Press Clippings
PUBLIC RADIO WILL INCLUDE CAPE FLAIR
From the Cape Cod Times, April 7, 1999
By Paula Peters,Staff Writer
WOODS HOLE - The voices, sounds and history of the Cape and islands may
be what sets the new National Public Radio stations planned for Woods Hole
apart from other stations. Yesterday, organizers of the WCAI and WNAN
stations, scheduled to go on air by Jan. 1, 2000, began a dialog with
local community and business people to get input on programming for the
area's first locally based NPR station.
"We have a clean slate, a blank canvas, we can create it," said stations
founder Jay Allison at a luncheon at the Fishmonger in Woods Hole hosted
by WCAI, WNAN and WGBH, a partner in the effort to launch the station.
The unique alliance was formed two years ago when Allison approached WGBH
with his dream of bringing an NPR station to an underserved area.
Several repeater stations provide NPR programming to the Cape and islands.
But the new stations, NAN 91.1 to serve Nantucket, and CAI 90.1 serving
Martha's Vineyard and the Upper and most of the Mid-Cape and the south
coast of Massachusetts, would include local programming. The signal will
be strong and clear, "and you won't be hearing Boston traffic and weather,"
Allison said.
About 40 people attended the lunch and were introduced to the soundscapes
that will be an integral part of the stations' approach. The soundscapes
are voices of local people who paint an image of the Cape and islands with
stories and songs.
A Cape and islands oral history project, which was awarded a $20,000
planning grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities last summer
will also be a local feature.
Allison said they plan to take advantage of the marine and science
expertise in the area as well as produce some local programming which will
likely be carried nationally.
The station will also be carrying NPR's most popular news, talk and
commentary programs including Morning Edition, Fresh Air, Talk of the
Nation, All Things Considered, and Car Talk.
In order to transmit to both islands and the Cape WCAI will transmit from
a 6,500-watt tower located on Martha's Vineyard, and WNAN will transmit
to Nantucket from a 1,400-watt tower.
Nannette Drake Oldenbourg of West Falmouth is excited about the potential
for the station and said the community should not take the opportunity
for granted. "Cities like San Francisco would kill to have this, and who
has it? We do, right here in this idyllic community," Oldenbourg said.
Allison said the station is a production manager's dream come true. "We
do live in a place people feel is magical," he said. "We have a chance to
really have this be special, even on a national level."
A soundproof studio is ready for occupancy at 3 Water St. in Woods Hole,
where the administrative offices for the two stations are located.
Last year, Allison had hoped the stations would be on the air by this
spring. But the construction of the transmitters on each island has been
a stumbling block.
The station will operate on an annual budget of about $500,000 and will
be funded by a combination of underwriting, foundation support and listener
support.
Copyright © 1999 Cape Cod Times
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