Another one bits the dust as WNWV 107.3 FM in Elyria, Ohio switched over at noon on December 28 from The Wave’s smooth jazz format to 107.3 Boom!, a new alternative and classic rock “Triple-A” format. The new Triple-A format promises a diverse playlist blending emerging artists with alternative rock and classic rock stars. A statement on The Wave’s Web site says, “After more than 20 years of providing smooth jazz to Northeast Ohio, we’re unable to sustain the format any longer due to a change in Ratings Service methodology. Simply put, lower measurement equals lower ratings. Consequently, we cannot sustain the overhead associated with bringing you the music you love.” Fans of Kenny G and Dave Koz will be able to hear their style of smooth jazz on the station's HD frequency, streamed on wnwv.com. Some on-air hosts, such as morning man Mike Kessler, are expected to stay, while others will be replaced with new talent, according to the post. "The Wave" is abandoning the format after 22 years because of a newcomer to town - Portable People Meters, or PPMs. For decades, Arbitron Inc., the main radio ratings company, gathered information in weekly logs filled out by a selected pool of listeners. In 2007, Arbitron rolled out the PPM, a pager-sized device that electronically records what the person is listening to. A hub, or collector, uploads the information each night via a modem. People meters give broadcasters a more precise look at what listeners hear, said Jessica Benbow, corporate communication manager for Arbitron. The company plans to gradually introduce PPMs in the top 49 markets by next year, Benbow said. Oldies, news and country stations are showing audience growth under the new system, according to a recent New York Times article. Some Spanish-language stations' ratings fell so sharply that concerned broadcasters testified before a congressional committee this month, protesting that the PPM system discriminates against minority audiences, according to the article. PPM measurements also hit smooth-jazz broadcasters hard. Stations in New York, Houston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Chicago have abandoned the format, according to Tom Taylor, executive news editor at Radio-Info, a Chicago-based Web site that covers the radio industry. Arbitron tested PPMs in Cleveland in the fall. Starting this month, the PPM numbers will determine ratings and how much broadcasters can charge for advertising. Preliminary PPM statistics showed that smooth-jazz listeners average in their mid-50s, 10 years older than the average radio listener in Cleveland. Advertisers generally want to reach a younger demographic group. Unfortunately, smooth jazz is not sustainable under this new methodology.
Wave fans can still hear smooth jazz live online at www.wnwv.com or on an HD radio at 107.3 HD2.
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