Tomorrow, Saturday February 8th from 1-2
pm New York time, Radio Free Eireann will be asking our listeners to
contribute to keep WBAI, and our show, on the air.
The WBAI General Manager, Berthold Reimers, has told the
staff that unless the current fund drive succeeds WBAI will probably be leased
to another broadcaster. On the other hand, he said that if the drive is
a success, talk of leasing will go away.
One of the leading candidates to lease the station has said
that he thinks the station should be 80% music and that out public affairs
programs are too narrow. That wouldn't leave any time for Radio Free
Eireann.
There is no guarantee that if Radio Free Eireann succeeds in
this fund drive WBAI won't be leased anyway. All we can do is ask you to give as generously as you can to give us the best possible chance to
survive.
If you can give $75 we would like to thank you with a copy
of Lights of the Didicoy, a new novel about Irish immigrants on the
Brooklyn docks in the early 20th Century. Peter Quinn has called it 'A
rich and rollicking of immigrant struggle and ethnic conflict.'
To get Lights of the Didicoy call 212 209 2950 and tell
the person who answers you want the "Irish book." You can also
contribute online at wbai.org.
This is a critical fund drive for WBAI and consequently for
Radio Free Eireann. If the drive does not succeed the station is likely
to be leased to an outside broadcaster, one of whom is committed to a
format that would have no room for Radio Free Eireann.
Please donate this Saturday as generously as you possibly
can to try to keep Radio Free Eireann broadcasting.
Radio Free Eireann's guests tomorrow will be Ed Moloney, the director of the Belfast Project
the oral history of the IRA and Ulster Volunteer Force and Eamon
Loinsigh, the author of Light of the Didicoy the new novel we are
offering as a thank you gift as we raise funds to keep WBAI and Radio Free
Eireann on the air.
Last week National Public Radio's On the Media ran a segment
on the Belfast Project including the accusation that Anthony McIntyre, the
Project's chief researcher, is a criminal because he served time in Long
Kesh for IRA activities. Ed Moloney will respond to this and other
accusations.
Eamon Longsigh is the author of *Light of the Didicoy*, a
new novel about Irish immigrants on the Brooklyn docks in the early years of
the 20th Century. T.J. English has called Light of the Didicoy 'historical fiction at its best.'
As always Radio Free Eireann is heard on WBAI, 99.5 FM and wbai.org on the web and we broadcast live from Rocky Sullivan's of Red Hook 34 Van Dyke Street in Brooklyn.
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