In Boston’s vibrant Egleston Square neighborhood sits the Charles J. Beard II Media Center, home to Boston’s community radio station WBCA 102.9 FM. 

The station was created as a partnership between local nonprofit Boston Neighborhood Network Media, or BNN, and the City of Boston back in 2016. At the time, the then-Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh praised the collaboration, extending his thanks to BNN “for their partnership with the city to create another platform for civic engagement,” in a 2015 press release. 

BNN has gained independence over the years, but its partnership with the City continues to ground their mission to be a voice for the community, through their work which focuses on enhancing the unique culture of Boston neighborhoods that often go unnoticed.

WBCA broadcasts daily from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., featuring a diverse mix of local news, current events, talk shows and music. Segments range from discussions on education and technology to multi-language programming and sports. One highlight is their music segments: Through both in-studio performances and recorded plays, the broadcasts give local musicians an open platform to perform for the community they know and love, according to BNN general manager Glenn Williams. 

“To break into that realm of being able to be heard, it’s really, really important to make sure that the bands and the people who are performing … do have a place where their music can be heard,” Williams said.

BNN’s mission extends beyond broadcasts. The organization encourages public engagement in media production through extensive volunteer opportunities, internships and youth programs. Their philosophy is simple: “The most important thing to us is to make sure that you have the opportunity to tell your story,” said Brett Rodrigues, WBCA radio manager.

For students and young creators like Seth Weintraub, a third-year computer science and music student at Northeastern who helps produce the “Music Is Healing Us” radio show, the opportunity to be a part of the radio has been transformative. 

“Having the ability to work on a radio show has motivated me to create content and sharpen my own skills,” Weintraub said. “It’s pushed me to be more confident about putting my voice out there and sharing my work with anyone who wants to listen.” 

Weintraub’s experience reflects the broader mission of WBCA Radio: to create a space where diverse voices are not only welcomed but truly heard and valued. 

“I’ve recorded a bunch of stuff in studios, and just kind of sat on it, and I was hesitant to put it out there, and this has been motivating for me to push out my work and be confident about it,” Weintraub said. 

Along with their initiatives, BNN’s physical facilities reflect their distinct story. The station’s building, which was introduced as their headquarters back in 2007, is transformed from an old MBTA power station. BNN kept many of the technological components of the power station when remodeling, turning the interior into a display honoring the Boston community and history. 

Despite its low-power FM signal that often fails to reach beyond the city limits, WBCA has earned recognition as a top community station in the United States. In 2022, the station was awarded the “Overall Excellence in Community Radio” award from the Alliance for Community Media. 

“We get international [engagement]. You get people who listen to us all over the place,” Williams said. “We’re a very established radio station.”

WBCA doesn’t just broadcast content, Weintraub added, they build relationships between people who may not otherwise hear from one another. 

“I love that it’s a community radio station — it’s been really nice to connect with people,” Weintraub said. 

By shaping their programs to bring people together, BNN works organization-wide to bridge the quiet gaps between neighborhoods — something Williams said he deeply values.

 “It’s so important for somebody in East Boston to be able to hear from someone in West Roxbury,” Williams said. 

Rather than competing with major news organizations on mainstream channels, Williams sees WBCA as an entity that provides its own authentic content, allowing locals to feel seen. 

“Leave [typical reporting] to [stations] four, five and seven,” Williams said. “Let’s talk about why you’re proud to be a Bostonian. What makes being a Bostonian so groovy?”

This is the question that lies at the heart of the station, and their mission is to elevate citizens’ voices to answer it. Williams said WBCA aims to do what many other organizations don’t: comprehensively represent the city’s true attributes and eccentricity. 

“This is Boston,” Williams said. “I want to see some people from Southie, I want to see some people from East Boston, West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, Roxbury… let’s represent the city.”