-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Insurance Tunes Out WBAI Sandy Claim
- Thread starter DToTheJ
- Start date
There is room for one in NYC... would be two if 106.3 "Thunder" didn't protest so loudly over the 106.3 that got licensed to 4 Times Square for awhile. I would think now with Nash, the protests wouldn't have materialized.
Can't say where or what, due to a confidentiality agreement, but there is one last spot on the dial to squeeze one in NYC (Manhattan) proper.
Around NYC, there are a few apps that are still alive as singletons.
Can't say where or what, due to a confidentiality agreement, but there is one last spot on the dial to squeeze one in NYC (Manhattan) proper.
Around NYC, there are a few apps that are still alive as singletons.
The linked article provides an update on the (awful) financial situation of WBAI.
They fell far short of their fundraising goal for May. Once again the station is unable to meet its current payroll, and the rent for the Empire State Building antenna.
And the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is withholding some much needed funds from parent organization Pacifica.
Very Bad: http://www.current.org/2013/06/pacifica-misses-cpb-deadlines-holding-up-funding-for-stations/
They fell far short of their fundraising goal for May. Once again the station is unable to meet its current payroll, and the rent for the Empire State Building antenna.
And the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is withholding some much needed funds from parent organization Pacifica.
Very Bad: http://www.current.org/2013/06/pacifica-misses-cpb-deadlines-holding-up-funding-for-stations/
I find it pretty annoying that ANY of our tax money goes to WBAI.
I don't mind supporting the local public broadcaster, playing music not usually heard on the radio or providing local programming.
I DO mind supporting a station that fund-raises around "9/11 was an inside job" and other such crap. For a group that is so critical of everything America, they sure do want those CPB funds. More evidence of the hypocrisy of WBAI/Pacifica.
Time for them to throw in the towel, outright sell and move to the web or trade the license for an AM signal plus a heap of cash. The audience and funding to operate on a full class B signal in NYC is obviously not there anymore. We can all see it. They still can't.
I don't mind supporting the local public broadcaster, playing music not usually heard on the radio or providing local programming.
I DO mind supporting a station that fund-raises around "9/11 was an inside job" and other such crap. For a group that is so critical of everything America, they sure do want those CPB funds. More evidence of the hypocrisy of WBAI/Pacifica.
Time for them to throw in the towel, outright sell and move to the web or trade the license for an AM signal plus a heap of cash. The audience and funding to operate on a full class B signal in NYC is obviously not there anymore. We can all see it. They still can't.
Barry said:
The station will extend its fund drive, wrote Reimers, who added, “This is our only choice until we can figure out other means or else we will have to shut down the station.”
Start calling the lawyers, this monitor is starting to flatline and paddles are unavailable.
Current.org always manages to publish stale information for some reason. According to a post from June 11 on the WBAI Finance Yahoo Group, the June 1 Empire rent was paid. They've also rented new studio space at 388 Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn and are already making payments on that.
That said, they are definitely in bad financial shape. Here's the letter dated June 9 from the station's GM that the Current article references, which was also published in the aforementioned Yahoo Group. All of this should be OK to post since it's a public station, and this was published in a public forum by the station management:
That said, they are definitely in bad financial shape. Here's the letter dated June 9 from the station's GM that the Current article references, which was also published in the aforementioned Yahoo Group. All of this should be OK to post since it's a public station, and this was published in a public forum by the station management:
So instead of being proactive and selling 99.5 for an AM station that their tens of listeners will follow them to, WBAI wants to broadcast till Empire pulls the plug on their transmitter, after which they'll go belly up and not even continue online. I just hope by then, I win the lottery.
Nick said:
I suspect that most of the WBAI staff has this "AM Sucks" attitude. Pacifica was formed to provide an alternative to standard broadcast radio (even though Pacifica's founders were more interested in highbrow music and arts programs than they were political diatribes) and to them AM is still the guilty party. But I suspect that some of the older Pacificistas still think that WABC and WMCA are still Top 40 stations.
L
LinoNewYork
Guest
Oh, here we go again; "trade 99.5 for an AM.....".
AM radio is dying. Anyone suggesting moving an FM format to AM is actually advocating the elimination of that format.
Aside from the fact that AM's listeners are croaking, there is the fact that an AM signal comparable to a class B FM is going to be very expensive to run/maintain.
In 4-6 years most of the AM's in this market won't even be viable.
Pacifica has several options:
1) Drop all local origination and program from their other stations via ISDN/IP directly to the TX.
2) Apply for TSA and go dark for a period. they'll still be stuck for the nearly 50K/mo + arrears @ ESb.
3) Form a separate corp and LMA 99.5 for a period of time. This way they keep a degree of control of what goes on their air (no Limbaugh Lamebrains). Alternately, they can have the time brokered. There are huge Asian communities in the MSA that would welcome an FM.
4) Explore an alliance with the WNYC Foundation. WNYC has a larger operating budget than the combined billing of all the AM junk talkers (710-770-970). This may be an option.
LT
AM radio is dying. Anyone suggesting moving an FM format to AM is actually advocating the elimination of that format.
Aside from the fact that AM's listeners are croaking, there is the fact that an AM signal comparable to a class B FM is going to be very expensive to run/maintain.
In 4-6 years most of the AM's in this market won't even be viable.
Pacifica has several options:
1) Drop all local origination and program from their other stations via ISDN/IP directly to the TX.
