"We are excited about the future of this very special and appealing format here and hope that some of this infectious enthusiasm spreads south of the border to cheer up those who are saddened by the loss of their local radio connection. We really hope there are other independent operators who might be inspired by our story to pick up these local and loyal audiences and provide them with a fresh version of SJ radio programming," she concludes.

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Oh, Zen Feinstein

KKSF/San Francisco founding PD, the late-Steve Feinstein, told FMQB in March 1995: "The real challenge and gratification comes from building a coalition that also includes people who weren't necessarily looking for a station like yours, but whom you've made believers and whose musical horizons you've broadened."

More Feedback

Blue Plate Radio President/GM Ed Tankus ( http://www.blueplateradio.com) also weighs in: "The downfall of Smooth Jazz terrestrial radio -- really all over-the-air radio -- was easily predicted when the conglomerates took over and started programming for the masses. Since bandwidth, and consequently, market is limited on FM, it was only a matter of time before the entire band turned homogeneous, just like its predecessor AM radio did. Then, FM radio became the new frontier with new music and new artists. Today, that new frontier is Internet radio -- not Pandora or Rhapsody or any of those services. They're not radio. I'm talking about real radio - where someone independently programs the music. We reach out to local, national, and international artists of all kinds to get their music heard and, with luck, make enough money to stay afloat and increase our market share."

Chris Acton operates a completely not-for-profit 24/7 Internet stream known as "The .wav," as in a .wav file format. If you troll the Radio-Info boards, you'll see that Acton regularly goes toe-to-toe with big corporate radio folks "trying to defend their strategies" under his pen name: AC Tones.

He comments: "Thanks for your hard work and passion covering this genre for so many years, and getting and presenting candid feedback from folks in the industry and passionate listeners who have unconditionally supported the artists throughout the turmoil. And kudos to Mindi Abair: It's so refreshing to see big name artists come out and speak their minds publicly and echo what their fans have been saying for years.

The Straight Skinny

 

 

The Great White North

 

Also, a prescient quote from Steve Feinstein, plus reader comments

 

 

By Carol Archer