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WKTZ and WJAX sold

passtheword

passtheword

I figured the end was coming for WKTZ. Unfortunately, it has. Jones College has announced it is selling both WKTZ and WJAX, Jacksonville to EMF, who owns "K-Love". Presumably, the new format will be changed to EMF's Christian programming once the sale is approved by the FCC.The article does state, however, that Jones College will be retaining the WJAX call letters and the intellectual property of both stations (nothing is mentioned about retaining the WKTZ call sign, however). Since Jones College is retaining the intellectual property, it would seem to indicate that both WKTZ and WJAX might have plans to move to an online-only broadcast at some point. t's a sad day seeing WKTZ come to an end, at least the FM broadcast. I can remember when WKTZ was a commercial station and originally on 96.1 FM, as I could hear it occasionally in central AL when tropo atmospheric conditions would prevail. Here's the link to the article on the sale.

http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/89704/emf-acquires-wktzwjax-jacksonville/

As I've harped many times before, the remaining EZ/BM stations across the country are eventually going to fall by the wayside, which is why it's imperative this format be moved exclusively to the internet. This format will eventually disappear from the broadcast dial; it is a wonder it has not already. WKTZ will soon be gone...maybe KLUX is next. I hope that's not the case, but that's the reality of it, unfortunately. The EZ/BM format needs to be expanded via the internet to preserve this format, which is why I and other friends of mine have been working diligently to find people to start EZ/BM radio stations online. So far, we are up to 6 stations, entirely in the southern US. I'm currently talking with two other people, one in the western US and another in a southern US city, about starting online EZ/BM stations for those areas as well. If you believe you would like to join us in saving EZ/BM radio via the internet, please contact me at [email protected]. If we work together, we can preserve the format and share it with new listeners. In doing so, we can be assured this format won't fall by the wayside. If we sit idly by and do nothing, that is what we will get. As they say, you reap what you sow...
 
passtheword said:
I figured the end was coming for WKTZ. Unfortunately, it has. Jones College has announced it is selling both WKTZ and WJAX, Jacksonville to EMF, who owns "K-Love". Presumably, the new format will be changed to EMF's Christian programming once the sale is approved by the FCC.The article does state, however, that Jones College will be retaining the WJAX call letters and the intellectual property of both stations (nothing is mentioned about retaining the WKTZ call sign, however). Since Jones College is retaining the intellectual property, it would seem to indicate that both WKTZ and WJAX might have plans to move to an online-only broadcast at some point. It's a sad day seeing WKTZ come to an end, at least the FM broadcast. I can remember when WKTZ was a commercial station and originally on 96.1 FM, as I could hear it occasionally in central AL when tropo atmospheric conditions would prevail. Here's the link to the article on the sale.

http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/89704/emf-acquires-wktzwjax-jacksonville/

As I've harped many times before, the remaining EZ/BM stations across the country are eventually going to fall by the wayside, which is why it's imperative this format be moved exclusively to the internet. This format will eventually disappear from the broadcast dial; it is a wonder it has not already. WKTZ will soon be gone...maybe KLUX is next. I hope that's not the case, but that's the reality of it, unfortunately. The EZ/BM format needs to be expanded via the internet to preserve this format, which is why I and other friends of mine have been working diligently to find people to start EZ/BM radio stations online. So far, we are up to 6 stations, entirely in the southern US. I'm currently talking with two other people, one in the western US and another in a southern US city, about starting online EZ/BM stations for those areas as well. If you believe you would like to join us in saving EZ/BM radio via the internet, please contact me at [email protected]. If we work together, we can preserve the format and share it with new listeners. In doing so, we can be assured this format won't fall by the wayside. If we sit idly by and do nothing, that is what we will get. As they say, you reap what you sow...
Click to expand...

With all due respect, I shall present a view contradictory to the one above. I can't say I'm surprised that traditional EZ is coming to an end on WKTZ. In my opinion, there's little need to mourn! The format at the station seemed stagnant and didn't change with the times. Much of it was the same old stale instrumental/choral remakes heard from long ago on said formatted stations! There was little to no originality with the selections aired. There were many, MANY artists whose music would have been appropriate that could have been featured, but wasn't! A few examples of which include at least six tracks off of Dan Fogelberg and Tim Weisberg's album "Twin Sons of Different Mothers"; music from the act Acoustic Alchemy; music from the act Celtic Woman; and that's just the start!

There were a few stations that attempted to do or are still doing an EZ format for today that either could have had or DID have success. An example of the former was WOEZ Knoxville TN. Even though the format there didn't succeed, they STILL offered SOME innovative material. I didn't care for all of it, but there was some music they broadcast that I liked. Had management not gotten too inept, they MIGHT'VE had a future! An example of the latter (and in my humble opinion, an excellent one!), is the simulcast of WEZV (105.9) and WGTN(100.7) [known by their handles as 'Easy 105.9' and 'Easy 100.7'] from South Carolina.

