Update 1/28/09: As expected, WJZZ became Urban AC “Magic 107.5” today at 12am.
Net-Gnome Update 1/19/09:Over the weekend Radio-One registered a trio of domains that hint towards their plans in the Atlanta market.
Praise1025.com seems to hint at Gospel “Praise 97.5” WPZE moving to the 102.5 frequency now hosting Talk/Urban Oldies “Grown Folks Radio” WAMJ.
MagicATL.com and MajicATL.com hints at WAMJ reclaiming one of its former monikers “Magic”. We’re going to have to assume that WAMJ’s format will move to a simulcast on 97.5 (which rimshots Atlanta from the southwest) and 107.5 (which rimshots Atlanta from the northeast).
Original Entry 1/14/09: Another exodus from Smooth Jazz is coming as Radio-One is planning to flip 107.5 WJZZ Atlanta over the next few days. PD Dave Kosh and personality Greg Fitzgerald were let go as part of the changes.
While the station is still broadcasting automated Smooth Jazz, the format will soon go by the wayside. With Martin Luther King Day and President Obama’s inauguration coming next week, Radio-One could have the perfect time to promote something to its target African-American audience.
I’m extremely disappointed to turn on my radio this morning at my desk and hear that Smooth Jazz 107.5 in Atlanta is now Magic 107.5…ATLANTA DOES NOT NEED ANOTHER R&B RADIO STATION!!!!!! While I understand the need for change, this was not a good move. Smooth Jazz was the only deceit jazz station that we had in Atlanta with a strong enough signal that it could be hear as far as the North Georgia mountains in some areas as well as some South Georgia towns but most importantly it could be heard in most office buildings where as other radio station signals faded in and out, and now you’ve taken that away. Not to mention my two favorite DJ’s that were let go…WHY????? I might as well go back to listening to the other Atlanta R&B stations because you’re all playing the same things. Good luck with the change.
I quite agree with the last comment, and that this is soooo depressing. I always look forward to listening to smoothjazz while in my office, cos it helps to relieve the stress. I tuned in my radio this morning and was shocked to hear “the all new majic 1075”.
RadioOne or whoever it was, you’re so very wrong in doing this to the lovers of smooth jazz and to all the fans of 107.5wjzz. Please give back the smoothjazz station.
I feel the same as the others. Atlanta needs more jazz not R& B music. Jazz mellows people out and helps you let go of stress and anger
I love this station oh my goodness. Don’t get me wrong I love smooth jazz but they was playing the same music all the time.
THERE IS A DIFFERENT, THIS REMINDS ME OF THE NORTH IN DC. THIS STATION IS NOT LIKE TOM JOYNER,
You keep doing your thing, WE LOVE IT.
This radio station is like 104.5 and 102.3. No difference. I used to love listening to 107.5. Yeah they played the same music and this one does too! I used to study from 107.5. It used to put me in the mood to complete my essays. Now it is gone and I have to listen to this repetitive mess. Well, at least I will be able to get a clear signal now. So, I will try not to complain but it is the same format. Radio One is responsible for this! I can’t beleive people don’t want to listen to jazz or quiet listening music. This is nonsense. People who say they love this radio station must have lived in a cave. It is 104.5 just at another position on the dial.
I was confused when I tuned in and discovered that my station no longer existed as a Jazz station. 107.5 was my balm in the evenings and during lunch to help relieve my stress and tension. We already have to soul R&B stations and there really isn’t any difference in the genre. We need a jazz station that plays that smooth jazz that you just love. Maybe they could bring them back on another station. I’m truly missing my 107.5 WJZZ smooth jazz.
I LOVED WJZZ, Dave Cos and Greg Fitzgerald, met them both at several venues throughout Altanta, and much to my surprise on Friday I clicked to the station to find Majic107.5. LOVEEEEEEE IT, FINALLY a station that has Contemporary & Smooth R&B, Old School AND GOSPEL all day long… I am from St. Louis, and this reminds me radio stations I grew up listening to with a little of everything mixed throughout the day.
