INFORMATION CENTER: WBAI | Empire State Realty Trust
- WBAI 06/30/2017

Please check back regularly for information and documents.

10/4 - Court Protects ESRT’s Lease Terms for Pacifica’s Non-Profit WBAI Radio in NYC – Denies “Unconscionability” Motion

9/19 - Petition to ESRT from 9/11 victim's mother - join her in signing it.

7/22- NY1 TV news covers WBAI + ESRT rent dispute

7/18 - Letter from NYS Senator Jose Serrano to ESRT

7/14- Videos from 7/13 Press Conference:

Norman Siegel- former Director NY Civil Liberties  

Ralph Engelman Chair Journalism Department at the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University

WBAI producer Ama Karikari Yawson 

7/13 - Press Conference- City Hall 1-1:45pm, All Welcome to support WBAI. 

7/13 - Letter from Congressperson Nydia M. Velazquez to ESRT

7/11- Article about WBAI vs ESRT in RADIO WORLD

7/11- 7/13/17 Press Conference Press Release

7/1 - Pacifica Executive Director releases court affidavits filed (below) and statement:

"For those of you who read the details, you'll notice that ESRT is trying to use our financial recovery plan against us. They point out, as they have when we met with them in person in May, that we have assets (including WBAI's license) that could be used to pay what we owe them. They are essentially saying that we should sacrifice the WBAI license to feed their greed.  This is something we need to stress to everyone. We will not do that!"-

6/30 - WBAI producer Randy Credico and Station Manager Berthold Reimers visited Albany to gather the support of New York State Senators in the existential fight against the Empire State Realty Trust. 

They met with Senator Liz Krueger, Senator James Sanders, Rodneyse Bichotte, members of the Black Caucus, and members of the Latino Caucus.

WBAI/Pacifica is urging you to call and write to your local officials to demand that the Empire State Reality Trust (ESRT) negotiate and release WBAI from an archaic contract for the use of the antenna at the Empire State Building made when it was the singular broadcast antenna left after 9/11. See Press Release below.

We were happy to see the support of top NYC elected officials in a letter sent to the ESRT that included Mayor De Blasio and 11 other top names in city government, also posted below.

We still need as many NY people as possible to contact their elected officials in the next few days, briefly tell them of our problem with ESRT, ask for their support, ask them to sign onto the resolution, and come to the press conference (time and location still TBD). You can use the resolution letter that is attached below.

6/30 - Pacifica Executive Director press release

6/29 - Endorsement Letter by NYC Officials

6/29 - NYS Comptroller DiNapoli Letter to ESRT

________________________________________________________________________

DOCUMENTS + HELPFUL LINKS

Resolution Document for Officials

Pacifica Affidavit to Oppose Motion

ESRT Affidavit in Reply

To find your city council representative:  you can enter your address and borough in the search box HERE.

Use these search pages to find your state senator and assembly representative.

TWEET your thoughts to ESRT: @ERSTsocial and @EmpireStateBldg

Use - #EmpireStrikesWBAI

headline photo