Subverting The Freedom Of Speech?

by Ben Silverman

The New York radio station WBAI has been committed to representing the radical left for over forty years. The station operates almost entirely on donations from its listeners, and often broadcasts opinions that would never be found anywhere in the mainstream media. It has been known to air four hour speeches by Fidel Castro, undercover agents have reported on the CIA importation of cocaine from Central America, and virtually every community activist in the New York Metropolitan area listened.

WBAI brings light on issues that the other stations never cover. It focuses on corporate abuses, police brutality, community activism and areas of international policy that others consider obscure. It takes on every topic with a unique perspective, always argued by passionate hosts, who relentlessly push forward their radical viewpoint. Many of its listeners wear Time magazine's quip that they have "a tie-dyed sense of justice as a badge of honor.

When President Clinton placed an Election Day call into "Democracy NOW!", a morning show, hosted by Amy Goodman, he was grilled for a half an hour on topics including Iraqi sanctions, possible pardons and the death penalty. Goodman is well known for her tough confrontational style. She survived a massacre in East Timor a decade ago, and her award winning program bills itself "the exception to the rulers." Her show, and the others like it make WBAI an extremely unique and vital station.

At a time when the mainstream media organizations are owned by the world's largest corporate entities -- Time Warner owns CNN, Disney owns ABC and Rupert Murdoch's Newscorp owns Fox -- the importance of WBAI as a source of an alternative message is more important than ever, particularly for young people.

But, recently, Pacifica, the national not for profit corporation that owns WBAI's license, has taken control of the station and is leading it away from its radical base. Many view the actions as an attack by corporate America on one of the last alternative media outlets in the country. A struggle led by those who wish to "defend free speech radio" is gaining momentum in New York and looks to become a national movement in the coming months.

At a time when the mainstream media organizations are owned by the world’s largest corporate entities–the importance of WBAI as a source of an alternative message is more important than ever, particularly for young people.