Re: Election campaign problems at WBAI
Renee Asteria
Renee and Nichole,
I find the notices about WBAI's elections to be very troubling, and would like an explanation of
how come we are advertising election events in a way guaranteed to sow confusion among both
candidates and voters.
A link on the Pacifica elections website goes to the following:
http://www.artistdata.com/wbai/shows/new-york-ny-wbai-99.5-fm-sep-6-2010/440846
Why are our supervisors advertising FIND TICKETS ON TICKETMASTER" together with food coupons and ads to fast food restaurants? There is a map to the station, on-air
forums with exhortations to get TICKETS to the event, and no indication of ending times, format, or anything else about the elections on this site. If our local and national supervisors do not know how to set up commercial-free and clear information on the INternet, there are enough producers and members with skills to do it right. This is a real disaster. Obviously you are not aware of Pacifica's mission statement or its many, deep, and longstanding reasons for avoiding commercial endorsements and refusing to carry commercial advertising. Yes, it takes a little more talent and skill to create websites without using canned Google-sponsored ads, but a little outreach would have located such talent and a willingness to help with creating web presences consonant with our mission rather than websitees mocking, if not betraying, it.
Further, what is the schedule for playing on-air carts? I have not heard any on WBAI, nor have I seen any notice as to what the plan is to play, rotate, etc. KPFT, KPFK, and KPFA have many events, much data listed about cart rotation and forums, etc. Where is WBAI's presence on line? Where are the candidates' voices? I see schedules for at least one other station: where can I find the schedule for ours, or at least a report on the plan for rotating carts?
I have asked, and received no answer, as to what has been done to ensure that mailing lists were and are being prepared for the ballot mailing, to ensure no repetition of the expensive disaster of the last election. Now I see that ballots have been mailed out without the booklets, contrary not only to our bylaws, which guarantee every candidate the inclusion of his or her statement WITH the ballot, but to every law of basic voter psychology. Please explain how the lists were vetted, and why the booklets were not mailed out with the ballots. When asked how the ballots were mailed out, our NES answered "bulk mail." That tells me there is no return service, i.e. no way to tell which names on our database are not receiving their mail, nor why. That tells me we have not cleaned up the list in July, as required, by a first-class mailing to remove duplicates, etc. That tells me, in short, that we are heading towards another tsunami of complaints about the process.
When I go to the list of Pacifica election-related events, I can't even find one single event for WBAI in August, on air or off.
http://www.google.com/calendar/hosted/pacifica.org/embed?src=pacifica.org_dl54293f0ptujcgv1cubnipm9c%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles
In September I finally find an event, and it sounds like a prescription for disaster: Meet the candidates? The station reception area is probably too small to fit all the candidates, much less all the listeners who might want to come to a "forum" to meet them. Our conference room barely holds the tables and chairs for 25 people: with people standing and sitting around the walls, you might fit in twice that number. What kind of "forum" is this going to be? Will there be security guards there to protect listeners and candidates from the usual disrupters bent on creating havoc? Will you advertise that fact?
Here's what is on the web when I click on the link for September 18th at the URL:
Sat, September 18, 6pm – 8pmWhere120 Wall St. New York, NY (United States) (map)DescriptionTicket Price: Free Age Limit: All Ages Additional Information: WBAI LOCAL STATION BOARD CANDIDATE FORUMCome to WBAI 99.5 FM. Meet the Candidates who will represent you on WBAI's Local Station Board! WBAI 99.5 FM, is part of the Pacifica Foundation, the oldest network of non-commercial, community-based radio stations in the United States with 5 sister stations nationwide (KPFA, KPFK, KPFT, WBAI and WPFW) which each have separate governing boards called the local station boards (aka LSB) elected by its members (staff and listener). The Pacifica Foundation is the only listener-supported independent media network for which both listener-members and staff-members (paid and unpaid) have the opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process with respect to the station's budget, programming and policies via the local station board.Please Vote! If you are a member your ballot will arrive before September 1st, 2010 and must be returned via post by September 30th, 2010. You may also drop off your ballot in person at WBAI till midnight September 30th.
