Re: jAzZ

[Shawn Mamros <mamros@MIT.EDU>]

>Can anyone tell me why Boston cannot support more jazz programming?  
>I do not include "smooth jazz" in my thoughts as it is mostly wallpaper.

Arguably, any format can be "supported" in Boston, as long as somebody
pays the bills one way or another...  Whether it makes enough money
beyond just paying the bills for the stations' owners' liking  is the
question that has to be answered.

Commercially, aside from WFNX's Sunday morning "Jazz Brunch" show and
mornings on WHRB, I can't see any of the big broadcasting conglomerates
taking it on.  It's probably not coincidence that the two commercial
stations that do air jazz are also two out of the three last independently-
owned commercial FM stations in the Boston area, and also that those two
don't seem to be as much ratings-driven in their behavior as the others.
That's not to say that jazz couldn't get good ratings, but the big players
clearly don't want to invest in any format that's even the slightest bit
"risky", in reputation if not in fact.

Even in the non-commercial space, the behavior of the "big two" (WGBH and
WBUR) is largely driven by maximizing contributions and underwriting.  If
you're willing to dial-twist and deal with flea-powered signals, there's
quite a bit of jazz to be found on the college stations in town.

- -Shawn Mamros
E-mail to: mamros@mit.edu

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