WJJZ: A SAD MID-"WINTERS" NIGHT DREAM or NOTHING'S SACRED

[cklw800]

Nothing's sacred. Whenever I read about the Smooth Jazz Network's "takeovers" of jobs around the country, I always look back at the comments a program director made when they hired the person being replaced. In this case it's Al Winters being replaced by The Ramsey Lewis Morning Show on 97.5 WJJZ. Looking at Greater Media's press release of January 24, 2007, announcing Winters' hiring (you can do a Google name search on Al Winters and find it), Winters talks about the passion for Smooth Jazz being incredible in Philadelphia and how excited he is to be joining the WJJZ family. He said it would truly be his honor each morning to wake up Philadelphia listeners to help them "smooth out" their morning.

PD Michael Tozzi chimes in with "WJJZ's been looking for just the right person for months to fill this key morning drive position, and with Al Winters joining the team, we've found just the right guy to help Philadelphia get the day started with the most music, and some friendly conversation."

Less than a year later, he could have just used this same quote for Ramsey Lewis, but unfortunatley had to find fresh material to talk about how Ramsey is now "the right guy."

Next time a station allows the network take away a job, do a search and read how much the person being replaced was such a long, tough search and just the right person for the job. Just be aware of the niceties bestowed upon you in a press release or even in person. You could be dead meat months later in this format. The sad part is reading about the family life, community service, education and desires of the hosts on their web pages and the hard work they did to get where they are. Then to see their station strap on a satellite service over them without a chance to say goodbye. Local jocks aren't worth squat these days.

Hey Bill Simpson...on your web page they put two "I"s in your first name. It reads "Biill Simpson". Hope they fix it.

Nothing's sacred.

 

[FM Dial]

I used to flip over to Al Winters in the morning and actually really liked his approach, seemed to be a perfect fit for that format....I guess ratings where extremely poor...

 

[Those RRRRs]

I guess ratings where extremely poor...

Maybe ratings are extemely poor because they played "Sing A Song" by Earth, Wind, and Fire this afternoon. WJJZ was much better when it was run by Clear Channel.

When it first debuted on 97.5, I believe GM had a good handle on the format, but now the station has turned to crap in my opinion.

Listen carefully, this is a typical music set for them:

1) Smooth Jazz Cut
2) Bad WOGL disco tune
3) Smooth Jazz Cut
4) Syrupy EZ 101 Tune
5) Commercial Break

...and then it starts over.

Has anyone else noticed this? It seems to me that they are all over the map aiming to please too many demos.

 

[BRNout]

They sound to me like they trying to flank the mellower side of urban AC while, concurrently, being lighter than lite AC. It's a very, very fine line when you're trying to go after black adults and white suburban women at the same time with the same music in an otherwise fragmented marketplace. They are trying to be too many things to too many people while figuring that they have the few fans of actual "smooth jazz" over a barrel with nowhere else to go.

Not a good long-term strategy, if you ask me (and no one did ).

 

[Betrayed]

I liked Al Winters. It was great to hear an adult on the radio in morning drive. Shoot, it's fabulous to hear an adult on the radio any time in this day and age where radio is staffed by and aimed at dimwits, degenerates and dysfunctionals.

Ramsey Lewis has recorded enough classics that he should know how to make interesting radio, but it's a crying shame he comes at the cost of live, local and professional.

I also thought that JJZ has changed the sound since they came back. My impression is, that when they came back at 97.5, they were considerably more instrumental than they were at 106.1. And, as they add more and more Tina Turner, Commodores, Natalie Cole etc., I listen less and less.

They sound best during Sunday Soundscapes, Sunday Night Standards and Legends of Jazz (also w/Ramsey Lewis).

 

[Interstate 78]

>>>1) Smooth Jazz Cut
>>>2) Bad WOGL disco tune
>>>3) Smooth Jazz Cut
>>>4) Syrupy EZ 101 Tune
>>>5) Commercial Break

>>>...and then it starts over.

[/quote]

may i add a bit to your number 5 (commercial break):
commercial 1: generic national commercial on how donald trump wants to help you become a millionaire
commercial 2: generic national commercial on what to do when your kids misbehave and to call for this book on how to make them behave
commercial 3: generic national commercial on what to do for your wife's ugly veins in her legs and how this new cream will help fix that
commercial 4: generic national commercial for fish oil pills
commercial 5: generic national commercial for how to get a free laptop computer (probably after you sign up for about a thousand dollars worth of magazines or something)

has anyone else noticed this? this ads are the equivalent of pop up ads on your computer. are ad sales that bad? this station is a new format in a year guaranteed. my prediction.

