SMOOTH JAZZ IS RESURRECTED IN SEATTLE

[discjockeyjohn64]

Have been listening for the past hour to KKWF 100.7 HD 2, and the All Comedy Radio is gone. In its wake is a blend of classic soft AC and contemporary smooth jazz artists. Haven't heard a moniker for the format, but it looks like Smooth Jazz aficinados can jump for joy once again. Thank you, thank you, Entercom for programming to this small but loyal audience.

You can learn more about HD radio and where you can get a receiver at www.hdradio.com.
Most of these receivers for at home play plug into your existing stereo for about a one time investment of $60-70.
You then can receive about 22 extra stations on the FM band here in Seattle. A listing of all stations available is also on that site. I know they have new portable units available now in the $30-40 range.

 

[discjockeyjohn64]

I found that Entercom also programs Smooth Jazz on the WOLF in Kansas City, MO's HD 2 channel. It is labeled "The City." Find no such name here, but they do say, "Listen to the smooth rhythms of 100.7 HD2."
The ratio of Smooth Jazz to vocals is about 3 to 1 in favor of the smooth/contemporary jazz tracks. There doesn't seem to be any link anywhere on the net to listen to Kansas City's version to see if this is the same programming.

 

[discjockeyjohn64]

After about four hours of listening on and off during today, the new format sounds like KWJZ when it was at its very best. Not a bunch of strange music thrown in, not a lot of vocals, just straight ahead Contemporary Jazz. For those without HD radio, hopefully Entercom will consider streaming this channel in the near future. Great to see the titles and artists scroll by on every song as well.

 

[FMSteve]

Great news! I listened last night and was pleased by the programming. Now the brie and chablis set have a place to tune to. Only one problem, though.......it sounds exactly like Sandusky's KWJZ's tired old smooth jazz format. Hmm. I guess innovation and fresh voices are a non-starter here in Seattle-Tacoma. Why?

Sure there was Seal, Sade, David Sandborn and Gerald Albright. But what about some new music that fits the format? So overall kudos to Entercom for bringing back the format, but apparently we get the recycled version of smooth jazz.

Will this spear some new HD purchases? Sure. Will it get to a resonable saturation to make it commercially-feasible? Sure, in year 2020. So what I'm saying is that HD is what FM was in 1958.

 

[scott salvatori]

congrats, elevator, er smooth jazz fans. kind of seems like a strange mix for a contemp/pop country outlet to branch off into that. i wonder how many ex KWJZ fans will HD up, on this smooth wolf howl jazz? 1% maybe. its been many months gone by. many exKWJZers have probably gone satellite radio by now. to ""parrot"" mr bongwaters prior comments in a related thread: sandusky, should have HD'd this, and let it be known on air, before and after the format adjustment to "the click". worst case scenario, if the click, was a cluck, they could make an HD adjustment, and return to smooth jazz.

 

[Bongwater]

GREAT IDEA!

Now what's an "HD Radio"?

I hate to say this. But it's kinda hard for the general public to get excited over a station no one beyond this board will ever know about.

Second, most Smooth Jazz fans have already defected to other sources online or satellite, Music Choice, etc. While it's a great idea, it's one that's come 7 months too late.

I hope Entercom will promote this. It's the only way it's really going to *very modestly* work.

Oops! I forgot. PPM doesn't measure HD-2/3s.

Oh well........

 

[discjockeyjohn64]

You are probably correct about a lot of people being unaware of HD radio, but I did put in the opening thread a way for people to read up about it. As far as being commercially viable, Smooth Jazz has migrated to a lot of HD2 channels throughout the US. Most of the HD2 and 3 channels are commercial free and I don't think owners really care too much if they are profitable. They make most of their money off the main signal, but this allows them to trumpet that they offer more programming to the general public. They are only paying for the power for the main signal that is diplexed into multiple signals which the HD receivers can decode.

As for the post that the music sounds tired, I have XM in the car, and find the Entercom version in the house has more variety than Watercolors on XM. I would say I am a fan of "elevator" music, but like many other types of music too. It is just nice to have a place to de-stress with music that calms once in awhile. I'd rather have rock or CHR in the mornings, but after a long day at work, to unwind KKWF HD 2 will be great!!

 

[Arby Tron]

Oops! I forgot. PPM doesn't measure HD-2/3s.

Oh well........

PPM does measure and report HD2 /3 when minimum reporting standards are met. In Seattle only some FM station internet streams have been reported. In other markets HD'2 are reported and have ratings, however most are broadcast on a translator frequency.

 

[Kent]

I found that Entercom also programs Smooth Jazz on the WOLF in Kansas City, MO's HD 2 channel. It is labeled "The City." Find no such name here, but they do say, "Listen to the smooth rhythms of 100.7 HD2."
The ratio of Smooth Jazz to vocals is about 3 to 1 in favor of the smooth/contemporary jazz tracks. There doesn't seem to be any link anywhere on the net to listen to Kansas City's version to see if this is the same programming.

