Did Art Good have a crystal ball???

[AnotherCat]

So I'm cleaning out some old files and find a copy of a piece in a now defunct publication that featured comments by programmers who were concerned about the direction BA was taking the format. This is what Good said in 1994

"The consultants have caused the ratings to go up but to what degree have they jeopardized the format's future by making instant ratings their goal? Younger listeners will not venture into the format if they don't hear new music and if they don't come in now, in 15 or 20 years it will gradually go the direction of B/EZ format. Those stations had ratings but the listeners were older than the desired buying demo"

1994+15 = 2009 which was when the format really began to fade off trad airwaves? Wonder if he charges for psychic readings?
Yo, Art! Will I find true love and get a career oriented job before the end of the year??? (lol)

 

[Media_Maven]

Wow! Art Good was spot on! Thanks for posting this, 'AnotherCat'; Great find! This proves to me that Smooth Jazz died an unnecessary, premature death. The lessons should've been learned years ago, and the demise of SJ could've been avoided. Shame.

 

[radiobum]

yeah they could have actually played more GOOD music. what a concept for radio !

 

[AnotherCat]

This article had comments by me, Art Good, Jeff Lunt, Bill Gray, and several other people who were deeply concerned with the direction that BA was taking the format. All of us pretty much said the same thing - that narrowing the focus to relaxation music, stripping out all the exciting elements, becoming B/EZ with sax instead of violins, the danger was that the format would go the same way B/EZ did..off the airwaves as the demo aged out and younger people did not come in because their musical heritage did not include easy listening. There was also this misundestanding that those who objected to the relaxation focus were advocating freemform jazz radio and "did not understand the realities of commercial radio". (LOL..I was an A/C MD with a late evening CJazz show!)

We were accused of being "sour grapes" and "negative." I remember the fan club president for one of our big name artists telling me I was being "sour grapes" and not supporting a format that was going to bring fame and fortune to these artists. I said "talk to me in 10 years when it turns around and bites them in the @$$ because people get bored and don't buy the music anymore." OK it took 15 years and this artist, like all of them, has taken a big hit.

 

[Tim]

Art Good has always been a very bright NAC/SJ programmer/host, and sadly...very accurate in his prediction in the early 90's about the format's decline.

I've been told...don't know if it's true...that NAC/SJ music & concerts are huge sellers overseas...especially Europe and Asia. Anybody know if that's the case?

It's really a shame that the bean-counters miscalculated the mood of the format's P1's, in an attempt to become more of an AC-type format (that just happened to play "some instrumentals"), with deeply cut playlists.

Sometimes it's better to be satisfied with 3% share that garners moderate, but steady revenue, than try to make a nitch format a cookie-cutter mainsteam one.

I really miss the format on radio. Thank heavens for my growing collection of newer and older "library" NAC/SJ tracks that I have on my laptop, MP3 player, and backed up on a portable hard drive; and the CDs themselves.

 

[Nock]

I've been told...don't know if it's true...that NAC/SJ music & concerts are huge sellers overseas...especially Europe and Asia. Anybody know if that's the case?

Been to Europe 3 times in last 4 years and yes it is still alive and kicking over there. The artists I know get big feedback on FB pages etc from overseas as well as still selling music over there.

Nock