WJJZ is back

[klutch00]

Smooth Jazz on a weak AM signal won't work. Many Jazz fans are also audiophiles. It's okay for an FM-HD2 but I fail to see it working on analog AM.

In my opinion they should have kept the R&B/Soul Music format on 1480 and 105.3-HD2. They could have just added Smooth Jazz WJJZ to 106.1 HD2 and maybe pick up an analog FM translator (WXHL's 97.1 has a pretty good signal).

Sadly, I feel similarly. I know the ratings were fare from stellar, but 1480 with its format offered something unique. True, 'smooth jazz' is unique, but I don't see the powers-that-be getting the kind of mileage out of that format on a station with such a compromised service pattern! I was wondering if someone else would be willing to pick up the format (1540 maybe)?

 

[DG02816]

I rather doubt 1540 would pick up the format. They seem to be happy with CRI programming. Forrr musichead and Julius and thew rest of you, here's the reason why 1480's signal is the way it is, as I explained in an earlier post:
http://fccinfo.com/CMDProFacLookup.php?sCurrentService=AM&calls=WDAS&tabSearchType=Call+Sign+Search

 

[Interstate 78]

You folks all are not getting something key here. iHeartRadio is a huge cash cow for Clear Channel. People tend to forget they make a ton of money on that app along with their regular terrestrial broadcasting. The smooth jazz feed on iHeart is one of their more popular feeds. While you're right that the audio guru type is not going to deal for long with listening to smooth jazz on a weak AM, the station constantly cross-promotes the web feed. Listen on 1480 AM and on iHeartRadio. They will likely pick up more listeners thanks to the cross promotion. There was no need to do classic soul on 1480 AM any longer now that 100.3 is doing it. 100.3's version may not be as good as 1480's, but from a business standpoint, it was the same format and one city didn't need two classic soul stations. Clear Channel is a business and they saw a way to cross promote their popular iHeartRadio by flipping 1480 to smooth jazz. And it's a GOOD smooth jazz feed for a change. I only have heard a handful of vocals unlike the old WJJZ which was a vocal every other song. Good move on the part of Clear Channel.

 

[doowopfan]

I would like to know what bone-headed, moronic imbecile came up with this idea! I turn on WDAS this evening to hear this crap? Who the heck wants to hear smooth jazz? Losing WDAS-AM is a real loss. There must be complete boobs running Clear Channel!

 

[lisaannello]

couldn't agree more, doowopfan. the tech experts can pontificate all they want about the reason and virtues of the flip, but i am simply a FAN and consumer and the classic soul format was a gift from heaven for a large demographic. to compare it to 100.3 is totally ignorant of what the fans truly want - fully played music you heard nowhere else, not the ususal same old chopped up version of songs played everywhere else. i am well and truly ticked off about this--and with all the avenues of communication that exist nowadays it feels like there is nowhere we can turn to express our anger at this stupid format change. smooth jazz on AM. unbelievable. see where you are in a year with that bright idea. i don't want to hear about "business decisions". give the station time to grow--it barely lasted a year! and what happened to bobby holiday--a real live throwback DJ. oh, that's right: it's not about the music lover. it's about THE BUSINESS.

 

[klutch00]

I would like to know what bone-headed, moronic imbecile came up with this idea! I turn on WDAS this evening to hear this crap? Who the heck wants to hear smooth jazz? Losing WDAS-AM is a real loss. There must be complete boobs running Clear Channel!

Do you expect anything else from corporate big-wigs? They're concerned about one thing: the bottom line! IMNSHO it's time to get a hold of some of these smaller operations and put some unique programming on them!

 

[PhillyWatch]

Ugh. Until "Old School" starts spinning "Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite" I'll be here lamenting the loss of DAS-AM.

I understand a competing format on a band with more clarity might be stiff competition, but this whole move is near unbelievable. In terms of heritage and cultural importance, which reigns supreme- DAS or JJZ? Aside from being the soundtrack to a generation of conceptions throughout the listening area, I'd say the title goes to WDAS.

Another point I don't get is the potential for WDAS-AM distribution with iHeartRadio. Glancing it over last night, iHR already offers a "Smooth Jazz" stream. Through the iHR platform, WDAS-AM not only had local distribution with a much better sound than on AM, but there was also potential for national (worldwide!) listenership of a unique station and format. To sacrifice that all for dentist office music is... well it's par for the course with radio nowadays.

