Minutes for the WBAI Local Station Board meeting in Public Session on June 08, 2022.
Meeting convened at 7:08 PM (ET) a quorum being present, the Chair being present.
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Attending: Rachel Barr, Scottye Battle, Doc Shya, John Brinkley, Priscilla Cancar, Jack DePalma, James Dingeman, DeeDee Halleck, Maxine Harrison-Gallmon, William Heerwagen, R. Paul Martin, Basir Mchawi, Nic Nicoludis, Katherine O’Sullivan, Hazel Pinder, Shawn Rhodes, James Sagurton, Max Schmid, Marilyn Vogt-Downey, Michael D.D. White and Amy Wilson
Not in attendance: Jack Devine, Errol Maitland, Sharonne Salaam
Also Present at the meeting: John Hoffman (Secretary)
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Agenda
WBAI Local Station Board (“LSB”)
7:00 PM, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 Meeting
Remote Participation Meeting Via Zoom
1. Convene meeting- (Ask for recording of the meeting to be started and confirm designated time keeper. Note how chat is to be used.)
2. Adopt Agenda. (20 minutes)
3. Roll Call. (5 minutes)
4. Excuse Absences. (5 minutes)
5. Approve outstanding minutes: May 11, 2022 (5 minutes)
6. Report from Pacifica National Board Directors. (7 minutes & 5 minutes discussion) — Shawn Rhodes, James Sagurton, Sharonne Salaam, Jim Dingeman.
7. General Manager’s Report (5 Minutes report 5 minutes discussion) — Berthold Reimers
8. Programming Updates. (5 minutes report, 5 minutes Q&A) — Linda Perry
9. Report from Community Advisory Board (2 Minutes) – Neale Vos
10. Treasurer’s Report. — (5 Minutes report 5 minutes discussion) — R. Paul Martin
11. Discussion: Individual LSB Member Communications with Station Staff GM, iPD, and Other Staff and Conduct Potentially Crossing the Line Into Harassment or Hostile Work Place Environment Questions– (10 minutes) — DeeDee Halleck
12. Resolution Respecting Contact Email for LSB– (10 minutes) — Rachel Barr
13. Discussion: Pacifica Communication Policy- (8 minutes) — Rachel Barr
14. Discussion: Public Comment– (8 minutes) — Dr. Shya
15. Discussion: Listener Phone Calls - (4 minutes) — Rachel Barr
16. Discussion & Resolution: Creation of Programming Advisory Committee— (5 Minutes) – Michael D. D. White
17. Motion to Create Programming Committee (5 minutes) — William Heerwagen
18. Discussion: Competing Successfully With the Internet vs And/or Becoming Internet Successful - (20 minutes) — Michael D. D. White
19. Motion Appreciating Staff (5 minutes) — William Heerwagen
20. Discussion: Improving WBAI and Pacifica Reputation and Brand.— (10 minutes) – Michael D. D. White
21. Discussion: Adjournment Time of LSB meeting(s)-(5 minutes) Dr. Shya
22. Resolution Directing the General Manager to Provide a Report On WBAI’s Compliance With Pacifica Communications Policy (per PNB 12/’21 Resolution) by March, 1, 2022 — (8 minutes) — Rachel Barr
23. Public Comment. (30 minutes, 2 minutes maximum per speaker before next in queue to speak. Must always begin no later than 9:15 PM.)
24. New Business. (5 minutes)
25. Adjourn no later than 9:45 PM. (ET)
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Motion: (Michael DD White) “To adopt the agenda” 7:13 PM ET (passed without objection)
Motion: (James Dingeman) “To excuse absences of those not present.) 7:17 PM ET (passed without objection)
Motion: (Michael DD White) “To approve minutes from May 10, 2022 Public Session 7:17 PM ET (passed without objection)
Report from Pacifica National Board of Directors (Shawn Rhodes, James Sagerton, James Dingeman) 7:18 ET
Motion: (Jack DePalma) “To extend time for report from Pacifica National Board of Directors by five minutes” 7:33 PM ET (passed without objection)
General Manager’s Report 7:38PM ET: The General Manager could not attend the meeting; a brief email explaining their absence was read
Programming Updates 7:40 PM ET: Linda Perry submitted report in writing, full text appears after the minutes.
Community Advisory Board Report 7:46 PM ET: Neale Vos presented an update.
Update/Discussion of status of Program Director 7:49 PM ET (continuation of General Manager’s Report agenda time)
Point of Order: (R. Paul Martin): discussion surrounding whether this topic should be part of Public session. The Chair indicated that they wished to read aloud a letter from General Counsel regarding the status of Program Director
The LSB discussed the Point of Order.
Motion: (James Dingeman) “To extend time for General Manager’s Report discussion of this point of order for by four minutes” 7:59 PM ET (passed 15 in favor, 5 against)
Motion: (Michael DD White) “To have the chair read aloud the letter regarding status of Program Director written by General Counsel” 8:03 PM ET (passed 13 in favor, 5 against, 1 abstention)
The letter from the General Counsel was then read 8:07 PM ET: The text of the letter appears at the end of these minutes.
