Re: WCAP "Mega" vitamin

["Bill O'Neill" <billo@erols.com>]

Mark writes <snip>
I read in today's (2/6) Lowell Sun
>in the"Backtalk"column(where readers can call a recorded phone # or
e-mail
>opinions on news/events) that the WLLH sale is not being welcomed by
the
>folks who enjoy the Standards format.I wonder if WCAP is getting any
>calls,letters,or e-mail at their web site urging them to pick up the
>Standards format?

Kind of quiet, I'm told, although you can check out the different boards
linked to the station's home page http://www.scryber.com/wcap

As to the Sun's Backtalk, that could get interesting, especially when
the morning show goes off the end of February and then the Spanish swap
a month or so later.  The "locals" are just digesting this now, but
Lowell is one of those unique New England cities, self-contained,
neighborhood-pride oriented, and feeling the sea changes daily with most
families my age long since packed up to the suburbs or way-gone.

This radio change to full-time Spanish could make things interesting
within the city, IMO.  A good friend/neighbor of mine immigrated from
Cambodia about 10 years ago.  Since that time, he and his family became
fluent in English, he earned his GED, his Master Electrician license,
got a job with the Big Dig and bought a 4 bedroom house which he
immaculately maintains.  He innocently asked me last week why all of our
children's notes from school are English with Spanish on the flip side,
but no SE Asian translations.  (SE Asians make up over 25% of Lowell's
population while Hispanics are about half that amount.)  He then
answered his own question by saying that most recent SE Asians with whom
he is familiar do not need English translated.    That aside, the
reaction would be somewhat similar if WLLH had announce a change to
Cambodian 24/7.  I suppose that resurrects the question, does radio
reflect the communities they serve or the whims of those financially
able to buy them and try to make a go of it?  (...I'm hearing you, Dan,
that ultimately the marketplace will decide!)

Bill O'Neill

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