94.7 KTWV almost changed formats to soft urban ac/soft ac

[SJFAN]

Since Joynie Kaye took over program duties at KTWV the station is hardly Smooth Jazz anymore.

KTWV still has the same DJs and jingles without the smooth jazz name.

In my car when I listen to The Wave all I hear is soft urban ac songs and soft ac songs. Maybe one or two old smooth jazz songs per hour are played on The Wave.

I really wish there would be a way to hear internet radio in my car through WIFI. I'm considering paying for XM radio so I can hear smooth jazz radio in my car.

At home I listen to smooth jazz online.

Yesterday I called the Wave and spoke to Joynie Kaye on the phone for about 15 minutes. I was explaining to him how KIFM San Diego is programed right and is very successful. I explained to joynie that Smooth Jazz radio has lost listeners due to poor programing and poor rotation of new music. Joynie is ignorant and dissagrees with me. Joynie Kaye also told me that eventually he plans to drop all instrumentals from The Wave's playlist. Joynie had never even heard of KIFM San Diego. When I mentioned Smooth Jazz 98.1 San Diego he sounded shocked on the phone. Its no wonder why we see traditional FM radio going down the tubes.

 

[majaman78]

Since Joynie Kaye took over program duties at KTWV the station is hardly Smooth Jazz anymore.

KTWV still has the same DJs and jingles without the smooth jazz name.

In my car when I listen to The Wave all I hear is soft urban ac songs and soft ac songs. Maybe one or two old smooth jazz songs per hour are played on The Wave.

I really wish there would be a way to hear internet radio in my car through WIFI. I'm considering paying for XM radio so I can hear smooth jazz radio in my car.

At home I listen to smooth jazz online.

Yesterday I called the Wave and spoke to Joynie Kaye on the phone for about 15 minutes. I was explaining to him how KIFM San Diego is programed right and is very successful. I explained to joynie that Smooth Jazz radio has lost listeners due to poor programing and poor rotation of new music. Joynie is ignorant and dissagrees with me. Joynie Kaye also told me that eventually he plans to drop all instrumentals from The Wave's playlist. Joynie had never even heard of KIFM San Diego. When I mentioned Smooth Jazz 98.1 San Diego he sounded shocked on the phone. Its no wonder why we see traditional FM radio going down the tubes.

Not here to promote it, but my iPhone with AT&T is great for streaming. Their cheapest cell plan you can get is $69.95 for 400 min peak/5000 unlimited nights and weekends.

Best thing about this setup is that it includes an unlimited internet data plan. You can stream 24/7 if you desire. I have it hooked up in the car and it works better than XM ever did. Buy an RCA mini adapter and stream right through your home stereo. It's really portable. Use it like an old time transistor radio...the iPhone has tiny speakers but it's still better than listening to terrestrial trash on a good system.

Although I have never used one, I am sure Verizon offers something similar using a BlackBerry device as well as T Mobile with their new MyTouch 3G.

.

 

[AC Tones]

Since Joynie Kaye took over program duties at KTWV the station is hardly Smooth Jazz anymore.

KTWV still has the same DJs and jingles without the smooth jazz name.

In my car when I listen to The Wave all I hear is soft urban ac songs and soft ac songs. Maybe one or two old smooth jazz songs per hour are played on The Wave.

I really wish there would be a way to hear internet radio in my car through WIFI. I'm considering paying for XM radio so I can hear smooth jazz radio in my car.

At home I listen to smooth jazz online.

Yesterday I called the Wave and spoke to Joynie Kaye on the phone for about 15 minutes. I was explaining to him how KIFM San Diego is programed right and is very successful. I explained to joynie that Smooth Jazz radio has lost listeners due to poor programing and poor rotation of new music. Joynie is ignorant and dissagrees with me. Joynie Kaye also told me that eventually he plans to drop all instrumentals from The Wave's playlist. Joynie had never even heard of KIFM San Diego. When I mentioned Smooth Jazz 98.1 San Diego he sounded shocked on the phone. Its no wonder why we see traditional FM radio going down the tubes.

Be sure to check out Carol Archer's column this week at www.allthatjazzinc.com. She was not particularly complimentary about what they are doing at The Wave, and exposed a couple INEXCUSABLE programming gaffes for a terrestrial radio station of that size and reach. My suggestion would be to not waste your time listening and secure one of the combo mobile data plans majaman78 suggested. WELL worth the money.

 

[JR1967]

Here in Atlanta we lost our Smooth Jazz station last year (107.5 WJZZ).  I am also listening to KIFM over the internet and yes, I agree, this station is programmed correctly and no surprise that it is a consistent Top-3 ranked station in the San Diego Market.  I also listen online to KSBR (www.ksbr.net) from Saddleback College-Mission Viejo CA and they have an excellent blend of smooth jazz and "straight-ahead" jazz also.

I am saddened to see where KTWV is now going music-wise.  Even their own website is so generic-looking these days and not as spectacular as it once was. Unfortunately, that's what happens when you get very sophomoric leadership at the top.

