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Smooth Jazz in Boston

D

DavidZ

There is an interesting story in this morning's Boston Herald about Smooth Jazz at the Scullers Jazz Club.

You can read it at this link - http://theedge.bostonherald.com/musicNews/view.bg?articleid=1017186

Jackie Brush, currently full time at WSRS in Worcester and longtime host of Sunday Morning Jazz on WMJX in Boston, states in the article "I have people tell me all the time, 'We miss it, we love it, we wish it were back'".

IMHO, I agree that Smooth Jazz would be a successful format in Boston, in spite of past failures with the format. WBOS, which lately sounds more repetitive and predictable than ever, would likely double their anemic ratings were they to flip to Smooth Jazz.
 
DavidZ said:
IMHO, I agree that Smooth Jazz would be a successful format in Boston, in spite of past failures with the format. WBOS, which lately sounds more repetitive and predictable than ever, would likely double their anemic ratings were they to flip to Smooth Jazz.
Click to expand...

But doesn't WBOS bill very well, notwithstanding its ratings? If so, how could GM gamble on a format that has failed so many times in this market--especially when that format would be likely to steal share from its cash cow, 106.7? Sounds to me as if gambling with smooth Jazz on 92.9 has a large potential downside for GM and only a small potential upside.
 
I think one of the HD-2 stations in town is smooth jazz (but how many people have those receivers?)

In some places there are smooth jazz shows on commercial or college stations. One or two stations
on the Cape and Islands have sm. jazz on Sunday mornings, and Brian Vita, a host on WMWM's
Mood Swings (Sun 3-6 pm; in a rotation with other DJs) plays smooth jazz.
 
DanStrassberg said:
DavidZ said:
IMHO, I agree that Smooth Jazz would be a successful format in Boston, in spite of past failures with the format. WBOS, which lately sounds more repetitive and predictable than ever, would likely double their anemic ratings were they to flip to Smooth Jazz.
Click to expand...

But doesn't WBOS bill very well, notwithstanding its ratings? If so, how could GM gamble on a format that has failed so many times in this market--especially when that format would be likely to steal share from its cash cow, 106.7? Sounds to me as if gambling with smooth Jazz on 92.9 has a large potential downside for GM and only a small potential upside.
Click to expand...
This is truly an indictment of conglomerate radio. If one-owner-per-FM-outlet still prevailed, someone would have put this format on some station. BTW, the real winner in the lack of "smooth jazz" on Boston FM radio: WCRB. "Smooth jazz" is just another uninvolving mostly instrumental format with a phony veneer (is there such a thing as real veneer?) of sophistication that people could play in stores and offices or even museum shops.
 
Laurence Glavin said:
"Smooth jazz" is just another uninvolving mostly instrumental format with a phony veneer of sophistication that people could play in stores and offices or even museum shops.
Click to expand...

I've always considered "Smooth Jazz" the "Beautiful Music" of the 90's. Greater Media dabbled in Smooth Jazz at 96.9 - i doubt they'd try again with 92.9. But if you look at the success of WNUA in Chicago - perennially a top 5 ratings winner 12+ - it seems like a no-brainer: low operating costs, high returns.
 
Signpost said:
But if you look at the success of WNUA in Chicago - perennially a top 5 ratings winner 12+ - it seems like a no-brainer: low operating costs, high returns.
Click to expand...

I know that there are some fans here, but Chicago is probably a better market overall for the format than Boston.
 
Signpost said:
I've always considered "Smooth Jazz" the "Beautiful Music" of the 90's. Greater Media dabbled in Smooth Jazz at 96.9 - i doubt they'd try again with 92.9. But if you look at the success of WNUA in Chicago - perennially a top 5 ratings winner 12+ - it seems like a no-brainer: low operating costs, high returns.
Click to expand...

If Chicago doesn't work, what about these? (and of course no advertisers buy 12+; the demos in question are certainly higher)

Seattle - #10 12+
San Francisco - #11 12+
San Diego - #1 12+

The real problem in Boston is stubborn owners. I wouldn't expect to see Greater Media give smooth jazz another try in Boston; while WBOS is always the topic of discussion on this board, the internal mood appears to be that they are satisfied with the way that the station is performing, unless a significantly better opportunity (Red Sox) comes along. WXRV, WFNX, and WPLM are all perfect candidates for the format, but it seems very unlikely that any of these would flip in the near future. Personally, I think SJ would be a perfect fit for WPLM; yes, they did do the format in the mid-1990s going head-to-head with 99.5 WOAZ with a satellite-delivered feed, but looking at their ill-fated current pitch to steal listeners from WMJX; at least they would have a format all to themselves with smooth jazz.
 
When 96.9 was playing "smooth jazz", the music was all over the place - it was not a cohesive format.
Even the so-called jazz fans can't decide what "jazz" is... Dixieland? Fusion? Big-band? Kenny G. white-bread?
I agree that it is the modern version of elevator music - often pretentious and intentionally bland, so as not to alienate/offend anybody...
 
96.9 was profitable as smooth jazz but G.M. thought fm talk could be more profitable. At the time they were either going to flip 96.9 or 92.9... smooth jazz lost to rock. Smooth jazz formats tend to do better in cities with a heavier concentration of African American population. If you want multiple jazz stations 24/7 with no commercials, Sirius or XM is the way to go.
 
2004RedSox said:
96.9 was profitable as smooth jazz but G.M. thought fm talk could be more profitable. At the time they were either going to flip 96.9 or 92.9... smooth jazz lost to rock. Smooth jazz formats tend to do better in cities with a heavier concentration of African American population. If you want multiple jazz stations 24/7 with no commercials, Sirius or XM is the way to go.
Click to expand...

Well you must not get to Boston very much because there are plenty of Black folks here!
 
Ciao said:
2004RedSox said:
96.9 was profitable as smooth jazz but G.M. thought fm talk could be more profitable. At the time they were either going to flip 96.9 or 92.9... smooth jazz lost to rock. Smooth jazz formats tend to do better in cities with a heavier concentration of African American population. If you want multiple jazz stations 24/7 with no commercials, Sirius or XM is the way to go.
Click to expand...

Well you must not get to Boston very much because there are plenty of Black folks here!
Click to expand...

What percentage of the total population in the Boston MSA vs. Chicago, Atlanta, or NYC for example ? The answer to this question is more specific to my (correct) observation.
 
Smooth Jazz did poorly on WCDJ (96.9), WPLM (99.1), WOAZ (99.5) and WSJZ (96.9). It is, however, on WMJX HD-2 and it's the #1 station on that band. It's actually very listenable. Maybe 40% vocals. Lots of new stuff with some classics mixed in here and there.
 
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