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Jack FM (United Kingdom)

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Coordinates: 51°46′41″N 1°16′14″W / 51.777965°N 1.270548°W / 51.777965; -1.270548
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JACK FM
  • Oxford
  • United Kingdom
Broadcast areaOxford, Oxfordshire
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatAdult Hits
Ownership
OwnerBauer Media Audio UK
JACK 2
JACK 3
History
First air date
18 October 2007 (2007-10-18)
Last air date
29 October 2023 (2023-10-29)
Former frequencies
106.4 & 106.8
Links
Websitewww.jackfm.co.uk

JACK FM was an adult hits format radio station that broadcast on 106.8 MHz FM in Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, and on DAB in Oxfordshire. Between 2016 and 2017 it also broadcast in Surrey and parts of Hampshire. The station shared premises in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, with its sister stations JACK 2 and JACK 3.

As of September 2023, the station broadcast to a weekly audience of 55,000, according to RAJAR.[1]

The station closed at 22:00 on 29th October 2023 following the acquisition of the FM frequencies by Bauer to become part of the Greatest Hits Radio network.

History

[edit]

In October 2006, ARI Consultancy, who had acquired Passion 107.9 from the Milestone Group,[2] announced plans to launch the UK's first Jack FM format station after winning a broadcast licence for the Oxford area.[3] 106 Jack FM Oxford started broadcasting at 1:06 PM BST on October 18, 2007.[4]

Information

[edit]

The station is owned by Bauer Media Audio UK and previously Jack Media Oxfordshire Ltd. The radio station is the most awarded Local Radio Station in the United Kingdom, having secured 23 industry award wins in just 5 years on air [citation needed]. The breadth of awards won by the station range from imaging right through to news, programming and the most coveted Station of the Year awards.

Based on the format of the American station of the same name,[5][6] JACKfm runs with a strapline of "Playing What We Want" and mostly has no DJs across daytimes (and even nighttimes). The music is played out on an automated system interspersed with witty soundbites voiced by comedian and writer Dom Joly, referred to as The Voice of JACK. Joly took over as The Voice of JACK on 4 July 2022, replacing the previous Voice of JACK Paul Darrow who held the role since the station's launch in 2007. [7] Darrow, best known for his role in the BBC's Blake's 7, died in 2019, which left the station without any topical soundbites, but his more generic announcements continued to be used until July 2022.[8] Following Darrow's death in June 2019, Oxford born Jim Rosenthal was introduced as an additional voice to commentate on current affairs.[9] Darrow's soundbites continued to be used on sister station JACK 3 & Chill until 2023.

In 2010, JACK FM became the first radio station in the United Kingdom (except for Forces Radio BFBS) to broadcast live from Afghanistan for a week-long series of breakfast broadcasts in conjunction with the M.O.D from Camp Bastion in Afghanistan. The station returned to Bastion and Kandahar again in 2012 for another series of broadcasts and Father's Day special.[citation needed]

The original logo of Jack FM Oxfordshire

The radio station runs live local news every hour from 6am till 7pm weekdays (every half-hour from 6am to 9am and 4pm to 7pm), and from 9am till 1pm on weekends with live traffic reports from 6am till 7pm.[10]

JACK FM Oxfordshire's weekday breakfast show was presented by Matt Richardson, who took up the role in March 2023, replacing Iain Lee.[11]

In July 2023 it was announced that the firm's licences serving Oxfordshire would be acquired by Bauer subject to regulatory approval. The owners of JACK Media Oxfordshire will retain the ownership of the UK rights to the JACK FM brand,[12] with the Oxfordshire services to be rebranded following the acquisition.[13] In October 2023, after regulatory approval was granted, it was announced JACK fm would become Greatest Hits Radio with JACK 3 becoming Hits Radio[14]

The last song played on JACKfm was the Ray Charles song "Hit the Road Jack", before ceasing transmissions at 10pm, although due to technical issues with the webstream Disco Inferno by The Trammps was played briefly, effectively making it the last song.

Sister stations

[edit]

JACK FM developed a number of sister stations.

The logo of Union JACK Radio
  • JACK 2, branded as JACK 2 Hits, was launched in 2013 and was previously known under a variety of names since its original launch in 1997. It broadcast on DAB in Oxfordshire and previously on DAB in Surrey and Hampshire. It closed in October 2023 with the last song being Rather Be by Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne.
  • JACK 3 Chill was an easy listening station which launched on DAB in Oxfordshire in May 2017. A national variant launched on DAB+ on the Sound Digital multiplex in April 2018[15] and was replaced by JACK Radio in October. The national and Oxford versions of JACK 3 were two separate streams, and the Oxfordshire version remained available. In April 2020 it replaced JACK 2 on 107.9 MHz in Oxfordshire following a request to Ofcom,[16] although this format change was reverted in December 2022.[17] In October 2023, JACK 3 Chill joined the Hits Radio Network and became Hits Radio Oxfordshire on 29 October 2023. The final song as Jack 3 Chill was Summerfling by k.d. lang.

