Tune in! We Sound So Good

Many of the programmers you are hearing on the new WGDR/WGDH schedule, at our May meeting.

New voices are on the air at Central Vermont Community Radio. We just completed the biggest schedule change in a long time and we are feeling really excited about it. This revamped schedule has returned the schedule to a majority of live and local programming. By June the entire new schedule will be live.

This new schedule more than doubles the number of locally made programs, from 23 to 51 shows, with 34 of these local shows live. We also took the schedule from 66 total shows (with lots of reruns) to 103, each with one airtime per week.

The Programming Committee carefully curated program selection, in addition to approving 27 new shows, they ensured that we continue to air many of the long-loved national shows like Letters & Politics, Sprouts, UpFront Soul, All Mixed Up, Democracy Now, and that we added quite a few new syndicated shows.

Our overnights are now transformed into a listening delight with music shows of diverse genres.

Our Monday-Friday early mornings are now “more awesome in the AM” with a balance between news and information and more creative content. This will begin in June by:

• Starting the morning news/information programs with the Thom Hartman Program from 5-6 am.

• Background Briefing with its mix of interviews and analysis is up next in its current 6-7 am slot.

• We’ll then add new local and Vermont-made creative content, including Rumble Strip and Write the Book, in the 7-8 am slots.

• We’ll finish the start of the day with the live broadcast of Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now from 8 am-9 am. 

  These changes are reflective of the Program Committee’s goal to present favorite national shows as well as prioritizing locally made content. Rumble Strip, produced by Erica Heilman, is a Peabody Award-winning show that features powerful and personal stories from everyday Vermonters. Write the Book by host Shelagh Shapiro offers wide-ranging interviews with authors about their work and their creative process. These morning adjustments were made after the feedback we got from listeners on our previous schedule changes. 

Check Out All the New Shows, Local & Syndicated

New & Returning Locally-Made Programs

Find the airtimes of all shows on our schedule.

• The Immanent Grove w/ Conni Mags - cultural music, traditions, and stories that celebrate diversity and will entertain.

• The Revel Level w/ Emma Manion-Kohr - a music show with a variety of music to make you dance.

• Kaleidoscope w/ Will Ibey - a youth-programmed music show of progressive rock and beyond.

• Blluminations w/ Stefanie Lingenfelter - a talk show focusing on healing, plant medicine, and more through interviews and music.

• *Returning on the air & live! Magpie in the Morning w/ Delia Gillen - a music show with world, folk, cajun, and bluegrass.

• Theme Time Radio w/ Sydonia Axis - themed shows with poems, musings, and music from all parts of the world.

• Gilded Splinters w/ Kevin Titterton - a free-form music show with experimental, obscure psych rock, ambient and global sounds.

• Borderlands w/ Stefan Nickum - dance music, from house to electronic music, celebrating club culture sounds.

• Deep Blues w/ Les Mawson -a music show keeping the love of blues alive.

• All the Crooked Saints w/ DJ Sacramento - A music show featuring covers and educational content on themes and topics of the day.

• Get Fresh with DJ Llu - new music focus, featuring the latest releases in rock, R&B, and RPM each week.

• *Returning live! Woodwarbler’s Jazzgrass Show w/ Brian Aust - jazz, folk, and more muisc.

• Still Life with Club Soda w/ Serena Matt - a variety show of music and talk, focused on community engagement and sharing of resources.

• Still Live with Orange Peel Ada Bowman - a variety show of music and talk, focused on community engagement and sharing of resources.

• *Returning on the air & live! Women Stirred Radio w/ Merry Gangemi - A talk and interview-based show (returning on the air & live!)

• Country Sounds in Modern Music w/ Barry Matthews - a music show focusing on Americana and non-mainstream country.

• Rumblestrip w/ Erica Heilman - A Peabody award-winning Vermont-based podcast, telling the stories of Vermonters everyday lives.

• August’s Show - a youth-programmed variety of music

• Oliva’s Show - a youth-programmed variety of music

• The Jive Turkey Show w/ Turkey Joe - a youth-programmed variety of music

• Barn Dance Bluegrass w/ Daniel & Kellon Menucci - bluegrass music featuring traditional and local music

• Write the Book w/ Shelagh Shaprio - a Vermont-based podcast interviewing Vermont authors.

