Gotta admit the past few months have featured a bit of a comeback of sorts for the format, even if it is on laughable tiny stations. Still, we've seen Reno come back along with Orlando. Now, it appears Detroit's station is about to work out their problems. Not to mention Anchorage, Phoenix (at night), and most notably Cleveland. On paper, it looks more promising. I don't know, though. Am I being overly optimistic for nothing?
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Smooth Jazz comeback?
- Thread starter Interstate 78
- Start date
You might be. I guess time will tell. If BA is as bad as everyone says, that probably shouldn't be an option worth considering. If I'm right are you from the LV in PA? I was thinking that SJ would be a worthwhile option for a station like WSAN, WEEX or WEST.Interstate 78 said:
W/E Only: Only if it expanded to evenings as well. If 24/7 was possible, that'd be great. I remember when what became Jazzy 100 signed on in Washington DC, they first tried it out at night. They then expanded it to 24/7. That was one of the best examples of SJ ever. It's too bad it didn't last!AC Tones said:
AM band: Yeah, I know that's not the greatest spectrum for an audiophile format, but it might be an option for struggling AMs to consider. Maybe make the station operate with a hybrid revenue model (donations and other means as well as advertisement).
The US population contains a huge group of folks born 1946 to 1964 (baby boomers). As this group ages, formats like smooth jazz, smooth ac-smooth jazz mix, etc., have a chance to become niches....in some cases, rather large niches.
It would seem that's what might be beginning. Not the wide-open format most NAC/SJ purists like, but certainly better than not on the radio at all.
It would seem that's what might be beginning. Not the wide-open format most NAC/SJ purists like, but certainly better than not on the radio at all.
It's kind of like how many stations jumped the shark when the first PPM results came out and WRONGLY concluded oldies was a dead/dying format. It was ANYTHING but dying (maybe freakishly adrift sometimes, but certainly not dead/dying by any means.....)
With that first knowledge, they tried to reason that Boomers were an obsolete generation to music radio.
Fact: They're it's most dedicated listeners.
Most younger folks have their iPods and online sources. Most average teens/twentysomethings don't even LIKE terrestrial radio because it's something they cannot directly control.
To them, radio is just that thing in the car when the MP3/CD player doesn't work. Or that their parents put up with that doesn't play uncensored rap/rock and talks too much. Or has music they hear too much of/has music too old for them to relate to.
Arbitron may say terrestrial radio listening is bigger than ever with younger listeners. Not from what I see around me wherever I go. But then again, it's Arbitron. What are they supposed to say to the industry that they most notably exist on and it's increasingly finicky advertisers? FEWER young people are listening?
Older people who grew up with radio are far more patient than today's commercial pop music fan. Again, the younger folks have far more control over what they hear digitally than anything terrestrial or even satellite radio can offer. Even though "Pumped Up Kicks" or "Party Rock Anthem" will be coming on anywhere in 3....2....1, they want it NOW. And they aren't going to be patient. It's 2012. They have no need to be.
And Smooth Jazz has a VERY loyal hard core of fans. It's not HUGE, but it's there. And in any given market.
But when the industry started sweeping the Smooth Jazz stations off en masse, they lost a LOT of once-devoted-to-radio Boomers. Who resigned to their suspicions that terrestrial radio had completely gone to hell and signed up for XM/Sirius or tuning in via land or mobile web to the plentiful options via the internet.
Neither the recession or the corporate radio mindset was going to force them to put up with something they didn't want to hear.
And once you've lost them this way and took them enough out of their beloved comfort zone of traditional radio to make them have to pay for and learn the ways of New Radio, you've probably lost them forever. And an afterthought nighttime show on a crappy AM signal is really an insult to their intelligence. Ante up please. They've been fooled with enough.
Make no mistake, their distrust of the commercial radio industry is real. And so was their music. Making an argument that Smooth Jazz was in decline is like wearing an "Obama '08" t-shirt at a Republican primary with Smooth Jazz fans.
It won't be pleasant.
You can try to resurrect it on FM now and in some areas, you might even have a chance. But most importantly, just save what's left.
Because in a strange way, terrestrial radio actually NEEDS this format to compliment the Classic Rock, News/Talk, Sports and Oldies channel buttons on a Boomer's car radio.
And some people simply want a general, safe, all-purpose, non-threatening background music to play at work, in traffic. Or around the house.
Smooth Jazz was not my particular instant choice (I usually looked around to see what else was on before I tuned into KWJZ), But in the bigger picture, I've come to believe it actually had a bigger place than what was taken for granted.....
With that first knowledge, they tried to reason that Boomers were an obsolete generation to music radio.
Fact: They're it's most dedicated listeners.
Most younger folks have their iPods and online sources. Most average teens/twentysomethings don't even LIKE terrestrial radio because it's something they cannot directly control.
To them, radio is just that thing in the car when the MP3/CD player doesn't work. Or that their parents put up with that doesn't play uncensored rap/rock and talks too much. Or has music they hear too much of/has music too old for them to relate to.
Arbitron may say terrestrial radio listening is bigger than ever with younger listeners. Not from what I see around me wherever I go. But then again, it's Arbitron. What are they supposed to say to the industry that they most notably exist on and it's increasingly finicky advertisers? FEWER young people are listening?
Older people who grew up with radio are far more patient than today's commercial pop music fan. Again, the younger folks have far more control over what they hear digitally than anything terrestrial or even satellite radio can offer. Even though "Pumped Up Kicks" or "Party Rock Anthem" will be coming on anywhere in 3....2....1, they want it NOW. And they aren't going to be patient. It's 2012. They have no need to be.
And Smooth Jazz has a VERY loyal hard core of fans. It's not HUGE, but it's there. And in any given market.
But when the industry started sweeping the Smooth Jazz stations off en masse, they lost a LOT of once-devoted-to-radio Boomers. Who resigned to their suspicions that terrestrial radio had completely gone to hell and signed up for XM/Sirius or tuning in via land or mobile web to the plentiful options via the internet.
Neither the recession or the corporate radio mindset was going to force them to put up with something they didn't want to hear.
And once you've lost them this way and took them enough out of their beloved comfort zone of traditional radio to make them have to pay for and learn the ways of New Radio, you've probably lost them forever. And an afterthought nighttime show on a crappy AM signal is really an insult to their intelligence. Ante up please. They've been fooled with enough.
Make no mistake, their distrust of the commercial radio industry is real. And so was their music. Making an argument that Smooth Jazz was in decline is like wearing an "Obama '08" t-shirt at a Republican primary with Smooth Jazz fans.
It won't be pleasant.
You can try to resurrect it on FM now and in some areas, you might even have a chance. But most importantly, just save what's left.
Because in a strange way, terrestrial radio actually NEEDS this format to compliment the Classic Rock, News/Talk, Sports and Oldies channel buttons on a Boomer's car radio.
And some people simply want a general, safe, all-purpose, non-threatening background music to play at work, in traffic. Or around the house.
Smooth Jazz was not my particular instant choice (I usually looked around to see what else was on before I tuned into KWJZ), But in the bigger picture, I've come to believe it actually had a bigger place than what was taken for granted.....
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