[grc] WBAI on the air from Times Square: Look Ma! NO EMPIRE STATE BUILDING!

[Ursula Ruedenberg]

So many community radio family members have contacted me with concern and
support for WBAI during its recent grim debacle, exorbitant tower rent and
the resulting judgement against Pacifica. So here's the report we got today
from Pacifica Exec Dir Tom Livingston. You shared the anxious moments so I
HAVE to share this happier moment! See his memo below -

-- 
Ursula Ruedenberg
Pacifica Affiliate Network Manager
510-812-7989


Tom Livingston, Acting Executive Director Dear  Team -

At about 6 pm tonight we began broadcasting from 4 Times Square. A lot of
people did a lot of critical work to make this happen, starting with the
Pacifica National Board and the decision on the loans.

Our on the ground tech team included Tony Ryan from WBAI, Jake Glanz, our
transmitter engineer who used to get paid by WBAI and Jon Almeleh.

As of about this time yesterday it looked like we could well have been
going dark for as much as two weeks.

We won't get our new transmitter for a week or two because of what became
the short timeline.

We thought we had a foolproof backup. KPFT sent a surplus transmitter that
we could use as a backup. It was shipped via FedEx to the contractor.

Yesterday the contractor called up to say they couldn't find the
transmitter! We know it was delivered.

Our solution (after checking with other NYC broadcasters to borrow a backup
to no avail) was to borrow the WPFW backup transmitter. I drove from
Baltimore this morning, met Jerry Paris at the WPFW transmitter site (the
traffic coming into DC was terrible - reminded me why I'm glad I've moved
to Baltimore!).

When we got to the site, on the campus of American University, a crew had
dug a trench across the driveway to the transmitter site. We had to carry
the two heavy pieces up the stairs through a campus building to my car.

Traffic up 95 was light (if you've ever been on 95 you understand "light"
is a relative term), and I delivered the transmitter to the team there about
 3:30 (traffic was pretty bad in Manhattan too. there was no way to turn
left off of 42nd), and they had us on the air within a few hours. As I
write this, they are gathering the things we want to keep from the Empire
State Building, and I'm back in Baltimore celebrating with a drink and a
(cooked) frozen pizza.

If we'd gone over by an hour, our expectation was that Empire State
Building would charge us double rent.. John Crigler said not to bother even
asking if they'd let us keep broadcasting for a few days from there.  If
we'd gone off the air for the two weeks until the new transmitter was
delivered and installed it would have caused immeasurable damage.

Tom Livingston


*And that's how it's done *(My Statement, not Tom's)  Hat's off to Tom,
Jon, Tony, Jerry, and Jake for being such action figures. And hey, extended
family: thanks for your solidarity - always makes all the difference.

Ursula Ruedneberg
Pacifica