Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2008 > August > 29 > Entry
8/29: Rickey Smiley deal not final, cuts at Praise & Smooth Jazz
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Today, I got a hold of Kevin Watson, Rickey Smiley’s manager. He said any deal between Smiley and Hot 107.9 is not final and still in negotiations. Still no word from the bosses at Hot in Atlanta. So what I thought was definitive yesterday was not. But it makes total financial sense.
Smiley for the past year has had a syndicated show now heard in 20 markets including Dallas and Miami and is owned by Radio One, which owns Hot and Smiley’s syndication deal. So the company has a major incentive to leverage a major asset (being Smiley) and add him in another top 10 market.
So until the deal is set, Hot will keep the “A Team” in the mornings with Beyonce, Rashan Ali and Emperor Searcy but minus Griff and Akini. Since Hot got rid of Maria More in mid-days and E4Real in afternoons (keeping Mizz Shyneka), this leaves openings that could be filled by Rashan from 10 to 2 and Searcy from 2 to 6 with Mizz Shyneka.
Radio One, which also owns Smooth Jazz and Praise, cut a couple of jocks from those station as well: Rene Miller, long-time jock at Smooth Jazz who had been doing afternoons, and Sonja Hamm, mid-day jock at Praise.
Comments
By Chuck Deskins
August 29, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
Yeah….well….they can just get in line behind me at the unemployment office as Clear Channel tossed me out of the Building of Death. Look out Bloomquist, you’re next.
By Chris
August 29, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
Why is the AJC so silent on the “Fairness Doctrine”? Could it they support censorship? The silence is deafening
By Chris
August 29, 2008 5:39 PM | Link to this
Why is the AJC so silent on the “Fairness Doctrine”? Could it they support censorship? The silence is deafening
By Bud
August 29, 2008 7:34 PM | Link to this
I am playing Miles Davis’ and John Coltrane’s “So What” off of “Kind of Blue” as I type this…I hope they kill that abomination called “smooth jazz” off of Atlanta radio and replace it with just about any other type of music. Blech.
By 1 badd man
August 31, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this
they get rid of great announcers and put these @@@holes on the air !!!!
By Tarryl
September 3, 2008 8:10 AM | Link to this
I am not surprised that Griff has been fired. He has the most annoying voice in radio. He couldn’t make it at V-103 with Frank Ski and I am surprised that he lasted this long at Hot107.9. He is a “no-talent bum” when it comes to radio.
By Tarryl
September 3, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this
I am not surprised that Griff has been fired. He has the most annoying voice in radio. He couldn’t make it at V-103 with Frank Ski and I am surprised that he lasted this long at Hot107.9. He is a “no-talent bum” when it comes to radio.
By Tarryl
September 3, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this
I am not surprised that Griff has been fired. He has the most annoying voice in radio. He couldn’t make it at V-103 with Frank Ski and I am surprised that he lasted this long at Hot107.9. He is a “no-talent bum” when it comes to radio.
By Jim
September 6, 2008 11:52 PM | Link to this
Sorry to read about Rene Miller getting cut from 107.5 FM. I met her at the Dogwood Festival back in 1999 at the former 104.1 WJZF (Jazz Flavours) remote tent and she was very down-to-earth plus great to speak with. I hope she lands somewhere else soon, if not here, then in another city.
By no name
September 8, 2008 6:55 PM | Link to this
good bye v103 if rickey comes to town
By Rachel
September 8, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this
I hate to hear about Sonya Haman and Renee Miller, I listen to both. It’s hard out there I hope they are able to pounce back.
By Rachel
September 8, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this
I hate to hear about Sonya Haman and Renee Miller, I listen to both. It’s hard out there I hope they are able to bounce back.
By Rachel
September 8, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this
I hate to hear about Sonya Haman and Renee Miller, I listen to both. It’s hard out there I hope they are able to bounce back.
By Rachel
September 8, 2008 8:22 PM | Link to this
I hate to hear about Sonya Haman and Renee Miller, I listen to both. It’s hard out there I hope they are able to bounce back.
By Jeannette
September 8, 2008 11:38 PM | Link to this
Rickey Smiley will own Urban radio in the morning once he gets to Atlanta. I live in Dallas and he has the #1 morning show here every Arbitron ratings season. He’s hilarious and a fool which is what is missing from morning radio. It made Z-100(New York) what it is today.
By Bob
September 18, 2008 7:11 PM | Link to this
Can’t believe 107.5 fired Rene Miller. She was my favorite and I enjoyed lisening to her. I met her once. What a nice and pretty lady. Wonder whose stupid idea this was.
By Dianne
September 25, 2008 2:51 PM | Link to this
I listen to Smooth Jazz 107.5 FM every day at work. I was puzzled about Renee Miller’s absence during the afternoon shift and wondered what had happened to her. It’s too bad that she was forced to leave because she is a really classy lady and has a wonderfully smooth voice.
I first heard her on WJZF 104.7 FM Jazz Flavors. (When that station went off the air, it was a sad day for Atlanta! That was the only jazz station here at that time.) Then Nick Francis started up WJZZ 107.5 Smooth Jazz, and before too long I heard Renee’s smooth, familiar voice on the air again.
When you work in radio you can always count on change, whether it’s the owners or the format! I know because my husband was in radio broadcasting for over 25 years.
I saw Renee Miller yesterday on WSB Channel 2 talking about the Georgia Lottery. I’m sure something good will come her way soon, if it hasn’t already. Best of luck to you, Renee.
