1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: What's going on? Thank you so much for listening to 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,640 this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon 3 00:00:09,679 --> 00:00:12,519 to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,719 want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,239 my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,640 go to dpeakclendarshow dot com. Make sure you hit the 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,160 subscribe button. Get every episode for free right to your 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,719 smartphone or tablet. And again, thank you so much for 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:32,159 your support. One O seven point nine FM WBT, Charlotte's 10 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:34,960 FM News Talk. Today is the day we flip the 11 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,520 switch and apparently nothing broke, which is as I advise 12 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:40,960 at the end of every show, don't break anything while 13 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,399 I'm gone. I am glad to hear that the team 14 00:00:44,039 --> 00:00:49,240 of expert engineers did not break anything when they flipped 15 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:51,840 everything over. They did it all seamlessly, perfectly. It seems 16 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:53,920 good job to them. It really took a lot of people. 17 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,920 Folks don't understand, like when you when you flip this 18 00:00:59,039 --> 00:01:01,520 stuff over on to a different signal and you're moving 19 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,519 the amount of stations that Urban One has moved in 20 00:01:04,519 --> 00:01:08,519 the Charlotte market, it is a massive undertaking. And it 21 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,400 went over at midnight so I know it was a 22 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:13,159 late night for a lot of people, and thank you 23 00:01:13,359 --> 00:01:18,239 very much David and even Ron coming out of retirement 24 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,680 to help out. We'll appreciate all of the work. There 25 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:23,599 are a bunch of other people. I shouldn't even have 26 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:25,879 started naming them because now I'm going to forget people. 27 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:29,680 But thank you to everybody that made this happen. And look, 28 00:01:30,159 --> 00:01:38,040 I understand it's a bittersweet day and change I get it. 29 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:43,040 I will say though, this is not my first time 30 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,560 on one oh seven point nine FM. In fact, I 31 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:51,640 dare say I may have more airtime on one oh 32 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,359 seven point nine FM than any other of the hosts 33 00:01:54,359 --> 00:01:58,959 in our lineup because back in my day, well it's 34 00:01:58,959 --> 00:02:01,760 actually still my day, so back in one of my 35 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,760 earlier days, many of my earlier days. Actually the day 36 00:02:06,799 --> 00:02:09,840 it started was nine to eleven. I was in the 37 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,199 WBT newsroom, our sister station one oh seven point nine 38 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:18,840 the link their afternoon drive time team was Matt and Ramona, 39 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:24,159 and Matt Ramona came in and asked me can I 40 00:02:24,199 --> 00:02:29,319 come into the studio and do an update for them, just, 41 00:02:29,439 --> 00:02:31,000 you know, like a one minute, one and a half 42 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:35,639 minute newscast kind of a thing, and because it was obviously, 43 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:40,560 you know, a great national tragedy and huge story and 44 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:43,400 everybody was covering it, and so I said sure, and 45 00:02:43,439 --> 00:02:47,960 I you know, jumped over there and started what began 46 00:02:48,039 --> 00:02:54,159 a daily live newscast with Matt Ramona. And that then, 47 00:02:54,919 --> 00:03:03,560 uh you know, continued for about seven years and the 48 00:03:03,599 --> 00:03:07,879 segment grew from a minute or two into a full 49 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:12,159 half hour daily segment with Matt Ramona. So if you 50 00:03:12,199 --> 00:03:14,639 are a longtime listener to one oh seven point nine 51 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,520 FM back when Matt and Ramona were on in the afternoons, 52 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,479 you may remember me by a name that they gave me, 53 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:26,199 which was Pete the pit Bull. That's what they called me, 54 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,560 and it came from our boss at the time. During 55 00:03:32,479 --> 00:03:35,360 there was they gave me an award one year and 56 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:40,319 the boss, Rick Jackson, had described me as a pit 57 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:42,120 bull that once I got onto a story because at 58 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:44,639 that point I was a news reporter. And then he said, 59 00:03:44,639 --> 00:03:46,599 when he gets onto the story, he does his story. 60 00:03:46,599 --> 00:03:49,039 He doesn't let go. He's like a pit bull. And 61 00:03:51,039 --> 00:03:53,759 now I'm like that with Steak, just mainly just Steak. 