WAVM

WAVM
City Maynard, Massachusetts
Frequency 91.7 MHz
Format Other
ERP 500 watts
HAAT 23.5 meters
Class A
Facility ID 40791
Transmitter coordinates 42°25′18.00″N 71°27′2.00″W / 42.4216667°N 71.4505556°W / 42.4216667; -71.4505556
Owner Maynard
Website wavm.org
A WAVM mural at Maynard H.S. in 1994. Station founder Joseph Magno appears as the Superman caricature.

WAVM (91.7 FM) is a high school radio station broadcasting from Maynard High School in Maynard, Massachusetts. Station programming provides the local area with news and church service broadcasts among other types of programming. Founded in 1973, WAVM has aided the careers of several of the school's successful alumni.

FCC Controversy

The station's studio in 1994. The 10-watt transmitter is the gray box on the counter.

For several years WAVM petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to increase the power of its signal from 10 watts to 500 watts.[1] Per FCC regulations, and a tentative decision, the station's frequency had become available for bidding from other broadcasting companies, one of those companies being Living Proof Inc., a Christian broadcasting network headquartered in California that distributes programming to its affiliates via satellite, with minimal local programming.

Another interested party was University of Massachusetts Boston, operator of the WUMB network of radio stations. WAVM entered into an agreement with WUMB to jointly own the frequency and their partnership had appealed the FCC's decision.

Congressional Representative Marty Meehan and Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy have all contributed their support to WAVM in the form of letters to the FCC, and the station's plight had attracted national attention.[2]

The station was sent deeper into turmoil when station founder and faculty administrator Joseph Magno was arrested and charged with sexual assault in January 2006.[3] Magno died in January 2007 of an apparent heart attack, just before his trial could begin.[4]

Eventually, The FCC reached a decision involving all parties, having asked them to come to an agreement. WAVM has increased power from 10 to 500 watts[5] and maintains its partnership with WUMB under a share-time agreement.[6] WUMB's license for 91.7 was assigned the call sign WUMG.[7] Both stations will use the same transmitter facilities located behind Maynard High School, however each will have their own license.[8][9] Living Proof Inc. of California assigned their permit for 91.7 to Horizon Christian Fellowship on June 30, 2010.[10] Their competing application, while still on 91.7, employs a very directional transmitting antenna to protect the signal from WAVM & WUMG's.[11] The competing station, WTYN, signed on January 2012[12]

Telethon

Every year WAVM hosts a telethon which donates money to those in need in the areas getting the Beacon newspaper. Taking place over one weekend in December, this is a 40-hour event, meaning that there are students working every hour of the night and day. There are normally six- seven telethon hosts, who stay up for the full forty hours.

This telethon earns money for the poor and needy many ways. Each staff member must raise at least 100 dollars in donations and pledges in order to stay overnight. Every donation of 25 dollars or more goes up on the Donor Board. An auction takes place up until one hour before the end of the telethon, with hundreds of items being bid on.

Along with auctions, local bands and other talents perform. Popular acts that tend to reappear are a colonial marching band, Christmas Carol singing, and Mrs. Clause reading a story to children.

The Grand Finale takes place at noon on Sunday, where the hosts thank the sponsors, donors, and parent volunteers, and reveal the grand total, which they are always striving to get higher than the previous year. The Telethon raises anywhere between $28,000 and $40,000 depending on the economy for needy families of surrounding communities so that they can have a proper Christmas.

References

  1. ↑ https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101096185&formid=340&fac_num=40791
  2. ↑ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5181109
  3. ↑ "Maynard teacher pleads not guilty to sex charges". The Boston Globe. 2006-01-09.
  4. ↑ Beecher, Melissa (2007-01-28). "Regret joins relief over Magno". The Boston Globe.
  5. ↑ http://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProEngine.php?sCurrentService=FM&tabSearchType=Appl&sAppIDNumber=1391791
  6. ↑ https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101391791&qnum=5090&copynum=1&exhcnum=5
  7. ↑ http://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProEngine.php?sCurrentService=FM&tabSearchType=Appl&sAppIDNumber=1390614
  8. ↑ http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=wavm
  9. ↑ http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=wumg
  10. ↑ https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101376547&formid=314&fac_num=122297
  11. ↑ https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101376547&formid=314&fac_num=122297
  12. ↑ http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1482618
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