PRESS RELEASE: After 48 Years, WGDR/WGDH Now Officially Community-Owned

Vermont Listeners and National Community Radio Community Rejoice!

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 – Plainfield, VT: WGDR/WGDH listeners near and far, station programmers, and fans of community radio world-wide celebrated the ownership transition of the station from Goddard College to Central Vermont Community Radio (CVCR) this week.

The station was built and operated by Goddard College for nearly 50 years as a college/community station. In late 2020, Goddard initiated the gift of the station to the local community via this new non-profit, CVCR. After six months of planning and now FCC approval, WGDR/WGDH is now the only full-power, community-owned and operated non-commercial station in Vermont.

“It has been an honor to help this station continue and expand its role and legacy in the community. We hope that this gift to CVCR will sustain WGDR/WGDH well into the future,” Goddard President Bernard Bull said.

“We thank Goddard College for this most generous gift to central Vermont!” said CVCR Board members. “We look forward to working with the entire community to provide lively, dynamic, informative radio along with inspiring, diverse music programs, long into the future.”

A Rare Ownership Transition in Community Radio

This transfer marks a huge milestone nationally for the public and community media industry. In the last couple of decades, many university and college-owned stations sold off their college radio stations to meet budget shortfalls. 

“Higher education continues to face a range of challenges nationwide. Goddard College joins Antioch and a select group of institutions in saying their commitment to residents, students and the local culture is far greater than money. When institutions like Goddard say they want to pass the torch of media access in this way, it’s worthy of thanks and celebration,” remarked Ernesto Aguilar, Executive Director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters.

The impact of this gift will be felt for generations to come, as WGDR/WGDH will be able to continue to broadcast a diversity of ideas, stories, culture, and more to Vermonters across the rural hills and valleys of the northern part of the state. 

Programming That Inspires and Informs

Radio has a unique and powerful impact in our communities and on individuals. As a free media source, it draws in listeners to expand their thinking, connect with their community, and awaken activism on issues of the day. It evokes the imagination and an intimate human connection that cannot be done in any other medium.

Radio is more relevant and relatable today, especially on a local level. When you tune in to community radio, you hear the voices of your neighbors, which, during the pandemic, has proven to be a powerful tool in remaining connected.

Renowned poet and former Vermont Public Radio “Friday Night Jazz” host Reuben Jackson shared, “When Marconi invented radio, he had stations like WGDR/WGDH in mind. Soulful, informative, varied, and unpretentious programming. Voyages for the heart and mind. Thank goodness- some things never change.” Jackson, a sustaining donor of the station, was a WGDR Programmer from 1975-1978 and got his start in radio when the station was first on the air.

The station’s rich 48-year history of producing eclectic and vibrant music and local talk radio for Vermonters will continue under CVCR’s ownership. As one of the rare Pacifica Network affiliates in the state, WGDR/WGDH is able to provide free access to award-winning national programming like “Democracy Now.”

“When my wife and I came to Vermont in 1989, we became daily and dedicated listeners to WGDR. It was then--and remains today--a vital and essential example of community-based radio with both a local and world-wide vision promoting human rights, free speech, world peace, climate justice, and citizenship action,” said David Connor, a listener and station donor.

Each week, 50 local programmers produce talk or music shows that broadcast to nearly 60 cities and towns across 3 counties in Central Vermont and the Northeast Kingdom. Many of these shows have been on-air for decades, building loyal fan bases worldwide thanks to streaming. During COVID, 30 of these programmers stayed on the air, broadcasting from home, keeping the community connected and informed during the severe isolation. 

“I’m an avid fan of the call-in community info shows, such as ‘Gathering Peace’ with Joseph Gainza, ‘Relocalizing Vermont’ with Carl Etnier, and well thought out and presented musical programs, such as ‘Acoustic Harmony’ with Mark Michaelis and so many others. Thanks to CVCR we can continue to enjoy, and be educated by, the programming we have come to love and appreciate from our beloved WGDR/WGDH. This is independent community-supported media at its finest,” said Mary Gagnon, a listener and station donor.

Sustaining the Mission of WGDR/WGDH

Central Vermont Community Radio (CVCR) will continue the mission of the station, providing a forum that cultivates social justice, stewardship of the natural world, and the arts and music in Vermont. As an independent station, WGDR/WGDH will be able to pursue a variety of ways to diversify not just what is broadcast, but who is given a voice on the air, uplifting the stories of those who are underrepresented in the current Vermont media landscape.

As a non-profit, CVCR is charged with building a sustainable strategy to fund the station’s current and future needs. To kick it off, they have launched a “WGDR/WGDH 30x30” fundraising challenge, aiming to raise $30,000 in the first 30 days of the independence on the air. This will help with station operating costs, while CVCR  focuses on new programming, future staffing, and a successful emergence from COVID restrictions. Individual donors and underwriting support from businesses and organizations will help CVCR reach their goal.

CVCR takes this deep responsibility of community radio to heart as it takes on ownership of WGDR/WGDH. CVCR invites all to tune in to help program what comes next.

More information on how to give or underwrite, listen to, and support the station is at WGDR.org. 

More information about Central Vermont Community Radio

Central Vermont Community Radio (CVCR) is the new non-profit managing the community-owned radio station of WGDR, Plainfield/WGDH, Hardwick. The station provides a forum for the cultivation of social justice, stewardship of the natural world, and the independent arts. Programming is intentionally diverse, with shows focusing on music, stories, news, and public affairs. Through the universal language of music WGDR/WGDH seeks to bring people together in celebration of our common humanity. More information on the history of the station transfer can be found at WGDR.org.

More information about Goddard College

Since 1938, Goddard College has worked to advance cultures of rigorous inquiry, collaboration, and lifelong learning, in which individuals take imaginative and responsible action in the world. More information at Goddard.edu.

We did it! WGDR/WGDH is now owned and operated by the community.

The FCC has approved the station ownership transfer from Goddard College to Central Vermont Community Radio (CVCR), the non-profit that will manage WGDR/WGDR!

This is historic for our station, for Vermont, and nationally. We are forever thankful to Goddard College for this gift to the community.

Now, is the time to help us meet our "30×30 fundraising challenge." We will raise $30,000 in our first 30 days of station independence from listeners and supporters like you. This will fund the basic operating costs of the station for the rest of the year (6 months) and keep local and national programming uninterrupted and on the air.

Please give online today or if you prefer, by check. Checks should be made out to our fiscal sponsor, "Local Futures" with "WGDR" in the memo line and mailed to 123 Pitkin Rd. Plainfield, VT 05667.

Note: For anyone who was a past monthly donor to WGDR via Goddard College, you will need to stop your gifts to Goddard by emailing advancement@goddard.edu and then set up your sustaining giving via CVCR's online secure giving platform. 

Sign up for station updates to be sent to your inbox about programming, events, and CVCR's work.

If you have questions about giving or underwriting, please contact us.