62 00:03:54,719 --> 00:03:57,319 But so that's what so Matt Ramona started calling me that, 63 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:59,800 and so it became this whole segment, and I did 64 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,759 that for several years. And I bring this up because 65 00:04:02,759 --> 00:04:10,280 that really was my first experience, I guess, being part 66 00:04:10,439 --> 00:04:14,719 of a talk show because up until that point I 67 00:04:14,759 --> 00:04:17,959 had only done news reporting, and I continued on as 68 00:04:17,959 --> 00:04:22,120 a news reporter, but as I would be on the 69 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,639 air with Matt and Ramona and they would ask me 70 00:04:24,879 --> 00:04:26,639 questions about you because I would go in there and 71 00:04:26,639 --> 00:04:29,000 do you know, just a couple of headlines not because 72 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:30,839 it was only a minute or two newscasts. So I 73 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:32,600 would do a couple of headlines that kind of thing, 74 00:04:33,079 --> 00:04:35,120 and then they would ask me questions about stuff, so 75 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,879 then I would have to answer the questions or so 76 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:40,360 then I was like, I need to be better prepared 77 00:04:40,399 --> 00:04:42,759 when I go in. So that taught me show prep. 78 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,439 So now I'm going in there and Matt would ask 79 00:04:45,439 --> 00:04:48,519 me questions, usually crazy off the wall questions, which I 80 00:04:48,519 --> 00:04:51,000 would then try to plan for. Okay, what's the craziest 81 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:55,000 question somebody could ask me about this story? I think 82 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:57,800 the first time that this really erupted there was a 83 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:02,480 story that I had done about the use of goats 84 00:05:02,519 --> 00:05:09,000 being used to pack in supplies and stuff with the 85 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,439 US military going into Afghanistan, and Matt thought that was 86 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,079 the most hilarious thing that he had ever heard, and 87 00:05:16,319 --> 00:05:19,120 so he had a lot of questions about the mule train. 88 00:05:21,519 --> 00:05:23,680 But it really was like I really did learn a 89 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:28,199 lot about being a host by sitting in with two 90 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:34,680 professionals like Matt Ramona. And from there then I became 91 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:38,959 a host on WBT nine to midnight. And then we 92 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:44,160 got bought and sold or I guess, yeah, well same process. Really, 93 00:05:45,319 --> 00:05:48,079 company came in bought all of the Charlotte stations. Well, 94 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:52,079 the ownership got bought by Lincoln Financial. Then Lincoln Financial 95 00:05:52,199 --> 00:05:57,839 sold off the Charlotte properties. The new company that bought 96 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,879 us then I think they real lies. They paid way 97 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,720 too much money because they really wanted the properties, and 98 00:06:03,759 --> 00:06:06,480 then they couldn't afford to keep everybody, so I got fired, 99 00:06:06,519 --> 00:06:09,759 along with a bunch of other people. There's a bit 100 00:06:09,759 --> 00:06:13,680 of a blood letting that over the next year. Then 101 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:15,759 I went up to Asheville. I worked up in Asheville 102 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:20,600 for about eight years as a host, and then I 103 00:06:20,639 --> 00:06:23,879 came back and so here I am. And then after 104 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:31,000 my arrival, now they they move as a new corporate owner, 105 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:33,560 Urban one, and Urban one has decided We're going to 106 00:06:33,639 --> 00:06:38,600 move WBT to one oh seven point nine FM, Charlotte's 107 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,920 FM News Talk, And I am happy about the move, 108 00:06:43,319 --> 00:06:45,879 but I am also kind of you know, there's legacy 109 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:50,000 and history with the eleven ten am signal, but I 110 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,000 will tell you that, you know, over years, the signal 111 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,319 it's you know, it's difficult to listen to a lot 112 00:06:56,319 --> 00:06:58,600 of times. Some nights it's really good. And this gets 113 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:03,240 into sort of the sign of the of the radio waves. 114 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:05,839 And I'm not a scientist. I'm not an expert in 115 00:07:05,879 --> 00:07:09,560 this stuff. I was never like in the weeds on 116 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,519 the engineering behind radio waves and frequencies and all of 117 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,519 that stuff. But I know that, like I've picked up 118 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,120 listeners in that nine to midnight time slot on BT, 119 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:22,800 I picked up listeners up in Jersey. They you know, 120 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,560 John from New Jersey still participates in the show. He writes, 121 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:28,600 writes in on the text line, which, by the way, 122 00:07:28,639 --> 00:07:32,399 the phone numbers are changing. They have changed. So UH, 123 00:07:32,439 --> 00:07:35,759 if you've been you know, speed dialing us or we're 124 00:07:35,759 --> 00:07:39,959 in your contacts list, you need to update the uh 125 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:43,240 the text line and the call in line same number. 