Video: WHAV Panel Discusses ‘Power to the People—Then and Now’ Starting with WBCN in 1968

Award-winning filmmaker Bill Lichtenstein began working at the station as a volunteer on the WBCN Listener Line at age 14 in 1970, and later as a newscaster during the time of profound social, political and cultural change.


A panel of media luminaries recently appeared live over 97.9 WHAV and virtually online, to discuss the evolution of local radio—from the launch of WBCN Boston’s underground format in 1968 to the need for essential local news reporting today.

Award-winning filmmaker Bill Lichtenstein talked about his documentary, “WBCN and The American Revolution,” with radio historian Donna L. Halper and media writer Dan Kennedy during WHAV’s presentation of “Power to the People—Then and Now.” The discussion centered on how WBCN gave power to the people then and how the tradition is carried on today at WHAV with extensive local news and information reporting.

There is only one day remaining to stream the feature-length movie. Tickets sales support WHAV Local News. The documentary may be rented for $10 for three days. Click here to learn more.

The dramatic and compelling stories in “WBCN and The American Revolution” are interwoven with the original sights and sounds of the critical events of the late 1960s and early 1970s, thanks to more than 100,000 audio and visual items, many of which were donated to the project by members of the WBCN community and the station’s many listeners and fans.

The material includes never before exhibited film shot by Andy Warhol and cinema vérité pioneer Ricky Leacock, images from notable photographers including the late Peter Simon, brother of singer Carly Simon, and Jeff Albertson, as well as aircheck audio from memorable on-air, in-studio moments.

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