A Missed Opportunity

When they flipped 87.7 from Smooth Jazz to alternative rock on April 30, Merlin Media could have boosted the audience on two of their stations, not just one.  They were going for the young male demo on 87.7, of course, with the switch to rock.  At the same time, in what I believe would have been a much simpler pursuit, they could have grabbed a healthy chunk of the sizable adult audience of Smooth Jazz fans they just released from 87.7.  How?  By putting more than a half-hearted effort into the launch of Smooth Jazz on their HD channel, 97.9-HD3. 

Hybrid Digital Radio, which goes by the abbreviation HD Radio, never caught on because listeners had no reason to go out and buy a separate HD Radio receiver, which you have to have to be able to listen to it.  Radio stations that send out an HD signal opted, in most cases, simply to duplicate their FM signals on their HD channels.  Why would anyone buy a special receiver to get the same programming content that’s already available on FM?  I’m not surprised at all that HD Radio met with an overwhelmingly lukewarm response.  And that's despite millions of dollars' worth of airtime devoted to advertising it to radio listeners back in the mid 2000s (For instance, like every Clear Channel station, we devoted a ridiculous number of commercial avails to HD Radio on WNUA back then).

When Merlin removed Smooth Jazz from 87.7, they created the perfect opportunity to get listeners to:  a) purchase an HD radio; and b) actually listen to it.  Put Smooth Jazz on HD3, do it the right way, throw some serious marketing behind it and, voila, finally something to draw people to HD!   It should have been a no-brainer.  There were 500,000+ former listeners of 87.7 who had nowhere else to go but HD3 if they wanted to listen to their favorite music on the radio.

Sadly, what actually happened can lead you to one conclusion only:  moving Smooth Jazz to HD3 was a low or no priority item on Merlin's agenda--an afterthought, basically.  Smooth Jazz has been on the air there for three months, and they have yet to iron out the kinks.  Christmas tunes still pop up on the air occasionally, indiscriminately.  The playlist is a hodgepodge of instrumentals, pop tunes, standards, TV themes, R&B songs (in addition to "Here Comes Santa Claus")--like flowers, weeds and tall grasses growing wild in an untended field.  And there are no personalities, no real signs that anyone’s even home.

To think what might have been if they would have taken a different approach.  They could have had Bill Cochran, Loni Taylor, Scott Adams and me.  They could have had the services of all of us—please excuse the pun—for a song.  Imagine, the Smooth Jazz Sunday Brunch and Dinner Party back on the radio in Chicago.  And they could have had the Dave Koz show, Ramsey Lewis’ Legends of Jazz and Chill with Mindi Abair for less than a song.  A complete, first-class Smooth Jazz station and staff were available right under their noses; yet, they chose not to use them.

A basic HD Radio costs about $50.  That’s not cheap.  But, if that was the only way to listen to Smooth Jazz on the radio again, I have a feeling more than a few people would forgo a couple of dinners out or find another way to free up some cash if that’s what it took to get their music back.  Wouldn’t you?

~Rick O’Dell ([email protected])

Our Smooth Video of the Day:  another preview of the 15^th annual Kettle Moraine Jazz Fest in West Bend, Wisconsin.  Tonight’s lineup features Mindi Abair.

 

Comments

[Bob Gripp]

I'm being told that the current sad state of broadcast radio will only improve after the major "players" implode and individual ownership returns (or, at least much smaller ownership groups regain some traction). I understand that nobody, and I MEAN NOBODY working in the industry today is satisfied with the current state of of the business...right now I'd rather listen to my local high school's student station....at least you never really know what you are going to hear.....right?

[Art B.]

Rick, that's a small price to pay for the return of Smooth Jazz, but why should we have to settle for " being on the outside looking in ". Over the last 20+ years Smooth Jazz has contributed much to radio in terms of ratings, revenues, artists and radio personalities ( to name a few )and to make Smooth Jazz in Chicago feel like an " unwanted orphan " is a Damn, dirty shame. Smooth Jazz shouldn't have to grovel for crumbs in the radio industry, it is still a formidable format with a hugh following, may it be back on " free " radio soon !!!

[Art B.]

Once again, Thanks for a Cooooool video with one of Mindi's Finest !!!

[JAMES CRAWFORD]

i only got one thing to say smgdh !!!

[Patrick]

$50? That's less tha a dinner out. Less than 6 months of XM and less than 6 months of MOJA. To hear Rick and the crew playing smooth jazz, $50 is a bargain!

