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Fifty years ago, WGBH signed on the air with a live radio broadcast of the Boston Symphony Orchestra's first program of the season. WGBH made its debut thanks to strong community support, a talented staff, and the vision of a core group of Boston's educational and cultural leaders. When we look back at the program lineup of that first week -- Report on Iran, Our Changing Earth, Children's Corner, Introduction to Psychology, Young Ireland Players, a dramatization of Billy Budd -- we're struck not only by how far we've come, but how true we've remained to public broadcasting's fundamental promise to inform, inspire, and entertain.
WGBH has gone from a single small radio station to three radio stations (WGBH 89.7 in Boston and WCAI 90.1 and WNAN 91.1 serving Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket) and three television stations (Boston's WGBH 2 and 44 and WGBY in Springfield). Today, we're creating Web sites, teaching tools, media access for people with disabilities, outreach initiatives, and films for IMAX theaters. We've dramatically expanded not only our programs and services, but also the number of people who benefit from them.
At the same time, there is a common thread that ties us back to our ambitious beginning. From the very start, we were committed to show-casing the music and cultural talent not only at our doorstep, but around the globe -- providing the public with access to the very best our culture has to offer. We were dedicated to broadcasting educationally rich programs for children, and programs that promoted lifelong learning. We were determined to present multiple perspectives on difficult subjects, and a window on our complex world.
A Mission to Serve
Our core values, our core promises to the public we serve, have stood the test of 50 years. And we believe that both our mission and our potential for doing good are greater than ever. The events of fall 2001 have prompted many of us to re-examine our values and priorities. Millions of Americans are turning to public broadcasting, to WGBH, with a renewed sense of appreciation for the context and insight we provide.
On September 11, our producers were horrified and saddened like everyone else, but they also were ready. They had the experience, contacts, primary sources, and public service mandate to suspend the tasks at hand and quickly move beyond the headlines, reporting not simply what happened, but why. Throughout the fall and winter, Frontline, Greater Boston, and The World regularly tackled the big stories that transcend our borders -- from civil liberties to the roots of terrorism. Nova looked at the scientific side with Bioterror, a special investigation of germ warfare. Covering international events and helping make connections between global and domestic issues have always been among our top priorities. It's what we do 365 days a year, not just in times of crisis.
A Multimedia Approach
Rigorously researched, insightful, and compelling stories are WGBH hallmarks. Today, we're telling those stories across a range of media platforms -- on television, on radio, online, and through the emerging communication technologies of tomorrow. This year we premiered Evolution, our groundbreaking PBS television series, comprehensive Web site, and extensive educational materials for teachers and students that examine this crucial yet widely misunderstood cornerstone of modern biology. We also launched the second year of Eye on Education, our multimedia partnership with The Boston Globe and a host of media andcommunity organizations, to explore the impact of educational reform on the people affected most: students, teachers, and parents.
Eye on Education is just one of a number of important efforts made possible by the success of our Expanding the Vision Campaign. More than 19,000 individuals, corporations, and foundations contributed over $43 million to ensure that WGBH will have the resources we need, even in the face of fluctuations in the economy, to create content of lasting value. Campaign funds have enabled us to move forward with our transition to the new digital broadcast standard. The Campaign also has fueled the development of valuable new programs and services, from Between the Lions, which helps young children learn to read, to our Cape and Islands radio services, now celebrating their first full year on the air with a growing audience of appreciative listeners.
WGBH's future is full of promise, thanks to you. We hope you take pride in knowing that all that we've done and all that we hope to do is made possible by your generous support. As we celebrate our first 50 years of broadcasting, we promise that WGBH will continue to put the world in perspective, foster arts and culture, bring history and science to life, nurture children, encourage lifelong learning, and reach out to all Americans for years to come.
Henry Becton, Jr.
President
Edith L. Dabney
Chair
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