The LSB discussed the letter 8:08 PM ET
Treasurer’s Report (R. Paul Martin) 8:11 PM ET:
--no application for CPB membership this year as there was a concern that all requirements would not be met
Motion: (Jack DePalma) “To extend time for this item by five more minutes” (passed without objections) 8:24 PM ET
Motion: (Jack DePalma) “To extend time for this item by one more minute” (passed without objections) 8:32 PM ET
Discussion: Individual LSB Member Communications with Station Staff GM, iPD, and Other Staff and Conduct Potentially Crossing the Line into Harassment or Hostile Work Place Environment Questions
The Chair stepped down from Chair role to lead this discussion. The Vice-Chair acted as Chair during this discussion. 8:33 PM ET
The LSB discussed this agenda item
Once discussion concluded, the Chair resumed duties as Chair 8:47 PM ET
Discussion: Resolution Respecting Contact Email for LSB 8:48 PM ET
The LSB discussed this agenda item
Discussion: Discussion: Pacifica Communication Policy 8:52 PM ET
The LSB discussed this agenda item
Discussion: Discussion: Public Comments 8:55 PM ET
The LSB discussed this agenda item
Discussion: Discussion: Listener Phone Calls 9:09 PM ET
The LSB discussed this agenda item
Motion: (Michael DD White) “To extend time for three minutes” (passed without objections) 9:12 PM ET
Listener Comments 9:15 PM ET
--Goodshop.com
Motion: (Michael DD White) “To adjourn” 9:46 PM ET (passed without objection)
The meeting was adjourned at 9:46 PM ET
Submitted by John Hoffman, Secretary
Linda Perry Report
Dear LSB,
My report May program wise is that the April Nielsen's show an increase in listenership in the Metro NYC area.. up to 97,200 from 59.900 last April with an overall cum of 0.5 up from 0.3. The cum for the morning show 7-8a on a Wednesday in July 2019 when I took over was .01.. it is now 0.6.. and rising. In March it was 1.0 on a Thursday.. IN addition there is an increase in listeners ages 45-54 with listeners in the 75 age range as steady listeners. There is a more equal male/female ratio than previously according to the Nielsens. Again this only measures the five boroughs .. does not include outside NYC where we know we have listeners nor does it measure online listeners which we have throughout the US and abroad, or those behind bars.
Specials: We are broadcasting the House hearings into the insurrection on Jan 6th Thursday evening as well as next Mon, Wed and Thurs from 10-1p. KPFA's Mitch Jeserich is hosting. I think it's important for us to not only bond with our sister station in DC, but with each of our Network stations because the stronger we are as a network, the stronger we are as a station. I have been sharing many of our programs with our affiliates, and when I talk with other PD's at these stations they are warm, inviting, enthusiastic and helpful, but I digress. WBAI will be broadcasting the Poor People's March on DC on the 18th with our sister station WPFW. WBAI people in DC will be participating in the broadcast from 10a-3p and we will broadcast Rev. Dr Forbes evening Juneteenth celebration at Carnegie Hall as we did last year, which was brought to us through Cerene. A cart is forthcoming. We have also resumed our Tower Fund Drive in an attempt to raise $102,000 to match the previous amount raised back in January during the first phase of the campaign to pay for our rent at 4 Times Square.
Changes: Imhotep Gary Byrds Mindflight moves to 1-3p on Sundays. A cart on this is running on the air and David Rothenberg's Any Monday which offers Theatre Tickets has been added at 11a to where Askia Muhammad had a program. A cart for this will be running soon.
Other: I have compiled a list of requests I'm making of the LSB, which I will share with you in the coming days. That's it for now.
Regards,
Text of Arthur Schwartz Letter re: Linda Perry
June 8, 2022
DeeDee Halleck
Chair
WBAI Local Station Board
388 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, New York
Re: Linda Perry
Status at WBAI
Dear Sister Halleck:
I write, in advance of tonight’s LSB meeting, to clarify Linda Perry’s status with
Pacifica. (Remember, all paid staff are employees of Pacifica.
Linda has been Interim Program Director for three years. The Pacifica Bylaws do not
conceive of such a role. Three years is not Interim. The biggest problem with that title is that it
does not require a station and its LSB to do formal evaluations, as envisioned in the Bylaws.
Stephanie Wells, Pacifica’s Executive Director, and I discussed the situation with
Cynthia Dobeck, Pacifica’s HR Director, and the answer we came up with is this: Linda no
longer has the title of “Interim.” She will have a six-month contract, which shall renew,
periodically, unless she is replaced. This will mean that the LSB and WBAI must do a formal
evaluation of her annually. At the same time, it will not prevent the LSB from resuming its
search for a “permanent” Program Director, which could be Linda or someone else.
This decision eliminates several problems. First it allows Linda to exercise the authority
she should be exercising. Second, it avoids allegations of “back room” cabals, and potential
litigation.
Please give Linda the respect she deserves for working as hard as she has for the last
three years. It is never easy being in charge. But WBAI’s ratings and listenership have increased
under her guidance. I know this is WBAI and there are rare times when everyone is happy. (I did
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see that happen on November 6, 2019 when we walked out of Court with control of the station,
ironically, in Linda and Berthold’s hands – and your hands.
In solidarity,
Arthur Schwartz
Arthur Schwartz
cc. Berthold Reimers
Linda Perry
Stephanie Wells
Cynthia DobeckLinda