http://www.google.com/calendar/hosted/pacifica.org/embed?src=pacifica.org_dl54293f0ptujcgv1cubnipm9c%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles
Why are there forums five nights running on the air from September 6th through the 10th? One of them is advertised in two different places as having two different start and end times: one is listed on 9/7 from 6 to 10 pm, with the on-air forums starting at 9 pm but with no end time, no format, nothing listed except the same times AND the same advertisements for tickets, fast-food chains, a google map, etc. for the onair forums as for the in-person forums. Of course this differs from another notice of the in-person forum which lists it as from 4 to 7 PM. With advertisements etc as well. (See my suggestion above for using professionals to do the INternet notices for WBAI.) How was this schedule decided on?
As a candidate, I have not been consulted ONCE about my past experiences, wishes, thoughts, or advice on how listeners can find out about me. Has any other candidate? I guess I'll have to reach listeners on my own, as I don't seem to be getting much help from the official process: I hope Pacifica will agree to defray my costs of doing so.
Perhaps our election supervisors need some help understanding the Pacifica mission, the relationship between WBAI and commercial advertisements, and why the PNB requires extensive cart rotation, ballots mailed out with booklets, and widely advertised and noticed opportunities for voting members to meet and greet and question the candidates. Is there anyone on board who can provide such guidance? Or are we facing yet another year of lawsuits by voters and candidates alike disenfranchised by incompetence?
Carolyn Birden
--
Join the discussion: WBAI Elections
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Carolyn Birden
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WEB SITES OF THE WEEK
"As of mid-2008, almost 3,000 soldiers have filed complaints with the Inspector General’s office for retaliation against them when they tried to expose information."
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http://www.lemondrop.com/2010/08/06/twelve-words-you-didnt-know-youre-mispronouncing/?ncid=bannadusaolp00000044
http://www.alternet.org/world/147865/noam_chomsky%3A_the_real_reasons_the_u.s._enables_israeli_crimes_and_atrocities
Renee Asteria
Renee and Nichole,
I find the notices about WBAI's elections to be very troubling, and would like an explanation of
how come we are advertising election events in a way guaranteed to sow confusion among both
candidates and voters.
A link on the Pacifica elections website goes to the following:
http://www.artistdata.com/wbai/shows/new-york-ny-wbai-99.5-fm-sep-6-2010/440846
Why are our supervisors advertising FIND TICKETS ON TICKETMASTER" together with food coupons and ads to fast food restaurants? There is a map to the station, on-air
forums with exhortations to get TICKETS to the event, and no indication of ending times, format, or anything else about the elections on this site. If our local and national supervisors do not know how to set up commercial-free and clear information on the INternet, there are enough producers and members with skills to do it right. This is a real disaster. Obviously you are not aware of Pacifica's mission statement or its many, deep, and longstanding reasons for avoiding commercial endorsements and refusing to carry commercial advertising. Yes, it takes a little more talent and skill to create websites without using canned Google-sponsored ads, but a little outreach would have located such talent and a willingness to help with creating web presences consonant with our mission rather than websitees mocking, if not betraying, it.
Further, what is the schedule for playing on-air carts? I have not heard any on WBAI, nor have I seen any notice as to what the plan is to play, rotate, etc. KPFT, KPFK, and KPFA have many events, much data listed about cart rotation and forums, etc. Where is WBAI's presence on line? Where are the candidates' voices? I see schedules for at least one other station: where can I find the schedule for ours, or at least a report on the plan for rotating carts?
Soon coming
I have asked, and received no answer, as to what has been done to ensure that mailing lists were and are being prepared for the ballot mailing, to ensure no repetition of the expensive disaster of the last election.
I already answered this question Visit the FAQ section of the website
Now I see that ballots have been mailed out without the booklets, contrary not only to our bylaws, which guarantee every candidate the inclusion of his or her statement WITH the ballot, but to every law of basic voter psychology. Please explain how the lists were vetted, and why the booklets were not mailed out with the ballots. When asked how the ballots were mailed out, our NES answered "bulk mail." That tells me there is no return service, i.e. no way to tell which names on our database are not receiving their mail, nor why. That tells me we have not cleaned up the list in July, as required, by a first-class mailing to remove duplicates, etc. That tells me, in short, that we are heading towards another tsunami of complaints about the process.
