NEW YORK, DENVER, WASHINGTON, D.C. AND NOW HOUSTON LOSES IT'S SMOOTH JAZZ RADIO STATION!

Now comes the news that 95.7 KHJZ-FM in Houston, Texas has flipped formats to CHR (Contemporary Hits Radio). This now makes it four smooth jazz radio stations in the past few weeks to switch formats. The others were located in New York, Washington, D.C, and Denver . KHJZ-FM in Denver started the switch at 5:37PM on March 12 with a loop of Freestyler’s “Don’t Stop” and Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop The Music” interspersed with announcements proclaiming that something new would occur on Thrusday, March 13 at 3:00PM.

In an earlier post we asked what was happening to smooth jazz radio as both WQCD-FM in New York, WJZW-FM in Washington, and KJCD-FM 104.3 in Denver when each one flipped formats, all within weeks of each other. What all of these stations have in common is the fact that they cite the same reasons for switching formats – ratings and money!. Let’s hope this is not pattern that other Smooth Jazz station owners will follow. In addition, all of the former Smooth Jazz radio stations can be picked up with an HD radio on HD2 ratio frequencies.

Just a few short months ago it was it was noted that the Smooth Jazz radio format continued to grow and thrive as one of radio's longest running formats in comparison to others that have come and gone. Other format such as "Jammin Oldies", "Arrow", "Jack" and "Movin" have come and gone in many cities where smooth jazz stations continued to be successful. In January of this year, Broadcast Architecture launched the Smooth Jazz Network, featuring smooth jazz artists Dave Koz, Kenny G, Norman Brown, Brian Culbertson, Paul Hardcastle and Ramsey Lewis as on-air hosts. So far the network has spread to 25 markets across the US and brand new stations have launched utilizing the network in Norfolk, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City and Albuquerque. Currently there are more than 50 commercial radio stations across the US playing smooth jazz.