126 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,519 UH seven O four five seven oh one oh seven 127 00:07:46,639 --> 00:07:49,959 nine seven O four five seven oh one oh seven nine. 128 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,199 And by the way, the WBT text line is driven 129 00:07:52,199 --> 00:07:55,720 by Liberty Buick GMC. And I say it like that 130 00:07:55,759 --> 00:07:58,839 because it just sounds like a powerful truck, you know. 131 00:07:59,279 --> 00:08:02,600 So I say it like No one's told me to 132 00:08:02,639 --> 00:08:04,279 say it like that. I just say it like that. 133 00:08:04,399 --> 00:08:07,920 I just feel like it deserves that kind of you know, 134 00:08:08,319 --> 00:08:10,040 does it sound better on the FM when I say 135 00:08:10,079 --> 00:08:13,279 it like that? I hope it does. So. Yeah, So 136 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:17,480 I went to Ashville, then came back and now coincidentally, 137 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:22,360 now WBT has moved to one oh seven point nine FM. 138 00:08:22,399 --> 00:08:26,720 Now is that a coincidence that they bring me back 139 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:31,480 and then they put yeah, it's totally a coincidence. Actually 140 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:36,759 total coincidence. By the way, you can also tell you're 141 00:08:36,759 --> 00:08:41,879 a smart speaker to just play WBT Charlotte and if 142 00:08:41,879 --> 00:08:47,080 you just say that, it'll it'll find us. I know 143 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,480 there have been a lot of questions. I spent too 144 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:53,799 many hours yesterday on the Facebook, uh, you know, trying 145 00:08:53,799 --> 00:08:57,200 to engage with listeners who had questions about what was 146 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,879 going to happen and why it's happening and all of this. 147 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,879 So I will tell you that Radio one Urban one 148 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,919 Radio One is the parent company here, and they will 149 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:15,720 continue to operate the AM signal. Saw somebody make a 150 00:09:15,799 --> 00:09:19,759 somebody suggested we donate the signal to the NPR station 151 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:25,360 down Like, I don't think that's happening, but yeah, they're 152 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:30,399 going to continue to operate the AM frequency eleven ten AM. 153 00:09:30,799 --> 00:09:34,200 Right now, it's being simulcast on both stations. WBT is 154 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,000 on both the eleven ten AM and one oh seven 155 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:40,600 point nine FM, but that will cease at some point 156 00:09:40,639 --> 00:09:46,320 in January when the AM frequency will flip to a 157 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,159 different format. And by the way, WBT on the eleven 158 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:54,639 ten AM format has flipped formats on that frequency many 159 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,799 times over its one hundred and three year history, so 160 00:09:58,919 --> 00:10:01,879 that is going to happen sometime in January. I don't 161 00:10:01,879 --> 00:10:04,960 know what it's flipping to, but when I find out, 162 00:10:05,039 --> 00:10:07,960 I will let you know. You know, stories are powerful. 163 00:10:08,039 --> 00:10:11,120 They help us make sense of things, to understand experiences. 164 00:10:11,399 --> 00:10:13,679 Stories connect us to the people of our past while 165 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:17,120 transcending generations. They help us process the meaning of life, 166 00:10:17,159 --> 00:10:21,080 and our stories are told through images and videos. Preserve 167 00:10:21,159 --> 00:10:24,559 your stories with Creative Video started in nineteen ninety seven 168 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:27,399 and Minhill, North Carolina. It was the first company to 169 00:10:27,399 --> 00:10:31,399 provide this valuable service converting images, photos and videos into 170 00:10:31,519 --> 00:10:35,559 high quality produced slide shows, videos and albums. 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Okay, so the thing to keep in mind here. 182 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,879 Look and again, I understand people are lamenting the the 183 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:26,559 loss of WBT being connected to the eleven ten am frequency. 184 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,480 I understand that. Look, I've been saying that frequency with 185 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:36,720 BT's name for twenty five years. The station's been around 186 00:11:36,799 --> 00:11:41,720 for over one hundred. But by the way, I think 187 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:44,720 like the frequencies have changed over the years. But to 188 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:46,919 you know, to just kind of go into some of 189 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:50,360 the engineering as I understand it. Again, I'm not an expert, 190 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:54,440 as you will learn on a great many different topics, 191 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:57,919 but as I understand it. You know, AM travels differently 192 00:11:58,039 --> 00:12:00,679 than FM. FM kind of runs a long on the ground. 193 00:12:01,399 --> 00:12:04,120 AM bounces, so it goes way up in the air 194 00:12:04,159 --> 00:12:09,759 and then bounces, and the WBT signal is so strong 195 00:12:11,639 --> 00:12:17,879 that it would like bleed over into other stations, particularly 196 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:22,240 one in Omaha. And because of that, they're on the 197 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:27,960 eleven to ten position as well. Decades ago, the government 198 00:12:28,039 --> 00:12:31,720 said you can't bleed over into their signal. So they 199 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:33,879 got to protect their signal, and so we had to 200 00:12:33,919 --> 00:12:37,600 flip what's called directional and you would hear it when 201 00:12:37,639 --> 00:12:39,799 the sun would go down and the sun comes up, 202 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:44,519 you would hear. And that means we're foot and directional, 203 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,919 and that means everybody west of Charlotte lost our signal 204 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:54,639 in order to protect that Omaha, Nebraska, Omaha. That's why 205 00:12:54,639 --> 00:12:59,279 I will never step foot in Omaha. No. But that 206 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:02,960 sent our signal up and down the east coast. But 207 00:13:03,159 --> 00:13:05,320 those are not in our market. Those stations aren't or 208 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:09,559 those places are not in our market. So like the 209 00:13:09,639 --> 00:13:14,919 audience that listens on the SKIP on that bounce. They 210 00:13:14,919 --> 00:13:17,960 don't count for us. I mean that's just the way. 211 00:13:18,039 --> 00:13:21,559 I mean, like, we can't sell advertising to a company 212 00:13:21,639 --> 00:13:25,120 in Virginia because after the sun goes down, they can 213 00:13:25,159 --> 00:13:29,159 hear our signal. We can't do that. We're a local station. 