Another One Gone

[passtheword]

I found this on radio-info this morning about WSMJ in Baltimore pullnig the plug on smooth jazz.

Baltimore's smooth jazz WSMJ "fades into the sunset" - ahead of a new format
The station is stunting on-air with Christmas music, and online it says "Thank you, Baltimore, for your years of loyal support...as 104.3 WSMJ fades into the sunset." The site also plugs the availability of smooth jazz on the HD-2 channel ot Clear Channel's 97.1, with a link to listen online. WSMJ ranked #8 in the Winter Arbitron with a 3.5 share, total week 12+, and if it goes away, it would join other defunct smooth jazz outlets in markets like Atlanta, New York - and just down I-95 from Baltimore in Washington, D.C.

Who's next?


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[DXMeister]

Smooth Jazz is dropping like flies in each market that still has one. Seems like between New York and Washington DC. 97.5 WJJZ in Philly is the only one left, they might be axed next.

 

[passtheword]

Smooth Jazz is dropping like flies in each market that still has one. Seems like between New York and Washington DC. 97.5 WJJZ in Philly is the only one left, they might be axed next.

I'm just glad the smooth jazz station we have here in Birmingham is non-commercial. Hopefully ours will be spared.
www.samford.edu/wvsu


_______________________
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Radio Didn't Exist?
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[orange434]

moreso than probably any smooth jazz station, they were basically an urban/rhythmic ac that mixed in some instrumentals every one or two songs, but still a big loss for the BA frontier considering i believe they ran network programming in every daypart besides middays.

 

[DXMeister]

"Media consumers are more selective than ever about where to spend their valuable time. It is our pleasure and responsibility to provide compelling and engaging programming to the marketplace. Elliot is a powerhouse of entertainment. Paired with great music you can’t find elsewhere in Baltimore, it is a winner for listeners and advertisers. We are thankful to Baltimore for many good years of Jazz listening on WSMJ, but it is time to change the channel to Channel 104.3," said Hartley Adkins, President/Marketing Manager Clear Channel Washington DC & Baltimore."

I'm sure most if not all of you would disagree with that. Clear Channel along with the others don't see Smooth Jazz as viable to advertisters anymore. That's it's old and stagnant. They said the same about oldies too yet it's made a huge comeback.

 

[Carmine5]

Smooth Jazz is dropping like flies in each market that still has one. Seems like between New York and Washington DC. 97.5 WJJZ in Philly is the only one left, they might be axed next.

Well, don't forget KTWV "The Wave" in L.A. They still pull strong numbers and rank 7th in the market. Of course, they also play a mix of A/C along with SJ which, to me, just confuses the issue.

But what's up with this trend of smooth jazz being dropped in one market after another? If BA is the problem, can Smooth Jazz be programmed without them? Or do they own the format?

It seems to me that anyone with an extensive knowledge and love of the genre can put together a killer playlist. There is certainly no shortage of great artists doing this music (and I don't mean Kenny G). I like a lot of the stuff Instinct Records puts out; Acid Jazz, Smooth Jazz Blues, etc.

But something needs to be done to make this format strong again.

C5

 

[DXMeister]

First off, what I meant between New York and Washington DC..I meant along the I-95 corridor. The problem is advertisers, ratings and cume. They starting mixing A/C in to Smooth Jazz stations because from what I've read, that's the transition all commerical smooth jazz stations are turning into. Advertising feel the demo for Smooth Jazz is too old. That's why oldies transitioned into 'Classic Hits'..transitioning into the 80s to grab a bit of that younger demo to keep the format afloat. Tje ratings were that terrible in DC and NYC but apparently they weren't billing enough..the advertisers were flocking and apparently lthere's not enough people listening to Smooth Jazz with the ratings being on the low side. Smooth Jazz 105.9 starting playing more A/C then smooth jazz...then made wild changes in their playlist before they switched.

 

[cklw800]

Many stations programming without BA are healthy. They can get listeners involved, talk about things happening in their town, vs. depending on a recorded announcement talking about local stuff during a commercial break. Listeners notice after some time that none of the jocks can talk about the great smooth jazz artists or festivals coming to town. Then they feel that disconnect. SJ is a format that has the expectaton of involving the listener beyond the music, and right now the music is nothing special. It's even more background with the network. Something has to click other than the music and that's where BA fails. When the music stops nothing else special is happening for the listener to enjoy. I'm really surprised that BA didn't coach their hosts not to sound like they're reading. People outside out radio make commentsaboutthat. They can tell. It irritates them in addition to the music. Go to the stores that advertise on the stations. If you spark a conversation you'll hear their employees saying the same thing.