By Arnold
September 29, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this
From my perspective, Rene Miller was THE VOICE of Smooth Jazz here in Atlanta. She was always professional, knowledgeable and pleasant with relevant and intelligent commentary. 107.5’s misstep will be some other station’s gain. I now have little reason to listen to WJZZ. Best wishes Rene!
By j
October 8, 2008 10:12 PM | Link to this
I don’t know where 2 begin. I can’t understand why. I enjoyed her show. Never met her , but can understand she was special.I wish her the best and go luck too ? filling her shoes.
By j
October 8, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this
I don’t know where 2 begin. I can’t understand why. I enjoyed her show. Never met her , but can understand she was special.I wish her the best and good luck too ? filling her shoes.
By Ron
October 9, 2008 4:50 AM | Link to this
Wow! I can’t imagine listening to 107.5 without Renee Miller in the afternoons.my son and I got to see her at the Norman Brown Anniversary Show a couple of months ago however,I didn’t imagine she would be off the air in such a short time. I know that God sometime closes a door to allow others to open so I know Ms.Renee will land somewhere else with a better opportunity!! Wishing her all the best blessings.
By richard bligen
October 9, 2008 1:27 PM | Link to this
I am sorry to hear that Sonya Hamm and Renee Miller were cut. They were truly wonderful to listen to. I wish them well. One door closes another even greater will open. The lord is with them
By richard bligen
October 9, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this
I am sorry to hear that Sonya Hamm and Renee Miller were cut. They were truly wonderful to listen to. I wish them well. One door closes another even greater will open. The lord is with them
By miquel
October 28, 2008 10:56 PM | Link to this
I can’t believe why anyone would not keep Rene Miller on their Radio Staiton. This woman has the Smoothest talking voice in the business. She is smart and cute too. I don’t really have the time to listen to the station anymore, especilly to listen to the folks on weekends, yuk.
By David Jackson
December 19, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this
I also was wondering what happened to Renee Miller, because I haven’t heard her voice on the Jazz Flavors station in quite a while. I actually met her at a concert venue in Atlanta a few years ago. Renee Miller is such a class act and will definitely be missed. My wife actually met her under the tent and told her that she was attending the concert with her husband(that would be me). I guess I was too shy to meet her. Guess what Renee did next. She and my wife left the Jazz Flavors tent which was quite a few yards away from where we were sitting and she reached out to me and introduced herself to me. I was flabbergasted with her down to earth people friendly positive attitude. Did I also mention that she is Fine? :) Like the other post have written-this is Jazz Flavors loss. Some lucky station will scoop her up pronto.
By michele
December 19, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this
Rene Miller is no longer with the Jazz station. They let her go during the Radio One cuts a few months ago.
By Pamela
February 3, 2009 8:51 AM | Link to this
What happened to Smooth Jazz - WJZZ 107.5? Now it’s the R&B Station? WHat?????? I am a jazz lover and that was the only station that I could turn to for relaxation and a change from regular R&B, Hip and Oldies Stations. I usually keep my radio in the car tuned to 107.5 and suddenly ——— with no warning —- Jazz is no longer playing?
Is there no more jazz to listen to in GA? I have been listening to WJZZ since 2000 —- it soothed me while driving. I used to drive from Riverdale to Marietta and I realized that Jazz was the only thing that eased the stress of a long drive.
By Eugenia
February 10, 2009 1:44 AM | Link to this
Words cannot express the sadness and loss I feel at the loss of my favorite station, Smooth Jazz WJZZ. Even my children know the call letters. I miss Greg Fitzgerald in the mornings, Rene Miller, and the entire positive vibe that the station brought to the city. I’m actually at a loss for words because there is no healthy alternative. I just pray that everyone will find gainful employment. You all are definitely missed.
By Norma
February 13, 2009 12:45 AM | Link to this
I too was shocked to have the best station in the ATL to leave without any warning, no good byes and worst of all, no more Jazzzz! I miss you Greg. Look forward to hearing that smooth voice on the radio again.
By Norma
February 13, 2009 12:47 AM | Link to this
I too was shocked to have the best station in the ATL to leave without any warning, no good byes and worst of all, no more Jazzzz! I miss you Greg. Look forward to hearing that smooth voice on the radio again.
By No name
February 21, 2009 7:07 AM | Link to this
When is this mess with the radio station going to be over? Are they going to bring back the Jazz station? I miss my radio station. Now I have no radio station to listen to.
By gene
March 23, 2009 11:01 PM | Link to this
I missed the atlanta smooth jazz station too, but I have found another station online its in florida WSJT 104.1 that is where our smooth jazz station went it sounds just like our smooth station. A matter fact some of the Atlanta personalities are there if you miss maria lopez that is where you find her in the evenings stream it online at I tunes.
By Von
March 26, 2009 3:54 PM | Link to this
I live in Raleigh, NC and the local gospel radio station announced that Sonya Hamm died yesterday. She used to live here - but moved to Atlanta a few years back and was on the gospel station there. They have confirmed her death here -but I do not see anything in the AJC that has reported it. Please confirm. The website reporting here is www.thelight1039.com. Thank you.
By Darell Gholston
March 26, 2009 5:41 PM | Link to this
Just when it gets good these Sorry radio Stations in Atlanta stirs it up. They got rid of Warren Balentine, I really enjoyed Renee Miller and the Smooth jazz station, Now we’re stuck with RS and those nutts, I can’t Stand V103 except for Elle and steve harvey is the only reason I listen to radio now.