Does it seem like half of the commercial radio stations around have jumped into Christmas holiday music?
WNCT(FM) is bucking the trend. Well, sort of. It’s going holiday, but not in the usual way.
“As far as we know we are the only radio station in the world that has made this change,” says Brad Hood, the manager of the Beasley station in Greenville, N.C.
The station has “launched” a Thanksgiving format that will air through Nov. 28. “It seems there is so much negativity in the news that we have simply forgotten to give thanks,” Hood says in the announcement.
Morning host Chris Fox was quoted saying: “As the official Thanksgiving Station, we’re going to encourage all of Eastern North Carolina to call us, e-mail us, fax us and text us to tell us what they are thankful for.” It will also air “Thanksgiving games with Thanksgiving prizes.”
“If it gobbles we’re giving it away,” Beasley quoted midday host Jeff Diamond saying.
The station airs at 107.9 MHz. Curious out-of-towners can hear it online. (Lest you think the station will just be airing “Alice’s Restaurant” over and over, this “format” seems to be more in the way of a promotional theme. The station usually plays classic hits and was airing the likes of Santana and Katrina & the Waves when we dropped in. Classic fare, not turkeys!)