[Super Dave]

Art, I'm with you! True, $50.00 is a paltry sum to pay for HD Radio, but as you said, why should we have to accept this as being the ONLY way to get Smooth Jazz? Especially with FM radio frequencies filled with redundant/repetitive music that deliver low ratings? Bob G. is right! Broadcast radio is in a sad state of disarray, and will only improve as he so logically stated.

[Jerry Waz]

Rick,

Today in my newspaper (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) was an article about our former Smooth Jazz station (106.9). We lost Smooth Jazz a couple of years ago. It want to "oldies" Country Western. Now it changed to "rhythmic Top 40". Hits but no "bubble-gum pop". So we now have more lousy stations that all sound the same. There must be at least a dozen radios in this house, and I can't use any of them.

Jerry

[Jerry Waz]

Rick,

Thanks to Physical Therapy, my walking has gotten so much better. Next year I will be going to the Kettle Moraine Jazz Festival.
Especially when I saw the list of who was there this year. WOW.

[Super Dave]

Jerry, I feel your pain. Besides many radios, my sound system is collecting cobwebs. Too much "Junk" on the radio "Trunk"

[Paul]

Rick I had an hd radio installed in my car, it is not like regular radio. The sound doesn't just fade on the second channel it goes of$ completely. On the real station it goes from hd to regular back and forth. It was awful to listen too! The timing was different so I would when it moved back and forth the song or talk was different by a few seconds. I could not shut off the hd mode so i had it taken out and put a regular radio put back. They told me a lot of people complained about this. I live near Evanston and never had trouble with fm reception is this bad radios or are they not using enough power from the station?

Have you ever thought of trying to get on the am dial? 950 had some sort of a jazz big band shows on at night, the music did not sound to bad on am. I remember 850 picked up the standards after wjjd changed. They did well with that for a few years. Would you others who miss this format listen on am? I sure would.

I have a second home in Phoenix, we lost that smooth jazz station which by the way was also at 95.5 on the dial. Since they left am 1230 now does oldies and standards by day and smooth jazz at night host that wete also on here on 87.7 and 95.5. I am very happy to have this. I did not think I would ever listen to am for music again, it is not so bad certainly better than listening to what is on fm.

[Jerry Waz]

Super Dave,

Thanks. At least we can start a "radios we can't use any more" club.

Jerry

[Super Dave]

Jerry, maybe we can use them as "Boat Anchors" for our yatchts! BTW, sorry about the Packers' loss today (LOL).

[Cyn Cooper]

Starting my piggy bank with my $50 so that I'm ready to jump if we go in that direction to be back on air. Yeah...we sure SHOULD be on free radio, but if its sooner going the HD route...well...Piggy is going on a short shelf so I can grab her quickly!! Only night time on AM....hmmm...not for me....

[Jerry Waz]

Super Dave,

Lets see what happens Thursday nite. Packers and Bears at Green Bay. I'll have to have a few extra beers in the house. I'll toast one to you, if you toast one to me. Such a deal.

Super Dave be smooth,

Jerry

[Paul]

I would take am over hd. It does not work. You lose the station completly like you do on digital tv. I had this in my car never have i seen a rafio perform so bad.

There might be static on am like there was snow on old tv, at least you do not lose the station entirely.

Please do not spend your money on a new radio for hd this is the worst scam ever played on radio. Hd does not really meen the same as it does for tv they try to fool people into believing it is.

Hd tv means high definition, on radio it means hybrid digital. That means that two different type of signals are played on the same station.780 am has this on am it is the reason the station makes a buzzing sound the last few years they are creating there own interference. That is crazy.

I suggested am because there are so many stations that talk all day or are in foreign language. Heck i can hear three stations with the exact same catholic programs on all day long. Why does the same program have to be on three or four stations at the same time? Certainly one of these stations could play our music and nobody would even lose their catholic programs because they are still.available on the other stations.

[Super Dave]

Jerry, the Packers are STILL the team to beat in a very competitive division. Rick & I predict a shoot-out, with over/under at 55 pts. Lambeau's a TOUGH place to play! Let's hope it's a fun, exciting & competitive game. And, I'll hoist one (or two) to the winners. Stay Smmmmmooooooth!!

[Michael]

I wouldn't fret on the HD radio front. I have had one for years and unless your pretty much downtown, the signal will not be stable. Once I drive past 95th street (south traveling home), the 97.9 HD signal is unstable if not completely gone. Other stations like WLS FM and WBBM FM will last longer, but by the time I get out into the burbs there is no HD signal at all.

[Rick O'Dell]

Michael:

I guess it's no great loss, then, about Smooth Jazz and HD. What a waste of time that venture turned out to be for mainstream radio!

I thought having Smooth Jazz on an HD channel was better than nothing. Apparently not.

Rick