 

[Matlock]

DX Meister, where has Oldies made a "huge" comeback? WCBS is not "Oldies" anymore, they're Classic Hits. Even Scott Shannon's True Oldies plays 70s Rock cuts.

 

[DXMeister]

Matlock, I already pointed that out in my previous post that it transitioned to classic hits. I would like the 50s played again but we all know that's not likely to happen on a regular basis. on top of cutting down on rock cuts

 

[Matlock]

OK, so then by your own definition, "Oldies" has not made a comeback. The former "Oldies" format of 50s & 60s tunes is now making a comeback anywhere and the big companies rightly transitioned it to a 60s, 70s, 80s Classic Hits format. Just clarifying.

 

[DXMeister]

Wishful thinking perhaps. From when 'Oldies' were disappearing and then reappeared as a classic hits format, most would've hoped for 50s and 60s tunes. Rightly transitioned I wouldn't say, more like bending over to advertisers, which of course pay the bills. At the same time, advertisers run the radio stations not the owners at this point. Which explains why I hear people on this board and offline about going to satellite radio. Sure there was always advertisers in the mix..that coupled with the corporate radio group owners, programming has come down big time...laying off live DJs for voicetracking, more dyndicated garbage. They've disconnected from their listeners and they're fleeing. Clarification noted.

 

[Carmine5]

The funny thing is that I hear kids (like my teenage nephew) yammering to their friends about Jerry Lee Lewis and "Louie, Louie" like they're new discoveries (which, of course, for Gen Y (or is it Z now) they would be new discoveries).

But it's maddening and short sighted when advertisers (or whoever is deciding the fate of all music) pigeonhole certain genres of music to particular age groups, like "oldies", and then pronounce that music as unworthy of airplay because the demographic is somehow undesirable.

If it has energy and a strong back beat, kids will listen to it. Same thing with Smooth Jazz. I know a lot of adults in their 30's who love it.

But from what I've observed, these younger age groups seem to treat music like pot luck; a little of this, a little of that. Some Nickelback, some Jerry Lee, some Rippingtons. They mix it up.

But radio is just shooting itself in the groin by narrowing programming choices to just a few well-worn formats. These new generations are not so narrow in their tastes.

C5

 

[DXMeister]

Carmine5: It all goes back to the advertisers having the corporate radio owners from the balls like they always have. They believe anyone 55+ and under 18 isn't desirable. Their view is siuce most in that age group are set in their ways with brands and what they buy, it takes multiple attempts to get any results vs the core 25-54 demo in which it only takes one or two attempts at most, so there are no agency buys for that demo thus the station doesn't cater to them...thus no oldies music. They believe most if not only people 55+ listen to 1950s to early 1960s music. Anyone under 18 doesn't matter to advertisers. As long as advertisers are the ones keeping radio free and buying ads to age groups they want, we're not likely to see the 1950s to early 1960s music to make a comeback.

 

[Carmine5]

Carmine5: It all goes back to the advertisers having the corporate radio owners from the balls like they always have. They believe anyone 55+ and under 18 isn't desirable. Their view is siuce most in that age group are set in their ways with brands and what they buy, it takes multiple attempts to get any results vs the core 25-54 demo in which it only takes one or two attempts at most, so there are no agency buys for that demo thus the station doesn't cater to them...thus no oldies music. They believe most if not only people 55+ listen to 1950s to early 1960s music. Anyone under 18 doesn't matter to advertisers. As long as advertisers are the ones keeping radio free and buying ads to age groups they want, we're not likely to see the 1950s to early 1960s music to make a comeback.

Of course, what you're saying DXM is absolutely true.

This is what makes internet radio such a tasty alternative. Now if only the poor souls who are doing it can make it pay off somehow.

C5

 

[imjazzed]

Paul and Allen do go way back. Paul had actually been somewhat competing with BA producing the "World Premiere's" and packaging them for other markets (CBS) to use...or, not. Essentially they just joined forces rather competing against one another. This way, it opens up more options/stations to carry w/o conflict (basically CC or CBS). Make no mistake...Paul's his own Captain and has his own worries to deal with programming The Wave.

 

[cheese]

What a shame