Left In Lowell

As Dick had mentioned on his blog last month that “City Life” a taped, local affairs program on Lowell Telecommunications Corporation (LTC: Building Community through Technology) was going live.

John McDonough is the show’s producer and George Anthes is one of the co-hosts; the two were formerly associated with the local radio station, WCAP, before the new ownership changed the programming. Anthes is joined by Tom Byrne as a co-host.

And as most LiL readers and commentators know, we had some issues in the past. However I, as many others who are concerned about Lowell’s public and civic life, agree with Dick’s comments that in addition to the blogs, the locally-owned radio station and the newspaper and other “media” outlets, “it [the program] will immediately become a major contributor to the local political scene and that’s a good thing – the more the better.”

I was able to view the programs as they are replayed in the morning. All LTC programs have a time slot for the original broadcast and another one for the repeat. Last week Professor Bob Forrant of UML, who also comments frequently on LiL was a guest on the show. This past Monday, Dick Howe was sitting-in as host and Cliff Krieger (Lowell’s newest blogger) was the guest. Yesterday, Jenn Myers, the Sun’s Lowell reporter, and Elkin Montoya of the CBA and Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union were the guests. So, it is an eclectic mix of guests and topics.

As one new outlet begins to take shape, apparently another one is seeing its sunset (excuse the pun). Marie is reporting on richardhowe.com that WUML’s Sunrise Show will end this Friday due to the UML budget cuts.

City Life is broadcast live daily from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. on 8 (Mon – Wed) and 95 on (Thur – Fri). It is repeated the next morning on 8 from 6:30 – 8:00 a.m. Because we are dealing with an entity (LTC) that promotes free speech, right after the City Life, the program Democracy Now is shown. I wonder how much of a cross-over audience there is.

The program has the look and feel of any local access television show. So it should not be judged by standards of commercial television. It should be judged by the impact it makes on raising the level of discussion in our community.

And I agree with McDonough who in his closing remarks on the program praises the staff LTC staff. This show may open the door for others to do the same. I encourage those of you who have strong opinions, and are committed and disciplined (somewhat) to join LTC, take a class or two and begin your own show. The staff is friendly, helpful and eager to teach.

Note: I am a member of LTC’s Board of Directors and a co-chair of the Program Sub-Committee.