Smooth Jazz goes away on WSMJ

[CHRles]

Seeing as how CBS owns WLIF and WWMX, I don't see them flipping any of their other properties to AC.
What I do see possibly happening is CBS flipping 105.7 WHFS to a CHR, and taking Mix 106.5 in a more Bright AC direction, OR taking Mix 106.5 in a more CHR direction (which the station has been flirting with over the past 3 months) and possibly going fulltime Talk (or Oldies?) on 105.7.

Oh, and calling Jack FM a Rock station is a pretty ridiculous statement. It plays a lot of Pop/Rock, but so do a lot of Hot ACs around the country. The songs Jack just played:
The Tubes "She's A Beauty"
En Vogue "Hold On"
Fleetwood Mac "Dreams"
The Stories "Brother Louie"
Billy Idol "Eyes Without A Face"
Firehouse "Dont Treat Me Bad"
Silver Connection "Get Up And Boogie"

Hardly what I'd call a Rock station.

While Baltimore may be an under-served radio market, keep in mind that 99.1 is a Tropical station, and the Hispanic population is starting to grow (especially since it's been growing pretty quickly in nearby DC), 95.1 is a Religious/Inspirtation station, and so is 107.9.

 

[radioresearcher]

Considering they just signed a contract with BA to carry their Smooth Jazz format, this is indeed a surprise. That announcement just hit R&R and now this?

Have you seen the ratings for WSMJ? Lowest rated FM in Baltimore 18-49 and 25-54 (sans WRBS). Why would this be a surprise. It's long overdue. There are three major format opportunities.

Beg to differ: WZBA, WQSR and WHFS had lower ratings than WSMJ in the winter Arbitron. Either way, It's a shame to see the station go. Even if a satellite-fed AM like Cincinnati's WCIN were to come to either Baltimore or Washington, I'd be OK with that.

You can beg to differ, but you're looking at 12+ - not demo - which is all that matters. 18-49 and 25-54 are the money demos and WSMJ skewed very old.

 

[DXMeister]

NYC shouldn't be the comparison here. Fresh 102.7 is horrible. That Bright AC crap is just more 'DJs' reading liner cards. Too bland, no personality. Lite-FM isn't really Lite anymore, Bring back the 70s and 80s and early to mid 90s lite music that made it a real Lite station. It'd be nice if NYC was oversaturated with male stations, just the opposite here. We need more male stations in the NYC market.

 

[BIGSTICK]

WJZZ in Atlanta is still going strong. Great format.

http://www.1075wjzz.com/home.asp

 

[kfitz]

Looking at WSMJ's playlist (mediabase-yes.com).....it's almost a clone of WRFF with Elliot in the morning. Now WRFF is a pretty good station....had a big splash in Philly (top 5 12+), its like WDRE updated for 2008, an "alternative" station that focuses on the 1990's alternative music that has a big variety and that plays some pop-alt music now mainly classified as Hot AC. WRFF's success has wained in the last 6 month's since WMMR's shift to playing more 90's. WSMJ should garner the bulk of the Baltimore HFS audience. This audience has been disinfranchised in Baltimore (like the oldies audience) and listening might come out of the woodwork. I would say that WRNR is toast.

KF

 

[nd2023]

Real smart of them to advertise smooth jazz is still available on WASH 97.1 HD2. You can't get HD from DC in Baltimore

 

[josephw67]

Actually, WGRD is owned by Regent. WMAX (96.1) in Grand Rapids which is owned by CC flipped to Modern Rock and is formatted quite similarly to the stations in Philly and Hartford (more 90's/"Gen X Oldies Radio" leaning) in February 2008.

Darrel: CC has 3 other alternative/modern rock outlets similiarly formatted. 97.9 WGRD - Grand Rapid's Rock Alternative, Radio 104.5 in Philadelphia and FM 104.1 in Hartford, Connecticut.

 

[icycool7227]

If CC came along and put a targeted Classic Hits or Mainstream AC format on 104.3, they could have blown 101.9 right out of the water.

At least one rock station won't make it. My bet is on 100.7. Shamrock should flip it to Classic Hits or Mainstream AC.

How about rhythmic AC instead?

 

[ciao99]

Looks like it flipped to Modern Rock.

First off, define Modern Rock..most so-called Modern Rock stations in 2008 don't have the balls to play "modern rock". Instead they hide behind audience tested, adult contemporary leaning tracks from well-known bands from the 90's.

Secondly, WRXP in NY did the exact same switch from Smooth Jazz to "Alternative" this spring. The ratings are a disaster...they did a 0.9 rtg, almost a third of their original audience.