WBAI radio election represents political battle

The Local Station Board of WBAI, Pacifica’s flagship radio station, is holding an election this October that could alter the current progressive policies of the only major broadcast medium here that regularly presents anti-imperialist and anti-racist programming. To vote in this Local Board election, listeners must become active members by Aug. 31.

Lisa Davis, who is a current Local Board member from the Justice and Unity Campaign running for re-election this October and an African-American reparations activist, told Workers World that it is “vitally important that there be strong people on the boards—not just armchair activists, but people engaged in political struggles—to make sure that the interests of the African-American, the Indigenous and other oppressed nationalities and communities are fully represented.

“A struggle for control of the local stations affects not just WBAI locally, but profoundly affects the entire Pacifica network—which has a national board for the listener-supported stations across the country. The fights within the WBAI Local Board are not just infighting or a clash of egos. The fighting represents groups with completely opposing political views. Justice and Unity wants to continue WBAI’s record of reporting on and discussing the struggles of the oppressed communities. The others, who have at times called themselves List Prog or ACE, are completely opposed to our political perspectives,” she stressed.

“While they say they believe in our struggles, they oppose us on every front and have little if any connection to the community. If they have their way, WBAI could end up sounding like NPR lite.

“Remember also that WBAI and Pacifica have an enormous archive on African-American history and the history of the struggle of other oppressed peoples. You can’t talk about civil rights and liberation without talking about African Americans, about Indigenous nations. No other media has covered these struggles like WBAI and Pacifica. And the community must make sure that we have people on these boards who are sensitive to these struggles, and that live and breathe them, to ensure that the historical treasures contained in these archives are respected and protected. We can’t afford to let WBAI/Pacifica, this tremendous asset, fall into the wrong hands,” Davis concluded.

In order to join WBAI, listeners must either contribute at least $25 or do three hours of volunteer work by Aug. 31, or apply for a hardship waiver. Since this election can determine the direction of the station, the Justice and Unity Campaign—currently holding a narrow majority on WBAI’s Local Board—has urged everyone to make sure they are eligible to vote in this election (see justiceunity.org). There are no residency restrictions.

WBAI broadcasts both political discussion and cultural programming representing a broad spectrum of oppressed communities in and around New York City, especially the most oppressed. Based in downtown Manhattan, the station’s broadcast range of 50 miles puts 20 million people in reach of its programs.

Over the past seven years the struggle over program content and station organization has given birth to two opponent coalitions. The more consistently progressive one is the Justice and Unity Campaign, which is made up of and represents New York’s diverse population, reflecting the concerns and fight-backs of African-American, Latin@, Asian/Pacific Islander, Arab, Indigenous and immigrant communities.

Among Justice and Unity’s elected representatives are Ray Laforest, a labor and Haitian community organizer; International Action Center co-coordinator Sara Flounders; and Black Liberation theologian Father Lawrence Lucas.

The other coalition, which in 2006 ran under the name of the Alliance for Community Elections (ACE), focuses on its members’ business, administrative and fund-raising experience. One of the Alliance leaders, multimillionaire Steve Brown, recently issued a letter asking WBAI supporters to send their contributions for the station to him personally. This would in effect sabotage WBAI’s funding.

Since WBAI is in the center of the FM dial in the center of the biggest U.S. metropolitan area, it is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. So WBAI is a target not only of government and right-wingers, but also of those wanting to enrich themselves. In 2000 a business-oriented group seized control of the station for about a year and nearly ran it into the ground in an apparent attempt to privatize the station.

WBAI and Justice and Unity has gained the support of political activists like African-American attorney Michael Tarif Warren, who recently wrote a support letter urging people to become members of WBAI by Aug. 31:

“When my wife Evelyn and I were brutalized recently by the NYPD, WBAI played a key role in mobilizing the community. ... With a $25 donation, you can help the station survive and become a member eligible to vote in this fall’s local board election.

“The Justice and Unity Campaign has fought to preserve the ability of WBAI to serve communities ignored by the mainstream media. This year’s election is critical to maintaining the station’s strong anti-racist programming. In sum, WBAI needs both your financial and political support. Call 212-209-2845 or donate via credit card at www.wbai.org,” Warren wrote.