I miss the easy jazz too but this is A GREAT CHANGE, I dont care to listen to V and SURELY CANNOT stand that TMJ show I can’t sit to watch it on tv either I’m SICK of all the yapping and loudness of the other stations, just tired of turning on the radio and getting TV…
I LOVE the new station THANK YOU SOOO MUCH
The Smooth Jazz Listeners and Lovers of Atlanta and surrounding areas will truly miss WJZZ 107.5. This is a great loss for our City. Greg Fitzgerald, Renee Miller, Dave Kosh, Brian Clay and all of the Radio Personalities there at WJZZ did an absolutely fabulous job of delivering our daily dosage of Smooth Jazz, and bringing fantastic Jazz Concerts to us. Atlanta won“™t be the same without you, 107.5 FM.
Shirley Merritt
Ditto on the above post. Atlanta radio management dumped smooth jazz before. They really don’t get it. They probably think everybody will simply just listen to the “new Magic.” Smooth jazz is viable but you have to WANT to put the effort into it. It will return. Another low end R&B channel won’t be supported here either. I enjoy R& B also – listened to it coming home for 45 minutes tonight between 10:30 and 11:15 – sad to hear the poor selection of wannabe R&B artists. Smooth jazz listeners are consistent in their support of events locally, listening and will support the next channel to reemerge. Until then they will be streaming on-line. It is a shame how little communication there was on the change beforehand. I listened to it every day and enjoyed every Sunday morning and will very much those listed above on the previous post.. Angry, annoyed and just deleted 107.5 from programmed buttons in my cars and home system. Untl later try maybe Live365…..
I love the new station. Although, I loved the station when it was jazz, this is the R & B I grew up on…yeah, I am a baby. Regardless, I like less talk and more music. I am gonna miss the jazz, but this is good to me.
This is a dark day in Atlanta music. There is no joy like driving down 285 listening to wjzz while it’s raining! It really put you in a mellow mood. The new format is just like the other 3-4 radio stations that ALL play the same music. Please bring back the ONLY smooth jazz radio station in Atlanta. Who really wants ANOTHER r&b station in Atlanta?
As a proud Atlanta native, I really miss smooth jazz with all my heart. I feel as though it is a disgrace how you can have two radio stations like 104.1 and 102.5 that plays nearly the same thing as the new MAGIC 107.5 . I do not like the new station. I believe it it will not last very long because on the first week they were playing the music commercial-free, however now there are more and more commercials. They also play the same music, even v-103 plays the quiet storm which is similar music that is also played on 107.5 Magic. What the heck is going on this was not a smart call, we need variety not the same music on every single station, that is what makes Atlanta so diverse. Dave Kosh, Renee Miller and Greg Fitzgerald were all great announcers. I am sadden by this sudden abrupt change I do not know why the did not inform the listeners of the change. We need smooth jazz back now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it is a crime that the format has changed to appeal to the target African-American listening audience. Believe it or not, there are non African-Americans who live in this city too. Since I am not part of the target audience, I guess I won’t be listening anymore. I really enjoyed David, Renee and Greg. I am so sick of R&B
I am very pissed off. I have lived in Atlanta for the past 9 years now, I am in my 20’s… and was so happy that this station existed.. Now, this is like every other station.. HIP HOP, Rap, and R&B… do not get me wrong, I do like those types of music… which is why I have CD’S… in my car, when I feel like listening to them… but to make the station like everyone else? come on…. sometimes you can actually change stations… and there are 3 stations playing the same SONG.. something is wrong.
107.5 was the ONLY station that played Jazz… the only one… and to change the station over, and make it exactly like the rest, really sucks. I listened to the station every day, in my house, while washing clothes, cooking, whatever.. while driving to work… etc…
Now it is time to get XM Radio again, so I can listen to Jazz once again. To add to the others who posted comments, that is another issue.. This is a great station to listen to while in a office, for those who work in one.
