New WCAP Morning Show Debuts Monday

[Mark Watson]

  A change in the morning show will take place starting Monday at WCAP, as 
the "Morning Information Team" with George Anthes and a rotationg group of 
co-hosts will be replaced by "Merrimack Magazine". The new hosts of this 
show will be Dean Johnson, who covered radio and media news for the Boston 
Herald and has also done some work for the Lowell Sun, Jack Baldwin, who has 
worked at several radio stations in NH as well as having worked in sales at 
the Sun, and Ted Panos, who writes a sports column for the Sun. The new show 
will focus on the arts, lifestyle and restaurants in Lowell & the Merrimack 
Valley, and will also have news, sports, weather and information.

George Anthes will remain with WCAP, as he will now be hosting a local talk 
show weeknights from 8 to 10 PM starting Monday.

A link to an article from Thursday's Lowell Sun about the changes at WCAP:

http://www.lowellsun.com/front/ci_7533335

Reading between the lines of Clark Smidt's comments in the article, it 
appears that politics and local government discussion will not have much of 
a presence, if at all, on "Merrimack Magazine". George Anthes and company 
had focused mostly on politics, along with community events & guests on his 
morning show, including weekly appearances for many years by then-5th 
District Congressman Marty Meehan, and newly elected Congresswoman Niki 
Tsongas picked up that commitment after she took office last month. Also, 
there were frequent appearances by Lowell's City Manager and various members 
of the City Council & School Committee, plus other elected officials from 
surrounding towns. I don't know if these officials will be appearing on the 
new incarnation of WCAP's morning show, I would guess they still be 
appearing with Mr. Anthes in his new evening spot, which will have 
occasional Wed. and just about all Friday's pre-empted for either Lowell 
Devils or U Mass Lowell hockey games. And he'll get just about the whole 
Summer off, from mid-June till about Labor Day, save for a few off nights, 
when the Lowell Spinners games return to WCAP.

Mark Watson