 

[urban]

may i add a bit to your number 5 (commercial break):
commercial 1: generic national commercial on how donald trump wants to help you become a millionaire
commercial 2: generic national commercial on what to do when your kids misbehave and to call for this book on how to make them behave
commercial 3: generic national commercial on what to do for your wife's ugly veins in her legs and how this new cream will help fix that
commercial 4: generic national commercial for fish oil pills
commercial 5: generic national commercial for how to get a free laptop computer (probably after you sign up for about a thousand dollars worth of magazines or something)

has anyone else noticed this? this ads are the equivalent of pop up ads on your computer. are ad sales that bad? this station is a new format in a year guaranteed. my prediction.
[/quote]

What about the one where you can register a star in your name?

 

[BRNout]

The "free laptop" one is so egregious as to warrant a comment.

Isn't that the one where the announcer pretends to be a morning dj in the middle of banter and introduces the ad with something like "back to the music in a moment, but first....did you guys hear about...." As if he's your host, giving you some secret tip that he just read about on the internet and personally researched. What a crock that one is!

It is more insulting to one's intelligence than most radio ads and that's saying something. Whoever the scam artist (er, advertiser) is, they have a few bucks because it's running on local stations nationwide in markets big and small.

Wow, there are some AWFUL spots out there. Like the one where "gammy" learns to get emailed pictures from a "grandchild" with an awful voice (who sounds like he either got to the studio in a short bus or is some adult perv pretender who's bound to run into Chris Hansen any day now) by using some cheap sounding gizmo that doesn't allegedly require a computer - ugh that one is terrible! Who dreams up this stuff?

Not to mention all of the snake oil being peddled right now - usually in the form of a vitamin "supplement". Of course the list of HORRIBLE radio ads is far too long to list here and should really be its own thread. In fact, it could be one of those threads with 1,000 replies!!

 

[SouthJersey1234]

It really is a shame that a station that was really thriving just a year ago is now failing once again. The station was enjoyable to listen to when it returned on 97.5, with some nice instrumentals and smooth jazz tunes, but now it's just nonsense... "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie has no place at all on a Smooth Jazz station, and I can hardly listen anymore (I used to listen almost constantly!) The new station is headed in the same direction as the old one, right towards the ground. It won't be long!

 

[DStroyer]

What about the one where you can register a star in your name?

"Tell them about the DISCOUNT, Harry!!!!!!!"

 

[Those RRRRs]

The new station is headed in the same direction as the old one, right towards the ground. It won't be long!

I tried listening again this weekend. I couldn't take it for more than 20 minutes. This station is the only example I can think of in which Clear Channel actually ran a particular format better than a competitor.

When it comes to Greater Media picking up on Smooth Jazz, we should have known it was too good to be true.

I remember hearing an interview in which Michael Tozzi was discussing how excited he was to be returning to 97.5 a while ago...I wonder what he thinks of his station now.

 

[FM Dial]

Listen carefully, this is a typical music set for them:

1) Smooth Jazz Cut
2) Bad WOGL disco tune
3) Smooth Jazz Cut
4) Syrupy EZ 101 Tune
5) Commercial Break


I have carefully listened and this observation is 100% accurate!....It's

 

[wprt949]

I remember hearing an interview in which Michael Tozzi was discussing how excited he was to be returning to 97.5 a while ago...I wonder what he thinks of his station now.
[/quote]


on the radio racket ???

 

[Interstate 78]

it doesn't take a scientist to figure out whats happening at WJJZ. i'm not a fan of the format, but it's pretty apparent that when they signed back onto 97.5, it didn't sound like they were using any the same consulting firm the old WJJZ used ... i think it's called broadcast architecture. they were airing about 2 or 3 instrumentals to 1 vocal. they also had new jingles. now all of a sudden, in the past month or so, the ratio is 1 jazz instrumental to 1 soft rock vocal (just like the old WJJZ) and even the old jingles are back. to top it off, another broadcast architecture signature, ramsey lewis in the a.m. drive. my theory is that GM was not thrilled with the lackluster numbers and forced WJJZ into using the consultants again, thus we have the same ol same ol once again. but will their numbers improve? nah, doubt it. i think the old WJJZ listeners found new stations when 106.1 went off the air. they've got their core group back and more vocals will make no difference, other than tick the jazz fans off even more.

 

[mrwattson]

People want to listen to variety, not the same tunes over and over and over again.

When WJJZ came back on the air on 97.5, the tunes they were playing were great. It almost sounded like the smooth jazz internet stations.

Little by little, they have regressed to a format that has become predictable and therefore boring. Smooth jazz is one format where you can get away with a little variety. Why in the world, why oh why, does the listener have to be barraged with the same tired tunes. Yes they are great songs, but how many times can you hear Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed" etc, etc.....

