KTWV

Infobox Radio Station
name = KTWV
city = Los Angeles, California


area = Greater Los Angeles
branding = 94.7 The Wave
slogan =
airdate = 1961
frequency = 94.7 (MHz)
format = Smooth Jazz
erp = 52,000 watts
haat = 863 meters
class = B
owner = CBS Radio
licensee = CBS Radio Stations Inc.
webcast = [http://cbsplayer.streamtheworld.com/?CALLSIGN=KTWVFM Listen Live]
website = [http://www.947thewave.com/ www.947thewave.com]
callsign_meaning = The WaVe
sister_stations = KCBS-FM, KFWB, KLSX, KNX, KROQ, KRTH|, KNX

KTWV is a commercial radio station located in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Los Angeles, Orange County, and Riverside-San Bernardino, California area on 94.7 FM. KTWV airs a smooth jazz music format branded as "94.7 The Wave". The KTTV/KTWV Tower is one of the tallest structures on earth.

History

From the late 1960s until 1987, the 94.7 frequency was home of KMET, a very popular album-oriented rock station which was owned by Metromedia. Prior to KMET, the station was called KLAC-FM. The station's ratings were high until the early 1980s when they lost ground to other competition. Many observers believe the station's ratings struggles were greatly enhanced by embracing the advice of foreign (New York)music consultants, and abandoning their identity as the "Soundtrack for Southern California". Specifically, taking the spontaneity of having disc jockeys pick music played on the air, as well as reducing advertising budgets, resulted in significant ratings drops.

Metromedia would sell their TV stations in 1986 and restructured and became known as Metropolitan Broadcasting. By the end of 1986, the rock format on KMET had very low ratings and as a result, the format would end on February 14 1987. Some have called the change "the Valentine's Day Massacre" of KMET.

The station changed to a New Age Music/Soft Rock/Contemporary Jazz format with the nickname "The Wave". The initial focus of this new format was primarily non-vocal new age music, but over the years, the station moved to more of a smooth jazz sound. Today, the station is still called "The Wave" and plays a mix of smooth jazz, soft R&B hits, AC songs, and some softer rock hits. The Wave had the title of being the first NAC station in the country but other media writers disagree with actually giving that title to KLRS (Colors) in Santa Cruz, CA which went on the air one month after The Wave but KLRS played a true New Age music format thus becoming the first station in North America to debut a true New Age format until its demise in 1990.

The era of The Wave has the distinction of being the only time legendary disc jockey J. J. Jackson has ever worked there. Jackson was a veteran of then-rival rock station KLOS (while The Wave was still rocker KMET) for ten years, before becoming one of the original "VJ's" (video jockeys) on MTV when the channel debuted in 1981. Jackson was a DJ for a brief time at The Wave in 2004.

KTWV is currently owned by CBS Radio and is home of The Brian McKnight Morning Show with Pat Prescott (McKnight's predecessor was saxophonist Dave Koz, who has a successful syndicated radio show of his own). It is located in the largest market with a Smooth Jazz station, thanks to the recent demise of WQCD in New York City.

When competitor Citadel Broadcasting switched WJZW smooth jazz format to oldies, CBS Radio began running ads promoting KTWV's streaming audio on CBS owned stations in the area such as WJFK-FM.

Logos

References

External links

* [http://www.947thewave.com/ 94.7 The Wave]
*FM station data|KTWV