ORLANDO TO GET SMOOTH ONCE AGAIN

[Bill Harmonic]

http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/netgnomes/53124/smooth-jazz-to-return-to-orlando/

Smooth Jazz will soon be returning to Orlando. the two translators that Central Florida Educational Foundation had leased to Cox to simulcast 580 WDBO have been returned to their owner as Cox moves its programming to 96.5. There are also applications on file to complete their moves from Winter Park, FL to Orlando itself. 102.5 W273CA (formerly W274AX) will now be leased to Clear Channel, who will use it to rebroadcast 107.7 WMGF-HD2. The station will pick up the Smooth Jazz format recently dropped by 103.1 WLOQ after its sale. SmoothJazz1025.com was registered by Clear Channel yesterday is and is currently in a partially active state. Programming will come from Broadcast Architecture’s Smooth Jazz Network.

On a side note, the website for WLOQ.COM has been unavailable for over a week now. Seemed like soon after the station flipped, the webcast got real sloppy and then went away altogether.


[EDIT-Link added by Radio-Info as a courtesy]

 

[Interstate 78]

Translation = Kepler saves the day in another city with a 2 watt translator that covers about 3 miles similar to that little translator in Detroit. LOL Oh well, maybe I'm humbling in my ripe old age, but I guess any smooth jazz on terrestrial radio is better than none so for that purpose, I guess it's a good thing. Now Kepler needs to pick up a tiny little translator or AM station in the central PA area to fill in where WSJW left off. I'm sure he's already on top of looking into it. :

 

[Jazz_Kat]

Thanks for the update Bill. Been wondering what is going on with WLOQ's site too.

I thought I read on the Detroit forum that the Oasis may be shut down.

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=191362.10

From Barry:

The Oasis website has a link to a letter from the F.C.C. dated 7/27/11. It states that the Oasis' translator, W284BQ has thirty days to resolve all of the (28) individual interference complaints from listeners of WIOT. The note indicates that if this is not done, the agency may require the translator to shut down, in accordance with the relevant rules.
The home page of the Oasis website is trying to portray this letter as favorable to the Oasis by indicating it requires them to address the issues raised by WIOT's listeners, not owner Clear Channel.

F.C.C. Letter: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.savetheoasis.com/filings/W284BQ-WIOT.pdf

 

[AC Tones]

Translation = Kepler saves the day in another city with a 2 watt translator that covers about 3 miles similar to that little translator in Detroit. LOL Oh well, maybe I'm humbling in my ripe old age, but I guess any smooth jazz on terrestrial radio is better than none so for that purpose, I guess it's a good thing. Now Kepler needs to pick up a tiny little translator or AM station in the central PA area to fill in where WSJW left off. I'm sure he's already on top of looking into it. :

Completely agree. BFD. It would be one thing if it was an independent operator who could actually program the station well instead of the same satellite-fed garbage product.

 

[producer57]

This is like the line in Annie Hall-"the food here isn't very good-I know and such small portions" The Good news-A Station is coming back-The bad news it's programmed by the same people who were the reason the whole thing fell apart in the first place.

 

[Bill Harmonic]

It's also the definition of insanity...doing the same things over and over but expecting different results. BA is just trying to hang on and we all know where that's going. It's just a matter of when and not if.

 

[davideduardo]

Translation = Kepler saves the day in another city with a 2 watt translator that covers about 3 miles similar to that little translator in Detroit. LOL Oh well, maybe I'm humbling in my ripe old age, but I guess any smooth jazz on terrestrial radio is better than none so for that purpose, I guess it's a good thing. Now Kepler needs to pick up a tiny little translator or AM station in the central PA area to fill in where WSJW left off. I'm sure he's already on top of looking into it. :

The W273CA facility is 250 watts at 800 feet, which is a better facility than that which WLOQ had for decades as a Class A station.

 

[Jazz_Kat]

The W273CA facility is 250 watts at 800 feet, which is a better facility than that which WLOQ had for decades as a Class A station.

Still, I don't think the station will be as good as the former WLOQ was.

I read this on the Smooth Jazz Network site, not sure if some of you have read it.

http://news.smoothjazznetwork.com/pages/posts/smooth-jazz-returns-to-orlando-396.php

The Sunshine State just got a little "sunnier" with the return of smooth jazz music to Orlando. Clear Channel's Smooth Jazz 102.5 has just signed on, and will be carrying the Smooth Jazz Network of programming. Program Director Ken Payne stated, "We’re delighted to be able to provide local Jazz music fans with such a well produced product that is clearly at the top of its game“. Clear Channel President / Market Manager Linda Byrd said:”We are thrilled to be in a position to bring Smooth Jazz from Broadcast Architecture back to Central Florida. Today it’s very easy to deliver a format to its listeners via HD, FM, online and mobile. And that’s exactly what we are doing.”

With the addition of Orlando, Allen Kepler, president and owner of Broadcast Architecture, sees a positive trend:"This marks our third return of the format this year! Recent convert Smooth Jazz 104.7, The OASIS in Detroit is already reaching over 130,000 listeners and KBDB-AM 1400 in Reno debuted with a 1.0 share, which truly shows the format’s potential on an AM signal.”

I have no problem with him bringing stations back to area which loss their, but to pass their "programming" off as C/Smooth Jazz, is a joke, at least to me.

 

[jhguthlac]

I'm glad to hear of any SJ station, however small. If they will make the format similar to the original intent, SJ/NA with adult alternative vocals, rather than making it just another Urban format, it might work.

 

[AnotherCat]

As someone who lives in N. Fla and has often traveled to orlando for concerts and events that were sponsored by WLOQ I can flat out say that bringing in a feed of songs with people from LA talking between them is not going to fill the space left by WLOQ. WLOQ's high profile locally and their connection and involvement with the community and the business community was always what made this station stand out. Even when they cut back on live staffing the personalities they did have were heritage local people who had a strong identity in the community and did personal appearances everywhere. They did concerts at various venues, everything from tracks shows at malls to big events at parks and their staff was all over the place - they didn't hide backstage, they went out and hung out with the listeners. LOQ used a non-local evening voicetracker for a while but when WSJT went under they immediately grabbed Alicia Kaye, again a strong regional personality who has a very warm, natural on air style.

A certain amount of listeners will probably come in because it is better than nothing. Then a lot of them will realize it is not better than nothing and go to their smartphones and ipods. We'll se...

 

[AnotherCat]

provide local Jazz music fans with such a well produced product that is clearly at the top of its game

Product - that one word says it all.

 

[Jazz_Kat]

http://smoothjazz103loq.com/

Saw this on WLOQ's facebook.

 

[Jazz_Kat]

http://smoothjazz103loq.com/

Saw this on WLOQ's facebook.

Looks like they have updated this since the last time I visited it. They have a lineup with some of the former WLOQ FM lineup airstaff, along with some other items.

 

[AnotherCat]

Anita Baker, Curtis Mayfield, The Whispers?

 

[Paul_Warren]

"We’re delighted to be able to provide...a well produced product that is clearly at the top of its game."

Nobody else has, so I'll ask: If this is BA "at the top of its game," what will "the end of its game" look like?