WBAI Struggle - Local Level

First Step: Inform Yourself

Media Coverage of the WBAI Struggle
Critical Documents about WBAI
Lawsuits Against Pacifica
Other Sites About WBAI

No time for that now? Here's how to Take Action!

The Theft of WBAI and Pacifica: a Labor Perspective
Visit a site for WBAI Staff Union issues, maintained by WBAI producer and UE Local 404 Shop Steward R. Paul Martin. Highlights include:

WBAI staff union statement about coup and aftermath (January 18, 2001)

Fired/banned producer Sharan Harper's union greivance procedure paper trail (December 22, 2000 to present)

Current status of WBAI staff union negotations with Management (February, 2000)

"Current" United Electrical/WBAI-Pacifica contract (July 20, 1995)

Brief history of the WBAI staff union (1986 to 2000)

MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE WBAI CRISIS

The Village Voice on WBAI-Pacifica
Notice how the Voice has said relatively little about the WBAI-Pacifica crisis, and has chosen to focus on the Pacifica Board issues, rather than the WBAI coup.

Morning Sedition: WBAI Fights Management's Move to Turn the Station into NPR Lite Opinion by Bharati Sadasivam (January 17-23, 2001)

Fish Rots from the Head Opinion by Cynthia Cotts (January 17-23, 2001)

WBAI: Supporters Take Their Fight to the Streets Rally announcement by Wista Jeanne Johnson (January 17-23, 2001)

New York Daily News

Shakeups Make Waves at WBAI-FM by Juan Gonzalez (December 29, 2000)

Exec Says a Healing WBAI Will Cause Static by David Hinckley (May 4, 2000)

WBAI Host Bernard White Becomes Program Director by David Hinckley (April 27, 2000)

The New York Times on WBAI
The Times does not permit free access to the full texts of articles in its web archives. The following headlines about the Coup and its aftermath are provided here as a reference. To obtain the full texts, you will need to either visit the library or pay $2.50 per article (all articles appeared in the Metro Section):

A Firm New Boss at an Old Voice of the Left (Public Lives: Utrice Leid) by Lynda Richardson (January 17, 2001)

Hundreds Protest Firings at WBAI by Jayson Blair (January 7, 2001)

Pacifica Foundation Locks WBAI Station Manager Out of Office by Jayson Blair (December 28, 2000)

A Voice of Protest Rises for Itself; WBAI Resists Superiors Who Say it's Stuck in the 60's by Janny Scott (December 23, 2000)

CRITICAL DOCUMENTS

Resolved: Democratic and Legal Rule for WBAI
Read New York City Council resolution #1723, currently in committee. Drafted by Councilmember Quinn, it is supported by Councilmembers Margarita Lopez and Gifford Miller, State Assemblyman Tom Duane and others. The resolution, as drafted:

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York supports democratic, legal management at WBAI 99.5 FM Radio and affirms the stated position of the Concerned Friends of WBAI in relation to the current situation existing between WBAI and the Pacifica Foundation.

Juan Gonzalez' Resignation Letter
Read former Democracy Now! cohost Juan Gonzalez' resignation letter, submitted to Pacifica Radio management and the Pacifica Board of Directors on January 31, 2001.

The Gag Rule
Read a facsimile of WBAI Interim Station General Manager Utrice Leid's January 24, 2001, memo to staff threatening immediate suspension and/or dismissal for "Discussion on air by any programmer or staff member [or facilitation thereof] of station business, station policy or meetings regarding these topics or other confidential matters." To date, the gag rule is still in effect.

Sharan Harper's Greivance
Follow the memorandum paper trail of fired/banned WBAI producer Sharan Harper's UE Local 404 greivance procedure.

OTHER WBAI SITES

Coalition for a Democratic Pacifica, NY
Visit the website so important in the struggle for democratization of WBAI and Pacifica that the Board of Directors have paid their corporate lawyers (with listener contributions, of course) to threaten a lawsuit against its host, Patty Hefley, for "trademark dilution."

WBAI Radio Listeners' Page
Find postings about recent events and actions in the local struggle, often with accompanying photos, and an active message board, giving listeners and producers an opportunity to break the gag rule and discuss station affairs openly.

WBAI Radio Producers' Page
Watch an animated caricature of Utrice Leid (once site is live again!) alternating with pairings of direct quotations demonstrating her hypocrisy.
 

Next Step: Take Action!