Well, here we go again...The plug has been pulled in yet another major city!! At 6PM yesterday (September 5, 2008) WJJZ 97.5 closed and had the audacity to play a Boyz II Men tune (I'll Make Love To You) as the closing song. I really don't even care that they are from Philly, the point is the song wasn't even smooth jazz. You can only wonder what lies in the future for other cities. Since a new format is due on Monday morning (Semptember 9, 2008) at WJJZ 97.5 and the letter posted to the public may no longer be an active link, I am reposting what is currently on their site.
Dear Listener,
After much consideration and review, our company has decided to make a change to 97.5 FM. As many people in the market know, we share a passion for this wonderful music, the smooth jazz format, and all the good people that made the special things happen for all of us.
For nearly two years we have committed substantial resources to this program. Unfortunately, we have had limited success with smooth jazz as judged by the marketplace. We are grateful for your loyalty and support, and we appreciate your understanding.
Like our other top tier FM radio stations in the market, we are committed to serving the largest population possible, and we are excited to offer our listeners a powerful new choice. We will reveal our new vision on Monday at 9am.
Again, we appreciate what you have done with us in the past, and look forward to a bright future together. Stay tuned, because the feedback we received from listeners tells us you will enjoy the new adventure!
Thank you for your continued support,
The WJJZ Family
The trend continues.....
I think the state of today's radio is quite unfortunate. The mega-corporations have taken over and the cookie-cutter formats are broadcasting in full force. Voice-tracking and other 'efficiencies' are the name of the game.
What happened to the days when radio served the community? Not too long ago, there was a lot of diversity on the radio dial. Sadly, that's no longer the case. An accountant somewhere decided that Smooth Jazz didn't make enough money... and then a consultant probably recommended a format to replace it. While the accountants and consultants make their money, it's the air staff and public who suffer the consequences.
Perhaps, one day, things will go full circle.
Posted by: Michael Rogall | September 07, 2008 at 06:24 PM
You can't depend on the these greedy communciations companies to provide diversity on broadcast markets. Thats why we need satelite radio because of stuff like this!!!
Posted by: Mike New Jersey | September 27, 2008 at 02:25 PM
I've listened faithfully to WJJZ Philadelphia smooth jazz radio...eleven years. I have absolutely loved the station and the hosts were terrific. There are NO words to express how much I will miss WJJZ. It was uncaring and ruthless to terminate them. It's a GREAT loss.
Posted by: Susan | October 23, 2008 at 10:45 AM