Has the last big market Smooth Jazz station met its end?
Rubber City Radio Group Smooth Jazz “107.3 The Wave” WNWV Elyria/Cleveland went all Christmas on November 15 and signs are growing that the station will soon debut a new identity. Cleveland Scene reported yesterday that WNWV is “abandoning the format on Friday”.
We have independently confirmed that the WNWV airstaff will be exiting on Friday. Whether the Christmas format runs until the end of the month, or the station jumps the gun on its competition and debuts a new format beforehand is still unknown. In addition to the potential Country format (perhaps simulcasting sister 94.9 WQMX Medina/Akron?) reported by Cleveland Scene, our sources have indicated Soft AC as a possible new format for the station.
WNWV was originally Smooth Jazz from 1987 until flipping to AAA in December 2009. Upon its acquisition by Rubber City in January 2011, the station returned to the Smooth Jazz “Wave” identity.
WNWV is currently one of four all-Christmas stations in Cleveland along with Salem Christian AC “95.5 The Fish” WFHM, Entercom AC “Star 102.1” WDOK, and iHeartMedia Classic Hits “Majic 105.7” WMJI.
MediaFan85 
Markie63 
John Gallagher 
Nathan Obral 
radioperson
I can picture Soft AC more so than Country, especially with WQMX in the cluster, and it would be tough to go up against WGAR. Cleveland could use a Soft AC, especially since WDOK is a lot more uptempo.
No surprise. Every time I tried to listen, I could not. Playlist was to full of “lite-fm” junk. The company and management dug their hole years ago. Boring and uninspired.
Are you thinking 107-3, the Breeze would be a possibility?
iHeart claimed the “Breeze” name already with WGAR HD-2.
Honestly, if 107.3 wants to go with soft rock, just continue using the “Wave” name. It’s not that much of a radical departure.
I can see either simulcasting WQMX (Country) or WONE (Classic Rock) creating a Country or Classic Rock “superstation”. WGAR (Country) and WNCX (Classic Rock) are both top-rated and unchallenged in the Cleveland metro. Plus, it’s cheap!
It would also be a waste. If 107.3 was to ever to be simulcast, it would be cool to see the station leased out to WAPS from Akron, and it would bring that station into Cleveland. That would once again fill the AAA hole in that area outside of the college frequencies.
Also, if Soft AC was to come on 107.3, it could be done out of a satellite format.
There could be a connection between the upcoming change and a mysterious billboard campaign: https://radioinsight.com/headlines/182263/domain-insight-12-9-is-whoisjeny-connected-to-cleveland-station-launch/