Candidate questionnaire

Seth Goldberg Oct 15,2007

LSB candidate questionnaire

Limit your answers to no more than 300 words.
Shorter answers are more likely to be read.


1.Why do you wish to serve on the Local Station Board?
The station is in deep financial trouble. I'd like to try to help. See my candidate statement, email address, and other material at
http://www.sgwbai.blogspot.com/
2.What skills, qualifications and experience would you bring to the board?
Scientist, physician, extensive business experience, ability to read a balance sheet, ability to help solve real world problems in concert with others, if they are also willing.

3.What can be done to improve the dynamics and effectiveness of the Local Station Board?
Given the current JUC control, very little I'm afraid. (See Eric K. Williams’ article http://yourfreepress.blogspot.com/2007/04/wbai-jive-95-free-speech-radio-in.html. Williams is an award-winning journalist who has worked for many years at WBAI.) Given LSB control by independent people who are more interested in saving the station in than rigidly pursuing other, to me more narrow agendas, a great deal. At that point the terrible paralyzing acrimony, which characterizes current LSB meetings, might lessen somewhat. The LSB could begin to really do its job of helping in outreach, fundraising, and oversight.

4. What LSB committees would you like to join? What Pacifica National Board committees?
Finance, outreach, fundraising, audit, programming (for both).

5. Would you be interested in serving on the Pacifica National Board, and why?
If I can find the time, it could be important to present a more accurate picture of the local situation to the National Board.

6. How do you view the dynamics between the Pacifica network and local station
autonomy?
To the extent that the station can become financially self supporting, then it will naturally gain more autonomy. To the extent that it is draining the rest of the network stations, they will naturally be more intrusive in our affairs.

7. How should the Pacifica Foundation find a wider audience?
More local tabling, local advertising, helping local progressive organizations, especially in the outlying counties. More respect and inclusiveness of all segments of our fundamental audience, which seems to be independent thinking, intelligent progressives.

8. What can be done to preserve and share the treasures of the Pacifica Archives?
Our current efforts are good enough for right now. We have bigger problems today and in the near term.

9. Do you have any ideas for new approaches to fundraising for Pacifica?
Many, but they all hinge on changing control at the station. Then we can reforge old alliances with communities which are today censored in the wider media. An example is the censoring of progressive Jewish opinion which opposes current right wing US and Israeli opinion. WBAI already has programming which is already tuned into
this scene. There is a wider point as well. Diversity to me and all of the other independent candidates to whom I have spoken means diversity of ideas, not so much diversity of national, racial, or ethnic identity. With this change comes more audience, more fundraising, more amity and a much stronger station.

10. How do you view Pacifica's potential in providing internet content?
Positively.

11. What technologies should the Pacifica Foundation consider for the future?
Youtube, Google video, Facebook, Myspace

12. What can be done to improve our signal strength?
50,000 watts is already very good, especially with the new grants we have for transmitter upgrades. Not reaching enough people is not our major problem at this time. Connecting better and becoming more relevant to the people who can already hear us is the challenge for today.

13. Should the station consider relocating the studio to other facilities? Where and
Why?
Perhaps. It's a complicated question. Probably not in the immediate future, due to the moving costs.

14. How can our station better serve under-represented communities?
By continuing to exist.

15. How can our station better serve the many linguistic communities of the signal area?
By continuing to exist.

16. What do you see as our station's strong and weak points?
WBAI is a space for public personal and especially political speech. Public political speech of this type is very important as a necessary component of progressive political organizing and action. Without it we feel weak and isolated, which is bad for the larger democracy and governance of the US. WBAI is entirely unique in its ability and desire to present unpopular points of view in this way, helping among other things to prevent nationalist excesses and wars. The station, however was hurt very badly in 2001 and has been only slowly recovering ever since. People at
the station apparently mostly think of their tiny subgroup and have little solidarity with the larger station community. While it will take us some time to heal this, in my opinion, without ending the current JUC domination, the situation will only worsen.

17. Have you ever been party to, or provided support for, a lawsuit involving
Pacifica or its employees? When and Why?
In 2001 I was a supporter of Carol Spooner and the suit to reestablish listener control of Pacifica.
18. How do you think the election process for Local Station Board can be improved?

19. What are your hobbies, interests, and other organizational affiliations?
Science, New York Academy of Sciences, Buddhism

20. What question(s) would you pose to your fellow candidates?