The Blog

This is so wacky in so many dimensions. Vocalo being protected from the old whities, the old whities being protected from it, the raising of money on false pretenses, and, oh yeah, the betrayal of the idea that public radio (whichever side of its split personality you care to identify with) belongs to the public.

Just like Torey Malatiea, I too am having a midlife crisis -- would it be possible for Chicago Public Radio listeners to fund *my* midlife crisis as well as his. -- MrJM

I believe it's even worse than this. They've had layoffs at WBEZ due to funding shortfalls, haven't they? Also, why is it a foregone conclusion that WBEZ's stereotypical listener wouldn't want to kick in a little money earmarked for Vocalo or something like it? These folks like to think of themselves as broad-minded and open to all sorts of alternative culture. They may not listen to Vocalo, but they might fund it if given an open, honest chance to do so.

Off topic -- you may have already seen this, but a recent New Yorker piece on the real estate bust in Florida has some interesting quotes from Ben Eason of Creative Loafing. I've lost track of the status of CL and the Reader.

Harold, Good point - I've long been fascinated (obviously) with the weird firewalls WBEZ has set up with :Vocalo. It's a touchy subject, but I think Vocalo made a big mistake by setting up something intentionally amateurish and then claiming that it was intended for people who aren't white and/or affluent. I think it's more the result of trying to do too many things that sound good in theory at once, but it comes off as really condescending.

Ok, aside from the keeping-the-project-from-donors issue, and the condescension to both Vocalo's intended audiences and actual audiences... doesn't it seem like they could have achieved a lot more for a lot less money? There are many many fine models that work for public radio: community stations like KKUP, college-based stations like the one at Milwaukee School of Engineering, public radio stations that don't rely on NPR or PRI programming. Wouldn't a simpler route have been to have folks audition for one-to-two-hour weekly spots? Heck, they could have scouted. Folks from the Reader or New City or the Defender could host shows. They could have figured out what college radio shows they liked had graduating talent and offered them shows. They could have offered slots to area high schools. Folks would tune in. Wider segments of the community would be represented, yet they would be broadcasting, not narrowcasting. Donors would be proud of this. And it wouldn't sound so amateurish. Instead of tons of money thrown out to attract well-meaning amateurs to vocalo.org and hoping to cull stuff to put on-air, they could have put out smaller amounts of money to community-minded, community-based folks _who love radio._ Why re-invent the wheel when there are so many good wheels to use out there?

They *did* scout, is the thing, and they intentionally avoided people with radio experience. The compelling thing about :Vocalo is that it sprang fully formed from Malatia's theory of the station. They re-invented the wheel because that was the central intention. It's not often you see something go live exactly the way it looks on paper, but that's what they did.

The concept might be compelling, but the execution is pretty awful and the cost overrun is criminal. Especially since the money keeping it afloat is being taken from unknowing WBEZ donors. Reminds me of the dotcoms that bled their brick and mortar sponsors dry. If they really wanted to be radical, they could have done it on a shoestring budget. Pilfering other organizations' budgets is not radical or cool.

I am a supporter of public radio and wonder where the board members who are upset have been paying attention. For the past year, every time I look at the webseite or pick up their newsletter, vocalo is discussed. For a collection of liberals, the public radio listener culture is inherently conservative, hating change, new approaches, new programming. Vocalo seems to be an experiment that may not be working, but it's disingenuous for funders to say it has been kept in a closet somewhere.

Christian, I'd like to see some specific screen captures or newsletters that you've received. Because I've been following this closely for months and have intentionally looked for mentions of Vocalo on WBEZ, on the site and in the newsletters. I did do screen captures of website history on WBEZ AND Vocalo, saved my newsletters, saved the donor letters I received from the station, etc. There was no effort to notify WBEZ listeners of Vocalo and it was intentional on the part of CPR management to keep the project from WBEZ listeners, to keep the connection to WBEZ away from Vocalo listeners, and to bury the funding issues and their effects. But if you have some evidence to the contrary that you can show us, by all means, post it or send it to Miner. I'll compare it to what I have.

Admitttedly impressionistic...I don't save or track the newsletters. But as a fairly casual follower, I was aware of this project, so I am surprised that some feel "blindsided."

You either heard about it as a result of Mike Miner's first column "outing" Vocalo last July 2008 or you read Current (the online mag for Public Media). Or you work for WBEZ, Vocalo or know someone who does. Otherwise, there has been no public mention of Vocalo by WBEZ and Malatia that I have been able to find in any records, anywhere. So, as I said, when you can produce one, I'll be happy to look at it.

Fire malatia! He's been the worst thing for that station.