When I go to the list of Pacifica election-related events, I can't even find one single event for WBAI in August, on air or off.
http://www.google.com/calendar/hosted/pacifica.org/embed?src=pacifica.org_dl54293f0ptujcgv1cubnipm9c%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles
If you recall WBAI had a fund-drive. Nichole scheduled all events starting September.
In September I finally find an event, and it sounds like a prescription for disaster: Meet the candidates? The station reception area is probably too small to fit all the candidates, much less all the listeners who might want to come to a "forum" to meet them. Our conference room barely holds the tables and chairs for 25 people: with people standing and sitting around the walls, you might fit in twice that number. What kind of "forum" is this going to be? Will there be security guards there to protect listeners and candidates from the usual disrupters bent on creating havoc? Will you advertise that fact?
Shawn Casey O'Brien
Renee, I assume this is in response to the question of the advertisements on Pacifica websites. But you do not seem to understand our prohibition against commercialization. We don't advertise, cannot under FCC regulations, and believe that "listener supported" means something. Paid advertising is another matter: this is a non-commercial radio network, period. We ARE paying, it is NOT free, because we are using our listeners and viewers to advertise commercial ventures.
Which websites btw should have correct, not misleading, information on them.
And whose candidates should have been consulted about schedules and formats, and informed about cart schedules.
Carolyn
Carolyn Birden
And yes, such advertising is contrary to our mission and bylaws, as well as confusing, ineffective and amateurish.
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Melinda Iley-Dohn
In defense of Renee, I think that we need to take reality check here, gang. We are a non-profit radio network. We have a tight budget and we need to make our elections accessible to voters and candidates. There is only so far that our budget will stretch. Given that this was a free of charge, we should congratulate her on her ingenuity to pick a resource that met the guild lines and did not drive our budget further into the red ink. In today's internet market banner ads are constantly used to the point that most people don't even notice them. I have them on my FB and Yahoo has a habit of using them too. After a while people just ignore them as a part of the way that we have affordable access. This is how free web space is made available for non-profits. We can be as picky as we want but the bottom line is, that Renee made a decision that had more pluses than negatives. If we want a premium look we have to pay for it. That is reality. It is known by people who see pages like this that our appearance in no way endorses the products and we are not beholding to them for our editorial policy or dependent on their contributions for our operational expenses. This in no way threatens our 501c3 status either. Let's quit splitting hairs. This is not the time to be reorganizing the deck chairs on the Titanic for the best aesthetic appearance. Now is a good time to get the most bang for the buck. Kuddos to Renee for a wise decision. Melinda Iley-Dohn Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin Historical Review of Pennsylvania 1759 --- On Tue, 8/24/10, Carolyn Birden <cmc...@earthlink.net> wrote: |
Bill Crosier
And to clarify a few points:
* The FCC does not care about what advertising does or does not occur except what's on the air. Our Bylaws say anything explicitly about it, either. KPFT, in fact, is planning to accept advertising from local/small businesses and non-profits (basically, friends of the station) on its web site soon. Ads on the web site can bring in funds without having anything to do with what's on-air. And of course we (KPFT) won't be taking ads from the big corporations that we all find so offensive, even for just our web site.
* The candidate booklets are not being mailed out with the ballots, because:
-- Renee and Arlene found it was going to cost approximately $30,000 more to print and mail the candidate booklets to all members, than just to mail them upon request and make all the info available online. If all the stations had been making their Central Services payments to the National Office, this would not be an issue, but the lack of funds is impacting everything, and all stations and the N.O. are trying to cut expenses wherever possible. Renee was clear about her plans for this to the PNB, although I know many member of the Elections Committee and the PNB did not like it and have been saying all along that they wanted all members to get printed info except for the (few) who have oped out.
-- The Bylaws do not mandate that candidate info be mailed to all members with the ballots. The Bylaws do not even mandate mailing the ballots, but provide for electronic voting via the Internet (which we are not doing).