Former stations

[edit]
  • Union JACK was a national station broadcasting online, and previously on DAB+ on the Sound Digital multiplex until February 2022, playing music from British artists. It launched on 9 September 2016.[18] Union JACK was a music-heavy station with British-only songs and artists completely chosen by listeners in a JACK 2-like format and interspersed with classic and commissioned comedy clips, mainly impressions done by Josh Berry.[19] The station also featured a weekly programme dedicated to new music titled 'Underdogs', presented by 'Lucy Leeds'.[20] The station, along with JACK 3 and Union JACK, featured voiceovers from Paul Darrow and Jim Rosenthal.[21] In December 2020, two spin-off stations were launched to complement the station, Union JACK Rock, playing only British rock tracks, and Union JACK Dance, playing only British Dance and Upbeat tracks.
  • JACK Radio ran from 23 October 2018 until 10 December 2020 on the Sound Digital national multiplex, taking the place of the national version of JACK 3. JACK Radio played music performed by female and female-fronted acts, including classic and contemporary hits, and female artists' covers of tracks originally recorded by male performers.[22][23]

Administration of National Services

[edit]

In February 2022, the Union JACK stations ceased broadcasting on DAB[24] and it was later confirmed they had been put into administration.[25] Adam English was made redundant.[26] The stations finally ceased broadcasting on or around 18 March 2022.

Ali Booker

[edit]

In 2009, JACK FM News presenter Ali Booker, who previously worked for BBC Radio Oxford, began documenting her life with cancer via audio diaries which were broadcast on Jack FM.[27] In May 2010 Ali was awarded the Silver Sony award. A few weeks later the diaries also won Ali commercial radio’s top award – a Radio Academy Gold Arqiva. Ali's diaries were featured in The Sunday Times on 27 June 2010 and The Independent on 1 July 2010. MP Ed Vaizey also paid tribute to Ali in the House of Commons. Ali died on 1 July 2010 from breast cancer.[28]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ "RAJAR". www.rajar.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  2. ^ Milestone sells Passion 107.9
  3. ^ "Ofcom awards new FM commercial radio licence for Oxford and South Oxfordshire | Ofcom". Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved October 13, 2006.
  4. ^ JACK fm launches in the UK
  5. ^ Interview with Dick Stone, Chief Content Officer at Jack Media, by Datshiane Navanayagam on The Media Show, BBC Radio 4 broadcast on 3 November 2021, and repeated in vision on the BBC News channel
  6. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - the Media Show, Who's been listening?".
  7. ^ "All change at JACKfm as Iain Lee gets a Rude Awakening". RadioToday. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Paul Darrow". JACKfm. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Jim Rosenthal becomes the new voice of Union JACK". RadioToday. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  10. ^ www.jackfm.co.uk/oxfordshire/info/public-file Jack FM's Public File
  11. ^ "Matt Richardson to replace Iain Lee on JACKfm breakfast", RadioToday, Feb 2023
  12. ^ Bauer Media to extend FM distribution within Oxfordshire with acquisition of the Jack Media Oxfordshire Ltd’s local stations
  13. ^ JACK fm licences in Oxfordshire to be acquired by Bauer Media, RadioToday, 2023-07-17
  14. ^ JACK fm to disappear after 15 years as GHR confirmed for Oxfordshire
  15. ^ "Jack 3 added to Sound Digital DAB multiplex". RadioToday. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  16. ^ "JACK3 has launched on FM radio in Oxfordshire". 23 April 2020.,
  17. ^ "Ofcom approves format change for JACK2 Hits to return to FM in Oxford". 11 December 2022.
  18. ^ New Union Jack National Station will play the best of British rock
  19. ^ The Man Behind the Voices
  20. ^ Underdogs
  21. ^ Absolute Radio founders launch DJ-less national station
  22. ^ Dore, Yvette (22 October 2018). "New national station JACK Radio launches with 100% female playlist". Digital Radio UK. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  23. ^ Sawyer, Miranda (4 August 2019). "The week in radio and podcasts: The Tip Off; The Bellingcat Podcast – review". The Observer. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  24. ^ "Three national Union JACK radio stations disappear from DAB". RadioToday. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  25. ^ "Union JACK Radio staff made redundant as company enters administration". RadioToday. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  26. ^ Adam English on Twitter
  27. ^ "Radio diary wins award". Oxford Mail. 21 June 2010.
  28. ^ "DJ Ali Booker loses cancer battle". Oxford Mail. 1 July 2010.
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51°46′41″N 1°16′14″W / 51.777965°N 1.270548°W / 51.777965; -1.270548

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