FIRST OFF . . .

More than 10,000 radio stations across the nation will pull the plug for 30 seconds of silence May 26 to emphasize the importance of radio to society, it was announced at the 67th annual National Assn. of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas. The association and the Radio Advertising Bureau are organizing the self-imposed blackout to mark the beginning of a $100-million advertising campaign called “Radio: What Would Life Be Without It?” Listeners will be asked to relate information about how radio helped shape their lives. The broadcasters’ association said radio stations will be supplied with special advertising kits to help promote the industry. More than 45,000 broadcasters from around the country attended this week’s conference.