LSB candidate questionnaire

Sara Flounders (co-director, International Action Center; author; resistance organizer for many mass mobilizations against U.S. wars)

Sara Flounders

sara@justiceunity.org, 212-591-2111

1. Why do you wish to serve on the Local Station Board?

After serving for the last 3 years on Local Station Board I more seriously appreciate the long term, day to day struggle to keep WBAI a resource for communities and movements that are under attack. I want to continue playing my part in keeping the station strong.

2. What skills, qualifications and experience would you bring to the board?

As co-director of the International Action Center for 15 years, in work in many defense committees and solidarity delegations, I’ve gained invaluable experience in mass mobilizations, in working collaboratively in pressured situations, in organizing education and research, volunteer recruitment, and working with incredibly tight budgets. I’m well aware of the stresses and strains that places on an organization. All of these skills will continue to be helpful on the LSB

3. What can be done to improve the dynamics and effectiveness of the Local Station Board?

It is essential to always keep in mind that WBAI is a non-profit, community resource. We need to change the way in which a few people are able to use arcane technicalities of Robert’s Rules to drag out every LSB agenda and frustrate many committees. Also, there needs to be an end to unprincipled attacks on station management. We need to work cooperatively with management, staff and producers rather than harass, attack, and undermine their work. Commitment to both unity and diversity based on race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, and disability is essential for both the station staff, the LSB and its committees.

4. What LSB committees would you like to join? What Pacifica National Board committees?

I have participated in various committee meetings during my term, as my schedule allows, and will continue to do so, particularly the Membership, Outreach and Fundraising Committee. I will also continue to help the station secure exciting premiums.

5. Would you be interested in serving on the Pacifica National Board, and why? .

No - based on my other political commitments I do not have sufficient time to also contribute to the Pacifica National Board.

6. How do you view the dynamics between the Pacifica network and local station autonomy?

It is essential that local station autonomy be protected and defended. WBAI is most effective if it draws on the interest and enthusiasm of local organizations and local community activists.

7. How should the Pacifica Foundation find a wider audience?

All of the Pacifica Stations are an invaluable resource of programs and information that is now easy to download and share. Millions of people who are not in the range of different Pacifica station signals can now hear these programs.

8. What can be done to preserve and share the treasures of the Pacifica Archives?

The national archive contains many historical treasures, as Pacifica has always been engaged in this country’s social justice movements.

9. Do you have any ideas for new approaches to fundraising for Pacifica?

Here again better use of the online archives with a fund appeal and a link to a donate site that is at the bottom of EVERY file would generate a significant increase in donations. Entire organizations now sustain themselves with on-line donations. Greater awareness about donating to the station could be raised if during each program,  the programmers were encouraged to make at least one announcement that this station relies totally on its listeners for support, please be generous, followed by how to make on-line donations and/or where to send mail donations. Fundraising should not be done ONLY during a fund drive.

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

Endless. Increasingly people download the programs that they want to listen to. They have tens of thousands of programs to choose from. But choices are also based on what is easily accessible and clearly listed. Much more attention must be paid to the five stations’ web sites and postings that search engines pick up. Program archives should include short 2- to 3-sentence descriptions of each program, listing who is interviewed, the topic and the event. Currently, for many programs you have to go searching based solely on knowing the broadcast time of a program that you heard or that someone else described. More information would lead to far more downloads.

11. What technologies should the Pacifica Foundation consider for the future?

This is not my area of expertise, but I am willing to support the investigation and adoption of new technologies when feasible.

12. What can be done to improve our signal strength?

Our listeners need to be aware that WBAI pays more than 5 times as much as other Pacifica stations for its signal. This is not a solvable problem because this is a city of tall buildings. Because of this obvious imbalance in what WBAI pays for station rent and for signal payments compared to all other stations Pacifica has contributed $300,000 toward WBAI’s operating budget for several years.

13. Should the station consider relocating the studio to other facilities?  Where and Why? 

The Justice and Unity Campaign is committed to working with the soon-to-be hired permanent station manager, to begin to build a capital campaign in order to be in a position to buy a building or a floor of a building for the station. The station could and should move from the Wall Street area of Manhattan but because WBAI is a radio station with many staff, volunteers and guests needing access at many different hours, the office needs to be in a place that is accessible 24 hours a day by mass transit from all the boroughs and NJ and Long Island. There are such areas that are easily accessible in Brooklyn and Queens.

14. How can our station better serve under-represented communities?

The more coverage there is of the issues that concern the most oppressed and under represented communities, the more these communities will tune in to WBAI and support it. This is how WBAI has survived for decades in the city that is the center of finance capital and corporate power globally. We already have far more and often the only programming for many communities and issues, but our strongest point can always be further improved.

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

The example of the new half-hour Spanish language news program – created due to an initiative from the Justice and Unity Campaign -- is a good model for other programming. We should also be aware that the newest immigrant populations in the NY area are those who are forced to rise far earlier and work late shifts. Special early morning programs such as 5 to 6:30 am could bring a whole new audience of listeners to WBAI.

16. What do you see as our station’s strong and weak points?

WBAI provides news, analysis and mobilizing information leading up to events and coverage for literally hundreds of local grassroots efforts. There is no other radio resource like this in the entire NY/NJ area. Almost all coverage in the corporate media is geared toward sensationalism, division and marginalizing or completely ignoring efforts of community empowerment. In times of political crisis, war, racist assaults or political attacks – all of which are the constant reality in this society – WBAI has again and again been the only alternative source of information.
WBAI’s greatest strength is also the source of our weakness. Most poor and working people don’t have the time and have been denied the educational background and skills that a corporate media station would have. Because we are listener supported, we have a far more limited budget than the deep pockets of Exxon, Mobil, Halliburton, GE, and Disney. But scarcity, shortages, staff cuts and equipment breakdowns can lead to frayed nerves and increased pressure. We also face strong political pressure to take this station in another direction entirely. It would be financially easier but what a loss this would be for all the many struggles for change.

17. Have you ever been party to, or provided support for, a lawsuit involving Pacifica or its employees?  When and Why? 

No.

18. How do you think the election process for Local Station Board can be improved?

I support the proposal, which Justice & Unity board members worked very hard on, to amend the bylaws so as to hold LSB elections every 4 years. The elections are important for local community involvement but enormously expensive and time consuming. It is not much different in time commitment to serve a 3-year or a 4-year term.  Unfortunately, this proposal was defeated, and here at WBAI, not a single member of the opposition bloc supported it.

19. What are your hobbies, interests, and other organizational affiliations?

I am a dedicated socialist for decades. For me it provides a sane perspective in a society of enormous inequality, racism and oppression. I believe that people’s movements are the only force capable of making fundamental change. I am currently the co-director of the International Action Center. I have been active in many defense committees, including Mumia Abu Jamal, Leonard Peltier and many other political prisoners. I’ve been active in many community struggles in New York and New Jersey. I’ve had an opportunity to participate in and help organize international solidarity delegations to countries targeted by the Pentagon such as Cuba, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon and Colombia. I’m a co-author and editor of 8 books on political struggles and I’ve enjoyed collaborating on several videos and films.

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

What is your commitment to building diversity at WBAI based on race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation and disability?