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WJJZ's Days Numbered?

DToTheJ

DToTheJ

Last month, New York's legendary smooth jazz station WQCD "CD 101.9" was silenced after twenty years.

And recently, Citadel flipped its smooth jazz station in D.C.

While the format performs well in some major markets (Detroit, San Diego, etc.) it gets mostly unfavorable results in many of them, big or small. And WJJZ is no exception.

We recall back when Clear Channel flipped the original WJJZ at 106.1 - even though it finished in the Top 10 in 12+ in its last full book - yet it was not enough to discourage Greater Media from reviving its identity at 97.5 FM.

After 1 1/2 years, smooth jazz appears to be languishing at its new dial position, even with an upgraded signal. This week on "The Radio Racket", Inquirer columnist Michael Klein said it was getting terrible numbers.

Based on the above, could it be the beginning of the end of WJJZ's second chapter in Philadelphia radio? And if so, which format could Greater Media change 97.5 to? Spanish? Country? (And please, do NOT say "The Hawk"!)
 
I would say the old PEN format, not the new one. Standards on 97.5 would explode, even thought the suits think its not a viable audiance. From what I heard that was the format of choice for GM or Oldies, but when JJZ went away they re-thought and made it Jazz...
 
Standard on 97.5? Nice thought, but it won't happen. If WHAT just runs voicetracked, what does THAT tell you? Moving WPEN's sports format to FM might work, although 950 has a CP to increase daytime pwer to 50 kW from the present 25...
 
Moving WPEN's sports package to FM would then leave you with what to do on AM. There is really nothing left. The numbers are not there yet for WJJZ, but the advertising is increasing and the Spring book may show a trend upwards.
 
Sick...WHICH old WPEN format? MOR, Magic 103, 95 P E N, Standards, True Oldies?
 
DG02816 said:
Standard on 97.5? Nice thought, but it won't happen. If WHAT just runs voicetracked, what does THAT tell you? Moving WPEN's sports format to FM might work, although 950 has a CP to increase daytime pwer to 50 kW from the present 25...
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Is it a CP, Dave? I thought it was still just an application. In fact, I just checked CDBS and it does indeed still show as only an application. I gather GM decided that the FCC wouldn't buy 50 kW right off and so decided to do it in two steps. I think it's been a good six months since the WPEN 50-kW-D app was filed and you'd think GM would be urging the FCC to move it up the queue. Have I missed something?
 
It was my understanding that the 50KW engineering study required a six-tower array in western Montgomery County. So for practical purposes they went with the 25KW reconfigured DA in Overbrook. I surmise that GM will decline to invest in a land acquisition and an elaborate tower construction for a 3db increase, when they are barely investing in their local sports programming. Who knows, maybe the weekend sports betting infomercials could use a power boost to extend the range of the signal fringe. Now that’s a hard bet.
 
MarcB said:
Personally (but that's just me) I'd like to see WPEN's all sports format moved to 97.5 FM.
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Likewise, I know of a resident poster that would like to see ESPN Radio on 97.5 FM...
 
Been wondering the same thing about WJJZ. I feel bad for Tozzi though. He is so passionate about the music he started out playing and is doing his best to show the same love now with Fergie, Pussycat Dolls and Kelly Sweet. Normally I would predict a complete BA switch here, but with what's been happening the past few days with Citadel/other broadcasters and overall with the Smooth Jazz format, I'm more prone to think of a total format flip than a station risking bad numbers (and bad listener vibes) keeping that format on the air. BA only saves a station money, not ratings with Smooth Jazz by blowing out local talent. Stations now need to make money and ratings while blowing out talent. I think there will be something completely different on 97.5 in short order. BA meanwhile is going to have to revamp what they're doing big time. Maybe "Smooth Music" or "Easy Music". I don't think the Smooth Jazz moniker has much life left unless they change the music. I hear giggles when I mention the term in conversations now. That didn't happen much before. Listeners and radio folks are confused now as well. If PDs didn't understand what they were playing before, they certainly don't know now. They were already perplexed trying to figure out who Paolo, Ed Hamilton, Richard Smith, Niteflyte, Blue Knights and XL are. And they probably were scratching heads trying to figure out who's playing sax on Pete Escovedo's "All This Love." I did hear more than one SJ jock say, "great smooth sax from Pete Escovedo." Of course, he's a percussionist! But no one listening knew anyway but us "afficionados." :) By the way, R&Rs SJ Top Ten chart and even on down is amazingly and seemingly suddenly very instrumental. Take a look!
 
gm had the same problem in boston with 96.9 it was smooth jazz they had a hard time selling it

mabye 97.5 could do a talk format like 96.9 in boston
 
mabye 97.5 could do a talk format like 96.9 in boston
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Or maybe they could focus on the format and turn it into a money maker.

Instead they are trying to be everything to everyone. Talk about putting the nails in the coffin.

Anyone want to get a pool going to see how many local radio stations the consultants are going to destroy this year?
 
Those RRRRs said:
Or maybe they could focus on the format and turn it into a money maker.

Instead they are trying to be everything to everyone. Talk about putting the nails in the coffin.

Anyone want to get a pool going to see how many local radio stations the consultants are going to destroy this year?
Click to expand...

Wouldn't that be refreshing. How would we know that Smooth Jazz is not a viable format? What is heard on Smooth Jazz stations barely qualifies as such. Sure you can mix in something with a vocal from time to time. Sure I could even agree that Boz Scaggs, Hall and Oates, Michael McDonald and Steely Dan have some hits that fit in fairly nicely. But how about also using Krall, Buble, Bennett, and Sinatra.

One thing is for certain, there is no way that Billy Joel, Marvin Gaye, Kool & The Gang, The Commodores should ever be on a Smooth Jazz station.

Bottom line, why does XM's Watercolors and Beyond Jazz sound so good to me and Smooth Jazz on FM gets turned off after 8 or 10 minutes?
 
I have allways found it kind stage that Smouth Jazz stations will play Steely Dan but not other Jazz influnced rock groups like Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears.
 
Those RRRRs said:
Anyone want to get a pool going to see how many local radio stations the consultants are going to destroy this year?
Click to expand...

Consultants have nothing to do whith this. This is about sales demos, and only that.
 
Danfm said:
I have allways found it kind stage that Smouth Jazz stations will play Steely Dan but not other Jazz influnced rock groups like Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears.
Click to expand...

I've heard a Peter Cetera song or two on the old WQCD and if I'm not mistaken, WJJZ (at 106.1).

I would guess the smooth jazz spectrum probably doesn't go as far back as the mid-late 70's/early 80's, and I would think most of BS&T's portfolio came way before that. Nor have I heard anything that dated on a SJ station.
 
Consultants have nothing to do whith this. This is about sales demos, and only that.
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So based on what is being played on the station, do you think its coincidence that WJJZ under GM now sounds almost exactly like WJJZ under Clear Channel? In order to duplicate WJJZ under CC it seems to me that a consultant or two had to have been involved.

Sales demos? Are you saying that the smooth jazz demo is no longer a viable demographic? Are you saying that in order to sell the station that they must play R&B music because people who listen to R&B aren't smart enough to research their own products and have to rely exclusively on trends in advertising?

Please explain.
 
They should do what GM wanted orginally and go Oldies, the stuff you dont hear on OGL, I think there is enough of the oldies pie to make another oldies station on FM profitable, the format should be just like WMID....
 
Country would be the best option, give XTU some competition being that they are the only country player in the market...

Today's Country, US 97-5!
 
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