-- After the ballots and instructions (but not candidate info booklets) were ready to be mailed, the PNB voted to require that the candidate info be sent to all members. At that point, considering the ballot mailing was ready to go, Renee and Arlene determined that it was both less expensive and more expeditious to have a separate mailing for the candidate booklets, after each station sent additional funds to the N.O. for this, as the mailing house/printer required payment in advance.
Everyone may not like the reasons, but I hope this answers some of the questions.
At 2:43 PM -0700 8/24/10, Melinda Iley-Dohn wrote:
>In defense of Renee, I think that we need to take reality check here, gang. We are a non-profit radio network. We have a tight budget and we need to make our elections
>accessible to voters and candidates. There is only so far that our budget will stretch.
>Given that this was a free of charge, we should congratulate her on her ingenuity to
>pick a resource that met the guild lines and did not drive our budget further into the
>red ink. In today's internet market banner ads are constantly used to the point that
>most people don't even notice them. I have them on my FB and Yahoo has a habit
>of using them too. After a while people just ignore them as a part of the way that
>we have affordable access.
>
>This is how free web space is made available for non-profits. We can be as picky
>as we want but the bottom line is, that Renee made a decision that had more pluses
>than negatives. If we want a premium look we have to pay for it. That is reality. It
>is known by people who see pages like this that our appearance in no way endorses
>the products and we are not beholding to them for our editorial policy or dependent
>on their contributions for our operational expenses. This in no way threatens our
>501c3 status either. Let's quit splitting hairs. This is not the time to be reorganizing the deck chairs on the Titanic for the best aesthetic appearance. Now is a good time to
>get the most bang for the buck. Kuddos to Renee for a wise decision.
>
>
>
>
>
>Melinda Iley-Dohn
>
>
><http://kinkyfriedman.com/index.html>
>
>
>--- On Tue, 8/24/10, Carolyn Birden <cmc...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>
>From: Carolyn Birden <cmc...@earthlink.net>
>Subject: Re: [PNB_Elections:688] Re: Election campaign problems at WBAI
>To: "Shawn Casey O'Brien" <iris...@verizon.net>, "Carolyn Birden" <cmbi...@gmail.com>
>Cc: "Renee Asteria" <n...@pacifica.org>, "Nichole Justice-Hylton" <les_...@pacifica.org>, wbaiel...@yahoogroups.com, "PNB Board" <p...@pacifica.org>, "Arlene Engelhardt" <Arl...@pacifica.org>, "Bill Crosier" <kp...@crosierbiomed.com>, pnb_el...@googlegroups.com
>Date: Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 1:15 PM
>
>Re: [PNB_Elections:687] Re: Election campaign problems at
>At 10:52 AM -0700 8/24/10, Shawn Casey O'Brien wrote:
>
>>And yes, such advertising is contrary to our mission and bylaws, as well as confusing, ineffective and amateurish.
>>
>
>You're more charitable than I: it really undermines our image, and anyone looking at the site for an initial glimpse of what Pacifica and WBAI are about will have a very much cheapened, distorted view of what we hope we are. And then, I would add, confusing, ineffective, and amateurish overlaid.
>
>Carolyn
>
>
>
>At 10:52 AM -0700 8/24/10, Shawn Casey O'Brien wrote:
>
>>Unbelievable. Every time I think it can't get worst, it apparently does.
>>
>
>First the ballots and candidate books were sent out separately, which means that many people will either vote before receiving the booklet -- giving a big boost to insiders with name recognition -- or not vote at all because they have to go through the additional step of locating their ballot that arrived earlier. Definitely not "best practices".
>
>
>Fact is, 90% of our eligible voters don't vote as it is, and this disaster, as well as advertising on a concert site of all things, is sure to knock that number up higher.
>
>
>And yes, such advertising is contrary to our mission and bylaws, as well as confusing, ineffective and amateurish.
>
>
>I can't help but wonder, is this concert site in any way tied into or linked to our rock star NES' record release party on Sept. 23rd?
