The Infinite Dial

In my four days of Charlotte radio listening, it wasn't until last night that I finally heard my first "welcome broadcasters" stager on Classic Hits WXRC (95.7 the Ride). (That station, by the way, in a throwback to the early days of WMMO Orlando, Fla., promises "no silly morning shows, no stupid contests, no hype" in a Website promo.)

This morning, however, I did hear syndicated morning hosts Bob & Sheri on flagship WLNK (the Link) do a local cutaway in which they first welcomed NAB attendees, then launched into this morning's Charlotte Observer NAB story, "Radio Industry Gets A Bad Signal." While the dire prediction that radio as we know it "would evaporate in 20 years" actually came from remarks by Talkers' Magazine's Mike Harrison, the duo noted that the Observer "just loves any bad news about radio and TV," followed by musings on print's equally problematic future.

Besides, the duo said, Harrison did note that high-profile personalities would be the ones who hung on the longest. "We have people listening to us on streams, we have people listening to us via podcast. We have one woman who listens on her cellphone."

The duo's advice to visiting broadcasters. "Don't forget we have a really cool new Home Depot. Don't just go to the strip club!"

As earlier noted, Charlotte radio has been doing a relatively good job of covering its stopsets on the Web. Modern rock WEND (the End) has now become the first station I've heard to run promos suggesting that listeners let their friends who have moved out of the market know that the station is available on the Web--one of the few stations I've heard actually try to cultivate that following.