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Women of WBAI (WOWbai)
120 Wall Street, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10005

September 20, 2003

About the Proposal[ below ] for women's Equity at WBAI

Dear Members of The WBAI Community,

Attached is a proposal that has been developed over several months by WOWbai (Women of WBAI), and was presented to Don Rojas (General Manager) and Bernard White (Program Director) on July 3, 2003. Management has expressed general agreement with the goals put forth in this proposal and has agreed to an eighteen months deadline to achieve them. Our next meeting with Don and Bernard is set to develop a timetable with interim goals and end date.

WOWbai is a diverse group of women open to listeners, producers and staff that has been meeting biweekly since January of 2003. WOWbai invites all women of the station to attend its meetings, which are held at the station. For meeting dates Please call (732) 435-0434 or email mmsaba@patmedia.net.

The premise of this proposal is that women are seriously underrepresented--in relation to our numbers in the general population--in programming and other key areas at WBAI. An analysis of the current program schedule (September, 2003) shows that overall, 61% of airtime is hosted by men, 12% of airtime is hosted by women and 26% is hosted by male-female combinations (see appendix). The situation of gender inequity at the station has been allowed to persist over an extended period of time involving many different WBAI administrations. While some beginning steps have been taken under current management, we believe that much more is necessary if the situation is to be seriously addressed.

We see this proposal as one part of the effort to create more diverse programming at WBAI. We urge that as the station works to remedy the underepresentation of groups (such as women, Asians, Latinos/as, LGBT people, disabled people, youth, the elderly, immigrants), preference be given to women in these groups.

It is particularly appropriate that gender inequality be addressed at this moment in WBAI's history in light of the current 'opening up' of programming and participation that is going on at the station and the network. To do so is in line with all of the values professed by the progressive community around WBAI and Pacifica. We ask: IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

We recognize that running a radio station is complex and involves the balancing of many interests and that the goals put forth in this proposal will not be met instantly. However, we believe it is urgent that we work toward these goals in a specific and concrete way. We welcome your support and look forward to a process that includes the Program Director, the General Manager, Department Heads, technical staff, producers, listeners, the Program Council, paid and unpaid staff and their unions, all of the women of the station, and all interested parties to evolve a plan by which the goal of gender equity will be met.

We remain committed to WBAI retaining the highest quality of progressive radio programming, both in form and in content.

While it is true that efforts are being made to increase the participation of women at WBAI, our airwaves continue to be male dominated as does management at the station. To remedy these inequities we propose the following:

GOALS

1. Equality of Men and Women in Programming and Management

• The proportion of total programming hours hosted by women shall be consistent with the gender demographic of the WBAI listening area (e.g., 52%, if that is what it is in the WBAI listening area).*
• The proportion of drive time hours hosted by women shall be consistent with the gender demographic of the WBAI listening area.
• The proportion of weekend hours hosted by women shall be consistent with the gender demographic of the WBAI listening area.
• The overall proportion of women guests shall be consistent with the gender demographic of the WBAI listening area.
• The proportion of special hours anchored by women shall be consistent with the gender demographic of the WBAI listening area.
• The proportion of management jobs that involve decisions about programming (Public Affairs Director, Arts Director, News Director, Program Director, General Manager) filled by women shall be consistent with the gender demographic of the WBAI listening area.

2. More Emphasis on Women's Issues and Perspectives

• Included in the total number of programming hours by women, five hours/week of programs devoted to feminist/womanist/women's human rights issues and analysis, produced and hosted by women
• More attention by all programmers to how all issues affect women.

3. Respectful, non-sexist Treatment of Women at WBAI

• The creation of a sexual harassment policy and procedure, applicable to all staff and volunteers at the station.
• The creation of a policy and procedure for addressing on and off-air sexism

It should be noted that this proposal is not at all in conflict with the goal of developing more diverse programming. On the contrary, we urge that as the station works to remedy the under-representation of groups on WBAI (such as Asians, Latinos, LGBT people, disabled people, youth, elderly, immigrants) preference be given to women in these under-represented groups.

