by Pacifica management.
Democracy Now! and the Pacifica Network News were both
interrupted on 3/26/01 with a recording of the Executive Director
Bessie Wash. In this recording, which has been played on air
many times since, Ms. Wash makes specific allegations against
an unnamed WBAI producer. Her statement amplify a press
release from the Pacifica Foundation on 3/25/01 which said, in
part:
"This incident in Houston followed another attack two weeks ago
when the female General Manager of WBAI in New York was
physically attacked by a supporter of the "Pacifica Campaign"
during a live interview with a Member of Congress. The point of the
attack was to deny her access to the airwaves so that WBAI's
listeners would not hear a different point of view."
We can make no informed statement about Houston, but feel
compelled to comment on the WBAI incident. This occurred on
3/5/01 when Interim General Manager Utrice Leid removed Ken
Nash from the air during his regularly scheduled show "Building
Bridges". Mr. Nash was interviewing Congressman Owens when
he was cut off by Ms. Leid about 5 minutes into the one hour
program. Ms. Leid unilaterally cancelled the remainder of the
program, fielding phone calls from listeners.
Mr. Nash is accused of two things: violence and censorship. He
says the allegation of violence is untrue. We can add no more to
that except to comment that Mr. Nash does not have the same
bully pulpit available to Pacifica management. He cannot interrupt
national programs, and he does not have the resources of the
Pacifica foundation and its public relations agents. But even if he
had these resources, he cannot easily undo the harm caused by
the aspersions made against him.
Regarding the accusation of censorship, it is incredible to suggest
that Mr. Nash or anyone would attempt to deny Ms. Leid access to
the airwaves. Ms. Leid appears on the air whenever she feels like
it, and has complete discretion with programming. Ms. Leid
defines the gag rule, she decides who breaks it, and she removes
people from the air whenever she so wishes. Mr. Nash was
banned from the airwaves for his attempt to offer WBAI listeners a
different point of view.
The accusations against Mr. Nash are a smear campaign that
diverts attention from the real issues, such as the continuing
economic and real violence suffered by workers in the WBAI
listening area who are denied a voice now that "Building Bridges"
has been removed. The New York area is a safer place for
corporate interests who can rest assured now that the longest
running labor program has been banned from the air. Important
issues are being ignored, such as the attempt of 35,000 home care
workers in New Jersey to organize, to gain a union that can
increase their pay from the lowly $7/hr. they receive. Pacifica is
deserting its community, it is not serving their interests, as it
embarks on an ugly phase in our internecine struggle in which
everyone loses except the bosses.
=======================
Date sent: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 20:34:43 -0500
Subject: tonight at 120 Wall
From: christine karatnytsky
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
I hope you'll get fuller reports than mine, but I just wanted to check
in to say that the public was locked out from the WBAI LAB mtg at
120 Wall Street. I arrived after 7PM as a spirited, well-attended
protest rally, despite rain and the abnormally low temperature, was
breaking up. Apparently, the police had been called to man the
locked entrance, but no arrests were made. The rally was
completely peaceful.
Chris
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