Malatia's work reflects the will of the governing board, and the board reflects his intent. In the last 15 years they have, working together, destroyed WBEZ as a public radio station and turned it into a utility for a narrow demographic. Now, apparently, they have grown frightened of their own reflections. Yet as long as the current board is in place, just firing Malatia will be inadequate. Sad to say, but if there is no way to make the board accountable to the stakeholders for public media, it may be time to walk away from WBEZ as a medium for public service. People interested in non-commerical public media will have to devise a new model for providing these services.

Right on alinksky! You are exactly right. But it goes top to bottom - its amateur hour there, which is why it sounds like amateur hour. I dealt with WBEZ recently. The Editor Sally Isele - no ideas! a little functionary. NO vision, no creativity. The woman running 848 - Aurora Agilar - my god! no deep thought there at all. There is no way you're going to get good stuff on the air there. alinsky you are so right. I don't know about about the board, but I can tell you that with the people running that shop, Malatia and the only people he feels smart enough to work with - fuggedaboutit.

whet: "The compelling thing about :Vocalo is that it sprang fully formed from Malatia's theory of the station. They re-invented the wheel because that was the central intention. It's not often you see something go live exactly the way it looks on paper, but that's what they did." This isn't true. Vocalo arose from group planning involving months of public meetings and online discussion and debate. Malatia provided the mission outline. Despite being "the secret radio project" the emphasis was on transparency. Planners said there was a strict policy against using WBEZ resources and that they'd raise money through the site and had independent funds for the start up. The financial viability of the project relied heavily on boosting the signal of a pre-existing Indiana tower. It was an alleged done deal, but in reality they didn't have the permit. When it was denied, Malatia built a new tower costing almost twice Vocalo's entire budget. Vocalo's low profile isn't about branding. Instead of changing the plan to fit the budget, they did something they knew would eat up WBEZ funds and hid it until it was too late to back out. BEZ donors are paying for mismanagement and hubris more than Vocalo itself. Brand purity is an excuse for letting Vocalo avoid seeking pledges online as it promised. There's an the online store, but it's not actively promoted. This is inexcusable, Malatia's vision is a money losing project on WBEZ supporter's dime. Despite the new Vocalo's signal remains weak, in part because the frequency is located among a mass of competing signals. A massive expense went to a station most donors can't even hear.

>>Vocalo arose from group planning >>involving months of public >>meetings and online discussion >>and debate. Malatia provided the >>mission outline. Malatia pretends to involve people. In the end it's his way or the highway. Too bad his way has really sucked for the many years he has been there. >>Despite being "the secret radio >>project" the emphasis was on >>transparency. He will lie, say anything, whatever. If he tells you its transparent, don't believe him. So many people who know how that place operates think this. >>Planners said there was a strict >>policy against using WBEZ >>resources and that they'd raise >>money through the site and had >>independent funds for the start >>up. It's a house of cards. They're still lying about many things to the public. The only way Malatia knows is deceit. >>The financial viability of the >>project relied heavily on >>boosting the signal of a >>pre-existing Indiana tower. Sorry, first you need a good product. They should be fired for perpetrating this. The current management has proven time and time again they are not capable of creating anything of great value. What you hear on WBEZ that you might like, for ex. Ira Glass - has naught to do with Malatia, or the people at WBEZ. >>It was an alleged done deal, but >>in reality they didn't have the >>permit. More lies from them. They don't know what they're doing, see? >>When it was denied, Malatia >>built a new tower costing almost >>twice Vocalo's entire budget. If the station had only put all the money into improving WBEZ! That's what we really want! Boneheaded they are. Who lets this go on? Who are they accountable to? This has to stop! >>Vocalo's low profile isn't about >>branding. Instead of changing >>the plan to fit the budget, they >>did something they knew would >>eat up WBEZ funds and hid it >>until it was too late to back >>out. Sad but true. And bad leadership. >>BEZ donors are paying for >>mismanagement and hubris more >>than Vocalo itself. Brand purity >>is an excuse for letting Vocalo >>avoid seeking pledges online as >>it promised. Plus, really, how much could they raise? First of all, no one listens! >>There's an the online store, but >>it's not actively promoted. Boy, that's visionary! >>This is inexcusable, Malatia's >>vision is a money losing project >>on WBEZ supporter's dime. Inexcusable, like so much of what has caused WBEZ to go down and down and down the whole time he's been there. Fire him. Get someone who can run a radio station. Who is a good manager. Who operates in the real world. In so many ways, Malatia does not. Mr. Steve Edwards, who used to be on the air and always seemed smart is still there in management. Give him Malatia's job! >>Despite the new Vocalo's signal >>remains weak, in part because >>the frequency is located among a >>mass of competing signals. A >>massive expense went to a >>station most donors can't even >>hear. The real problem is that what they're broadcasting, nobody wants to hear. They pay people who can't produce radio. They pay for a transmitter, they pay to broadcast it, and all that money could have gone into WBEZ to make it interesting again. WBEZ and Vocalo are two huge debacles.