• Bread & Salt w/ Maria Shuman - a story-based show of family oral histories and traditional music.

• Pollinator Report w/ Emily Lanxner - a talk show with interviews and other content focused on Vermonters focused on protecting pollinators in our state.

• Kitchen Permaculture w/ Rebecca Beidler - a talk show about local and seasonal food, cooking, growing food, and more.

• Predictably Unpredictable w/ Chris Buckridge - a music show celebrating creativity and freedom of off-beat expression in genres of rock and beyond.

• The Metal Edge w/ Willis Pratt (returning on the air!) - a music show featuring rock and heavy rock.

• Hoi Polloi w/ Damien Taylor - a variety show of music and talk focusing on activism and the issues of our day.

• The weather with Bob has also returned to its former schedule, Monday-Friday live at 9am and Sundays live at 7am.

Continuing Locally-Made Programs

Find the airtimes of all shows on our schedule.

• Curse of the Golden Turnip w/ Alan LePage and Steven Farnham

• Transformational Listening w/ Dennis Darrah

• Thought Pasture w/ Maura Quinn

• Spanning the Chasm w/ Peter Goreau

• Bon Mot w/ Rick Agran

• Personal & Political w/ Stephanie Fraser

• Trailing Edge w/ David Ferland

• InCommon Sounds w/ Brother B

• Gathering Peace w/ Joseph Gainza (returning live!)

• The Quilting Hour w/ Maura Quinn or Sasha Thayer

• Spawning Stones w/ Ben Bashore

• Music as Art w/ Uku Meri

• Relocalizing Vermont w/ Carl Etnier

• Hittin’ the Note w/ Bill Hahn

• Xav Wax w/ Xav Jimenez

• Flow Eclectic & Heavy Metal Radio w/ DJ Eben Flow

• Magical Mystery Tour w/ Tonio Epstein

• Long and Winding Road w/ Dave Tucker (now 3 hours!)

• Geezer Rock w/ Jeff Lindholm (now 2 hours and back live!)

• The Meltdown w/ KingTone

• Amy’s Kids’ Show w/ Amy Hornblas

• Boxful of Blues w/ John Foster

• Acoustic Harmony w/ Mark Michaelis

• The Beatdown w/ Z-Point

New Syndicated Shows

Find the airtimes of all shows on our schedule.

• Food Sleuth - a national program exploring food systems and challenges in the U.S.

• Green Bubble Tea - a music show focusing on the music of South-Eastern Asia

• Prison Pipeline - a national program about the prison industrial complex

• Train to Skaville - a music show focusing on Jamaican music and the genre of ska

• Rockin’ the Rez - a syndicated music show of Americana and classic rock from KPRI, a station is owned by the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

• Dancehall/Reggae Show - a syndicated music show of dancehall beats and reggaeton.

• Cafe Chill - a syndicated music show of ambient music.

• Soul Star Radio - a syndicated music show of R&B and soul.

• All Things Cage - a syndicated music show featuring the music of and inspired by John Cage.

• Green St. News - a national program about environmental health

• Latin Explosion - a syndicated Latin music show

• Modern Jet Set - a syndicated variety music show

• Adagio - a syndicated variety music show

• Squeakers Sea Castle - a syndicated variety music show

• Bike Talk - a national show all about biking and bike culture

• Writers Voice - a national show featuring interviews with authors

Continuing Syndicated Shows

Find the airtimes of all shows on our schedule.

• Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour

• Big Picture Science Show

• Timeless Oldies Radio Hour

• Short Wave Report

• Rock Sexy

• Out of the Woods

• Thom Hartmann Program (1 hour best of)

• Background Briefing with Ian Masters

• Democracy Now, 8am live show and 6pm daily rerun

• Making Contact

• Economic Update

• Letters & Politics (Monday-Thursday)

• Deep Threes

• Rising Up with Sonali

• Alternative Radio

• The Final Straw

• All Mixed Up

• New Dimensions

• And You Don’t Stop

• Oldies Time Machine

• Indigenous Music

• Afronsonic Taxi

• Upfront Soul

• Baroque and Beyond

• Counterspin

• Law and Disorder

• Peace Talks Radio

• Sprouts

• This Way Out

• TUC Radio

• Radio Free Albany Blues Show

• What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?

