Smooth Jazz in NYC CD101.9 Being Replaced! Does Anyone Want More Info?!


Question: If so:

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. We got a lot of questions when Dallas & Seattle swapped, so I thought I'd give you the low-down here first, as I know we'll eventually get a few questions about this.

It has just been anounced that Emmis Broadcasting, the owners of WQCD, have switched the 20-year Smooth Jazz CD 101.9 to an Adult Rock Format "101.9 RXP" as of 4PM Today (Tue 2/5/08).

The Smooth Jazz format will continue to be aired on HD, but you'll need a new HD radio to get it.

This part is unofficial, but I suspect the reason will be ratings and revenue (it always is). CD101.9 dipped below a 3% share of audience, yet it has the same signal strength as most of the top-ranked stations.

All of the radio web sites will be covering this story. I'm already hearing from people. If you want more info check below.
-a guy named duh

www.radio-info.com
www.AllAccess.com
www.insideradio.com
www.radioandrecords.com
www.Radioink.com
www.rbr.com

Answers: If so:

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. We got a lot of questions when Dallas & Seattle swapped, so I thought I'd give you the low-down here first, as I know we'll eventually get a few questions about this.

It has just been anounced that Emmis Broadcasting, the owners of WQCD, have switched the 20-year Smooth Jazz CD 101.9 to an Adult Rock Format "101.9 RXP" as of 4PM Today (Tue 2/5/08).

The Smooth Jazz format will continue to be aired on HD, but you'll need a new HD radio to get it.

This part is unofficial, but I suspect the reason will be ratings and revenue (it always is). CD101.9 dipped below a 3% share of audience, yet it has the same signal strength as most of the top-ranked stations.

All of the radio web sites will be covering this story. I'm already hearing from people. If you want more info check below.
-a guy named duh

www.radio-info.com
www.AllAccess.com
www.insideradio.com
www.radioandrecords.com
www.Radioink.com
www.rbr.com
Yet another reason to get satellite. XM has Watercolors, which will never get cancelled and has no commercials. Terrestrial sucks, and this further proves it. Rock doesn't work well in NYC, that's why K-Rock may be changing to country. This is a bad move and they'll regret it (Jetsette tells me otherwise, but I heard Howard say it too, which made me think it was going to happen). And I'm not sure that Country wouldn't work in New York. Its been tried and failed in the past, but you're not going to pull any better than a 2 share with Rock in New York, it just doesn't happen. A few years ago maybe, but not today.

I do remember the uproar over Free-FM, but that was because it was so badly done. David Lee Roth in the morning? That was a complete joke and everybody knew it. It bombed because it was so poorly executed. In Dallas and LA, the stations that became Free-FM were already Hot Talk stations, but to convet a Rock powerhouse into a piece of fluff and expect gold just won't happen. The brass at CBS Radio had no idea what they were doing and just blew it.

The problem with radio today is that stations are blaming their ratings problems on their respective format. I can't remember a time when so many stations changed formats like they are today. The problem is not the format, the problem is competition. Radio isn't changing with the times and are conducting business as usual. It isn't that people are turning to the competition, its that people are listening to .mp3 players and Satellite radio, which provide WAY better alternatives. The only way I see radio saving itself is through HD Radio, but I have never seen anything so poorly marketed in my life. Most people have never heard of it, and those that have don't want to pay $200 for a table-top radio. Radio stations need to put all their resources into making HD the next big thing, otherwise, terrestrial will become antiquated before it realizes it.
Wow, lots of votes on this issue. Congrats Toucan! Thanks all!
duh Report It

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    • I am actually very excited for WRXP. Though NYC already has WXRK, it is still good to have a choice. WRXP will be providing alternative and classic rock formats, which is something that K-Rock (WXRK) does not specialize in. It's a great switch-over!

    Toucan Sam, K-Rock is not switching over to country. First of all, there is no market in the city for country and do you even remember the uproar in the city when K-Rock became Free FM? People DEMANDED their rock music. K-Rock is the only real provider of rock music to the city, Long Island, and New Jersey. The rumor of the switch-over to country was created by Opie and Anthony to piss off the PD of K-Rock with whom they are not on great terms with.
    Apparently O and A have been either flaming a lot of people or something as I know they have been dropped from a few stations since bringing their act over for Citadel and a few others.

    Apparently they have flipped it to a Alternative that plays classic and New rock to entice people to the truer alternative/AAA mix they have going on the station.

    Someone said it was going after classic rock 104.3 but apparently is trying to be a slight alternative to K-Rock... meaning K-rock needs to drop some alt and go more active seems.

    Country done right may have a chance in NYC but it would take more of a bankable artist list that is more "Nashville Pop" and less "Hat acts" which is opposite of the south where I am. It has to be programmed more as a station to listen to opposite of the local A/Cs

    But that is the trend with smooth Jazz. At least even though HD radio is basically being beat to death right now, it's starting to be a home for formats that have a following but not enough to flip a analog station yet (key with this is, it can be heard and can't be blocked by buildings like Sat radio or by the IT guys... Meaning HD radio will do better in major cities I think)

    Hell in the home of Jazz (New Orleans), They can't keep a smooth Jazz or standards station at all. The only place to actually hear Jazz is on WWOZ (a Class A non-Commercial) and this is more traditional Jazz.

    But to put the nail in the coffin, it was cited on the cd101.9 website about declining numbers in the book as the reason for the flip.
    Contrary to other opinions, jazz station format's have not been money makers. Emmis is a corporation that its shareholders expect dividends. The Smooth jazz format is one of the lowest money-making formats. Historically, the only profitable smooth jazz station in the top 50 radio markets has been KTWV in Los Angeles.

    With that said, smooth jazz is still available on WQCD, on the HD-2 channel. An Hybrid Radio (HD) receiver costs as much as a XM or Sirius receiver, but unlike satellite radio, programming on HD radio is free.

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