More than Half the World

More than Half the World was a recurring WBAI Women’s Department program that aired Tuesdays at 4pm. Primarily hosted by Judith Pasternak, it combined interviews, music, listener call-ins, and literary readings to explore women’s lives, work, and culture. The program addressed themes of women’s rights, economic independence, and shifting social roles, while amplifying women’s voices in music, literature, and public discourse.

Episodes often centered on lived experience, such as Women Alone Speak Out, which examined the complexities of women living independently through personal reflection and listener contributions. The program also featured conversations with writers and activists alongside discussions of health, aging, and structural inequality. Pasternak also curated music by women artists and highlighted cultural initiatives such as feminist publications and women-led performance groups.

Other hosts of the show include Jeannie G. Pool and Vinie Burrows. 

Judith (Judie) Pasternak is a radio station host who helped organize a department of women’s programming in 1977 alongside lesbian and feminist programming for almost 10 years. Programming included talk shows, interviews, documentaries, and radio drama. Her curated music selections are a time capsule of 1970s feminist music and songwriting. Pasternick was also a host of Velvet Sledgehammer alongside Donna Allegra.