WHAV Details Not-for-Profit Plans
Public Media of New England Inc. Names Three to Board

Public Media of New England Inc., a not-for-profit corporation, came into being this month and will operate WHAV as a non-commercial community radio station.  Three local residents were also named to the new board of directors.

Anita M. Purcell, William D. Cox Jr. and Tim Coco, all of Haverhill, are serving as the initial officers and directors of Public Media of New England Inc.  WHAV’s on-air, Internet and cable television operations have operated as a unit of COCO+CO. Inc. since 2004.

“Serving the public interest, convenience and necessity was the aim of restoring WHAV seven years ago this year. It has remained a community service project with all revenues committed solely to this purpose,” said Coco, who continues to serve as a volunteer general manager. “WHAV continues to operate 24 hours a day and will be adding more educational and talk programs,” he said.

Purcell recently retired as vice president of lending at Haverhill Bank.  Previously she worked as operations manager at Grasso Appraisal Services Inc., Burlington, for 13 years.  She has also worked in various capacities at several area banks and mortgage companies and as a real estate broker for seven years.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Merrimack College. She has also completed professional development courses at Bentley College and Boston University.

Cox, a local lawyer, was appointed Haverhill’s city solicitor in 2004 and had served as assistant city solicitor since 1993.  Previously, he was an Essex County assistant district attorney, city of Haverhill personnel director/affirmative action officer and director of employment and training programs at Community Action Inc.  Cox received his Juris Doctor degree from New England School of Law, Boston, and bachelor’s degree from Bradford College.  He also serves as board president of Career Resources Corporation, member of the Northern Essex Community College Legal Studies Advisory Board and member of the Haverhill, American and Massachusetts Bar Associations.

Coco founded COCO+CO. Inc., an advertising agency, in 1991 and began his communications career at WHAV in 1978. He also previously served as city hall reporter for the Haverhill Gazette, regional reporter for the Daily News of Newburyport, editor at Business Publications Inc., Manchester, N.H. and community relations manager for Ogden Projects Inc., Fairfield, N.J.  Coco received his bachelor’s degree from Lesley University School of Management and associate’s degree from Northern Essex Community College.  He was named one of Northern Essex Community College’s 40 distinguished alumni on the 40th anniversary of the college in 2002.  Coco also serves as vice president of the Trustees of John Greenleaf Whittier Homestead, member of the Northern Essex Community College Occupational Advisory Board and board member of the Merrimack Valley Economic Development Council, North Andover.

The WHAV call letters have been associated with local broadcasting since 1947. For seven years, the WHAV call has served the Merrimack Valley’s pioneer Internet radio station at WHAV.net and a number of public access cable television stations in Andover, Haverhill and Methuen, and Plaistow and Sandown, N.H. The station is also heard over AM 1640 in northern Haverhill and Plaistow, N.H.

To listen, or for more information, visit www.WHAV.net.

Showcase Your Talent as a Volunteer
Opportunities Available for both On and Off the Air

WHAV is opening its doors to volunteer announcers, news reporters, producers, writers, engineers, actors and actresses, correspondents and commentators. Opportunities at the community radio station are virtually unlimited. There are also immediate needs in the news department.

When the original WHAV formally opened its doors in 1947, General Manager John T. “Jack” Russ declared, “WHAV is going to be your station — a station for the people of Haverhill and the people in our surrounding towns. What concerns you directly, your lives and businesses, your community betterment will always get first priority on the WHAV airwaves.” Russ’ statement continues to resonate today as WHAV becomes a listener-supported and not-for-profit radio station. Here are some possible ideas for adult volunteers:

• Guest commentaries

• Local business and stock market reports

• Entertainment reviews

• News correspondents (Andover, Haverhill, Methuen, Plaistow and Sandown)

• Education news

• History programs

• Local sports

• Radio drama (actors, directors, writers, etc.)

• Fundraising

• Production

• Social media and other promotion
  

Although ideas are limited only by imagination and available studio time, volunteers must meet high quality standards and follow important rules. These relate to local and original content, communications ability, technical skills, professionalism, self-motivation, objectivity, responsibility and reliability. Volunteer positions are unpaid and there are no guarantees ideas will be implemented right away or even accepted at all.

To volunteer, send a detailed note to [email protected] describing your interest along with a resume, schedule of availability and audio samples (if any). Please be specific about your ideas and what unique skills you may bring to WHAV.

What’s On WHAV?
Complete WHAV Radio Program Listings