I was just in Kansas City over the weekend, and I can confirm there's smooth jazz on 106.5 HD2. Yes, it uses the old "City" name 106.5 used before it flipped to country in '03, but it only runs liners once or twice an hour. It's pretty much all music. I think in an hour of listening, I heard exactly one PSA. So, they're definitely not selling any ads on it.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Am I incorrect in assuming that everyone's HD2 content is some flavor of national and the liners you hear are much like satellite-delivered formats where they break for "x" seconds for "your liner here". Now, they can almost get it down to the point where they break the liner for calls/nickname only and continue with the same generic national slogan...

"Nothing but the (best) (best) (best) (hit) (hit) (HIT) music ... " 104.1 the x "plays the balls off these hits. Now the third of 23,847 in a row...."

 

[discjockeyjohn64]

You are correct about most of the HD2 channels here in Seattle. I believe them to be national formats, especially the Clear Channel stations. They are the I Heart Radio.com formats and they do have the same DJs nationwide and have space for local liner drop ins. As to KKWF 100.7 HD2, they seem to have about six to seven ten second liners and tons of music. It could be a national format, but I don't see that Entercom does Smooth Jazz on to many of its HD2 stations nationwide, just a handful. I suspect it could be locally done, especially if say they bought KWJZ's library. There are no talking heads on their station. The music is very similar to what KWJZ played before they started experimenting with Smooth AC, and it isn't Broadcast Architecture's national Smooth Jazz format that is heard on KUJJ 101.9 in Walla Walla/Tri-Cities which you can listen to online.

 

[SeattleObserver]

PPM does measure and report HD2 /3 when minimum reporting standards are met. In Seattle only some FM station internet streams have been reported. In other markets HD'2 are reported and have ratings, however most are broadcast on a translator frequency.

So here's an intriguing question - KMTT's 103.3 FM translator really covers the Seattle-Bellevue core well, could we see it start simulcasting this smooth jazz format? That could be an interesting reality. I'm not sure if there are any other available translators in Snohomish or Pierce Counties where you could 'daisy chain' the format together.

 

[FMSteve]

Yes, Entercom should immediatly drop their repeat of KMTT on their translator at 103.3 FM and start up the HD 100.7 channel 2 on that translator to give a taste of the Smooth Jazz and propel HD radio receiver growth in the Seattle area.

But they probably won't do it even though it's in their best interest.

 

[FMSteve]

You see, they'd much rather retain 200 KMTT listeners in downtown Seattle rather than gain 40,000 Smooth Jazz listeners.

:-\

 

[AQH]

You see, they'd much rather retain 200 KMTT listeners in downtown Seattle rather than gain 40,000 Smooth Jazz listeners.

Pretty sure the translator must be a 100% simulcast of the main signal.

SJ is an amazing thing, when it's on, people gripe about how AC it is and not really Jazz. But when it's gone, there's hell to pay.

Get over Smooth Jazz and face the fact that not enough people care about it. Seattle wasn't the only market to turf Smooth Jazz, people who think objectively would understand the format does not have enough interest.

 

[FMSteve]

Though controversial, the FCC is currently allowing HD 2 and HD3 digital channels to be rebroadcast on an FM Translator. (See the top of page three, here: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-764A1.pdf

Entercom may rebroadcast 100.7 FM's HD 2 on their 103.3 Mhz translator.

In regards to your thoughts about the Smooth Jazz format being more of a niche format, I would generally agree with you, however KWJZ did cume about 400,000 listeners in this market and secondly, there is absolutely no adult rhythmic or R & B outlet in this market for those 35+. Nearly all major markets in this country have some sort of R & B or urban station available. The loss of Smooth Jazz has been devastating for many listeners here. Ok, so I will give you the possibility that R & B may not work well around here. Fine. But the Smooth Jazz format enabled Seattle market listeners to have a taste of an urban/R & B format without it being called such. So what I'm saying is that this format provided an important "taste" (if you will) of an urban format without it being called "urban". And we all know that the mere mention of "urban" somehow scares the pants off of Seattle radio executives.

 

[GenXRadio]

Did ANYONE under the age of 70 miss "smooth Jazz" at all?
I mean really it's basically just Muzak with actual artists that get attributed other than that it's about the same as supermarket music and is one step above "Beautiful Music" if that.

 

[Jazz_Kat]

Did ANYONE under the age of 70 miss "smooth Jazz" at all?
I mean really it's basically just Muzak with actual artists that get attributed other than that it's about the same as supermarket music and is one step above "Beautiful Music" if that.

Me and brothers miss KWJZ. We are in our 20s. 8) :

 

[TVradioguru]

Apparently there aren't enough of you to support the format. I find it interesting, yet not surpising perhaps given some of these posts, the tie-in made between R&B and SJ.

The interesting thing about past research related to the format, was that those who enjoyed Jazz, whether blues, instrumental, the classics-whatever, had very strong feelings against SJ. The combination of AAA artists, oldies from pop and rock artists such as Michael McDonald or bands like Steely Dan, were considered an insult to the dyed in the wool Jazz aficinado. In fact, over the past few years, research yielded very few proponents of the format, even though PPM in some markets with remaining SJ stations, did okay with TSL but with little or no opportunity for cume growth. Without growth, your future options to maintain that TSL become limited. So as many have, you abandon ship before it goes under, thus pursuing options for another format attracting a more desirable demo.

 

[dtuba]

I don't like my jazz Smooth. I like it spiky and ruff. Without all the edges sanded off. I don't miss it at all.