Documenting and Celebrating Public Broadcasting Station Histories

Dedication Ceremonies

Dedication ceremonies of new buildings and facilities signify that a station is moving into the next phase, while providing an occasion to reflect on everything that got them to this point. These ceremonies highlight the people at the station and in the community who worked incredibly hard, as well as the buildings and facilities themselves. By focusing on these physical aspects of the stations, we also get a sense of their literal place within the community. Not only did the stations record these ceremonies to document an important moment in their histories, but they also broadcast them, so that everyone in their community could celebrate the station’s achievement.

Much as communities come together to celebrate achievements, they also come together to mourn losses. That is why this section also includes the announcement made by WGBH executives David Ives and Hartford Gunn after the massive fire that destroyed their studios in 1961.