VTMBH Article: Body
For the first time in seven years, WBAI 99.5 FM, the New York affiliate of the Pacifica network, will begin airing radio shows dedicated to Haiti and its diaspora.
At the end of June, three pilot programs spanning four hours will examine issues ranging from union-busting and free trade zones in Haiti to police brutality in New York, with healthy doses of Haitian music, such as konpa, rasin, and mizik angaje .
Bernard White, WBAI's programming director, gave the pilot programs to a collective of Haitian grass-roots groups and media activists, with an eye to establishing a regular weekly program on Haiti.
"Haiti hasn't been in the news lately, and most people have lost track of what is happening there," explained Christian Lemoine of Rezo Solidarite, one of the groups in the radio collective. "We hope to update people and bring a new perspective on developments in Haiti, and to draw parallels with what is happening in other countries, so that progressives and the activist community can draw lessons from that history."
WBAI already hosts several regional programs such as "Our Americas," "Afrikaleidoscope," "Asia Pacific Forum," and the "Middle East Report." Presently, there are only two programs dedicated to news and analysis of specific countries: "Cuba in Focus" and "Radio Free Eireann," which examines Ireland.
But "thousands of Haitians in the New York metropolitan area listen to WBAI because they are politically sophisticated and don?t care for the cookie-cutter news and disinformation dispersed by the mainstream corporate media outlets," explained Ray Laforest of the Haiti Support Network, another collective member. "Haitian listeners also played a role in fighting the coup that took over WBAI most of last year, just as we fought the coup in our own country."
In Dec. 2000 and following months, much of the progressive staff of WBAI was fired after the Pacifica National Board moved to depoliticize the five-station network?s programming and explored selling off stations. Listeners revolted, forcing the resignation of many Board members, and the establishment of a new Interim board in Dec. 2001 entrusted with drafting new by-laws and returning the network to its original mission of "radio with a vision of peace, justice, and equity for all," according to WBAI?s website.
The pilot Haitian programs are, in some way, the fruit of WBAI?s restoration. They will air from 10 to 11 a.m. on Mon., Jun. 24 and Tue., Jun. 25, and from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sat., Jun. 29.
Other organizations involved in the Haitian radio collective include the Charlot Jacquelin Committee, MOKAM, and Haïti Progrès.
The collective is bursting with creative ideas about future programming that would complement the mainstays of news, analysis, debate, and announcements. While there are several Haitian radio programs and stations broadcasting in Creole, this will be the only one in English, which the collective sees as an asset. "As an English speaking station, WBAI can be our link to talk to other communities," Laforest said.
At the end of June, three pilot programs spanning four hours will examine issues ranging from union-busting and free trade zones in Haiti to police brutality in New York, with healthy doses of Haitian music, such as konpa, rasin, and mizik angaje .
Bernard White, WBAI's programming director, gave the pilot programs to a collective of Haitian grass-roots groups and media activists, with an eye to establishing a regular weekly program on Haiti.
"Haiti hasn't been in the news lately, and most people have lost track of what is happening there," explained Christian Lemoine of Rezo Solidarite, one of the groups in the radio collective. "We hope to update people and bring a new perspective on developments in Haiti, and to draw parallels with what is happening in other countries, so that progressives and the activist community can draw lessons from that history."
WBAI already hosts several regional programs such as "Our Americas," "Afrikaleidoscope," "Asia Pacific Forum," and the "Middle East Report." Presently, there are only two programs dedicated to news and analysis of specific countries: "Cuba in Focus" and "Radio Free Eireann," which examines Ireland.
But "thousands of Haitians in the New York metropolitan area listen to WBAI because they are politically sophisticated and don?t care for the cookie-cutter news and disinformation dispersed by the mainstream corporate media outlets," explained Ray Laforest of the Haiti Support Network, another collective member. "Haitian listeners also played a role in fighting the coup that took over WBAI most of last year, just as we fought the coup in our own country."
In Dec. 2000 and following months, much of the progressive staff of WBAI was fired after the Pacifica National Board moved to depoliticize the five-station network?s programming and explored selling off stations. Listeners revolted, forcing the resignation of many Board members, and the establishment of a new Interim board in Dec. 2001 entrusted with drafting new by-laws and returning the network to its original mission of "radio with a vision of peace, justice, and equity for all," according to WBAI?s website.
The pilot Haitian programs are, in some way, the fruit of WBAI?s restoration. They will air from 10 to 11 a.m. on Mon., Jun. 24 and Tue., Jun. 25, and from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sat., Jun. 29.
Other organizations involved in the Haitian radio collective include the Charlot Jacquelin Committee, MOKAM, and Haïti Progrès.
The collective is bursting with creative ideas about future programming that would complement the mainstays of news, analysis, debate, and announcements. While there are several Haitian radio programs and stations broadcasting in Creole, this will be the only one in English, which the collective sees as an asset. "As an English speaking station, WBAI can be our link to talk to other communities," Laforest said.