WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOT IS MORE SMOOTH JAZZ

By Michael Horne

The classical format has been shrinking in the consolidating universe of radio airtime, where just a handful of companies now control a huge number of radio licenses in the nation’s major markets.

Very few commercial stations ever carried classical music 24/7, -- that is mostly the purview of public radio -- and WFMR-FM (106.9), Milwaukee, which switched to a “Soft Jazz” format today, was among the last.

This radio station, where I learned so much of the classics, has abandoned the "Three Bs" and run off with the Kenny Gs.

The reason, as general manager Tom Joerres tells Tim Cuprisin of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in today’s paper, is that “the average audience on “FMR is 60-plus.” Advertisers like ‘em young – in the 25-to-54 demographic.

Although the classical demographic is aging, they still have the buying power one might expect from people of class and education. I would have waited at least a decade before pulling the plug on these folks, and I don't think the new audience, although younger and larger, will have greater purchasing clout. I felt the same way about WOKY, and its listeners were even older than the WFMR crew. Still, it’s all about ratings, and in a city where an all-talk AM radio leads with 4.5 times as many listeners as an FM classical station, what did you expect would happen?

YOUR CHANCE TO COMMENT

The Smooth Jazz website, featuring a prominent image of the Calatrava, asks for your opinions on the change and gives you a chance to e-mail friends with your comments about its groovy tunes for hipsters and hepcats. Cool man, Dig it! – Link here to spread the word!