Jack FM should be available nationally

Jack FM works better delivered locally, as seen with the stations who have acquired the branding, it can be playlisted differently to meet the needs of the Ofcom format.

Jack Herts has a Hot AC slant where as Celador target their stations at a male audience with a guitar slant.

I disagree, I think Jack FM would work better as a national proposition similar to Sky Radio in Holland. As a locally-delivered proposition I just don’t think it works. I think there is room for a non-stop music station, but as our Dutch friends have shown, it needs to be a true national one rather than lots of local ones.

Still does answer my most burning question – when are we getting it in Kent???

The other thing is that ROCK is not accommodated for in the UK, whereas in the States it is wall-to-wall!!!

I do not believe that in the UK they are all pop fans, especially the over 40’s. Which is where I am.

It’s not available in Kent as the owners of the local licences in the county, the KM Group (who own the majority of the local press there) have their own station KMFM which is a recently merged county wide service of AC/CHR music with local news, travel and information.

The other Kent licencee is Heart which is owned by Global Radio who have just acquired GMG Radio, so have no interest in Jack.

What about the interests of the listening public – or does that not matter. Jack plays what WE want to hear as well as what they want to play.

KMFM and Heart appear to be no challenge to Radio 2! But that leaves all Rock fans still nowhere to go!!

I didn’t realise Absolute had gone off air! ;)

To be honest, if you want music, you can choose your own using Spotify or Grooveshark. No need to tie up valuable spectrum doing it.

If the Kent market could support a male skewed brand locally, I’m sure the KM Group would have considered it, although I think they’d rather have their own Lidl type Jack than acquire the branding.

They recently tried using their DAB slot for a Capital type CHR brand called KMFM extra, yet Capital and Kiss are already on DAB in Kent, so they replaced that today with a simulcast of the FM service.

However as James said, Absolute Radio is on AM on 1197, 1215 and 1260, 105.8 FM in NW Kent and on DAB which is as close as you’ll get to Jack’s attitude.

Who listens to AM these days? No one I know, for sure. If using a computer I can listen to Jack FM (Knoxville) it reminds me of my holiday! But in the car!!!

Spotify and DAB are pipe dreams – the States have internet radio in their cars, so maybe in 10 years I will get the radio I want.

You try listening to decent music travelling from Newcastle to Kent on a Sunday evening, then you will see how crap UK radio is!

What type of rock music though?

In Kent on DAB you can get XFM, Planet Rock, plus Absolute Radio, Absolute 80s and Absolute 90s.

If you live in the north of Kent you might also be able to get Kerrang, The Arrow, Absolute 60s and Absolute 70s on DAB.