214 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:32,519 So if you are listening to one oh seven nine 215 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,559 and you've not been listening to WBT prior to today, 216 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:42,240 that explains that helped hopefully, this explains why the move 217 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:45,320 was done. And I'm also going to, you know, kind 218 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:46,960 of explain what it is that I do. And look, 219 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,440 every host on WBT is different. We are completely live 220 00:13:50,519 --> 00:13:55,120 and local from five am until nine pm every weekday, 221 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,279 and I'm not aware of any other station that does that, 222 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:01,840 not just here in Charlot. I really, I'm not sure 223 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:03,720 there are other stations that have that kind of a 224 00:14:03,759 --> 00:14:08,679 local lineup. So, like this is the most local station 225 00:14:08,799 --> 00:14:14,159 that you're going to find. So when they flip the 226 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:18,840 station directional, we lose a lot of the local audience. 227 00:14:20,879 --> 00:14:22,600 And so that's why they picked up the ninety nine 228 00:14:22,639 --> 00:14:27,039 point three translator. I think it's out of Chester, South Carolina, 229 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:29,799 and it would beam into sort of Gaston County west 230 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,080 of Charlotte area. But there's another thing going on here 231 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:38,080 besides the car radios not carrying AM, but also there's 232 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:42,039 a lot of interference now on the AM band from 233 00:14:42,039 --> 00:14:46,039 a lot of the modern day tech. It interferes with 234 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,919 the signals. It creates problems like I live in West Mecklenburg, 235 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:52,879 and when you know, the sun goes down, I can't 236 00:14:52,919 --> 00:14:56,759 hear WBT, and I'm like eight miles away and I'm 237 00:14:56,799 --> 00:14:59,440 in this spot where the ninety nine three FM signal 238 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,080 doesn't come in very doesn't come in well at all either, 239 00:15:02,159 --> 00:15:04,279 So like I can't even listen when the sun goes down. 240 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:06,480 I have no idea what's on the air unless I'm 241 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,320 listening on the app, which, by the way, we do 242 00:15:09,399 --> 00:15:11,200 have the app. You can listen live on the app 243 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:15,799 as well and on the website WBT dot com. But 244 00:15:16,159 --> 00:15:20,000 Urban One Radio one will continue to own and operate 245 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:25,840 eleven ten Am. Again. We're going to simulcast through the 246 00:15:25,919 --> 00:15:31,600 end of the year. The eleven ten AM frequency will 247 00:15:31,639 --> 00:15:34,960 then be changing formats at some point, I am told 248 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:45,480 in January. And you know, honestly, like this protects the 249 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:49,799 biggest asset that Urban One has in the Charlotte market, 250 00:15:49,799 --> 00:15:52,840 which is WBT and we are all i mean the 251 00:15:52,919 --> 00:15:57,480 hosts but also management, all very aware of the history. 252 00:15:57,519 --> 00:16:01,240 I mean Urban One came in, they acquired cluster of stations, 253 00:16:01,279 --> 00:16:05,960 they had a couple already. They acquired the cluster here 254 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,080 at Julian Price Place. You know, wfn Z, the Sports Talk, 255 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:13,159 w L and K one oh seven nine, they and WBT. 256 00:16:13,799 --> 00:16:17,679 And right after they acquired us, they you know, we 257 00:16:17,799 --> 00:16:21,600 were we were fixing to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary 258 00:16:21,639 --> 00:16:25,200 of WBT. And it would have been very easy for 259 00:16:25,799 --> 00:16:28,519 a new ownership to come in and just say, no, 260 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,360 we're not doing that. You want to do what now? 261 00:16:31,399 --> 00:16:32,960 You want to spend what kind of money on this 262 00:16:33,159 --> 00:16:35,360 right you want? And they but they they did not 263 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,000 do that. They embraced it, and they you know, they 264 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:41,039 not just allowed it to go forward, They helped it 265 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,120 go forward. And it was a great celebration. We had 266 00:16:44,159 --> 00:16:47,519 a great time. So they they understand, they're radio people, 267 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,360 so they understand the legacy and the heritage. We I mean, 268 00:16:51,639 --> 00:16:55,000 we didn't build a hall of fame, the WBT Hall 269 00:16:55,039 --> 00:16:59,120 of Fame, and you know, put people's plaques up on 270 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:04,480 the wall just to tear it all down. So that's 271 00:17:04,759 --> 00:17:08,880 that's not going to happen. You know, there's a there's 272 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:14,599 a brand with WBT, the brand of BT, and then 273 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:19,960 there's the frequency, and they have overlapped for decades. But 274 00:17:20,039 --> 00:17:25,119 I