Rick O'Dell Streams Jazz Back To Chicago

Debuts

Smooth Jazz has returned to CHICAGO radio online as a free 24/7 streaming digital station.  Premiering this week online and on mobile devices as SMOOTHJAZZCHICAGO.NET, the new station is the creation of RICK O’DELL.

"Over-the-air radio has proven to be a major disappointment to Smooth Jazz fans in CHICAGO twice in the past four years," O’DELL said. "The format changes, first at WNUA in 2009 and then at WLFM in 2012, disenfranchised more than half a million listeners each time without warning."

Unlike the other products, which tend to be generic, SMOOTHJAZZCHICAGO.NET will be a branded, locally targeted stream.  "I wanted to build a digital station that resembled a traditional terrestrial radio station in ways that mattered to listeners:  familiar personalities hosting the music; locally relevant elements such as weather updates; contests and giveaways; requests and dedications; a playlist that didn’t reflect global tastes as much as local tastes -- CHICAGO’s tastes; and, most important of all, available free of charge," O’DELL said. "Listeners won’t have to put up with a high commercial load ever (with none of the annoying ads for weight loss pills or testosterone replacements!), and we won’t be overloading the playlist with vocals just so we can look better in the world of ARBITRON ratings and PPM."

RICK will be the first on-air personality on the site, doing middays. SMOOTHJAZZCHICAGO.NET also heralds the return of the innovative SATURDAY night show, "Dinner Party," hosted by BILL COCHRAN; "The Sounds of BRAZIL," hosted by SCOTT ADAMS and O'DELL’s "Smooth Jazz SUNDAY Brunch."

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