WBAI Struggles

[BigJimmy]

WBAI would be a great loss. Paranoid, Conspiracy Theory talk radio is a highly entertaining format.

 

[TheBigA]

This may come as a surprise to many, but there actually are some smart alums of WBAI who might be able to put together a pretty interesting group to run the station in a way closer to the way it was back in the 70s. Some of these people spent time at NPR, and have gone on to become successful independent radio producers. There are a few very familiar names in this group. The question is do they want to take on the immense headache that is involved in running a radio station, especially one with the recent history of WBAI. I once spoke with the folks at the RIAA about owning a radio station, and they said it's more fun to make music than to program a radio station. Programming a radio station means you have to say no to people. It really wouldn't cost much. Consider the budget of organizations like Free Press, and it would be a far better use of their money to run a radio station than to publish a magazine. But once again, it means saying no to people. That's not fun. So perhaps these people would rather stay on the side. But it would be an interesting approach.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

I'm puzzled by what Pacifica stands to gain from such an arrangement. I understand they would temporarily rid themselves of a money loser, and there's no doubt they need to do that. But if the FCC prohibits payments above necessary operating expenses for a public radio PSOA (LMA), how would such a deal generate the income that Pacifica so desperately needs to prop up the rest of its network, as opposed to simply stopping the bleeding in New York for a while?

 

[TheBigA]

I'm puzzled by what Pacifica stands to gain from such an arrangement.

Ridding themselves of a headache, while still sticking to their mission, might be good. Let's face it, they've been unable to manage a couple of these stations over the past 20 years. That's not good for the Foundation, nor is it good for the mission. If they can put an organization in place that they trust in NY and perhaps also DC, they can focus their attention on Berkeley and LA.

 

[BigJimmy]

Pacifica likely wants someone to operate WBAI while Pacifica attempts to reorganize which likely willl be an
exercise in futility.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

One name I've heard getting bantered around as an interested party is WFMU.

Another is the Manhattan Neighborhood Network, the public-access cable TV station.

I don't know how much credibility there may be to these but here's the source.

 

[Bongwater]

One name I've heard getting bantered around as an interested party is WFMU.

Another is the Manhattan Neighborhood Network, the public-access cable TV station.

I don't know how much credibility there may be to these but here's the source.

WFMU would be PERFECT for 99.5. But the costs would be super crazy and while their listeners are very generous (especially after Hurricane Sandy and having just completed a pledge drive earlier), I worry there may be a limit to that generosity I'd be nervous to test so soon after all that.

 

[wadio]

I once spoke with the folks at the RIAA about owning a radio station, and they said it's more fun to make music than to program a radio station. Programming a radio station means you have to say no to people. It really wouldn't cost much. Consider the budget of organizations like Free Press, and it would be a far better use of their money to run a radio station than to publish a magazine. But once again, it means saying no to people. That's not fun. So perhaps these people would rather stay on the side. But it would be an interesting approach.

Wait a minute! According to the conventional wisdom around here nobody does anything for any reason other than to make money. There's no such thing as doing something for altruistic reasons, for personal satisfaction, or especially, "for fun!"

 

[BigJimmy]

what would WBAI (99.5) be worth today if it was up for sale?

isn't Pacific desperate enough for $$$ yet ? (so they won't selll WBAI yet )

 

[thataveragejoe]

I genuinely don't see anyone realistically coming up with the money for something like this the way Pacifica wants, and I'm not saying that in hopes that they fail. If they really want a non-comm operator, they should work out something with WNYC and bring WQXR back to a full market signal, be it a lease or a sale swap for 105.9, then everyone at Empire stays at Empire and Pacifica still has a signal to use or lease+ cash. Really the only thing that makes logical sense*.


* logical sense however is a word lacking in Pacifica's dictionary.

 

[TheBigA]

There's no such thing as doing something for altruistic reasons, for personal satisfaction, or especially, "for fun!"

This is non-profit radio we're talking about here. And WBAI is a perfect example of what happens when you try and run a radio station for personal satisfaction.

 

[wadio]

I was talking about the RIAA -- not WBAI.

I once spoke with the folks at the RIAA about owning a radio station, and they said it's more fun to make music than to program a radio station.

I wasn't aware that the RIAA's goal is to have fun.

 

[TheBigA]

I wasn't aware that the RIAA's goal is to have fun.

They didn't say it was their goal.

 

[davideduardo]

what would WBAI (99.5) be worth today if it was up for sale?

As a commercial station, anywhere from $45 million to a bit north of $60 million, based on the recent market transactions.

 

[boiseengineer]

If they convert the license to "commercial" even though the LMA is a non-profit WBAI could then make money above expenses on the deal. When & if the time comes to ditch the LMA convert it back to a non-com.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

The most likely leasee would be WNYC who would probably move WQXR to 99.5, change 105.9 to what's now broadcast on 820, and eventually, sell-off 820.

 

[TheBigA]

This is the same Pacifica that has been running the station all these years. They're not going to change it to commercial, or lease it to an NPR station, just to make a quick buck. Neither of those things serve the mission. More likely that they'd lease it to Al Jazeera or Pravda.

 

[andydallas]

The RIAA knows music rights, but nothing about Radio,,

 

[diymedia]

If by "Free Press" you mean the media reform organization, their focus is largely on making policy changes. They have mad love for community radio and support the likes of Prometheus et. al., but they're more about the movement-building aspect than the nuts-and-bolts of independent media. For all they do, they also run on a relative shoestring—no way could they handle running WBAI. And they once did have a short weekly radio news thing, but that went away a couple of years ago.

Doesn't the LMA Pacifica is considering pretty much prohibit them from seeing any money from this deal? It seems like it just removes WBAI from its balance-sheet which does nothing to actually work toward rejuvenating the station long-term.

Add me in the pile of folks who would love to see WFMU hit the big-big leagues.

 

[Barry]

Pacifica's Request for Proposals (to lease WBAI) is available for viewing.
The brief document indicates that they want someone to provide noncommercial programming that will "Advance Pacifica's mission." Pacifica would retain ultimate control of what goes on the air, and retains the right to place a few of their own programs on the air. Evidently they may not be satisfied with a noncommercial broadcaster that primarily wants to program music.
It may be difficult/impossible to find a party that is interested in operating a station under such conditions, given the steep expenses involved.

Request for Proposals: http://www.wbai.org/lsb/documents/RFP for WBAI.pdf