 

[davideduardo]

Yesterday I called the Wave and spoke to Joynie Kaye on the phone for about 15 minutes. I was explaining to him how KIFM San Diego is programed right and is very successful. I explained to joynie that Smooth Jazz radio has lost listeners due to poor programing and poor rotation of new music. Joynie is ignorant and dissagrees with me. Joynie Kaye also told me that eventually he plans to drop all instrumentals from The Wave's playlist. Joynie had never even heard of KIFM San Diego. When I mentioned Smooth Jazz 98.1 San Diego he sounded shocked on the phone. Its no wonder why we see traditional FM radio going down the tubes.

Jhani Kaye grew up in Hemit and East LA; he's a SoCal native and he would definitely, as anyone who has worked on the air and in programming in the area, know about KIFM.

In all likelihood one of two things happened: you were not even talking to Jhani, or, you were but he was simply letting you vent by allowing you to talk about your opinion of a format that his employers told him to change.

 

[AnotherCat]

Jhani Kaye is an excellent A/C programmer. Note that I said A/C.

 

[davideduardo]

Jhani Kaye is an excellent A/C programmer. Note that I said A/C.

And KTWV is positioned as Smooth AC. Perfect match.

 

[jhguthlac]

SJ was a format of the 90's. I still really enjoy the music, but the days of it being a viable format are over. So The Wave is using good business sense and moving on.

 

[AnotherCat]

One of my friends in the biz had a feeling The WAVE would eventually dump instrumental music..at this point still a rumor but it seems inevitable. With some many wireless apps and online listening venues available this shouldn"t hit as hard as one could assume. It just means re educating the less technoligically inclined to get with the 21st century and that is becoming easier everyday.

 

[Nick Gerard]

I am saddened to see where KTWV is now going music-wise. Even their own website is so generic-looking these days and not as spectacular as it once was. Unfortunately, that's what happens when you get very sophomoric leadership at the top.

Jhani Kaye "sophomoric?" Ahem. I suggest you do a little research, friend.

Nick Summers

 

[Rusty Muck]

Here in Cleveland, we also lost our Smooth Jazz station back in December, in favor of an AAA format.

Which was significant because WNWV-FM not only had the format for 22 years (signed on in November 1987 after just 10 months as "Z-Rock"), but was one of the first "new age" stations east of the Mississippi, patterning itself directly after KTWV. It was also one of the first stations to use the "Wave" name and logo, under license from Metromedia... the logo even had a Metromedia copyright on the bottom.

The owners at least were kind enough to scoot it over to the HD-2 channel for the 5 listeners that CAN tune in. Internet and mobile phone streaming are more viable options. It also has kept the old website ( http://wnwv.northcoastnow.com ) and facebook page active.

Sadly, if this info about KTWV seems to be accurate, WNWV HD-2 might end up being THE last one standing.

 

[AC Tones]

Guys, there is a TON of great music out there if you TRULY love this genre, trust me. Don't get hung up on what Jhani Kaye is doing at KTWV. It has no relevance, ZERO, for the future of this genre, other than burying a "figurehead," 1980s pioneer for the format that lost its way years prior and frankly should have been buried LONG ago. KTWV exists merely in name and really merits no discussion as a viable outlet for contemporary jazz music, past or present. The Wave is DEAD, guys. Anyone who knows anything about this music can listen for one set and realize that. Embrace Internet broadcasters and enjoy some of the quality programming they provide. With your support, this music can survive for decades.

 

[davideduardo]

I am also listening to KIFM over the internet and yes, I agree, this station is programmed correctly and no surprise that it is a consistent Top-3 ranked station in the San Diego Market.

Since the PPM started in San Diego, 9 books ago, KIFM has not be near 3rd in 12+... and last book, as you can see on the ratings tab, it was 14th. In the 18-49 sales demo, it is not even in the top 20, I believe.

I am saddened to see where KTWV is now going music-wise. Even their own website is so generic-looking these days and not as spectacular as it once was. Unfortunately, that's what happens when you get very sophomoric leadership at the top.

That's the first time I have heard Dan Mason, Ed Krampf and Jhani Kaye called "sophomoric." Bizarre.

 

[JR1967]

First of all David-I stand corrected on the ratings books concerning KIFM. I honestly haven't seen the last nine ratings books and quite surprised they dropped that low. I do remember as recent as 2007-08 they were usually at or near the top trading the top spot at times with KSON.

Second, forgive me for my "sophomoric" comment concerning Mr. Kaye, I am sure very obviously Mr Kaye knows a lot about this business-he, like many others, has to answer to the "powers-that-be" above him at CBS. It's all about the JS (Job Security)-keep the bosses happy so you can pay your bills.

Anyway, with the many sources through online streaming and other places on the internet, smooth jazz will always be around in some form-besides, terrestrial radio is slowly sinking, so no sleep lost here anyway.

 

[recto101]

Forget KTWV all we need is web radio on Loud City and Live 365. Let AM and FM radio fight over Sarah Palin and thats the end of the question.

