March 11 update

A quick status report and directions toward a positive future for the Davis House, and our hopes for WCAI.

In late 2024, GBH made an agreement to sell the Captain Davis House, home of CAI for 25 years, without notice to the community or local staff. GBH stated finances as the primary motive.

Locals and others for whom the station is a beacon, raised funds so that the Woods Hole Community Association could purchase the building for 1.8 million dollars, and the original buyer allowed the transfer. This was a powerful, unprecedented show of support for public broadcasting by a local community.

Subsequently, the WHCA offered GBH five years of free rent and all reasonable alterations to the building, along with solutions to any issues of parking or public space. GBH declined the offer. CAI is slated to move in the fall to the Conservatory in Falmouth.

In light of the multi-pronged attacks on public media and threats to funding, the community continues to question the value of spending hundreds of thousands to rebuild, relocate, and pay rent, but this is GBH's decision.

As for the Davis House, the WHCA will begin an open process to determine its best use after CAI leaves. We are enormously grateful to own this historic building in the center of the village, to preserve it for the commons for generations to come. We hope you will remain involved as the community determines the future use of the building.

We remind GBH that we are public radio's strongest supporters. We are keen to see how GBH will restore trust. We look for proof that promises are kept about expanding local journalism, public engagement, and community events in the new space. We urge GBH to become more transparent and responsive to the community it exists to serve.

Finally, we hope to defend public media from outside antagonistic forces and to heal this self-inflicted wound.

Standing by...