>
>
><http://calendar.insidebayarea.com/berkeley-ca/events/show/135824385-razteria-official-release-renee-asteria-gode-rawg-and-lt3>http://calendar.insidebayarea.com/berkeley-ca/events/show/135824385-razteria-official-release-renee-asteria-gode-rawg-and-lt3
>
>
><http://calendar.insidebayarea.com/berkeley-ca/events/show/135824385-razteria-official-release-renee-asteria-gode-rawg-and-lt3>If so, we have a very bad case of self -dealing here.
>
>
>When the lawsuits hit us, as they almost always do, Renee should understand that as an independent contractor, she can be held personally liable.
>
>
>What a mess.
>
>
>Shawn
>
>
>
>
>
>
>On Aug 24, 2010, at 8:46 AM, Carolyn Birden wrote:
>
>
>>Renee, I assume this is in response to the question of the advertisements on Pacifica websites. But you do not seem to understand our prohibition against commercialization. We don't advertise, cannot under FCC regulations, and believe that "listener supported" means something. Paid advertising is another matter: this is a non-commercial radio network, period. We ARE paying, it is NOT free, because we are using our listeners and viewers to advertise commercial ventures.
>>
>>Which websites btw should have correct, not misleading, information on them.
>>
>>And whose candidates should have been consulted about schedules and formats, and informed about cart schedules.
>>
>>Carolyn
>>
>On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 11:11 AM, Renee Asteria <</mc/compose?to=n...@pacifica.org>n...@pacifica.org> wrote:
>
>I am using a service used for publicizing concerts (its totally free) in order to gain greater exposure for the campaign events.
>
>
>
>
>
>On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 5:52 AM, Carolyn Birden <</mc/compose?to=cmbi...@gmail.com>cmbi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>Renee and Nichole,
>
>I find the notices about WBAI's elections to be very troubling, and would like an explanation of
>how come we are advertising election events in a way guaranteed to sow confusion among both
>candidates and voters.
>
>A link on the Pacifica elections website goes to the following:
>
><http://www.artistdata.com/wbai/shows/new-york-ny-wbai-99.5-fm-sep-6-2010/440846>http://www.artistdata.com/wbai/shows/new-york-ny-wbai-99.5-fm-sep-6-2010/440846
>
>Why are our supervisors advertising FIND TICKETS ON TICKETMASTER" together with food coupons and ads to fast food restaurants? There is a map to the station, on-air
>
>forums with exhortations to get TICKETS to the event, and no indication of ending times, format, or anything else about the elections on this site. If our local and national supervisors do not know how to set up commercial-free and clear information on the INternet, there are enough producers and members with skills to do it right. This is a real disaster. Obviously you are not aware of Pacifica's mission statement or its many, deep, and longstanding reasons for avoiding commercial endorsements and refusing to carry commercial advertising. Yes, it takes a little more talent and skill to create websites without using canned Google-sponsored ads, but a little outreach would have located such talent and a willingness to help with creating web presences consonant with our mission rather than websitees mocking, if not betraying, it.
>
>Further, what is the schedule for playing on-air carts? I have not heard any on WBAI, nor have I seen any notice as to what the plan is to play, rotate, etc. KPFT, KPFK, and KPFA have many events, much data listed about cart rotation and forums, etc. Where is WBAI's presence on line? Where are the candidates' voices? I see schedules for at least one other station: where can I find the schedule for ours, or at least a report on the plan for rotating carts?
>
>I have asked, and received no answer, as to what has been done to ensure that mailing lists were and are being prepared for the ballot mailing, to ensure no repetition of the expensive disaster of the last election. Now I see that ballots have been mailed out without the booklets, contrary not only to our bylaws, which guarantee every candidate the inclusion of his or her statement WITH the ballot, but to every law of basic voter psychology. Please explain how the lists were vetted, and why the booklets were not mailed out with the ballots. When asked how the ballots were mailed out, our NES answered "bulk mail." That tells me there is no return service, i.e. no way to tell which names on our database are not receiving their mail, nor why. That tells me we have not cleaned up the list in July, as required, by a first-class mailing to remove duplicates, etc. That tells me, in short, that we are heading towards another tsunami of complaints about the process.
