RICK JACKSON - WBT
By: Henry Bostic
   
                         
Charlotte Rotarian Rick Jackson, vice president and general manager of Greater Media Charlotte which owns WBT AM and WLNK FM radio stations, was our speaker on Tuesday and he shared an informative video about the 75th anniversary of WBT, the second radio station licensed to broadcast in the United States. The station signed on the air on April 10, 1922, shortly after KDKA in Pittsburgh, the nation's first station.
 
The video traced the history of the station, which mirror's Charlotte's growth and featured some names that are like members of the family if you've lived in Charlotte for more than 25 years - Charles Crutchfield, The Briarhoppers, Grady Cole, Arthur Smith and the Cracker Jacks, Ty Boyd, H.A. Thompson. Today it's a Charlotte media powerhouse with its news and conservative talk format.
 
But the most interesting thing that this writer learned from the presentation came in the introduction by Marilynn Bowler. Rick is the featured deejay of his own nationally syndicated weekly radio program - "Rick Jackson's Country Hall of Fame," heard on 160 stations across the country. He produces it with wife Gina's help from his Weddington home studio.
 
The music he selects is from the greatest stars and songs in country music history along with colorful stories and information about the music, singers, songwriters, and behind-the-scenes players. Each show features a theme; past shows have included country crime; million sellers; silver screen country; and country crossovers.
 
Jackson began his career in Denver as a morning personality then moved to program director at KYGO-AM, where he learned and nurtured format. He came to Charlotte in 1992. Soon after coming to Charlotte, Jackson first met Charles Crutchfield whom he described as "a true icon, a legendary figure." Crutchfield led WBT to its early successes and guided it into midlife.
 
Jackson recalled that Cruchfield came to the station's offices off Morehead Street near Wilkinson Blvd. and Freedom Dr. for lunch. It was at a time when The Link co-host Sheri Lynch had a pig named Spanky. It just so happened that Spanky got loose just as Jackson and Crutchfield were walking down one of the station's very long corridors. "There was all this noise and commotion with the pig squealing and Sherry yelling after him about 20 yards behind," Jackson remembered.
 
"Mr. Crutchfield looked over at me very seriously and in full radio voice said 'Well, Mr. Jackson, I can see you are in complete control here at WBT.' Then, Jackson said, Crutchfield added, 'And I assume lunch is pork roast.'"
In response to a question from a fellow Rotarian, Jackson said that he was "not committed to civility" from the station's personalities, noting that American politics have always been rough and tumble. "I love being in the boxing ring and being part of politics," Jackson said, noting that the station goal is to "attract conservative listeners."
 
He also noted that there has always been a strain of American political discourse that lacked decorum. "The lack of civility is not new in radio or in American politics. It's just louder today because there is so much media, including more than 500 cable channels. We have to have something to fill all that air time."
 
But he did say that there are times when personalities do step across the undefined line. Jackson recalled an incident at the station last year with the dismissal of an on-air personality. "We had issues with afternoon personality Jeff Katz who is no longer here," but he didn't explain what the "issues" were.
 
In answer to another question, Jackson noted that "listenership" is now determined by Arbitron Radio Ratings and Media Research using a diary which listeners must remember to fill out. That all changes in Charlotte next year when Arbitron introduces the "people meter," a pager-like device that measures listening habits in real time, is introduced in to the Queen City market.
 
Jackson also mentioned briefly the other station he manages: 107.9 The Link. It and WBT are now owned by Greater Media, a privately owned company in Braintree, MA, parent company of 23 AM and FM radio stations in Boston, Charlotte, Detroit, Philadelphia and New Jersey; a group of central New Jersey weekly newspapers; and telecommunications towers throughout the U.S. It too has a talk format and features the morning drive "Bob & Sheri Show, " with Bob Lacey and Sheri Lynch, now syndicated to 60 stations in the U.S. and Canada, and the afternoon drive time duo of Matt and Ramon, also a syndicated program.
     
Head Table: Craig Simpson, David Auger, John Snyder, Marilynn Bowler, Meg McElwain, Bob Freeman;
Invocation: Bill Constangy;
Visitors & Guests: John Greer; Health & Happiness: David Erdman; Song: Pam Jefsen; Piano: Thomas Moore; Photos: Bert Voswinkel

• Janet Fortner has announced her retirement as President and CEO with Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region at year's end; Todd Stevens has been accepted to Leadership North Carolina's 2009-10 class; Natalie English has presented the Charlotte Chamber's point of view for fact-gathering and evaluating proposals related to health-care reform; CPCC President Tony Zeiss speaks to how the college will continue serving the community while dealing with budget cuts; Matt Joyner provided expert advice on what to do when preparing to close a business
              
• The "Gimme Shelter" concert to benefit United Family Services Shelter for Battered Women will be held September 26 from 8-11pm at Dilworth Neighborhood Grill. Our very own Mike Rash and David Barnhardt will be playing in the band; Catherine Browning is checking into an opportunity to have Flu shots administered; thanks to Don Millen for his work with the club's outbound student exchange program. Don introduced Eric and Sarah who participated in exchanges this summer.
 
• Donna Robbins' son was involved in a serious auto accident; two on last week's sick list, Herb Harriss and George Robinette, returned to Rotary this week, as did Arch McIntosh. Good to see all of you!

• Nominations for the Excellence in Leadership Award may be emailed to the Rotary office by October 13, 2009. Click here for award criteria.

• Carol Jordan provided an update on the 2009-2010 Group Study Exchange (GSE) with Brazil. Club members are encouraged to help identify candidates for team members or team leader that would be able to participate in this unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity. Team members must be between the ages of 25 and 40; employed full time and not directly related to a Rotarian. The Team leader is a Rotarian and interested club members may contact committee chair, Pat Gray, for additional information. Charlotte Rotary will host the Brazil team upon their arrival in April, 2010 and vocational visits will need to be arranged. Details on hosting opportunities will be provided at a later date.

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
 
First The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; Second High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society; Third The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life; Fourth The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.