Before telling you what InsideLowell is and how it came to be, I owe many of you an apology and an explanation.

I’d hinted in the past about my final week on the WCAP airwaves being something you wouldn’t want to miss. Unburdened from any sense of decorum required at a job you hope to keep, those final shows would be an even more bombastic version of my radio persona, unfiltered discussion about some of the behind-the-scenes stuff gleaned over 15-years of doing morning radio. Would that have ruffled a few “establishment” feathers? Hell yeah, but that was the point.

Unfortunately for those of you looking forward to it, a year or so ago I was introduced to the genius of the television show The Office. Michael Scott quickly ascended the ranks of my all-time favorite television characters and his “Irish Goodbye” from the hit series seemed like a better idea each time I watched his farewell episodes.

Not one for sappy or prolonged goodbyes, I decided during my annual 4th of July vacation with the family that it was time to bid my own Irish Goodbye to the Morning Show I’d co-hosted since November of 2007. I first told my wife, then WCAP owner Sam Poulten, asking him not to make any announcements until I’d signed off on that final show Friday July 29th, which I’m grateful he agreed to. The only other people to know were a couple of my closest friends who I could trust not to leak the news like so many others had leaked information to me in the past.

Some of the reasons for that decision will remain private, but the main reason is it was time; time to move on, and time to set about making my vision reality, which I’ll get to in a minute.

To those who expressed disappointment that the departure wasn’t announced ahead of time, I apologize. There might have been better ways to ride off into the radio sunset, but I knew I wouldn’t be gone for long, and you’d still get to love me or hate me again in a different format. Still, I’m sorry for not saying goodbye.

To those who reached out expressing gratitude and well-wishes, I offer a heartfelt THANK YOU. It was humbling to receive so many messages via email, text, phone call, social media, cards, letters and even a note on Congressional stationary. That many of those messages came from people often annoyed by my style and opinions meant even more. My personal favorite; “Boy did I hate you, but I really do miss you.”

Now then, back to the question at hand; what is InsideLowell?

InsideLowell is my vision of what a 21st Century local media entity needs to be. It is my radio show, but in a web format. By that, I don’t mean a daily talk show as many of you have speculated. I have come to enjoy the freedom of sleeping in an extra hour or two, helping get my kids ready and off to school, and still being able to grab an occasional breakfast with my wife. Returning to the routine of early alarms and 4-hours of talking during the early hours of every weekday is the last thing I want to do at this stage of my life.

Like Merrimack Valley Radio in the Morning, InsideLowell features a little something for every taste, sometimes serious, sometimes irreverent, but always meant to engage you in the discussion. The best part is the content is available at all times. If you can’t read or watch it in the morning, it’ll still be there later in the day, at night or sometime in the future. As we like to say, InsideLowell is local news and information on your time, not ours!

Why a website instead of going back to radio? Well, because of that 21st century thing. The world has changed, and with it media must change, also. Local radio and newspapers remain vital to a vibrant community, but younger audiences are increasingly consuming news and information through digital formats, especially podcasts and social media. Hence, the website www.insidelowell.com as a one-stop shop for all of it; local news, information, politics, business, sports, culture and events, presented through written articles, podcasts (including video podcasts where you get to see that face made for radio), social media and eblasts.

So as I purchased the domain name InsideLowell that first week in August and established the Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube accounts shortly thereafter, the idea was to start small and gradually build. Then a funny thing happened as I set about soliciting a little help and advice from my circle of friends. They absolutely loved the idea!

Soon www.insidelowell.com was under professional design instead of the rinky-dink efforts of a web amateur (me), InsideMedia Corporation was registered with the IRS and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, downtown office/studio space was secured, and we set about building the resources necessary to establish a legitimate media entity, not some hobby that would hopefully grow into one.

The result is a talented and diverse team of “Insiders” who share a love and passion for this great community. Together with special contributors chiming in on their specific area of expertise, we aim to provide comprehensive coverage of the city and become a go-to source for local news, information and entertainment.

We hope you enjoy what we have created and that you help spread the word to your family and friends who have a connection to this wonderful city. Please check back often, as our content will be updated frequently. Follow our social media profiles (InsideLowell) on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, as news breaks quickly in this city. Sign up here to become part of the In Crowd through eblasts.  Lastly, we invite you to always engage in the discussions.

Enjoy the ride!