think in order for BT to survive for another 275 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,720 one hundred years, it has to it has to get 276 00:17:28,759 --> 00:17:32,559 over onto the FM dial. And one one O seven 277 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:36,039 nine is a monster of a stick that has been 278 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,519 in our It's right next door. It's like it's been 279 00:17:38,559 --> 00:17:42,440 part of this cluster for I don't know how long decades, 280 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:47,000 forty years something. So it just makes sense. And so again, 281 00:17:47,079 --> 00:17:49,720 like I get the nostalgia, I get the you know, 282 00:17:49,799 --> 00:17:52,240 the sense of loss. I do because I feel it too, 283 00:17:52,319 --> 00:17:55,680 But there's also this sense of excitement and like we 284 00:17:55,720 --> 00:18:00,440 are now going to be exposed to you know, another 285 00:18:00,599 --> 00:18:04,200 eighty percent of people listening to radios that didn't even 286 00:18:04,279 --> 00:18:07,680 know the AM band existed. They never went there. So 287 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:12,440 now we have an opportunity to reach more people and 288 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:18,599 talk about how great mayonnaise is. That's just a joke. 289 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,119 I'm a big believer in mayo. It's the superior condiment. 290 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,799 I'm sure we'll talk about it at some point. Here's 291 00:18:23,839 --> 00:18:26,400 a great idea, how about making an escape to a 292 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,960 really special and secluded getaway in western North Carolina. Just 293 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,559 a quick drive up the mountain and Cabins of Asheville 294 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:36,480 is your connection. Whether you're celebrating an anniversary, a honeymoon, 295 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:38,759 maybe you want to plan a memorable proposal, or get 296 00:18:38,759 --> 00:18:41,680 family and friends together for a big old reunion, Cabins 297 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:44,440 of Asheville has the ideal spot for you where you 298 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,039 can reconnect with your loved ones and the things that 299 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:50,920 truly matter. Nestled within the breath taking fourteen thousand acres 300 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:54,240 of the Pisga National Forest, their cabins offer a serene 301 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:57,079 escape in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Centrally 302 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:59,559 located between Ashville and the entrance of the Great Smoky 303 00:18:59,559 --> 00:19:03,480 Mountain Sational Park. It's the perfect balance of seclusion and 304 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:07,839 proximity to all the local attractions with hot tubs, fireplaces, 305 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:12,079 air conditioning, smart TVs, Wi Fi, grills, outdoor tables, and 306 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:16,519 your own private covered porch. Choose from thirteen cabins, six cottages, 307 00:19:16,559 --> 00:19:20,519 two villas, and a great lodge with eleven king sized bedrooms. 308 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,880 Cabins of Ashville has the ideal spot for you for 309 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,759 any occasion, and they have pet friendly accommodations. Call or 310 00:19:27,799 --> 00:19:31,119 text eight two eight, three, six, seven seventy sixty eight 311 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:33,559 or check out all there is to offer at cabins 312 00:19:33,599 --> 00:19:37,119 Offashville dot com and make memories that'll last a lifetime. 313 00:19:37,839 --> 00:19:40,160 Allow me to dispel one of the rumors that I 314 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:45,720 have been seeing on the social media's George Soros did 315 00:19:45,759 --> 00:19:49,839 not buy the station. Okay, some people have been asking 316 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:53,799 about that. That did not occur. Radio One still owns 317 00:19:54,079 --> 00:19:58,160 WBT and eleven ten AM. George Soros did not buy 318 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:00,599 that station. He did buy a bunch of shares in Oudyssey, 319 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,799 but they don't own us anymore. So he has bought 320 00:20:03,839 --> 00:20:09,880 a whole bunch of Hispanic stations. But he did not 321 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,920 buy WBT or eleven ten AM or one oh seven 322 00:20:13,039 --> 00:20:18,559 nine FM. He didn't buy any of that, Okay. Chris 323 00:20:18,839 --> 00:20:23,039 on the text line says, turning on certain lights in 324 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:28,200 our home caused static on the AM station. I happily 325 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,079 discovered today. The problem seems to have disappeared with the 326 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:36,519 switch to FM PS Love your Show. Yeah, like that's 327 00:20:36,559 --> 00:20:40,880 the I've told this story before. When I first moved 328 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:44,160 to Charlotte, this would have been somewhere around nineteen ninety nine. 329 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:49,160 I want to say, and moved into my little apartment 330 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:53,960 down in Meers Park, plugged in my landline phone and 331 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:56,920 picked it up, you know, as you do to make 332 00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:58,839 sure that you got the dial tone, that it's working. 