• Planetary Radio

• The Children’s Hour

• Full Moon Hacksaw

Syndicated Shows Retiring

• Juke in the Back - Retired due to violation of the DMCA law, a liability we could not risk with broadcasting and streaming the show anymore.

• Moccasin Tracks, Dark Side of the Tune - Retired due to frequent technical and length issues.

• Explorations - Retired due to no longer providing new content.

• Thom Hartmann Programm (3-hour full show, overnights)

• Dark Side of the Tune - retired due to technical issues with our new scheduling system

• For the Wild - retired by Programming Committee decision

• Vets for Peace - retired by Programming Committee decision

• Rock Sexy - show retiring in June, by its producer

Feedback on the Schedule

We know that these changes may not please all listeners. However, we’re confident that once you hear about these new shows, you will enjoy the freshness and diversity that it adds to our schedule. It’s a work in progress, and we’ll continue to adjust as the need arises.

We welcome your feedback about our programming at CVCR. You can send an email to the Station Manager, Llu Mulvaney-Stanak at Llu@WGDR.org and they will pass it on to the Programming Committee.

Thank you for listening.

Shop the CVCR Swag Store

You’ve waited long enough!

We just launched our first CVCR Swag Store to help celebrate 50 years of WGDR. You’ll find designs of the past, CVCR logo swag, and soon, special 50th-anniversary swag.

Shop for t-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags, and cups. They make great gifts and even better treats for yourself.

This online store allows us to save time and a ton of money upfront in managing a store. Thanks to our supporters covering the shipping and tax, we get the same return on investment in merch we always have. We’ll be adding new designs, created by local artists and designers, throughout 2023 for the 50th, so check back often.

Go ahead and splurge. You’ll look great!

Underwrite or Sponsor WGDR & WGDH

 Underwriting or sponsoring the station is a fantastic way to support the station.

We have a diverse array of over 50 locally-made shows and over 100 shows total that draw in listeners from across Central and Northern Vermont. Along with thousands streaming online each month, we reach at least 70,000 households and businesses in our broadcast area. By underwriting or sponsoring with us, you will reach a loyal base of Vermonters who are eager to support those who support the station.

Our new rates are posted and we have lots of prime schedule slots available on a first come first purchase basis. We offer the most affordable rates, by far, of any media outlet in our area (we checked!). If you are interested in learning more, contact us at Underwriting@WGDR.org or call 802-276-0365.

What is Underwriting?

Underwriting is not advertising. It is a neutral, 15-second mention of your services or entity in exchange for on-air placement. It is a non-tax deductible way to financially support our community-owned station, with a big return for your generosity from our listeners supporting you back.

We welcome businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, schools and colleges, and sole proprietorships to underwrite the station. We offer 6-month or full-year rates, starting at mentions once a week and going up to 5 a week.

We’re the best deal out of any media outlet opportunities in our area (we checked!).

What is Sponsorship?

Sponsorship is a promotion for your entity or services as part of a station event, on our digital outlets, or as a pre-roll recording for our live stream. Sponsorship is far more flexible than FCC rules for underwriting for scripts but also does not include on-air broadcast mentions. Sponsorship packages range in options depending on if they are connected to an event or digital packages.

Learn more about underwriting and sponsorship and see who already supports us.

Spring Drive Results

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Friends of WGDR/WGDH -

We know you are all eager to know how our Spring Drive ended up. Well, in short, even as we wait for the final checks in the mail, we are confident in saying this was the most successful drive we've had as a community-owned station.

❤️ Just about $9,500 raised ($10,000 goal)

❤️ 132 total donors

❤️ 41 new donors (50 goal)

❤️ 10 new sustainers (10 goal)

These 10 new sustainers, along with our current 50 monthly donors, will now fund the entire rent for WGDR's studios and WGDH's broadcast shed every month. This is a huge milestone for our fiscal sustainability.

