Recent Changes
In February 2010, veteran Los Angeles programmer Jhani Kaye, who also programs Classic Hits-formatted sister station KRTH, took over programming of KTWV from the departed Paul Goldstein. Kaye, who previously programmed crosstown mainstream AC competitor KOST, made immediate changes to KTWV's format, increasing the amount of R&B and soft-pop vocals in the station's playlist and reducing the number of smooth jazz instrumentals played (with most of the remaining instrumentals being cover versions of pop hits). In addition, all references to the term "smooth jazz" have been eliminated from the station's web site and on-air positioning, as the station has been reformatted to become a direct competitor to Kaye's former station, KOST.
As of May 28, 2010, longtime on-air personality Don Burns is no longer heard afternoons every weekday. His show had been voice-tracked; the station says Burns will be replaced with a new and local host.
KTWV's morning program, "The Wave Morning Show with Pat Presscott", is hosted by Pat Prescott. Between May 2010 and June 2012, Prescott hosted the show with Kim Amidon. Kim, a former morning DJ at adult contemporary station KOST, replaced departing host and musician Brian McKnight as of the summer of 2010. (In turn, McKnight's predecessor on The Wave's morning show was saxophonist Dave Koz, who has a successful syndicated radio show of his own). Prescott has co-hosted the morning program since 2001.
As of September 15, 2010, KTWV launched "Wave Classics", an HD Radio format featuring older smooth jazz instrumentals no longer heard on the main station, on its digital HD2 sub-channel. As a result, the FM simulcast of sister station KNX was moved from HD2 to HD3, ending the Los Angeles simulcast of another sister station, country-formatted KFRG in Riverside, California.
Read more about this topic: KTWV