Challenges for Smooth Operators

[AC Tones]

The format has never been a HUGE moneymaker or ratings-grabber, even pre-PPM.

Huh? Fall 2004, KTWV was 4th in 25-54, 8th overall. Or, in the year 2000, the 3rd highest billing station in the market.

Or year 2000, Chicago: WNUA tied for 6th highest biller in Chicago. San Diego: KIFM 9th in billing. Detroit: WVMV 8th in billings. Philadelphia: WJJZ 9th in billings.

I could go on, but those stations billed huge amounts in 2000, and, given that they were among the lower cost of operation stations in each market, they made major bucks.

My point exactly...the format has been DEAD for well over a decade in the minds of NAC-era listeners, and all the big market stations you referenced initially benefited from the greed and dummying down of the format from the Allen Kepler-branded Smooth Jazz explosion in the mid-1990s that ultimately led to the demise of the format on terrestrial radio. When the dust settled, the numbers told a far different story. Listeners abandoned in droves, as a once viable adult alternative format was reduced to yet another cookie cutter brand of Soft A/C, like markets really needed one. True NAC stations, and later, Jones Radio Networks, had a loyal and passionate following prior to the days of Mr. Smooth. Small, but steady, while their big brothers sunk faster than the Titanic. We'll never really know how long the format would have lasted on terrestrial had it stayed true to its base listener. But I suspect those lamenting the spate of flips in 2008 would not have nearly as much to gripe about today had programmers not been strong armed by the masterminds.

 

[DavidEduardo]

My point exactly...the format has been DEAD for well over a decade in the minds of NAC-era listeners, and all the big market stations you referenced initially benefited from the greed and dummying down of the format from the Allen Kepler-branded Smooth Jazz explosion in the mid-1990s that ultimately led to the demise of the format on terrestrial radio. When the dust settled, the numbers told a far different story. Listeners abandoned in droves, as a once viable adult alternative format was reduced to yet another cookie cutter brand of Soft A/C, like markets really needed one.[/quote

In truth, all those stations billed enormously up until the introduction of the PPM and the recession... 2007 to 2008.

KTWV had record billing in 2005, and was very close to the 2005 level in the following year... but the effects of the slow decline in sales demo audience was starting to hurt them... and, in fact, all the major market SJ stations.

When the PPM arrived in each market, the SJ stations went down considerably. Add in the even greater lack of 25-54 listening and the recession, and the format became totally non-viable.

[quote True NAC stations, and later, Jones Radio Networks, had a loyal and passionate following prior to the days of Mr. Smooth. Small, but steady, while their big brothers sunk faster than the Titanic.[/quote

Those stations were in diary rated markets, and were not killed by the PPM. They were also often lower powered or rimshots, and they found in SJ an option where they had a unique format even if audience levels were not high. But, like the PPM market equivalents, they drew less and less 25-54s, and the transactional business dried up.

[quote We'll never really know how long the format would have lasted on terrestrial had it stayed true to its base listener. But I suspect those lamenting the spate of flips in 2008 would not have nearly as much to gripe about today had programmers not been strong armed by the masterminds.

The flips were due to PPM and the increasingly unsalable demographic profiles of SJ stations.

 

[DavidEduardo]

My point exactly...the format has been DEAD for well over a decade in the minds of NAC-era listeners, and all the big market stations you referenced initially benefited from the greed and dummying down of the format from the Allen Kepler-branded Smooth Jazz explosion in the mid-1990s that ultimately led to the demise of the format on terrestrial radio. When the dust settled, the numbers told a far different story. Listeners abandoned in droves, as a once viable adult alternative format was reduced to yet another cookie cutter brand of Soft A/C, like markets really needed one.

In truth, all those stations billed enormously up until the introduction of the PPM and the recession... 2007 to 2008.

KTWV had record billing in 2005, and was very close to the 2005 level in the following year... but the effects of the slow decline in sales demo audience was starting to hurt them... and, in fact, all the major market SJ stations.

When the PPM arrived in each market, the SJ stations went down considerably. Add in the even greater lack of 25-54 listening and the recession, and the format became totally non-viable.

True NAC stations, and later, Jones Radio Networks, had a loyal and passionate following prior to the days of Mr. Smooth. Small, but steady, while their big brothers sunk faster than the Titanic.

Those stations were in diary rated markets, and were not killed by the PPM. They were also often lower powered or rimshots, and they found in SJ an option where they had a unique format even if audience levels were not high. But, like the PPM market equivalents, they drew less and less 25-54s, and the transactional business dried up.

We'll never really know how long the format would have lasted on terrestrial had it stayed true to its base listener. But I suspect those lamenting the spate of flips in 2008 would not have nearly as much to gripe about today had programmers not been strong armed by the masterminds.

The flips were due to PPM and the increasingly unsalable demographic profiles of SJ stations.

 

[jt1120]

Allen Kepler killed the format, not PPM.