333 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,240 And so I picked up the the receiver and I 334 00:21:01,319 --> 00:21:07,680 listened in, and I hear WBT on the phone and 335 00:21:07,759 --> 00:21:11,759 not like in like a far off, distant, staticy sort 336 00:21:11,799 --> 00:21:15,200 of way. I pick it up and I'm listening to 337 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:17,400 it as if I've got an earbud in, like I'm 338 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:22,279 listening on a headset. It was super clear because apparently 339 00:21:22,359 --> 00:21:26,680 the wiring in that old apartment building, which I think 340 00:21:26,799 --> 00:21:31,960 was probably built around like the fifties or something, all 341 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,559 of the wiring act as a massive antenna, and so 342 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,400 all the landlines would pick up the AM signal. That's 343 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,400 how powerful the signal was. And this was at night, 344 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,680 so I don't know. I don't know if it did 345 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:50,839 it as much during the daytime, but yeah, it was powerful. 346 00:21:51,039 --> 00:21:55,160 But again, nowadays, there's a lot of interference that comes 347 00:21:55,200 --> 00:22:01,599 through the lines because of all of the tech. Shannon 348 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,680 says on the text line, this is weird. Can we 349 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:08,440 say that word again, Yes, we can say weird. I 350 00:22:08,559 --> 00:22:10,920 never stopped saying weird. I did not allow that word 351 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:14,720 to be co opted by politicians. Weird is weird. People 352 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:19,079 feel free to keep using it here in the Lake 353 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:23,960 Norman area. I've always had to stream to listen to 354 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:26,799 the station. It's good to know though, that when I 355 00:22:26,839 --> 00:22:29,599 trek up to Moresville these days, I won't lose the 356 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:33,839 radio signal. Now. Yeah, that's it's good. It's gonna be. 357 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:38,759 It's a good thing, you know. Let me see here 358 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:44,759 to do? All right, that's off, that's off topic. R J. 359 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:49,920 Can you tell us the new format for eleven ten am? 360 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,440 I cannot bane not that I because I don't know. 361 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:58,319 I don't know what the format will be. I'm not 362 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:01,400 sure if the people deciding what to do, I don't 363 00:23:01,519 --> 00:23:05,559 I'm not sure if they know yet. But obviously they've 364 00:23:05,559 --> 00:23:07,920 got some ideas or maybe they maybe they know what 365 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,440 they're going to do, but they haven't told me so, 366 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:13,720 and I've asked but and so that, but nobody knows 367 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:16,160 at this point. So right now, it's like, we want 368 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:18,839 to focus on making sure that all of this went well, 369 00:23:19,559 --> 00:23:22,599 because this was a massive lift, you know, to try 370 00:23:22,599 --> 00:23:27,160 to make sure that all the technology worked properly, and 371 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:31,759 because again, like they moved us from eleven ten AM 372 00:23:31,839 --> 00:23:36,680 to one oh seven nine FM, and they moved Mix 373 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:41,200 to one hundred. I'm seeing now I'm gonna mess up 374 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,519 the frequencies. They moved them to one hundred point nine 375 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:48,000 and ninety nine point three, which was the WBT translator 376 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:55,440 for Gaston County area Western mech down into Clover. That 377 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:59,960 was praise, praise, then moved to where the block was 378 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:04,880 and the block exited the market. The block was taken off, 379 00:24:05,799 --> 00:24:08,359 so they had to move what is that four stations 380 00:24:09,599 --> 00:24:13,559 two five stations. I was told there would be no 381 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,640 math when I took this gig, so I apologize for that. 382 00:24:18,559 --> 00:24:21,680 Coming in loud and clear in Forest City. Very nice. 383 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:25,319 Thank you. By the way, if you when you send 384 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,920 a text to the WBT text line driven by Liberty 385 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:33,240 Buick GMC, when you send a text, you can just 386 00:24:33,319 --> 00:24:35,279 give us your name so I can put it into 387 00:24:35,319 --> 00:24:38,880 the into the little profile thing here, so I don't 388 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:41,359 have to refer to you as like a seven oh 389 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:45,720 four number or anonymous person says, I can just say, like, oh, 390 00:24:45,759 --> 00:24:52,119 it's Bete, so like for example, this is uh a 391 00:24:52,279 --> 00:24:56,240 four to one zero number from Maryland, So a Maryland 392 00:24:56,279 --> 00:24:58,880 man or woman. I guess it could be one oh 393 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:03,480 seven point nine sounds great. I'm an avid eleven ten 394 00:25:03,519 --> 00:25:07,000 AM listener. I hope I get coverage eleven ten gave me. 395 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:12,359 I will say also that I used to do when 396 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,119 I was working up in Ashville. I could pick up 397 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,480 one oh seven point nine FM. It's in the outer 398 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:23,160 bands of the footprint. So I'm back on the air 399 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:31,920 in Ashville. I know I have a large western North 400 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:35,279 Carolina audience from when I was up there, so maybe 401 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:42,559 maybe they'll pick us up again. Jordan says, longtime listener, 402 00:25:42,599 --> 00:25:44,440 love your work. It's going to be weird that I 403 00:25:44,519 --> 00:25:47,440 used to listen to Michael Jackson and eighties pop on 404 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:51,759 one O seven nine. Now I get my favorite political commentator. 