 

[Oatman]

This just in from management: Based on our latest research, from now on 75% of the discussions on the Radio-Info Smooth Jazz Board will be devoted to worn-out soft AC hits.

 

[majaman78]

This just in from management: Based on our latest research, from now on 75% of the discussions on the Radio-Info Smooth Jazz Board will be devoted to worn-out soft AC hits.

LOLOLOLOLOL

Great post.

I love how these know-it-all posters (you know, the ones with thousands of posts) continue to pile onto the demise of the format.

We get it, idiots. Now take your "can't do no wrong" attitudes and leave us for the board titled "Adult Contemporary" and get your collective rocks off by posting over there, you're adding NOTHING regarding the smooth jazz format, which I am happy to report, continues to flourish.

Maybe not on your little terrestrial signal, but guess what? Whether you want to hear about it or not, other delivery platforms DO exist!

 

[AC Tones]

This just in from management: Based on our latest research, from now on 75% of the discussions on the Radio-Info Smooth Jazz Board will be devoted to worn-out soft AC hits.

Dude, that was quite funny. Sometimes despite our best efforts to have discussion PURELY about contemporary jazz music and outlets that feature it, we can easily be diverted by those who wish to bury this format completely for no good reason.

As I have said time and time again, this format was never a HUGE moneymaker or ratings grabber, and most of us who post here accept that fact. Terrestrial radio needs to do what is has to do to survive because they are so leveraged financially due to enormous overhead and shrinking budgets. But for the purposes of this format, who cares? I respect immensely the storied traditions of the founding terrestrial fathers of this format. But it really does us no good to continue to be shocked and whine about the flips. Unless you have been living under a rock, the writing has been on the wall for a couple of years now with the flip of WQCD in New York in early 2008 (and some will say it started well before that). Stop whining and do something about it. Support Internet radio. We need you. We are sensitive to your needs and desires as listeners. Tell your friends who are looking for good contemporary jazz programming that they can get it on the Internet. We don't have deep pockets or huge operating budgets like terrestrail radio stations, but you'll get far better programmed stations. Look into getting mobile data plans and custom apps for your mobile phones, which are more affordable now than they ever have been.

 

[majaman78]

This just in from management: Based on our latest research, from now on 75% of the discussions on the Radio-Info Smooth Jazz Board will be devoted to worn-out soft AC hits.

Dude, that was quite funny. Sometimes despite our best efforts to have discussion PURELY about contemporary jazz music and outlets that feature it, we can easily be diverted by those who wish to bury this format completely for no good reason.

As I have said time and time again, this format was never a HUGE moneymaker or ratings grabber, and most of us who post here accept that fact. Terrestrial radio needs to do what is has to do to survive because they are so leveraged financially due to enormous overhead and shrinking budgets. But for the purposes of this format, who cares? I respect immensely the storied traditions of the founding terrestrial fathers of this format. But it really does us no good to continue to be shocked and whine about the flips. Unless you have been living under a rock, the writing has been on the wall for a couple of years now with the flip of WQCD in New York in early 2008 (and some will say it started well before that). Stop whining and do something about it. Support Internet radio. We need you. We are sensitive to your needs and desires as listeners. Tell your friends who are looking for good contemporary jazz programming that they can get it on the Internet. We don't have deep pockets or huge operating budgets like terrestrail radio stations, but you'll get far better programmed stations. Look into getting mobile data plans and custom apps for your mobile phones, which are more affordable now than they ever have been.

From here on out, if I see a another post crying about a smooth jazz station about to flip formats (of which there only should be about a handfull left) I will BUMP the above post to the top of the subject line and continue to do so in order to drive home Chris' well stated points.

True fans of the format, as Chris has so eloquently stated, already know where to go to find good smooth jazz. I'm hearing more new music than ever before, and I can tune in ANYWHERE. I'm just amazed at the DEPTH and QUALITY of all of the new instrumental music that is being released and there is just nothing better than hearing an exciting new tune for the very first time. Many of these internet streams pretty much verify what I believe the format should have evolved into after first hearing and falling in love with it over 20 years ago.

To continue to agonize about the loss of terrestrial just goes down the same dead end street and draws in all the "I told you so" crowd. I'm really tired of hearing them, and frankly it just bores me to death!

Screw it...lets start more subjects on good new streams, maybe some great new tunes you might have heard on-line or on XM/Sirius or even at a frickin' grocery store or restaurant. Maybe even a good college outlet or an NPR program.

Support smooth jazz however you can, because as you have seen, terrestrial won't support the fans of smooth jazz, and quite frankly shouldn't have to.

 

[Jazz_Kat]

This just in from management: Based on our latest research, from now on 75% of the discussions on the Radio-Info Smooth Jazz Board will be devoted to worn-out soft AC hits.

;D That was a good one Oatman. I'm in the boat with the rest of you all about the folks who are trying to tell us smooth jazz has seen it's day. Because it hasn't.