Hi Bugz,
As one that is fed up with the continuous homogenization of radio over the years, I would disagree. I would rather have a station adopt it's own unique identity that ties into the area it broadcast to, rather than to adopt an overused moniker like "The River" or "The Point". Besides, "The Palm" is much easier to remember and does help make the station stand out, which is important when it comes time to fill out Arbitron diaries.
From listening over the last few hours online from Asheville, NC, I've noticed that "The Palm" is more of a "true" Triple A, playing a broad mix of currents/recurrents and gold titles spanning the last 40 years or so of Progressive Rock, targeting an older demo. WXRY has always leaned toward a younger demo in the Triple A world, playing Alternative/Modern Rock hits from the 80s-onward, while avoiding the harder songs of the last 10-12 years that you would hear on a tradition Modern Rock outlet. Sort of like the Modern AC format when it started in 1996-1997.
Just my $0.02...
Robyn