Sarasota Recalls WBCN's 'People's Radio' Era at Film Screening

Sarasota moviegoers gathered Tuesday at Burns Court Cinema for a screening of "The Airwaves Belong to the People: WBCN and the American Revolution." The documentary explores the Boston radio station WBCN, known as "The People's Radio," and its influence on late 1960s and early 1970s political, social, and cultural movements.

The film traces WBCN's shift from traditional rock and roll to progressive rock, establishing it as a voice of dissent, particularly against the Vietnam War. Young people, musicians, and political activists operated the station, believing "the airwaves belonged to the people."

Pam Alessandrelli, a former WBCN employee now living in Sarasota, helped bring the film to Burns Court. Among the attendees were Paul and Nann Parr, former Detroit residents. Paul Parr found the film entertaining and personally meaningful. "It took me back to the news that was going on at that day, and it put me where I was at that time," Parr said. "I was considered a hippie. I had long hair. We wore bell bottoms. My wife and I were dating at that time. For my genre, I related to it a lot. I thought it was a great movie."

The documentary, which aired nationally on PBS in 2018 and was cut short in theaters by the COVID-19 pandemic, is now on a 104-city tour.

Deb Gorham, who grew up in Western Massachusetts, recalled trying to tune in to WBCN at midnight. "I didn’t realize all the history that went into it, so this was a wonderful documentary for me," Gorham said. "I think it’s a must-see for anyone who is really concerned about how news is produced and about freedom of the press."

Helene Wexler-Gold, who worked at WBCN in the 1980s, remembered the station as a vibrant, family-like environment. "It was the craziest job I’ve ever had in my life. It was fun. It was educational. The antics and the craziness that went on inside involved everybody," Wexler-Gold said. "Everybody was included. It wasn’t just the disc jockeys on one side and the sales on the other. We were one big family. I miss working there, and I thought it was a lot of fun. It brought back some great memories."

WBCN, a precursor to community radio stations like Sarasota's WSLR, is no longer broadcasting. Its legacy lives on through the film's current tour.

The screening drew both long-time fans like Paul Parr and newer audiences, including 22 Ringling College students and their instructor.

Former WBCN associate Abbie Hoffman is quoted in the film: "We were young. We were sometimes crazy. We made mistakes. But we were right." Film organizers attribute this sentiment to WBCN's journey.

WSLR News, which airs local news broadcasts Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m., covered the event.