Help WHAV End June in the Black
Your Membership Will Help Fill $2,000 Funding Gap

Your membership in WHAV is needed today to help the radio station end its fiscal year in the black next month. As it stands now, WHAV needs only $2,000 more to stay out of the red.

Donate online right now at http://www.whav.net/support_individuals.htm.

Your annual donation of $25 or more automatically makes you a member of WHAV and you are entitled to the benefits outlined below. You may make monthly donations automatically that count toward higher levels of benefits. You will be notified when you reach a higher benefit level.

VIP Tours Among Membership Gifts

Depending on your membership level, you may be eligible for a private lunch and studio tour for up to four, a VIP in-studio visit for two to a live production, automatic entry into all WHAV contests and other gifts. If you have already contributed, thank you and please help spread the word by forwarding this newsletter to family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.

When you support not-for-profit WHAV, you ensure the community always receives accurate, independent and objective news reporting. A free media is vital for the functioning of democracy. There are no executive salaries. All of your donations support news gathering, local programs and related expenses to keep WHAV on-the-air 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.

A contribution form also appears at the bottom of this page. Non-proft and business sponsorships remain available beginning at $200.

Individual Club ($25-$199)
Benefits include membership card, bumper sticker and newsletter subscription.

Leadership Circle ($200-$499)
Besides the above benefits, additional incentives include automatic entry into all WHAV contests, WHAV History CD (or MP3 download, if preferred) and a studio tour for two (offered annually).

Visionaries’ Circle ($500-$999)
Besides the above benefits, additional incentives include VIP in-studio visit for two to a live production by appointment, members only program archive and a special gift.

Edwin V. Johnson Society ($1,000+)
Besides the above benefits, additional incentives include private lunch and station tour for up to four (at donor’s request) by appointment, annual wine & cheese reception, optional on-air/Web credit for sponsoring WHAV and exclusive event opportunities.

City Councilor Bill Macek New Host
of WHAV’s Open Mike Show 
Tim Coco Steps Down as Host to Launch Senate Campaign

Haverhill City Councilor William J. “Bill” Macek began serving as host of WHAV’s venerable Open Mike Show Monday, May 7.

Besides serving as a city councilor, Macek is also a long time broadcaster and lawyer. In taking over as host of the more than 50-year institution, Macek joins such luminaries as Edwin V. Johnson, William C. “Bill” Pike, Lindsy Parker, John “Jack” Bevelaqua and Tim Coco. Coco, who is running for state senate, gave up the program recently to comply with public access television restrictions on candidates.

“I’ve worked in broadcasting for over 30 years. In fact, I hosted a two-hour, weeknight talk show on WHAV called The General Store that aired after Bill Pike on the Open Mike. This is a wonderful opportunity to return to my roots and interact with local residents in another form,” said Macek.

Many Ways for Listeners to Participate

You may see and hear Macek every Monday evening from 6:30 to 8:30. Live video of the program airs on the Internet at www.WHAV.TV and Haverhill Community Television Channel 22. Audio airs over AM 1640, www.WHAV.net and cable television stations shown at left. Telephone callers may dial (978) 374-1900. Others may send comments via the message board at WHAV.TV or by emailing [email protected].

Macek has been elected to nine terms as a Haverhill city councilor. He first served between 1984 and 1992 and again from 2004 to present. He is also a lawyer, practicing business and family law. Since 2006, Macek has been owner of WPKZ, Fitchburg, 1280 AM and 105.3 FM. Previously Macek owned WMOO FM, Derby, Vt. and WIKE, Newport, Vt. between 2001 and 2005 and WINQ-FM, Winchendon, Mass. between 1991 and 2000. He founded Macek and Co. real estate in 1976.

Macek holds a jurist doctorate degree from Massachusetts School of Law, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Cambridge College. He is married to the former Maria J. DiPiro and they have two sons.

Producers of the Open Mike Show include Nathan Webster and Brian Mannell.

The WHAV call letters have been associated with local broadcasting since 1947. WHAV is today operated by Public Media of New England Inc., a not-for-profit corporation. Since 2004, the 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.

Is Haverhill a ‘News Desert?’
Haverhill Matters Seeks Your Survey Responses

The city of Haverhill is mentioned among many “news desert” communities by an analyst writing for the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard. News deserts form, the writer says, when local “economies cannot sustain any established business model for journalism, for-profit or nonprofit.” Further, people in news deserts are “hungry for credible information they need to make their best life and citizenship decisions.”
 
Is Haverhill hungry for more credible information than is now available?  Take a short, confidential survey sponsored by Haverhill Matters by clicking here or on the icon at right. Completing this important survey should take no more than 15 minutes, and you will have the opportunity to enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card.

The information is needed to assess local news needs and determine how to improve original news reporting.
WHAV News is considering augmenting its local and regional coverage by partnering with Haverhill Matters in the future.