"WBAI CONTINUED: WBAI(99.5FM) is preempting Amy Goodman's popular daily "Democracy Now" for the course of its current fund-raiser, station spokesman Diabel Faye said on the air Friday, because "it's unfair to Amy to expect her to raise money" when she has aligned herself with some critics who advocate a fund-raising boycott.

Dissidents, who fear this is a step toward killing the show, havebeen calling pledge lines asking for her return.

Faye said Friday this will not work: "If you think you can call and force her back on the air, think again... She will be preempted until she is ready to do what everybody does - raise money."

Goodman participated in a WBAI fund drive earlier this year and said she would join this one. She is still doing "Democracy Now" daily and raising funds for sister stations.

Faye said "Democracy Now" will return to WBAI when the fund driveends and added, "This is nothing personal."

Goodman yesterday joined several former morning team members,including Bernard White, to launch a daily "WBAI in exile" Webcast, 6-10 a.m. and 6-8 p.m., over http://www.wbix.org/."