Re: NorthEast Radio Watch 5/12: There's A Reason It's Called "Non"-Commercial...

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

Scott D Fybush wrote in NERW:

> *Some good news from MASSACHUSETTS for defenders of freedom of the
> press.  The city of Lowell has backed down from its attempts to force
> WCAP (980) news anchor Lou Wannemacher to divulge the source of a news
> item about the city's police chief.  The city tried to get Wannemacher
> and station owner Maurice Cohen to testify, but the Massachusetts
> Civil Service Commission ruled in the stations' favor.  NERW's proud
> to see radio news standing up for its rights, and prouder still to see
> it happen at a station we once called home.

It was great working across the glass wall from you, Scott.  It's
interesting to note that just as the city has failed in its efforts to
teach its local station a lesson, (and they are very annoyed) it is
now reeling from the pull-out of it's pick for school superintendent,
due to an apparent bout of bad karma within the Board, thus reopening
the selection process. The city manager has resigned as of July, it's
(building) inspectional services department is in the news, and I'm
out of time.  On top of that the relationship with the local newspaper
has never been better, IMO, as WCAP is now considered a true news
player. (Dave Faneuf in the big chair doesn't hurt...) A city is
defined by many things, one of which is the presence of a viable LOCAL
news station, a dwindling commodity.  Even the City of Boston lacks a
local news station - when is the last time you heard a report from
Boston City Council or School Cmte?

Bill O'Neill