WCAP vs WODS

[Mark Watson]

  On Friday, WCAP (980 Lowell) aired it's "Afternoon Live" show from
Boarding House Park in downtown Lowell, where the 2nd annual "WCAP Wedding"
was taking place live on the Boarding House Park stage, and on the air on
WCAP at 6:15 PM, just before the "Best Of Beatlemania" concert scheduled for
a 7:30 start. WCAP's world famous 1974 GMC Mobile Studio (with 23,107
original miles as of 5PM yesterday) was parked stage right, show hosts set
up outside to meet and greet wedding guests, sponsors, and city officials.
Around 5:30, entering and parking stage left, WODS (103.3 Boston) with it's
blue Ford Oldies 103.3 van, mileage unknown. WCAP personnel saw the van pull
in, much to their surprise. A few minutes later, the WODS van pulls away
from it's visible stage left spot and hides in a far corner of an adjoining
parking lot. The van reappeared after WCAP's broadcast ended at 6:45.

    WCAP is one of the season sponsors of the concert series, and has been
for several years. WODS had been running spots for the "Best of Beatlemania"
show in Lowell, I don't believe they've ever been a sponsor of the season
series. Talking with Gary after the wedding reception (Gary stayed for the
first act of the show), he said the WODS van just parked there, no one with
it at the time he walked by just prior to the start of the concert. He
doesn't believe anyone was giving out any WODS goodies at all.

   WODS may play oldies, but their van isn't a classic and no match for
WCAP's rolling broadcast museum. The WCAP Mobile Studio's yellow may be
faded in places, but it still wins for nostalgic value and is a real
classic, IMHO.

Mark Watson