In the radio business, if you don't change with the times, you're going to become irrelevant and eventually non-existent! There is SOME music out there that MIGHT be considered timeless. Much of the material from the Trad.-EZ formats of yore is NOT such an example! Moreover, it is what I'd call "soulless"! By contrast, the material featured on the pop-standards formatted stations including WJAX was venerable. I'm somewhat surprised that Jones didn't try to hold onto that station. I think it could've served a purpose and maybe even an example of how pop-standards could've been done! Bob Bittner who owns stations in Massachusetts and Maine has done respectably well with his stations; all of which air pop-standards formats. Those stations BTW are listener supported.

Which brings me to my next point. The Jones College Radio Facebook page as or today (8/13/14) only has 399 members. When you consider that WKTZ is a major facility in a fairly major market and with the widespread use of the internet being what it is, it's obvious that the station was losing its relevance! There are many other stations - even those who broadcast specialty formats and those who have formats like pop-standards that generally target a 'senior' audience; as well as those in smaller - sometimes MUCH smaller - markets that STILL have greater visibility! For example, the Facebook page "Friends and Lovers of WJIB" has almost DOUBLE the number of members that Jones College Radio had; and WJIB is a 250-watt-day, FIVE-watt-night AM station in suburban Boston! In Hagerstown MD - a town MUCH smaller than Jacksonville FL, WJEJ (1240) a standards station has a FB membership of 410!

Face the facts. WKTZ has more than run its course. That it hung on for so long (or too long) speaks volumes - although I'm sure that management; especially under Jack Jones - was determined to keep it going; at least until it couldn't hold on any longer! But times change and sometimes, it's better to move on.
 
I agree that EZ/BM stations should evolve musically, but at the same time, you can't be playing Acoustic Alchemy and the like in great amounts. The reason being is that most of the EZ/BM listeners are familiar with a particular sound of the format, depending on what particular time frame they listened years ago. Given WKTZ's format, I would say that most of their listeners leaned to more of the "traditional sound" of the format, so throwing in musical genres as what you mentioned, even in small amounts, would probably not have gone over well. I air some contemporary instrumental and smooth jazz on my online EZ/BM station, but I do so very sparingly. If I was playing more than what I do, I would probably run off 3/4 or more of my listeners. So..I agree with your comments about broadening the format... to some extent... ;)

As far as the WKTZ Facebook page goes, I would agree..that is is a small # of people who liked the page. One would think as popular as WKTZ was with easy listeners they would have much more "likes" than they do. I did post about the pending format change yesterday and several people commented about losing the station. I told them...if you want to keep the format, then you need to make that point known to Jones College Radio, via email, phone, etc. It might not accomplish anything, but it couldn't hurt. Evidently, some of those folks handling the station's Facebook page decided they didn't want to hear ANY of what I or the other listeners had to say, so they deleted my comment (the entire thread). I asked them about it again a 2nd time via another post. They deleted it as well, and then "unjoined" me from the group. I do understand Jones College had to sell the stations for financial reasons, and I imagine most of their listeners understand that fact as well. Still, I believe Jones College should have made a statement as to what was happening with the two stations (whether they were going off the air entirely, moving to an online-only venue), given listeners there in Jacksonville and across the world have been supporting those stations for decades. Obviously, they didn't feel it was necessary to act in a professional manner, but chose to delete comments instead. All I have to say is that I'm glad I never donated to WJAX or WKTZ, given how I was treated on the station's Facebook page.
 
Well, that's a fine way to treat people. At least WMUU is still online, or it was the last time I checked.

I probably would have liked WKTZ a lot, from what I've heard about them.

I went in a store run my a former member of my church (actually she may still be a member but she just hasn't attended since ehr daughtrer started going to church where she had more youth activities). There was all this noise. It wasn't music but just the noise between the songs. And then I heard the words K-Love. It wasn't really as loud as all that and there were old people in the store, but I don't see anyone can stand that mess constantly.
 
Wktz

Technically, I agree with the unregistered commentator above, but it is the fact they never modernized is the reason I like WKTZ over similar offerings. Same reason I liked oldies stations that played sixties music - a genre also disappearing from the airwaves. I gave them a few dollars each year because I listened online often. Their biggest problem is that the audience that loved this music was dying off - and younger people (people under 70) weren't interested. Sure, no brainer it's going away, but it's still a sad day for those who liked listening to instrumentals of this era.
 
WKTZ is wonderful ! Are they going to remain online ?

WKTZ is wonderful BECAUSE they offer the classic sounds.It is offers programming that is comforting and enjoyable for us. Are they going to remain online ?
 
Please excuse the last post which contained a typographical & grammatical error.WKTZ is wonderful BECAUSE they do embrace the classic sounds along with some of the modern music.The station features the kind of programming that is comforting and quite enjoyable! Are they going to remain online ? Thank you very much once again.
 
Guest

I'm thrilled that I went to the Jones College homepage and clicked on the "Red Radio" (don't click on any links or it won't work) and now am able to stream the former WKTZ. It is the only Jax station I listened to and it is great to have it back.
 
Thank goodness ! The awesome music traditions of WKTZ will still be here !

Thank goodness the awesome music traditions of WKTZ will still be here to enjoy.
 
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