We are so proud of how this drive came together too. So many of our new programmers jumped right in to pitch, other programmers did special programming, and even non-programmers took to the airwaves to help share why WGDR & WGDH are so darn valuable. A long-time programmer said, "this is the most fun I've had fundraising for the station, ever!"

This is what it is about folks. Funding a station that means so much to all of us and having fun while doing it.

If you missed your chance to give, you still can! Just know that you can’t be entered to win the prizes. Give securely at WGDR.org/donateor by check to “CVCR” and mail to 123 Pitkin Rd. Plainfield, VT 05667.

As always, thanks for tuning in,

Llu Mulvaney-Stanak, Station Manager

Llu@WGDR.org, 802-276-0365

p.s. In case you haven't had a chance to learn about our new schedule and locally-made shows, please do. There are some fantastic new programs worth tuning in for.

WGDR/WGDH broadcasts at 91.1 FM in the greater Plainfield area, 91.7 FM in the hollows and hills of Hardwick and beyond, and at WGDR.org to the whole world. Our studio is located at the Eliot Pratt Center on Goddard College campus at 123 Pitkin Road, Plainfield, VT 05667.

Follow us on social media on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook at @WGDRWGDHVT

CVCR 2023 Summer Internship - Filled

2023 CVCR Summer Internship

Update: As of 5/5/23 this position has been filled. Thank you for your interest! 

Overview

This summer you could spend ten weeks engaging rural and urban Vermont communities in conversations and celebration about community radio. Come join Central Vermont Community Radio as we embark on a summer of meeting up with our listeners at farmers’ markets, festivals, and parades.

You’ll help recruit new listeners, programmers, underwriters, and supporters; work on our big 50th celebration party of WGDR for the fall and learn about how a small non-profit can make a big impact. The station has lots of additional experiences to offer you two including learning technical skills, radio production, marketing and promotion, fundraising, project management and more.

While this internship is focused on community engagement and organizing, we are eager to customize the work toward what you are interested in learning. This internship is part-time, 20 hours a week, remote and in person, with a range of additional professional development opportunities.

Prior Skills, Interests, & Resources Needed For Success

·      A willingness to talk to and turn strangers into new friends of the station.

·      Good communication skills in writing, inter-personally, and as part of a team.

·      Project management and an ability to plan for attending events, tabling, collecting data, and following up with that engagement.

·      Interest in community radio and rural Vermont communities.

·      Access to a car (we will reimburse mileage from the station to events).

Your Summer Project Responsibilities

·      Grow Our Station Community Engagement: Help us deepen our connection with our listening community about both stations. We are especially looking to work on WGDH’s engagement in the greater Hardwick area. This will include attending summer community events, networking with area businesses to help with underwriting, and helping us recruit new volunteers and programmers.

·      Build Up Our Programming Marketing: Develop messaging in email, web, and social platforms to help highlight our new programming line up for the summer. This will include multi-media features (short video, audio, and graphics), to help tell the story of our new programming to our listeners.

·      Help Us Party: Assist our 50th Party committee in planning for our October celebration, including helping to find sponsors, event planning (promo, talent, logistics), and working with the committee.

·      General Station Support: We are eager to have the intern identify which part of non-profit work or a radio station brings them most interest and to customize a part of the internship to teach them about it. This could be how to fundraise, the programming of radio, or tech and engineering.

What You Will Learn & Gain Experience In

·      How to connect with community members and engage folks on the value of their community radio station, including fundraising through underwriting.

·      How to work with a variety of personalities and talented volunteers.

·      How to plan a large scale event alongside volunteers, deepening skills in project management and fundraising via sponsorships.

·      How to develop messaging and stories to highlight the programming of the station, including how to use social media platforms, email marketing, a SquareSpace website, and more.

Work Schedule

Have the ability to work at least 200 hours during the summer, which is about 20 hours a week for the 10 weeks. Some nights and weekends are needed to attend community events, which will make this a flexible schedule most weeks. Date for the internship must fall between May 30 and August 5, but the internship start and end dates are flexible within those dates.