405 00:25:52,039 --> 00:25:55,640 Thank you, Jordan. I appreciate that it's only weird if 406 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:59,880 you make it weird. Jordan, Okay, it's only don't make 407 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:05,119 it weird. But I will say in the next segment here, 408 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:07,000 I'll kind of go a little bit deeper, read some 409 00:26:07,039 --> 00:26:09,599 more of your text messages as well, but give you 410 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:12,079 a little bit of a flavor. If you've not listened 411 00:26:12,079 --> 00:26:15,920 to my program before. First off, that's very hurtful, but 412 00:26:16,079 --> 00:26:18,000 also like I'll give you just sort of an idea 413 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:21,039 of how I approach my show. Every host is different, 414 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:24,000 but what my sort of philosophy is and how I 415 00:26:24,039 --> 00:26:27,359 approach the show and what kind of content that we 416 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,559 do here, and by we I mean me but no, 417 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:34,680 but also producer Nick and Bernie, what we kind of 418 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,000 how we focus the show, how you know, the stuff 419 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,480 that I'm generally focused on, because all of the shows 420 00:26:41,559 --> 00:26:44,559 sound different, mainly because there are different people, you know, 421 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:47,119 doing the shows, and we all have our own opinions 422 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:50,200 about things. We disagree on stuff, and you can disagree too. 423 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:56,039 In fact, I prefer it. My favorite phone calls are 424 00:26:56,079 --> 00:26:59,039 with people that don't agree with me, and so like, 425 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:00,960 if you don't agree with me, usually I'm gonna get 426 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:02,440 you on first, I'm gonna put you at the front 427 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:06,920 of the line because I prefer those conversations. I am 428 00:27:07,519 --> 00:27:11,640 a former political science guy. In college, I was mass 429 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:15,039 colm broadcast. I went to Winthrop University in Rockhill, and 430 00:27:15,799 --> 00:27:19,920 I was a polycy minor and a philosophy They wouldn't 431 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:22,559 give me a double minor. I had enough credits though 432 00:27:22,599 --> 00:27:24,480 for it. I had enough credits for a double minor, 433 00:27:24,519 --> 00:27:26,319 but they would not offer me a double minor. I'm 434 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:28,519 not better. I swear I'm not bitter about it, maybe 435 00:27:28,559 --> 00:27:31,039 just a little. All right, if you're listening to this show, 436 00:27:31,079 --> 00:27:32,599 you know I try to keep up with all sorts 437 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,640 of current events, and I know you do too, And 438 00:27:34,759 --> 00:27:38,160 you've probably heard me say get your news from multiple sources. 439 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:41,920 Why Well, because it's how you detect media bias, which 440 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:44,880 is why I've been so impressed with ground News. It's 441 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:48,400 an app, and it's a website, and it combines news 442 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:50,319 from around the world in one place so you can 443 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:53,759 compare coverage and verify information. You could check it out 444 00:27:53,759 --> 00:27:58,400 at check dot ground, dot news, slash pete. I put 445 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,359 the link in the podcast description too. I started using 446 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,319 ground News a few months ago and more recently chose 447 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:06,279 to work with them as an affiliate because it lets 448 00:28:06,319 --> 00:28:09,920 me see clearly how stories get covered and by whom. 449 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,160 The blind spot feature shows you which stories get ignored 450 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:16,119 by the left and the right. See for yourself check 451 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:20,680 dot ground, dot news, slash pete. Subscribe through that link 452 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,599 and you'll get fifteen percent off any subscription. I use 453 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,799 the Vantage plan to get unlimited access to every feature. 454 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:29,759 Your subscription then not only helps my podcast, but it 455 00:28:29,799 --> 00:28:32,960 also supports ground news as they make the media landscape 456 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:37,960 more transparent. Some messages from the WBT text line. Steve says, 457 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:41,920 thank you for the new and stronger FM signal. Pete, 458 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:46,160 welcome to more power. He's got a tim the tool man, 459 00:28:46,559 --> 00:28:50,680 Jiff Brett says, I listen to the station for almost 460 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:52,839 forty years, love it and by the way, you do 461 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:59,279 sound taller. Thank you. By the way, for folks who 462 00:28:59,319 --> 00:29:03,599 may not have heard the program before, the inclusion of 463 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:07,400 that rim shot is intentional. I put it in there 464 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,559 because the all of the data shows that use of 465 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:15,240 the rim shot makes my jokes about fifty seven percent funnier. 