What a shame.

 

[luperm]

I would like to know what bone-headed, moronic imbecile came up with this idea! I turn on WDAS this evening to hear this crap? Who the heck wants to hear smooth jazz? Losing WDAS-AM is a real loss. There must be complete boobs running Clear Channel!

Do you expect anything else from corporate big-wigs? They're concerned about one thing: the bottom line! IMNSHO it's time to get a hold of some of these smaller operations and put some unique programming on them!

That's right. It's a business. What you long for is called a charity.

 

[ksradiogeek]

JJZ may be on AM and HD, but I'll take it over nothing at all. I'm really digging the format, even though it is run strictly from iheartradio with Tozzi doing the liners. Hardly any vocals at all. Great music that yes, good for a dentist's office, but can work if you cruise around town as well. And I liked DAS AM's format, but who knew that they were going to be around forever? I knew it wouldn't. It was unique, but maybe too unique to really work in this day and age.

On another note, congrats, Philly! You got your station back after 5 years! There have been stations in my area that have been taken off a long time ago, but just a few years later, magically reappeared.

 

[Fakeem]

So they go from .1 to .2 in the most recent ratings, which might be their high point, then they switch to smooth jazz. Literally eveyone within a mile of my house that used to sit on their porches and listen to WDAS-AM have all stopped playing their radios for all to hear.

Once again, those that want an alternative to the hip-hop influenced version of R&B get shafted.

I would have preferred them playing the Smooth Jazz format from 6pm-6am if they really wanted Tozzi on the air in Philly.

In fact, it's not too late to do it. PLEASE!!!

 

[Radio Wreck]

I keep hearing Michael Tozzi's liners but are there any live jocks?

Also, many people may not realize that WJJZ's first home was not 106.1, but instead 1460 AM in New Jersey back in the 60's. Kind of funny that they re-surfaced on AM at 1480 many years later.

 

[Fakeem]

Probably not, if they only had 2 jocks a year ago, and only one after Butter's passing, I doubt they would pay anyone to host just for a local AM playing office music.

Plus with WRNB having better ratings without jocks than with, I fear the trend of automation has begun.

 

[DToTheJ]

On another note, congrats, Philly! You got your station back after 5 years! There have been stations in my area that have been taken off a long time ago, but just a few years later, magically reappeared.

Yes, but how many stations come back in the same market THREE TIMES?

 

[ksradiogeek]

On another note, congrats, Philly! You got your station back after 5 years! There have been stations in my area that have been taken off a long time ago, but just a few years later, magically reappeared.

Yes, but how many stations come back in the same market THREE TIMES?

Good point! B94 in Pittsburgh was on twice, and now exists on an HD channel, albeit playing popular music from their 80s/90s/early 2000s heydays. Alternative in New York...that's been on what...5 stations?

 

[JH_Radio]

on the same freq's in several different incarnations for NYC.
actually it should be more like some kind of rock has been.
the only one that has held up is Q 104.3 WAXQ the classic rocker.

 

[RadioJunkieMike]

Sad to discover WDAS-AM is no more. I'd've thought that if it failed as an over-the-air entity it would at least remain as an iHeart format but that does not appear to be the case.

 

[benale]

I wish WDAS could have remained as an HD channel. I'm one of the few with an HD portable radio,and they sounded great in stereo.The music WRNB plays is not 60's based, and while it sounds good, it's not the same as WDAS AM.

 

[billjacobs]

What makes the WDAS signal even worse than the two very-tight patterns is that they point in different directions, so they lose much of their listenership at every pattern change.

When I was in high school, one of my classmates said that WDAS "goes off in my neighborhood" at sunset. Now I get it.

How do they ever achieve the required full city-of-license coverage? They'd do better relicensing to Wilmington and promoting themselves there.

Bill

 

[JH_Radio]

they dont. if you travel down 95 even into northeast Philly its not a clear signal. even the cotman Avenue exit still there's splatter from WBCB.
Lexis RX-350 2012 radio is what is being used.

 

[Fakeem]

WJJZ may be back, but all the people that I know and used to listen to WDAS-AM, are actually listening to WRNB now. They miss not hearing the 60's stuff, but they don't have an urban alternative.

It'll be interesting if those listeners search for another station when they put Lady B back on the air, since she's the only air talent I hear them mention in their promos.