WBT’s John Hancock’s 20^th year in Charlotte

Posted on 16 Oct 2010 by Justin Ruckman

I’ve been listening to John Hancock ever since I was a kid, from long drives in the truck with my dad to parking deck picnics on the 4^th of July listening to WBT’s Skyshow.

For a right-wing talk radio host, he’s always maintained a pretty sensible non-partisan balance, and is a refreshing local alternative to the sometimes stuffy NPR affiliates.

Here’s to a real Charlottean, thanks for sticking around.

“In a sometimes-seething sea of conservative talk, there’s an island named John Hancock.

On WBT-AM (1110), its coordinates are 6 to 9 p.m., and if his contract renewal negotiations go well, it will be there for a while longer.

Hancock, whose stream-of-consciousness patter constitutes one of the most-recognized voices in Charlotte radio, is marking an unusual anniversary: 20 years in the same town, something almost unheard of in the rough-and-tumble broadcast industry.

“I had to ask somebody where Charlotte was when I first got an offer here,” says Hancock. “And for this Colorado boy, coming here was the best thing that ever happened.”

Read more by Mark Washburn at the Observer.