2) Apply for TSA and go dark for a period. they'll still be stuck for the nearly 50K/mo + arrears @ ESb.
3) Form a separate corp and LMA 99.5 for a period of time. This way they keep a degree of control of what goes on their air (no Limbaugh Lamebrains). Alternately, they can have the time brokered. There are huge Asian communities in the MSA that would welcome an FM.
4) Explore an alliance with the WNYC Foundation. WNYC has a larger operating budget than the combined billing of all the AM junk talkers (710-770-970). This may be an option.
LT
I'm going to start a new thread for this tidbit.... (layoffs)
You really think that WNYC wants anything to do with the looney bin that is WBAI? WNYC has a huge moneymaking, successful, well respected and tight ship they are running. No way do they need the super water peddlers anywhere near the building.
Why NOT move it to AM? If it's specialty programming with a specific audience, then they will listen no matter where it is. A good portion of it is talk.
If they were to do anything with WNYC, how about a 99.5 for 105.9 plus cash. That still wouldn't solve their long-term ESB rent issues, but it would give them an influx of cash, keep it on FM and still reach NYC proper.
Last published numbers, they had just south of 100k listeners. For a class B FM in NYC. They have to do something if they want to continue, so the "oh here we go again, swap 99.5 for an AM" is a viable option. Let's say Salem gives them 970 plus $15 million. That would certainly help out quite a bit, and those that really want to listen to WBAI will find it at a new home.
Why NOT move it to AM? If it's specialty programming with a specific audience, then they will listen no matter where it is. A good portion of it is talk.
If they were to do anything with WNYC, how about a 99.5 for 105.9 plus cash. That still wouldn't solve their long-term ESB rent issues, but it would give them an influx of cash, keep it on FM and still reach NYC proper.
Last published numbers, they had just south of 100k listeners. For a class B FM in NYC. They have to do something if they want to continue, so the "oh here we go again, swap 99.5 for an AM" is a viable option. Let's say Salem gives them 970 plus $15 million. That would certainly help out quite a bit, and those that really want to listen to WBAI will find it at a new home.
WNTIRadio said:
The third line in Lino's post is probably the best reason. Any AM signal with enough signal to be worth programming on is going to run more in operating expenses than they're paying for 99.5 FM.
=====
I think they should negotiate a time (and expense) sharing agreement with WFME.
If the land is owned, there's no way an AM signal is as expensive to run as a full B on Empire.
The lump sum of cash would also help out with any outstanding payments for the next few years.
Better than nothing, which seems to be the direction it's going in.
Had Pacifica sold WBAI 10 years ago it would have fetched $200 million. Idiots.
The lump sum of cash would also help out with any outstanding payments for the next few years.
Better than nothing, which seems to be the direction it's going in.
Had Pacifica sold WBAI 10 years ago it would have fetched $200 million. Idiots.
L
LinoNewYork
Guest
WNTIRadio Writes:
"No way do they [wnyc] need the super water peddlers anywhere near the building"
-then blows his point by suggesting they sell to one of the cynical bottomfeeders that have maggotized the AM band with hucksters, has-beens and superstitionists.
Since you bring up 970 (whatever the calls are now) it might amuse people to know that even WBAI's paltry cumes would look great on that station. Some of 970's dayparts have fewer than 400 listeners. A huge waste of electricity.
The only AMs left with sizable audiences are those with long legacy formats. Those are eroding now at an advancing pace as listeners die and there is -zero- chance of either reversing that trend or building new listeners.
Both 710 and 770 were inside the top-10 until a few years ago. Bad demos, but good TSL and reasonable numbers. look at where they are now...and you suggest that Pacifica buy into that graveyard.
LT
"No way do they [wnyc] need the super water peddlers anywhere near the building"
-then blows his point by suggesting they sell to one of the cynical bottomfeeders that have maggotized the AM band with hucksters, has-beens and superstitionists.
Since you bring up 970 (whatever the calls are now) it might amuse people to know that even WBAI's paltry cumes would look great on that station. Some of 970's dayparts have fewer than 400 listeners. A huge waste of electricity.
The only AMs left with sizable audiences are those with long legacy formats. Those are eroding now at an advancing pace as listeners die and there is -zero- chance of either reversing that trend or building new listeners.
Both 710 and 770 were inside the top-10 until a few years ago. Bad demos, but good TSL and reasonable numbers. look at where they are now...and you suggest that Pacifica buy into that graveyard.
LT
LinoNewYork said:
Nonsense.
AM is where all the niche formats are ending up. Religious, Foreign language, etc. WBAI is a niche format.
As was pointed out, WBAI is mostly talk. So what difference does it make that it is on AM?
Operating expenses for AM transmitter site greater than ESB rent? Maybe in some cases, but I can't believe that 99.5 isn't so valuable to a potential major player, that the AM costs (some or most or even all) couldn't be folded into the deal, at least for the first 10 years.
Plus, WBAI would have (on some AM transmitters) better reach (in some directions) than their current ESB FM, and potential wide night coverage.
Or, as mentioned, they can swap 103.9 + cash or (this was a very good idea) 105.9 + cash with WNYC, restoring WQXR to a full class signal.
Bottom line is they have to do SOMETHING or they are going to lose EVERYTHING!
Look, BAI has always been run by anarchists, gadflies and out-and-out whack jobs, but I kind of like having a station like that around, even though I don't agree with their extremist views much of the time.
But they are a little specialty store, and they are trying to operate a 400,000 foot shopping mall location.
- Status