466 00:29:15,799 --> 00:29:17,319 And I need all the help I can get, so 467 00:29:17,359 --> 00:29:20,799 I use the rim shot. I also use the bell 468 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:25,960 just for sometimes no reason at all. No, Usually it's like, yes, 469 00:29:26,039 --> 00:29:28,119 I agree, Ding ding ding. You know I use the 470 00:29:28,119 --> 00:29:29,559 bell too, So I just want to let people know 471 00:29:29,559 --> 00:29:35,440 in case you aren't aware of that. Hmm. Bobby A 472 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:38,839 says with the new WBT on one oh seven point 473 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:42,680 nine FM, Now, do we need special glasses or hats 474 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:47,759 containing foil? No, you can make your own. You can 475 00:29:47,799 --> 00:29:50,920 make your own, Bobby. We do not provide any of 476 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,119 those to you. But if you do have some of 477 00:29:53,119 --> 00:29:59,599 the glasses left over from the I was gonna say 478 00:29:59,599 --> 00:30:02,680 soul stife, but that's not correct. It's the eclipse. If 479 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:07,559 you got those eclipse glasses, those can be helpful. Chris 480 00:30:07,559 --> 00:30:11,359 wants to know why there is a delay on the 481 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:16,200 one oh seven point nine FM that's longer than the 482 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:18,960 AM signal. I noticed this too this morning when I 483 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:21,240 went around the house and I was switching over all 484 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:24,480 of the all of my old clock radios, and which, 485 00:30:24,519 --> 00:30:26,839 by the way, this came at a perfect time for me, 486 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:30,160 not that it's about me, but because I was looking 487 00:30:30,279 --> 00:30:33,359 for a new clock radio to put in the bathroom 488 00:30:33,799 --> 00:30:35,720 that so it has to be able to like sustain 489 00:30:35,759 --> 00:30:37,720 the you know, the humidity of the shower and all 490 00:30:37,759 --> 00:30:40,799 of that, but I need to have the AM on it. 491 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:46,200 And like, I could not find a clock radio for 492 00:30:46,359 --> 00:30:50,160 the bathroom that didn't have all of the digital components 493 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:52,839 in the USB ports and all this stuff. And I 494 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:55,359 also wanted one that hung on the wall. And it's like, 495 00:30:55,359 --> 00:30:59,640 like you just can't find them. So yes, we are, 496 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:03,519 we are moving into the twentieth century here, folks, real quick. 497 00:31:03,519 --> 00:31:06,799 And then after this newscast at the top of the hour, 498 00:31:06,839 --> 00:31:09,880 we're going to get into some of the topics. So 499 00:31:10,079 --> 00:31:12,799 just real briefly in about a minute and a half 500 00:31:12,839 --> 00:31:17,519 here that I've got left before the news. I started 501 00:31:17,559 --> 00:31:20,559 off as a local reporter. I've always believed in the 502 00:31:20,599 --> 00:31:24,400 power of local news, local radio. You're not going to 503 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:30,039 be able to get local coverage and local conversations with people, 504 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:35,440 you know who understand the local news environment. You can 505 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,799 ever replicate that on a satellite you can't replicate it 506 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:41,599 on a you know, a syndicated national show. It's just 507 00:31:42,359 --> 00:31:44,200 this is what we do. This is what I have 508 00:31:44,319 --> 00:31:47,799 done since I started at WBT as a local reporter, 509 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:52,599 covering city council, county commission, school board, state government. So 510 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:56,680 that's been sort of my lane that I've been traveling down. 511 00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:58,960 When I went to Asheville, I focused on the Asheville 512 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:03,160 city government, county commission. Now back in Charlotte, still doing that. 513 00:32:03,519 --> 00:32:07,480 I do cover national issues though, because national can impact 514 00:32:07,519 --> 00:32:12,599 the local obviously, but really like the focus that I 515 00:32:12,759 --> 00:32:17,480 try to take is to take these large local issues 516 00:32:18,279 --> 00:32:22,160 and try to get to sort of the political underpinnings, 517 00:32:22,359 --> 00:32:26,319 the philosophy right why we're seeing what we're seeing, and 518 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:29,960 in the next hour you're going to hear there's a 519 00:32:30,079 --> 00:32:33,880 story about the stabbing on the light rail train. Where 520 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:37,359 you've got all of these different inputs, all these different 521 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,920 types of stories that are all playing a role in 522 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:44,640 this one story. All right, that'll do it for this episode. 523 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:46,799 Thank you so much for listening. I could not do 524 00:32:46,839 --> 00:32:49,000 the show without your support and the support of the 525 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:52,039 businesses that advertise on the podcast, so if you'd like, 526 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,279 please support them too and tell them you heard it here. 527 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:56,960 You can also become a patron at my Patreon page 528 00:32:57,079 --> 00:33:00,640 or go to thepetekaalanershow dot com. Again, thank you so 529 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:04,039 much for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.