IMPLEMENTATION

• Adoption of these goals by the Program Council, the Station Manager, the Program Director and the heads of departments.
• Establishment of interim goals and a timetable for meeting these goals, to be worked out by management and Women of WBAI in collaboration
• Periodic meetings, at specified intervals, with station management to evaluate progress toward both interim and long-term goals. We suggest an intensive meeting schedule until we have an agreed upon plan, with a timetable. After that we would meet less frequently, according to a schedule to be established
• Articulation by station management of what they will do to meet these goals. This should include:
1. Commitment by management to developing additional women programmers
2. Inviting proposals from women (by web site, cart, folio, Report to the Listener)
3. Commitment to provide training to women who have submitted promising proposal.
4. Providing sensitivity training on sexual harassment and sexism to the staff.

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* For the purpose of monitoring women's participation on-air, women who are "co-hosting" with men but whose participation is minimal cannot be counted as on-air co- hosts. To be counted their on air participation must be at least 40% of the total host participation. In addition, the actual power division within a show should be considered in determining whether a woman is a genuine co-host.

Submitted by Women of WBAI

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APPENDIX

 

STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AIR TIME AND GENDER AT WBAI

 

Method

All programs were categorized as hosted by males only, females only, male/female duos (those programs where female co-host's on air participation was minimal were not included in this category), and groups of more than two that included both male and female hosts. Programs were grouped according to the following time periods: morning drive time (6-10 a.m.); day time (10 a.m.-3 p.m.); afternoon drive time (3-6 p.m.); evening (6 p.m.-midnight); overnight (midnight-6 a.m.); Saturday (6 a.m. -6 a.m.); Sunday (6 a.m.-6 a.m.).

Data from the study done by Susan Lee and Janet Coleman of programming on September 2002 was compared with data from an analysis of programming in July 2003, as presented in the folio.

Findings

Current Programming

• At present, overall, 61% of air time belongs to male hosts, 11% to female hosts, 17% to male/female duos, 9% to male/female mixes of more than two participants (including news), and 2% is tba Women's participation is least during afternoon drive time, overnight, and on weekends
• The strongest female participation is during morning drive time hours. During this period, 0% of air time belongs to male hosts, 20% to female hosts and 80% to male/female duos.*
• During afternoon drive time, 90% of airtime belongs to male hosts, 2 % to female hosts, and 7% to male/female duos.
• In the evening, 47% of air time belongs to male hosts, 13% to female hosts, 3% to male/female duos, and 37% to male/female mixes of more than two hosts
• Overnight, 90% of airtime belongs to male hosts, 5% to female hosts, and 5% to male/female duos.
• Sunday, 69% of airtime belongs to male hosts, 13% to female hosts, 19% to male/female duos, and 2% to male/female mixes of more than two hosts.
• Saturday, 81% of airtime belongs to male hosts, and 10 % to female hosts

 

 

COMPARISON WITH LEE/COLEMAN STUDY

Comparing figures based on the current program schedule with those based on the September, 2002 program schedule, we see:

• Overall, a small decrease in both male and female host hours and an increase in male/female duos and male/female mixes of more than two hosts
• Overall, there is a slight increase in women's on-air participation
• There is an increase in women's participation during morning drive time, due to Wake Up Call having a female co-host.
• Men continue to predominate at approximately the same level as previously during afternoon drive time, evenings, overnight and weekends.

 

* In determining the distribution of hours for morning drive time, Wake Up Call was counted as a co-hosted program. However, because the on air participation of the female co-host is quite limited compared to that of the male host, these figures overestimate women's on-air participation during morning drive time as well as their overall on-air participation. Strictly speaking, Wake Up Call should not be considered co-hosted because it doesn't meet the criterion of a minimum of 40% on air participation. We expect this imbalance to be addressed as part of meeting the objectives put forth in this proposal.