Last One Standing

[Jay F]

Which SJ station do you think will stick with the format the longest and not flip even if everyone else is?

 

[Bill Harmonic]

My money is on KIFM. They will turn off the smooth jazz lights on terrestial radio if they go.

 

[AC Tones]

I agree with Bill. KIFM.

 

[Tim]

KIFM has been the consistently highest rated smooth jazz station in the country.

Many times they've been #1 in the ratings "beauty contest" demographic: adults age 25-54....which is simply remarkable for a so-called "nitch" format.

 

[recto101]

KSBr

 

[davideduardo]

Many times they've been #1 in the ratings "beauty contest" demographic: adults age 25-54....which is simply remarkable for a so-called "nitch" format.

12+ is the "beauty contest" demo. Everyone sees the numbers, but they are useless for sales. Arbitron gives 12+ rankers away to the press and trade websites because they have no value.

The sales demos are 18-34, 18-49, 25-54 and any subset of those.

KIFM has not been #1 25-54 since the PPM began 8 books ago in San Diego. My understanding is that it is barely inside the top 10, which is pretty challenging sales wise today.

The PPM has not treated SJ stations kindly... just as we have seen with other TSL based, lower cume, formats.

SJ is not a niche format 12+... it's just a niche format in the sales demos today.

 

[SJFAN]

KTWV, KIFM and KWJZ

 

[KOL]

WSJT might have had a shot if CBS didn't yank the live and local talent in favor of satellite last year and then swapping frequencies for one with 1/2 the power back in August. Then there's WLOQ that's been chuggin' along for 32 years.

 

[sjs1959]

WSJT might have had a shot if CBS didn't yank the live and local talent in favor of satellite last year and then swapping frequencies for one with 1/2 the power back in August. Then there's WLOQ that's been chuggin' along for 32 years.

Well, remember, after Ramsey Lewis left, they gave mornings back to Kathy Curtis and then gradually brought Alicia Kaye back for PM drive, they simulcast BA the rest of the time.

 

[Jay F]

WSJT might have had a shot if CBS didn't yank the live and local talent in favor of satellite last year and then swapping frequencies for one with 1/2 the power back in August. Then there's WLOQ that's been chuggin' along for 32 years.

I was thinking WLOQ as well. They are an independent (not that it helped in Cleveland). My impression from an article I once read is that the owner is personally a huge fan of the format and is commited to it. Things might have changed but this is still my pick.

One thing to keep in mind about KIFM is that Lincoln Financial did drop Smooth Jazz in Denver, Although the Denver station never had the success KIFM had.

 

[AnotherCat]

WLOQ is moving more toward Smooth A/C. They are a benchmark station in that market and seem to be pulling listeners who are bored with the other A/C choices in the market so adding more pop and A/C music has worked for them. They no longer call themselves Smooth Jazz. They are "Smooth 103.1" and long time heritage personalities Dave Mills (?..ouch I may have forgotten his name) and Patricia James have been replaced. Middays, evenings and overnights are voicetracked.

Last time I was in ORL I heard Spandau Ballet, Annie Lennox, Phil Collins, Celine Dion, Barry White, and Linda Ronstadt along with a rather repititious group of instrumentals.

So technically they have already halfway flipped and will probably continue to evolve toward being a Lite A/C with some instrumentals. They will continue to do well with this approach because the A/C's in the market are talky and more hot than mainstream in their approach so there is an audience for soft familiar music. Especially from an Orlando tradition.

 

[JakeLongwell]

Here in upstate New York, we have a unique station that could be classified as "smooth jazz". WJZR (105.9) in Rochester. It, too, is an independent station, and the owner has decades of experience in programming contemporary jazz radio. Unless the station is put up for sale, I don't see "North Coast Radio" going away anytime soon. Unfortunately, I live just outside their coverage area, so I don't get to hear them that often. If only they would launch a website with an audio stream.