WCAP "Sidewalk Studio" Closed, New 'Afternoon Live" Co-Host

[Mark Watson]

   Changes at WCAP (980 Lowell) : "Afternoon Live" host Gary Francis left
the show of his own accord this past week. Francis told the Lowell Sun that
he was tired of doing the show. The show had been originating from the WCAP
"Sidewalk Studio" inside Gary's Ice Cream's Downtown Lowell location. The
sidewalk studio is now gone(but the ice cream will return soon after
remodeling). Francis will continue to be heard on WCAP, via his nightly
"Music & Memories Overnight" show (via voicetracked liners) and will
continue to handle production duties. And once the warmer weather gets here
(which I hope is soon), maybe his "Saturday Night Sock Hop" will return for
another year.

   Replacing Gary Francis on "Afternoon Live" is Regina Faticanti, who is
leaving her morning show co-host spot. The article in today's Lowell Sun
weekly political and news/gossip column referred to Francis as WCAP's only
"true broadcast professional", which I beg to differ with. PD/ sports voice
Ryan Johnston has an AP award for best sports play by play for his work on
Lowell Lock Monsters Hockey (phone line quality not a factor). I consider
him to be a broadcast professional.

Disclaimer: I have appeared as an occasional in studio fill in co-host on
"Afternoon Live" several times since the show's inception in April 2002.

Mark Watson