Seems like being unique isn’t good any more. From the site, it states “enough listeners who want to listen to a station like ours” but the truth is.. everyone knows if you want R&B/RAP you listen to 103… and your hear the same songs over and over… and over…. plus, get hours and hours of annoying talking.
What the HECK!!!! Let me get this straight…the format was changed to appeal to the target African-American listening audience. Who told the excecutives at 107.5 that black folks don’t listen to jazz!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is a large audience of blacks…myself included who’d rather listen to jazz because it’s so relaxing and uplifting at the same time. Don’t get me wrong, I love and listen to all kinds of music and my cd collection reflects that but the majority of said collection is guess what!!!!!!!!!! JAZZ!!!!!!!! Jazz is good all the time and all the time jazz is good. You didn’t have to wait until the quiet storm to here relaxing music. I’m so pissed, disappointed, etc.,etc. right now I can hardly get the words out!!! I agree with the others who say that we have enough R&B already out there. Too much if you ask me…I know you didn’t but I’m telling you anyway. The one thing that I liked about WJZZ was the fact that it was DIFFERENT. This new format is of the cookie cutter type…heard one, you’ve heard them all. I for one am all about fairness and I think this is a slap in the face to not only the blacks who really digg jazz but to our fellow fair skinned brothers and sisters as well who loved the jazz format. Gonna miss Dave Kosh, Renee Miller and Greg Fitzgerald…great job over the years guys!!
The current format at WJZZ is AWFUL!!! The city needed a place on the radio for listeners who appreciate a mature, sophisticated, easy sound! There is not even another choice! Thank goodness for iTunes! I am downloading as much cool jazz as I can, so that I can turn OFF my radio in the car and listen to REAL music. So I hope others follow suit. Let’s send our support elsewhere and hopefully this station’s managers will listen and give us back our station!!!! Turn OFF that NASTY STUFF!!!
ok, so I’m stressed and I hit my preset to flip over to WJZZ and … what??? where’s my jazz? so, I double check in case I hit the wrong one and … nope, there’s some new station playing the same old stuff that I can find on numerous stations in Atlanta, so why? so, now I’ll just have to listen to CD’s or QUIET because I won’t be listening to this crap. what happened to giving folks variety? This is just another R&B station in Atlanta, no different than the others which is what made WJZZ so great! something for the GROWN and Sexy to listen to.
whoever made this decision is out of touch with reality. people are STRESSED out and you take away great jazz for what? if anyone from the station is actually reading these messages and gives a damn, give us back our station!
Oh No!, not another R&B station in Atlanta. How many damn R&B stations do we need in Atlanta. They all play the same old tired crab and Magic 107.5 fm is no different than what you can hear on Kiss 104.1 and 3 or 4 other stations. Apparently, Radio One failed to do their research before changing the format of smooth jazz to R&B. This decision was absolutely senseless! I was an avid listener of smooth jazz because the music was smoothing and different, and I did not have to hear annoying loud mouth DJs screaming and talking trash on the radio each morning. I will NOT be listening to this new station or any other radio station until Smooth Jazz comes back to Atlanta. This is the second time that smooth jazz listeners in Atlanta have been screwed over by some R&B station. Enough is Enough!!!! Get rid of some of these damn R&B stations and bring Smooth Jazz back to Atlanta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I too am sooo upset. What can we do? I am one who complains and then wants action. I NEED smooth jazz in the morning on the way to drop the kids off at school and daycare! Who do we write, who do we call?
I actually went online specifically to find a place to express my disappointment in the new format for 107.5. WJZZ was my solace in the midst of heavy Atlanta traffic every day — it helped me to decompress and chill out instead of getting all stressed out. I also kept it on my radio in my office playing softly in the background because it is the only station that didn’t distract me while working. I am so sad to see the change to old school R&B. Don’t get me wrong, I love R&B but ATL already had multiple choices for that. What choice do we now have for soothing jazz? It filled a niche in the Atlanta radio market that no one else could fill and now it’s gone so you can be a “me too”?? Makes no sense at all to me!
