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"The Battle for Progressive Media" is broadcast on 7 cable systems including: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Jersey City, Paterson and other cable systems, click here for a full schedule. To sign up for our occasional alerts, please Click HERE to get an e-mail with the broadcast schedule in the NYC/NJ area.
For more info on the controversies surrounding WBAI and progressive media, tune in to "The Battle for Progressive Media" on Manhattan Neighborhood Network, Channel 34, every other Monday, from 10:00-10:30 pm (also on Ch. 107 in RCN cable system). The next broadcast in Manhattan is Monday, Nov. 22nd from 10:00-10:30 p.m. click here for a schedule.
If you have a DSL or Fast Internet connection, you can view it live as it streams at www.mnn.org by just clicking on Channel 34 at that time. To find the schedule, click on the cable guide at www.mnn.org. We also will give you a copy of episodes 1-3 for a $15 donation. Email us at
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Episodes
The first episode, "PACIFICA: The Battle of the Grassroots," describes the successful campaign to drive the corporate coupsters out of the network and charges that the newly elected Local Station Board majority has created a state of siege for WBAI staff and management. Click HERE to view this mp4 video, which can be viewed using Quicktime. (54Meg-may take 3-30 min on high-speed internet to download).
The second episode, "Racism, Leadership and the Future of WBAI", looks at the June WBAI Local Station Board (LSB) meeting discussion of a motion disassociating the board from racially inflammatory statements made by board member Luanne Pennesi in public e-mails. Pennesi called on WBAI listeners to boycott the station, called for the firing of management and most of the staff and asked General Manager Don Rojas to “Examine the background of virtually all the newly hired Blacks and friends of the management. It is time we recognized that you have accepted the station's trajectory into hell.” In this episode board member Alice Shields defends the right to free speech, including hate speech. We’will also look at the antagonisms some board members have towards General Manager Don Rojas and Program Director Bernard White. Click HERE to view this mp4 video (59 Megabytes, may take 3-30 minutes to download.)
The third episode looks at "The Removal of Father Lawrence Lucas" from the board and how community activists demanded he be reseated. This episode also explores controversies surrounding the boards decisions on how to implement waivers. Click HERE to view this mp4 video (22 Meg, may take 3-15 minutes to download.)
The fourth episode, titled "Battle of the Budget," looks at recent struggles over station funding and workers' rights. In September, WBAI's Local Station Board majority, led by an alliance of the self-named LIST-PROG slate and associates of health entrepreneur Gary Null, tried but failed to slash the budget by some $800,000. At the next meeting in October, they passed a motion to slash the budget by more than $450,000, which would have resulted in the layoff of 6 staffers. In the end, the Pacifica National Board stepped in to pass a budget which resulted in no staff layoffs--for now. The episode also examines efforts by Mr. Null and a supporter on the board to undercut the station's fundraising. Click HERE to view the thumbnail version (20Meg) Click HERE to view this mp4 video file (30Meg). Or click HERE. (80Meg)
The 5th episode of "The Battle for Progressive Media," called "WBAI Elections and the Future," opens with excerpts from the preceding 4 episodes: Using video and audio footage, we'll see/hear the board majority vote that a seriously ill board member, Father Lawrence Lucas, was no longer on the board because of "unexcused absences," a silent protest to demand Lucas' reinstatement, a board member's call to financially boycott the station, and more.
The program will also look at the recent fair campaign fairness violations of entrepreneur and health programmer Gary Null, which caused the independent election supervisor to remove him from WBAI's airwaves until the end of the election period. There will also be information on Null's troubling role during and after WBAI's Christmas Coup of December 2000.
Finally, we will present excerpts from a recent board candidate forum which included, among others, Justice and Unity candidates Omowale Clay, Evan Tobias, Lisa Davis, Sara Flounders and Berta Silva. Click here to download and watch Episode 5 (60 Meg) Thumbnail quicktime. (100meg)
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