Compensation & Perks

Pay rate is between $13-20* an hour.

We offer a great work environment, that includes remote, in-station, and in-community work. Our organization is made up of one-paid staff, our Station Manager, to whom the intern will report. We also have a large team of volunteers who have a range of skills they are eager to help teach. As part of this internship, you will be part of a cohort of Central Vermont interns who will participate in paid, weekly professional development workshops hosted by UVM and CVEDC.

A computer can/will be provided for use during the internship, to be returned to the station at the end of the summer.

Our listening area is most of Central and Northern Vermont, which will have you in the most beautiful parts of Vermont, during the most gorgeous time of the year. In addition to being paid to attend some of the best summer events our community has to offer, you’ll always be near great swimming holes and creemee stands.

Our stations are committed to being a caring, equitable, and connective place to work, volunteer, and make radio shows. As an organization, in staff, volunteers, and programmers, we aim to reflect the diverse community we broadcast to. We believe that being intentional in our inclusion makes our stations better.

*The higher end pay rate is available for UVM enrolled students only. That program is funded in part by the Statewide Internship Project Pilot, a partnership between the UVM Office of Engagement and the Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation (CVEDC).

About Central Vermont Community Radio

CVCR’s mission is to provide a community radio station which serves the people of north central Vermont and beyond; to provide a forum for cultivating social change that re-harmonizes human communities with the natural world, supports the independent arts and celebrates diversity, creativity, and freedom. We inform, entertain and educate through the presentation of alternative news, artistic expression, and public affairs programming. We do this by broadcasting local, community made and national syndicated radio content via two stations, 91.1 FM, WGDR, Plainfield and 91.7 FM, WGDH, Hardwick, as well as streaming worldwide at WGDR.org. We are two years into community-ownership, after 48 years as Goddard College’s radio station. We are located on the Goddard College campus in Plainfield, VT.

To Apply

Send a cover letter describing your interest in this internship and a brief resume to Station Manager, Llu Mulvaney-Stanak: Llu@WGDR.org. No calls, please.

PDF Copy of this Internship Description

The Spring Drive Is Live: 4/16-4/30

Friends of WGDR/WGDH -

If you're tuned in this morning (Sunday, April 16) you are hearing Alan & Steven kick us off with the Spring On Air Drive. They're offering up seeds and ramps as incentives to get donors to jump in right away with gifts--a very WGDR/WGDH and spring-time way to start us off.

Together, we're aiming at raising $10,000 by April 30th through:

• 50 first-time donors

• 10 new sustaining donors

• and a suggestion for a $50 gift (if you can swing it) in honor of WGDR's 50th this year.

Over the next two weeks, our programmers and special guests will talk about why WGDR & WGDH are such a critical and beloved part of central and northern Vermont. As a long-time supporter, we know you get how valuable it is to you, too. We ask that you make a donation today to invest in our continued growth.

You can give securely online (and follow our progress there too) or give by check, made out to "CVCR" and sent to WGDR, 123 Pitkin Rd. Plainfield, VT 05667.

To sweeten the spring drive a bit more, we're also offering up incentives to encourage you to give during these next two weeks. Every donation (online or by check) given by April 10 will be entered to win one of these great prizes:

2 tickets to see Grace Potter this September at the Shelburne Museum via Higher Ground.

A banner or poster from the Bread & Puppet print shop.

2 tickets to see John Gorka at the Highland Center for the Arts on June 3.

2 tickets to see Ziggy Marley at the Flynn Theater on July 6.

During this drive, we are not just celebrating spring, we are celebrating some huge milestones:

• As of this month, we've been on the air for 50 years at 91.1 FM.

• In May, it will be two years of community ownership--a testament to the commitment our community has to our success.

• And right now, you are hearing the difference your gifts from the fall drive are making, with the launch of our new schedule with 27 new shows coming on the air.

This is a really exciting time at the station and we are so grateful to be your community-owned and operated radio station.

As always, thanks for listening!

In great gratitude,

Llu Mulvaney-Stanak

Station Manager WGDR/WGDH