While we still have 91.9 and the likes from Georgia Tech and Clark university, I can understand how everyone is not a Die Hard Jazz fan and may want the nice and easy Smooth jazz. I worked at McDonalds Briefly over the summer, 8-10 hour shifts and the one of the best motivations of going to work was hearing 107.5 all day. It may have been repetitive at times but it was a nice kind of repetition. A familiar feeling. They had just celebrated their 7 year anniversary a few months ago only to become another bland Turn past station. Where Will I go now for my information on Jazz in the ATL? I agree with most of the people here, I feel like I lost a friend with this station becoming “MAJIC” and playing 1-2 songs from the old library per day. Who got the say in this? The most action I can see is going to the Constantly bias poll on the 107.5 website. Back when Obama was first elected president, On their website poll about how you felt there was no option to say “I voted McCain” just as now the poll asks your reaction to the change but there is no option of ” I Do not agree with this format change”. It was a terrible blow losing 94 or 96 during Christmas music time to THE BULL. That is a reasonable change, as we do live in the south, but changing one if not the only major jazz station to another R&B station is unforgivable. I really think stations should ask the people or have them phone in about the change and what they think about it, as well as ample warning. If anyone knows something we can do, Please, We are all willing to do our part. I am but a humble 19 year old college student but all my friends and I listened to that smooth jazz station, if only for something we could all agree on.
What happen Atlanta?….. I am a resident of the Atlanta area and i have been gone for 3 months for personnel reasons my trip, my stay and my flight have been very stressful and all i could think about was coming home to relax in my own home listening to my smooth jazz station with a glass of wine, But instead i am hearing some r&b music i thought for a moment my radio got stuck on 102.5 ….NOT, i was sooo upset when i heard that they took the only station i feel we have, it was truly the people station. I am mad as hell because we already have too many r&b stations what sense does all this make…. Thank you / none. It amazes me that people wants to be like everyone else, well radio 1 you had a chance to be different and you blew it!
That’s ok. There are still some sources to find some good jazz music from the ATL. Check it out.
Check out http://www.reverbnation.com/walterford
I want to tell you guys a short story on behalf of 107.5 wjzz, so pay attention. I moved to georgia with brother and his family in 2003, and i thought it was going to be a nut job place to live. I didn’t know anybody, i did’nt know where i was going, and i was very lost in intellects. The only thing that i had was my family, my great past time, -which was making cartoon characters-, and my birth stable, which is “Jazz”. I loved “Jazz” ever since was a little tike. In fact, my first “Jazz” CDs were “Najee” and “Kenny G”. Anyway, when i first heard that there was a “Jazz” radio station in georgia, in immediately got a radio to listen to the particular station all day and all night. “Wjzz” has kept me in a state of righteouness from within myself and facilitate my greatest force of negativity which i had trouble controlling. To tell you the truth, i won my first giveaway prize off the radio from 107.5 Wjzz. So, if you guys thought that the perception of taking Wjzz off the air was a political decision, then i hope you are very happy with yourselve. Because i think that Wjzz was the only thing that was stablizing the true essense of what georgia really has to offer.
The Phoenix has spoken. Clarkston Georgia.
I always looked forward to my alone time on Sunday mornings. Cooking breakfast while listening to the soft eclectic sounds. The gentlemen who did the programming for that show was wonderful. It was so soothing and relaxing. Very meditative for me. If anyone knows where to find him on-line please let me know.
It was last year when the station changed. Why did you have to change it I used it listen to wjzz 107.5 when I was kid. Now I miss the good old days. I also remember how good the station used to be back in 2004 I used to get in a hot tub and listen to the great Jazz jams. I wish you people would change it back how it used to be.