>
>When I go to the list of Pacifica election-related events, I can't even find one single event for WBAI in August, on air or off.
>
><http://www.google.com/calendar/hosted/pacifica.org/embed?src=pacifica.org_dl54293f0ptujcgv1cubnipm9c%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles>http://www.google.com/calendar/hosted/pacifica.org/embed?src=pacific a.org_dl54293f0ptujcgv1cubnipm9c%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles
>
>
>In September I finally find an event, and it sounds like a prescription for disaster: Meet the candidates? The station reception area is probably too small to fit all the candidates, much less all the listeners who might want to come to a "forum" to meet them. Our conference room barely holds the tables and chairs for 25 people: with people standing and sitting around the walls, you might fit in twice that number. What kind of "forum" is this going to be? Will there be security guards there to protect listeners and candidates from the usual disrupters bent on creating havoc? Will you advertise that fact?
>
>Here's what is on the web when I click on the link for September 18th at the URL:
>
>Sat, September 18, 6pm - 8pm
>
>Where120 Wall St. New York, NY (United States) (<http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=120%20Wall%20St.%20New%20York%2C%20NY%20%28United%20States%29>map)
>
>DescriptionTicket Price: Free Age Limit: All Ages Additional Information: WBAI LOCAL STATION BOARD CANDIDATE FORUMCome to WBAI 99.5 FM. Meet the Candidates who will represent you on WBAI's Local Station Board! WBAI 99.5 FM, is part of the Pacifica Foundation, the oldest network of non-commercial, community-based radio stations in the United States with 5 sister stations nationwide (KPFA, KPFK, KPFT, WBAI and WPFW) which each have separate governing boards called the local station boards (aka LSB) elected by its members (staff and listener). The Pacifica Foundation is the only listener-supported independent media network for which both listener-members and staff-members (paid and unpaid) have the opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process with respect to the station's budget, programming and policies via the local station board.Please Vote! If you are a member your ballot will arrive before September 1st, 2010 and must be returned via post by September 30th, 2010. You may also drop off your ballot in person at WBAI till midnight September 30th.
>
>
>
><http://www.google.com/calendar/hosted/pacifica.org/embed?src=pacifica.org_dl54293f0ptujcgv1cubnipm9c%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles>http://www.google.com/calendar/hosted/pacifica.org/embed?src=pacific a.org_dl54293f0ptujcgv1cubnipm9c%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles
>
>Why are there forums five nights running on the air from September 6th through the 10th? One of them is advertised in two different places as having two different start and end times: one is listed on 9/7 from 6 to 10 pm, with the on-air forums starting at 9 pm but with no end time, no format, nothing listed except the same times AND the same advertisements for tickets, fast-food chains, a google map, etc. for the onair forums as for the in-person forums. Of course this differs from another notice of the in-person forum which lists it as from 4 to 7 PM. With advertisements etc as well. (See my suggestion above for using professionals to do the INternet notices for WBAI.) How was this schedule decided on?
>
>As a candidate, I have not been consulted ONCE about my past experiences, wishes, thoughts, or advice on how listeners can find out about me. Has any other candidate? I guess I'll have to reach listeners on my own, as I don't seem to be getting much help from the official process: I hope Pacifica will agree to defray my costs of doing so.
>
>Perhaps our election supervisors need some help understanding the Pacifica mission, the relationship between WBAI and commercial advertisements, and why the PNB requires extensive cart rotation, ballots mailed out with booklets, and widely advertised and noticed opportunities for voting members to meet and greet and question the candidates. Is there anyone on board who can provide such guidance? Or are we facing yet another year of lawsuits by voters and candidates alike disenfranchised by incompetence?
>
>Carolyn Birden
--
Bill Crosier
kp...@crosierbiomed.com 713-641-4941
Support KPFT - Radio for Peace - 90.1 FM Houston http://kpft.org
Progressive Action Alliance http://progressiveactionalliance.org
Ken
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Carolyn Birden
Each Member seeking to be a nominee shall submit: (1) the required number of nominating signatures on
the form provided by the local elections supervisor; (2) a statement of whether the candidate is running for
"Fair Campaign Provisions" set forth in Section 6 of this Article of the Bylaws. The names of up to five (5)
of the candidate's nominators may be listed at the end of a candidate's statement. Each candidate also may
Melinda Iley-Dohn
Carolyn,
When the By-Laws were written in 2003, they treated online access as being
not universal. A lot has changed since this document was written by people
who had no idea of the expenses of elections or their consequences to the
Foundation's finances. It is a lot easier to access online than in the past.
