WJJZ Is Now ... 'Now'

Now? Now!

GREATER MEDIA has flipped WJJZ/PHILADELPHIA from Smooth Jazz to AC as "NOW 97.5," billed as "a younger approach to today's soft rock." 

The station, apparently aimed at JERRY LEE's crosstown market leading AC WBEB (B101), is launching with "Commercial-Free Workdays" 8:30a-4:30p. NOW 97.5's first song after weekend stunting was PINK's "Who Knew."

The rest of the first hour was:

THE POLICE -- "Every Breath You Take"
LEE ANN WOMACK -- "I Hope You Dance"
MARIAH CAREY -- "Always Be My Baby"
JIMMY BUFFETT -- "Margaritaville"
DANIEL POWTER -- "Bad Day"
TINA TURNER -- "What's Love Got To Do With It"
BONNIE RAITT -- "Something To Talk About"
LIFEHOUSE -- "You And Me"
FLEETWOOD MAC -- "Don't Stop"
JESSE MCCARTNEY -- "Beautiful Soul"
GENESIS -- "Hold On My Heart"
LEONA LEWIS -- "Bleeding Love"
JOHN MAYER -- "Because Of You"
KELLY CLARKSON -- "Because Of You"
CINDI LAUPER -- "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" 

"We saw a great opportunity for a station that takes a new, younger approach to today’s soft rock in the PHILADELPHIA market,” said GREATER MEDIA VP/Market Manager JOHN FULLAM. “We are excited to offer our listeners this exciting new choice.”

The station's new website is up and running at www.nowismusic.com/. 

Exclusive Analysis Of The Move

RADIOCRUNCH President and ALL ACCESS contributor ANTHONY ACAMPORA did some quick analytical work on how WJJZ's music fits within the market landscape musically using MEDIABASE.

* WBEB has an average year of 1988.8 according to MEDIABASE.

* The first hour of WJJZ as "NOW 97.5" came in at 1994.5 -- although five of the 16 songs were dated 1984 or older. The second hour actually saw "Now" at 1991.9. In the two-plus hours, we have yet to hear anything newer than "Bubbly" by COLBIE CAILLAT ... and there are no currents.

* While softer in texture than sister Adult Hits WBEN,  "Now" is only about five years younger in average years so far -- and WBEN is actually 12% current (more than WJJZ).

* There was a sweeper that positioned "Now" as "Younger" followed by "Turn Your Love Around" by GEORGE BENSON (a 27-year-old song). There was a break also touting "Now" as a "younger station" bookended by "More Than Words" by EXTREME (18 years old) on one side and "Kiss" by PRINCE (from 22 years ago) on the other.

* This is different than the attack CBS made with WWFS/New York on WLTW. In New York, WLTW has an average year of 1990.9, while WWFS chimes in at 1999.0 -- and plays quite a few currents.

You can reach ANTHONY at anthony@radiocrunch.com. 

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