Also WJJZ's stick is once again back in Burlington, NJ.

I believe Tozzi was advertising last year that they would be transmitting from Philly again which they did for awhile.

I wonder why the switch back to Burlington. Is it because the Philly signal on 97.5 was not as good as the one coming out of Burlington?

Anyone have any info?

 

[Betrayed]

Can drop this one off the truck radio presets. They're all back. Every stinkin' song that torpedoed 106.1 is back. Heard them all I think.

Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye. True - Spandau Ballet. Just My Imagination - Temptations. Ladies Night - Kool & The Gang. Just The Way You Are - Billy Joel. Nighshift - Commodores. George Michael, Anita Baker, Earth, Wind & Fire, Luther Vandross and on and on and on. They've morphed from really good to putrid.

Twelve preset buttons and all I can use are 4. 'Xpn, 'BYO, 'RTI, and 'VLT(for those few moments I can pick it up). They're forcing you to go with XM. Reminds me of a lyric. It's Paul Rodgers. The song was 'Joe Fabulous' from Bad Company's 'Merchants of Cool' CD. "...we aim to analyze everything you say and do, so we can sell it back to you..... we are the merchants of cool" If you want quality radio, here ya go, buy it.

People are paying for TV, radio and water. Who's gonna try to sell me air?

 

[Jul]

Also WJJZ's stick is once again back in Burlington, NJ.

I believe Tozzi was advertising last year that they would be transmitting from Philly again which they did for awhile.

I wonder why the switch back to Burlington. Is it because the Philly signal on 97.5 was not as good as the one coming out of Burlington?

Anyone have any info?

Where did you get this information? I don't see it anywhere in Radio-Locator or the FCC website.

 

[mrwattson]

I know for a fact that I heard it on WJJZ and it was from Michael Tozzi. He said something like ..."soon you will be able to hear us better than ever when we move from Burlington to Philadelphia."

Also, I believe that at one time, there were two permits on Radio Locator. One showed stats for the signal in Burlington, and the other showed it for the upcoming Philadelphia signal. I did notice that now Radio Locator is only showing the Burlington information.

In fact when the signal moved to Philly again, I was unable to get the station in stereo at my home in eastern Lehigh Valley. Then one day the stereo signal was back and the overall signal was much better.

I don't know what is going on. Like I said before, does anyone have any information on this, or am I just dreaming?

Whatever the case, the playlist must get more diversified!

 

[Jul]

I know for a fact that I heard it on WJJZ and it was from Michael Tozzi. He said something like ..."soon you will be able to hear us better than ever when we move from Burlington to Philadelphia."

Also, I believe that at one time, there were two permits on Radio Locator. One showed stats for the signal in Burlington, and the other showed it for the upcoming Philadelphia signal. I did notice that now Radio Locator is only showing the Burlington information.

In fact when the signal moved to Philly again, I was unable to get the station in stereo at my home in eastern Lehigh Valley. Then one day the stereo signal was back and the overall signal was much better.

I don't know what is going on. Like I said before, does anyone have any information on this, or am I just dreaming?

Whatever the case, the playlist must get more diversified!

Someone on this board needs to contact the station and find out what is really going on with the signal and where the stick is currently located. http://975wjjz.com/InfoCenter/ContactUs/tabid/290/Default.aspx

 

[8638]

I know for a fact that I heard it on WJJZ and it was from Michael Tozzi. He said something like ..."soon you will be able to hear us better than ever when we move from Burlington to Philadelphia."

Also, I believe that at one time, there were two permits on Radio Locator. One showed stats for the signal in Burlington, and the other showed it for the upcoming Philadelphia signal. I did notice that now Radio Locator is only showing the Burlington information.

In fact when the signal moved to Philly again, I was unable to get the station in stereo at my home in eastern Lehigh Valley. Then one day the stereo signal was back and the overall signal was much better.

I don't know what is going on. Like I said before, does anyone have any information on this, or am I just dreaming?

Whatever the case, the playlist must get more diversified!

Someone on this board needs to contact the station and find out what is really going on with the signal and where the stick is currently located. http://975wjjz.com/InfoCenter/ContactUs/tabid/290/Default.aspx

Hey, Orange Julius...take care of that, ok?

I'm guessing that the radio locator 'Burlington' signal map reflects the old Ingham Avenue stick in Ewing Twp., Mercer County. And, truthfully, I think they had an overall better market signal when they were there. CC PHL wasn't good, of course, but the rest was very good. I could hear the station in New Castle, Del. when they came from Ingham Avenue with no problem.