Smooth jazz is dropping like flies all over and the most recent is WJSJ in Jacksonville, FL. Is WJZZ 107.5 in danger of flipping?
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Is WJZZ in trouble?
- Thread starter icycool7227
- Start date
Funny . . . A few years back, was it Cox? Had a very good jazz station. I used tto put one of my babies to sleep rocking him and listening to this station. Then for about six months there was not a commercial jazz station in Atlanta. When WJZZ came along, this child told me to turn the station off as it was not "real" jazz.
Today, he says let him know when they drop the "smooth" . . .
Today, he says let him know when they drop the "smooth" . . .
Yes, WJZZ is screwed. If you see the 12+ ratings, they are tanking.
This is also Radio One's only "Smooth Jazz" station, so we will have to see how they ride the format out. The format has basically evolved into soft AC. Radio One could easily reformat the station into a full-blown AC, but given how the company targets African-American audiences, I doubt it. Although they flipped a station in Indianapolis to Top 40 (taking over the intellectual property that brought Star 94 its new trainwreck), they might make an exception here.
My money's on 107.5 going Urban AC, making 102.5 all-talk (or vice versa).
This is also Radio One's only "Smooth Jazz" station, so we will have to see how they ride the format out. The format has basically evolved into soft AC. Radio One could easily reformat the station into a full-blown AC, but given how the company targets African-American audiences, I doubt it. Although they flipped a station in Indianapolis to Top 40 (taking over the intellectual property that brought Star 94 its new trainwreck), they might make an exception here.
My money's on 107.5 going Urban AC, making 102.5 all-talk (or vice versa).
The Smooth Jazz format has played a lot of soft AC for years...nothing new there.
WJZZ has not been billing well for several years, and yes, smooth jazz stations in several major markets have flipped. I'm not sure what WJZZ could do. Urban AC would pit them against Kiss, and succeeding wouldn't be easy. If WJZZ gets its signal upgrade, they might be able to pull it off.
One other thing...if WJZZ sticks it out, they might do well when the People Meter comes. Smooth Jazz is a background format, and WJZZ is played in a lot of businesses and offices. The People Meter would pick all of that up.
WJZZ has not been billing well for several years, and yes, smooth jazz stations in several major markets have flipped. I'm not sure what WJZZ could do. Urban AC would pit them against Kiss, and succeeding wouldn't be easy. If WJZZ gets its signal upgrade, they might be able to pull it off.
One other thing...if WJZZ sticks it out, they might do well when the People Meter comes. Smooth Jazz is a background format, and WJZZ is played in a lot of businesses and offices. The People Meter would pick all of that up.
Interesting observation Roddy.......But when Aribitron came for the dog and pony show a couple of weeks back we asked them about "background" audio. They say that the audio level will have to reach a "threshold"
where it would be assumed that the participant is actually listening. Unless unusually loud, mall and typical "Muzac" background audio will not trigger the meter(if I understood correctly)
where it would be assumed that the participant is actually listening. Unless unusually loud, mall and typical "Muzac" background audio will not trigger the meter(if I understood correctly)
I always wanted to make a smooth jazz commercial for TV.
Picture an old radio with a boy lying on his stomach in front of it staring at it and listening.
His father is sitting by the fire in a rocking chair, reading the paper and smoking a pipe. Through the radio you hear the "Smooth Jazz" spot.
The kid turns to his dad and says "How do they make that jazz so smooth?"
The dad takes his pipe out of his mouth for a minute and ponders. "I don't know, son. I just don't know."
Oh well. This is what I get for posting at 3:58 am.
Picture an old radio with a boy lying on his stomach in front of it staring at it and listening.
His father is sitting by the fire in a rocking chair, reading the paper and smoking a pipe. Through the radio you hear the "Smooth Jazz" spot.
The kid turns to his dad and says "How do they make that jazz so smooth?"
The dad takes his pipe out of his mouth for a minute and ponders. "I don't know, son. I just don't know."
Oh well. This is what I get for posting at 3:58 am.
L
louisNatl
Guest
I don't think WJZZ will be going anywhere soon. Some factors to consider...
WJZZ still performs decently in the ratings.
As someone stated earlier, WJZZ is background music commonly found in many office environments. Radio One would be smart to wait and see how the people meter affects the station.
WJZZ picks up many affluent African American and Caucasian listeners, a lucrative market for the station.
Since the demise of Lite, there is no other AC station in this market besides B 98.5.
WJZZ's signal skews northward since their stick is north of the Perimeter. An exclusively African American targeted format may not be the best use of the signal.
It would be a bad move for Radio One to flip WJZZ to Urban AC and make 102.5 all talk. That would put them up against Kiss who has Tom Joyner, an excellent signal, solid ratings, and the marketing power of Cox. Worst case, I would see Radio One moving the jazz format to 102.5 and swapping the Grown Folks soul/talk to the stronger 107.5 signal.
WJZZ still performs decently in the ratings.
As someone stated earlier, WJZZ is background music commonly found in many office environments. Radio One would be smart to wait and see how the people meter affects the station.
WJZZ picks up many affluent African American and Caucasian listeners, a lucrative market for the station.
Since the demise of Lite, there is no other AC station in this market besides B 98.5.
WJZZ's signal skews northward since their stick is north of the Perimeter. An exclusively African American targeted format may not be the best use of the signal.
It would be a bad move for Radio One to flip WJZZ to Urban AC and make 102.5 all talk. That would put them up against Kiss who has Tom Joyner, an excellent signal, solid ratings, and the marketing power of Cox. Worst case, I would see Radio One moving the jazz format to 102.5 and swapping the Grown Folks soul/talk to the stronger 107.5 signal.
R
Radio1360
Guest
Well I notice my relatives dumped it in favor of 104.1 (Kiss 104.1), the FM sister of SuperTalk 1340.
Another consideration for background stations is that the PPM senses motion. If you leave the PPM on your office desk all day near the radio or PC speakers, the device won't sense motion so it won't report your listening. If the "panelist" is wearing the meter on their hip, for instance, the audio would have to be loud enough to hear the embedded signal. I don't think my background listening would be loud enough to register...
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