Radio One's 107.5 WJZZ To Flip Formats

[GSP163]

According to R&R Radio One is pulling the plug on Smooth Jazz 107.5 WJZZ.....The entire staff has been shown the door....A new format will launch soon.

 

[TheRealOtherNeil]

In the words of Artie Johnson, "Verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry Interestink! But schtupid."

I am so old.

WJZZ is Radio One's worst performing station, which would make it the best CC property by a long stretch. One has to wonder if this decision is a result of the PPM's.

 

[artiemad]

PPM has not been kind to Smooth Jazz is any market, it's a low cuming format which makes it tough. Question is what's the new format for 107.5?

 

[jal41]

PPM has not been kind to Smooth Jazz is any market, it's a low cuming format which makes it tough. Question is what's the new format for 107.5?

A format that targets African-Americans (that is all Radio One deals with).

One option (the one I think will occur) would be to split 102.5 into all urban AC on one station and all talk (with maybe R&B oldies nights/weekends) on the other.

 

[trusty]

Smooth Jack

 

[Poledo]

I know the answer! They're going to simulcast Hot 97.5. I saw the new bumper stickers over 10 years ago so it must be true. It just took them a little time to put it together.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

They're actually going to be simulcasting the talk from 102.5 on 107.5.

Radio One is hoping to sell 102.5. Until they do, they're planning to simulcast the 2 stations.

This has been rumored for a long time. But the PPM showing Tom Joyner as #1 has given them additional motivation. Steve Harvey beats Joyner in most markets. He hasn't beaten Joyner here because of 102.5's poor signal. But Radio One figures if Joyner can be #1, then Harvey on a better signal should be #1.

 

[cklw800]

Trusty! "Smooth Jack." As soon as I finish this post, I stand up and applaud ye! Good one! CK

 

[jabba17]

Radio One is hoping to sell 102.5. Until they do, they're planning to simulcast the 2 stations.

Who would want 102.5?

Could a new station be made by taking either it or 102.3 dark and upping the power on the other?

Or, Davis could trimulcast La Raza on it...

 

[RTibbs]

To fill the 99x void, it is flipping to 107.5 The end and playing alternative music.


RIP IYH

 

[jal41]

Who would want 102.5?

Could a new station be made by taking either it or 102.3 dark and upping the power on the other?

Or, Davis could trimulcast La Raza on it...

WQTU 102.3 up in Rome stands in the way of either station upgrading.

I am sure that the students at Southern Polytechnic State University would love to have 102.5 back for WGHR. (WGHR with it's class D license was forced off of 102.5 when the current class A station came online. WGHR went to 100.7...which was forced off when 100.5 came in from Anniston in 2000. They tried to move to 101.1...but the license was cancelled in the meantime, and no one wanted a lengthy legal battle). Given the current status with the state, someone would have to donate funds for a purchase or Radio One would have to donate the facility.

The market is bad for selling radio stations now, so more than likely we would see a religious outfit take over if there was an immediate sell (the station can't be worth that much due to the smaller signal). Davis could take over to fill the gap that 100.1 nor 102.3 Buford does not cover.

 

[Poledo]

Georgia Public Radio has been looking for a station matching 102.5's description for many years. It's a perfect fit if they can afford it.

 

[taylorengineer]

I find it almost impossible to believe that Radio One would sell 102.5. Trade maybe.....not sell.
I wonder if CBS might have something in, say, Baltimore which may fit into Radio One's portfolio.
In answer to the question, "who would want 102.5"........everyone mentioned above and about 10000 others. A fantastic opportunity for someone if Roddy is right.......

 

[upstate29651]

To fill the 99x void, it is flipping to 107.5 The end and playing alternative music.


RIP IYH

While I detect some jest in this comment, it could...COULD have some legs. A poster here stated Radio One only does urban programming. That's not true. One example I can think of is WARQ in Columbia SC, which has an alterna-active playlist.

G

 

[fortmill]

To fill the 99x void, it is flipping to 107.5 The end and playing alternative music.


RIP IYH

While I detect some jest in this comment, it could...COULD have some legs. A poster here stated Radio One only does urban programming. That's not true. One example I can think of is WARQ in Columbia SC, which has an alterna-active playlist.

G

Sorry, WARQ in Columbia is owned by Inner City, not R-1. R-1 does not own any stations in Columbia. But R-1 has been known to operate a few non-urban stations, so anything is possible.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

A couple of years ago, Radio One offered to pay Davis Broadcasting to move 102.3's (Buford) tower 5 miles farther from Atlanta. That way, 102.5 could move to a more central location. The 102.5 antenna is now in Ben Hill, and the station gets splatter on the northeast side of Atlanta from 102.3, even on a good car radio.

Davis Broadcasting declined the offer and for good reason. 102.3 (La Raza) is making much more money than a Buford station should because Gwinnett is such a Hispanic growth area. Before Davis bought 102.3, a number of the major group owners looked at the station and thought it would never work. Of course, they were looking at it as an Atlanta station and realized the signal would not really reach Atlanta. Davis was looking at it as an Atlanta station also but got lucky when someone recommended the Hispanic format.

 

[DToTheJ]

I'll add that R1 kept the former WPLY/Y100 in Philadelphia an alternative station for a good while after they acquired it.

 

[upstate29651]

WARQ in Columbia is owned by Inner City, not R-1.

That's right, I stand corrected.

G

 

[MsMusicRadio]

If Radio One could do country in Richmond, what about mainstream AC to go up against B98.5?

 

[Nate Wesley]

Radio One's WNOU 100.9 (Speedway/Indianapolis, IN) is CHR.

http://www.radionow1009.com/home.asp