Santa Claus is Jack Bevelaqua’s guest on the Open Mike Show. 

Tell the Kiddies to Call Santa Claus Monday During the Open Mike Show
Santa Will Be Seen As Well as Heard on WHAV.TV

Children will be able to speak to Santa Claus Monday night when the jolly fellow joins Jack Bevelaqua on the Open Mike Show.

Santa will be heard as well as seen during the broadcast which begins at 6:30 p.m. Viewers may watch at www.WHAV.TV or Haverhill Community Television Channel 22 in Haverhill. Listeners may also hear the great man at www.WHAV.net, www.WHAV.mobi, other area public access television channels or on AM 1640 in select areas. (See related story below.)

Other Christmas programs air each night this week beginning at 10 p.m. These include Suspense’s “’Twas the Night Before Christmas, Monday; Grand Central Station’s “Miracle for Christmas,” Tuesday; Great Gilderseleeve’s “Why the Chimes Rang,” Wednesday; Our Miss Brooks’ “Magic Christmas Tree” and Lionel Barrymore as Scrooge on “A Christmas Carol,” Thursday; and the Lux Radio Theater version of “It’s A Wonderful Life” with Jimmy Stewart, Friday.

Mayor James J. Fiorentini and Pat Johmson unveil the plaque in
Edwin V. Johnson’s honor. 

Edwin V. Johnson Newsroom Debuts
Studio Honors Late WHAV News Director & HHS Teacher

The “Edwin V. Johnson Newsroom” at WHAV was formally dedicated Wed., Nov. 18 with the unveiling of a plaque by Mr. Johnson’s widow, Pat, and Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini.

Personal tributes to Mr. Johnson were presented by Fiorentini, Johnson’s former colleagues at both WHAV and Haverhill High School and former students. Fiorentini said he was a shy freshman in Johnson’s high school public speaking class in the old high school that has since become Haverhill City Hall.

“He told me to breathe from the stomach and he had that wonderful tenorous voice where he spoke so deeply and I admired him so — the way that he would speak — and I wanted to speak like Ed Johnson. I got up at the microphone in the very spot where I now give inaugural addresses in the city hall auditorium and gave my first speech. I thought the floor would open up and the sky would fall and everyone would start laughing and laughing at me…he told me I could do it and I did do it.”

Phil Christie, who worked alongside Johnson at WHAV and is still heard on the station today, talked of Johnson’s approach to journalism. “Looking back when radio news was a gold commodity in radio broadcasting, Ed certainly was the epitome of unbiased, factual news. He was, and is, certainly in the pantheon of people on television like Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, Walter Cronkite — people who have stature in the business because of their own personal beliefs and their own dedication to the integrity of news reporting. Ed was certainly there.”

Recorded tributes by Tom Bergeron and late Open Mike Show host Bill Pike were also heard.

“Ed brought the same integrity to the classroom that he brought to the news station. His students loved him because he truly loved them,” said Elinor Curtin Cameron, who succeeded Ed as chairman of the English Department at Haverhill High School. Another instructor, Thomas Madson, also shared his memories. “What stands out to me, first of all, was the voice. You could hear that voice down the hallway in a classroom and you knew automatically who it was, the voice. The second thing about Ed was the calming presence,” Madson said.

Former students Larry Seaman, Mary O’Neil, David Spaulding and Krystine Hetel also credited Johnson with helping them prepare for life.

“Johnson was WHAV’s longest serving employee, beginning only a few years after the Haverhill Gazette placed the radio station on the air. Over a 34-year career — and three station owners — he demonstrated a commitment to objectivity, accuracy and truth in reporting,” said WHAV President and General Manager Tim Coco who received his start at WHAV in 1978 with the encouragement of Mr. Johnson.

“Mr. Johnson nearly simultaneously inspired several generations of students as instructor of English and public speaking at Haverhill High School from 1953 to 1989. He is credited with launching the careers of a number of students, including Tom Bergeron,” Coco said.

Johnson went to work for WHAV in June, 1951, immediately after graduating from Emerson College. He and his future wife, Pat Sprague, met at WHAV and together they hosted the Friday Night Shoppers. Their marriage was recorded on transcription disc and presented over WHAV in installments.  Soon after, they hosted a program called the Newlyweds.

“I’m thrilled. It is just wonderful to remember Ed this way and he’s thrilled too,” said Mrs. Johnson.

Superintendent Buchanan’s Inaction Paves Way for Derry, N.H. Radio Station
Action May Prevent Formation of WHAV FM Station

The failure of the Haverhill School Department to keep a commitment made to Mayor James J. Fiorentini and School Committeeman Joseph J. Bevilacqua two years ago means Haverhill will not have a local FM radio station.

Horizon Christian Fellowship of Fitchburg, received word in October that it will be awarded the last available FM radio frequency in the Greater Haverhill area. A map provided by the group indicates the proposed station’s signal will not reach Haverhill, but its presence likely precludes construction of another station to serve Haverhill. The Haverhill School Department filed an application for the vacant 90.5 frequency on March 3, 2000, but its application was dismissed Oct. 25, 2007 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for failure to complete the process.

“I wish I knew if the city’s failure was a really stupid mistake or abject arrogance, but I feel misled and believe the citizens of Haverhill will suffer. Appropriate disciplinary action must be taken against those in the school department who either lied or failed to serve the public interest,” said WHAV President and General Manager Tim Coco. Coco said he attended the Oct. 17, 2007 meeting with Fiorentini, Bevilacqua and School Superintendent Raleigh Buchanan.

“I urged them in no uncertain terms to let WHAV know if the city did not intend to follow through. WHAV was ready with an application for the FM station. Buchanan gave his word the school department planned to proceed and would not miss the deadline.” Coco said he met with then-Assistant City Solicitor Carolyn Morton prior to the application being filed in 2000. “I agreed not to file a competing application if the city truly could afford to own — and intended to responsibly operate — an FM radio station.”

Groveland Bans WHAV’s Open Mike
Station Calls Effect on Free Speech ‘Chilling’

Groveland officials notified WHAV Dec. 7 the station’s programming will not be allowed to air on the town’s cable television stations unless the popular Open Mike Show is pulled from the schedule.

Tracy Gilford, a member of the town’s Cable TV Advisory Board, informed WHAV Monday the town had been manually pre-empting the Open Mike Show for several weeks because Groveland officials did not like criticism of the town’s government by program host Jack Bevelaqua, according to station officials. When the town inadvertently failed last week to block the show, Gilford reported, town leaders ordered WHAV’s audio off its cable system altogether. The Open Mike Show airs live from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Mondays, with a repeat at the same time Thursdays.

“It is unfortunate the elderly and those without Internet access are unable to enjoy the Open Mike Show, local weather forecasts and other features because of the town’s actions. Government control of the media in this manner has a chilling effect on free speech,” said WHAV President and General Manager Tim Coco. Town officials said WHAV’s other programs may air if the station provides a means to automatically block the Open Mike Show. Coco said it is unlikely WHAV will agree to those terms. “I’d have to worry town officials would next object to the hourly news or community calendar,” he explained.

Bevelaqua has been critical of Groveland’s approval of septic systems near Haverhill’s Johnson Pond water supply. “Jack was an elected official in Groveland for 30 years and obviously accumulated some enemies there,” Coco said. Town officials have not responded to invitations to express their views on the Open Mike Show, Coco said.

WHAV provides the equipment Groveland uses to air the station. There was no sound on the town television station until WHAV began airing there two years ago.