Today, a cell phone can access this information.
I would wager that in NYC and it's surrounding area that finding a comupter at a public
library or from a friend is not unheard of. I have done open enrollments for medical plans where in the most remote areas of the country, employees were able to find access. It can easily be shown that WBAI is covered with the booklets online with a mere mouse click.
The ballots are still being mailed. Anybody can get information about any candidate
online. All we have to do is prove that all information has been made accessible to the
public.I believe that the Elections staff has met this requirement. At the same time we
are making sure that the contributions of the members we serve are focused on the
radio programming that they support. That is job one.
Thanks, |
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Melinda Iley-Dohn
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin Historical Review of Pennsylvania 1759 |
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Melinda Iley-Dohn
Carolyn,
The "ads" that you point out are banner ads. It is common knowlege by people who
use the world wide web that these are associated to the web site not the individual
members. They are not in any way connected to us. They are associated with the
free site which is able to give us at no charge an easily accessible web site. I know
nothing about what my old friend Otie had in mind but I don't see anything that is that wrong here. We are not accepting money and we are not accepting influence. As Bill Crosier pointed out regarding KPFT policy, we are seeking foundation grants and support by like minded 501c3 non-profit organizations that can enjoy a symbionic relationship in support of the community effort as a whole.
We are at a point right now where we must use the utmost fiscal conservation. It's
a matter of survival and respect for the membership who pays our bills. In a perfect
world all web sites would be free. At this time we do not occupy such a setting and
we have instead real world expectations of our limited resources. I believe that Renee
has made a difficult call here with an affordable resource. |
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Melinda Iley-Dohn Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin Historical Review of Pennsylvania 1759 |
| --- On Wed, 8/25/10, Carolyn Birden <cmbi...@gmail.com> wrote: |
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To: "Melinda Iley-Dohn" <iley...@yahoo.com> |
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Ken
Digital divide: The internet's haves and have-nots
At a time when nearly everyone seems to be on the internet all the time, a few demographic groups appear to be permanently stuck in the digital dark ages.
Minorities, the elderly, low-income families and residents of rural areas have historically lagged behind in internet use. Technology advocates were hoping as computers became cheaper and more ubiquitous, the divide would narrow. But the latest numbers from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project show only minor gains. That worries researchers who see a large segment of the population shut out of the growing amount of information and opportunities that can only be found online.
"The gap hasn't tremendously shrunk," said Lee Rainey, the project's director. "The disparity still exists-- even as more people are online."
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Category |
Class |
Percentage |
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Race/Ethnicity |
White |
76 |
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Black |
70 |
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Hispanic |
64 |
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Age |
18-29 |
93 |
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30-49 |
81 |
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50-64 |
70 |
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65+ |
38 |
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Household Income |
Less than $30 |
60 |
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$30 |
76 |
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$50 |
83 |
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$75 |
94 |
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Community type |
Urban |
74 |
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Suburban |
77 |
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Rural |
70 |
Melinda Iley-Dohn
Ken,
These figures are a generalization of the population as a whole. It's focus is not the
confined to the WBAI market area which is the focus of this thought. Prior to my
professional work in benefits, I spent nine years working for The Gallup Organization.
I have read a lot of market studies and understand fully the difference in demographic
representations found in national generalizations and local specific studies.
The facts remain. In this election, unlike previous ones, the information is available online. The internet is available without charge at libraries with ready access with the best transportation in the country. We are talking about New York City not Dime Box Texas.
It's a whole different setting. I have seen both.
Have a nice day, |
Melinda Iley-Dohn Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin Historical Review of Pennsylvania 1759 |
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--- On Wed, 8/25/10, Ken <kena...@ca.rr.com> wrote: |