In this post from last December, the station would only say an announcement was "coming." 

"In regards to WBT AM 1110, we will continue as a company Radio One and Urban One will continue to proudly own and operate AM 1110 WBT. There’s no question about that and please stay tuned for announcements coming on what that programming will be.”

I'm guessing they haven't made it official yet, whatever it is, but it can't be long now. 

Perhaps they'll do an all computer Internet advice format. Would that make it Charlotte's Web? 
 

The answer to the question about what happens to clear channel 1110 WBT may well be - nothing. It appears there's a good chance the oldest AM station in the Carolinas could go the way of the dodo. Although efforts are underway to preserve at least some of its history. 

And yes, that endless loop about tuning into FM, along with some automated music, is still running. I suppose they could have simulcasted the station, but they likely want to get people used to changing to the other band. 

Cold War bunker, historic WBT radio towers face uncertain future

mace wrote:

When I started DXing after getting my first transistor radio Christmas 1965, WBZ and WBT were the first two stations I picked up.

I think WBT was one of my originals also, although the very first one I remember picking up was WOWO at 1190 out of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. At the time, I'd never even heard of Ft. Wayne. 

And here's a weird coincidence. One day, I was working in the newsroom, when one of our anchors was showing a visiting friend around the place. When they came over to my area, he tried to explain to the guy what my job was. (Sometimes, I wasn't even sure!) I stood up to shake his hand and the guy staggered back. 

It wasn't anything I'd done - I just happened to be wearing a WOWO T-shirt that day and the guy was stunned. That's where he was born and worked. What are the odds?

Still have that well worn shirt, although it's seen better days. (But really, who hasn't?)

A radio veteran is trying to save the AM transmitter of the legendary WBT Charlotte, which recently switched to FM and left its powerhouse 50,000 watt signal on 1110 as a barker channel to remind listeners of the move. 

It's believed the 50K blowtorch could soon sign off (why they don't just simulcast it is another story.) But despite the value of the land they sit on one man wants to declare the radio towers and the grounds an historic landmark. He's started a petition that is slowly gathering signatures to present to the owners.

"He admitted the advocacy effort was out of his comfort zone but felt compelled to act so he wouldn’t regret seeing the site disappear without anyone asking if it could be saved." 

Saving a Slice of Carolina Radio History

That TX site looks like a fortress!

When a lot of AM's went on the air the transmitters were located several miles usually south (as many stations were directional) and often sent much of their power north toward the city of licence. Smart owners purchased the land to erect the towers on. As the cities grew, many sites are now actually very close or within the cities they serve. In some cases the value of the land the transmitter site occupies is very high; arguably worth more than the radio station itself. The shape of things to come.