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JACK fm - Oxfordshire - news archive

This is an archive of news about JACK fm - Oxfordshire. Some links may no longer work, due to the transient nature of the internet.

JACK's new football manager
From Radio Today. Posted July 10 2008, 9.05pm
Oxfordshire's 106 JACK fm has found a new sponsor for its Big Banana sports show - in the form of the video game Football Manager Live. (more)

JACK continues Oxford deal
From Radio Today. Posted June 9 2008, 9.01am
The team at JACK fm are extending their commentary deal with Oxford United for another year. The station will also continue to sponsor the back of the home and away kits. (more)

Times of India group acquires Virgin Radio
From Biz Asia. Posted May 31 2008, 9.06pm
The Times of India group (TIML Golden Square, a wholly owned subsidiary of Times group) has made its first ever foray into the overseas media space by acquiring the Virgin Radio Holdings Ltd and its subsidiaries in the UK, for a phenomenal £53.2 million from SMG Plc. With this acquisition, TIML will obtain the lucrative AM national licence, FM London licence and DAB national licence. TIML will manage the station along with Absolute Radio, the European group that already owns the music station Jack FM in Oxford. The deal comes without the Virgin brand which will go back to Richard Branson's Virgin Group. TIML will undertake a £15 million rebranding exercise. However, RadioToday.co.uk understands TIML Golden Square Ltd have the option of continuing to use the Virgin Radio name in the UK, for a licence cost of a further £8million. TIML has 90 days from the completion of the sale to rebrand. Mr. A P Parigi, managing director & CEO of TIML says: "Now is a great period to be entering the UK market and the opportunity to acquire a valuable radio asset couldn't have come at a better time. We have worked with ARI for many years now and their experience and expertise, coupled with that of the award winning staff at Golden Square, will deliver our collective vision of a powerful and exciting new brand that will engage all key stakeholders." The acquisition is not being made by ENIL, a listed company promoted by Bennett Coleman & Co. that operates Radio Mirchi. "The reason could be that Virgin Radio operates in a matured market. The promoters of Bennett Coleman would rather fund the acquisition and create more value to that business. They may not have wanted to put ENIL under funding pressure," says a market analyst to IndianTelevision who is closely tracking the development. It is also understood that Virgin Group, which owns Virgin Radio in countries throughout Europe and Asia, is keen to reclaim the Virgin Radio brand and launch a British station, possibly on DAB. It is understood that Virgin Group would look to relaunch Virgin Radio with a partner. Excerpts from Times Online, Indian Television and Radio Today (more)

Virgin Radio sold for 53million
From Radio Today. Posted May 30 2008, 10.03pm
BREAKING NEWS: The much anticipated sale of Virgin Radio by SMG has taken place. TIML Golden Square Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Times of India Group, have bought the station and will spend a further £15million on re-branding away from the Virgin brand. The new station will be managed by Absolute Radio, owners of JACK fm and FM107.9 in Oxford, and a team comprising Media and Entertainmentspecialists from TIML. (more)

Virgin Radio sold for £53million
From Radio Today. Posted May 30 2008, 10.03pm
BREAKING NEWS: The much anticipated sale of Virgin Radio by SMG has taken place. TIML Golden Square Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Times of India Group, have bought the station for £53 million and will spend a further £15 million on re-branding away from the Virgin brand. The new station will be managed by Absolute Radio, owners of JACK fm and FM107.9 in Oxford, and a team comprising Media and Entertainmentspecialists from TIML. (more)

New sponsor for JACK and FM107.9
From Radio Today. Posted April 28 2008, 7.59am
Oxfordshire radio stations JACK fm and FM107.9 are teaming up with Oxfordshire County Council to encourage parents and children to walk to school rather than drive. (more)

JACK hits The Sun headlines
From Radio Today. Posted April 11 2008, 7.50am
Oxfordshire's JACK fm made The Sun newspaper yesterday with details of an interview with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in which he revealed his latest choice in music. (more)

Jack FM launches TV ads
From Radio Today. Posted February 27 2008, 2.18am
JACK fm has launched a major marketing campaign with a 30 second television commercial at the heart of it, featuring a dancer on stage strutting his stuff. (more)

JACK fm Launch £50k TV Campaign
From Merry Media. Posted February 26 2008, 11.54am
Oxfordshire station JACK fm has launched a £50,000 advertising campaign which will see new TV commercials that will feature a dancer strutting his funky stuff in his own way. . (more)

Former Key 103 boss joins Excel
From Radio Today. Posted February 14 2008, 7.58am
Gus McKenzie, the former managing director of Key 103 and Paisley's QFM has left the radio industry to take up the position of sales and operations director at Excel Publishing. Gus most recently worked on behalf of Absolute Radio to apply for the second Manchester licence as JACK fm. (more)

JACK goes to Afghanistan
From Radio Today. Posted February 13 2008, 6.14am
Oxfordshire's 106 JACK fm has sent its morning presenter Greg Burke to the Helman Province in Afghanistan to experience work by the men on the front line. (more)

JACK fm goes flying
From Radio Today. Posted February 7 2008, 8.29am
Absolute Radio's JACK fm in Oxfordshire is ready to launch a new traffic and travel service from the sky thanks to a deal with GTN. (more)

JACK fm Launch The Flying Jack
From Merry Media. Posted February 7 2008, 1.05am
JACK fm is set to launch a traffic spotting plane called The Flying Jack that is sponsored by Guy Salmon Jaguar. The Flying Jack will take off daily from Oxford Airport providing Oxfordshire with the latest traffic information. . (more)

Global Traffic for UKRD stations
From Radio Today. Posted January 18 2008, 10.35am
Global Traffic Network has signed a three year deal with the UKRD group to supply all stations with traffic and travel reports. It is the second contract for GTN who already provide services to Absolute Radio's Jack FM in Oxfordshire. (more)

One sponsor for two stations
From Radio Today. Posted January 11 2008, 8.10am
A car dealership in Oxford has signed up to sponsor the breakfast show on two local radio stations. JACK fm and FM107.9, both owned by Absolute Radio, secured the deal with Hartwell Ford & Vauxhall to join FM107.9’s Breakfast Fiasco and JACK fm’s Morning Glory. (more)

GCap bags Oxfordshire DAB
From Radio Today. Posted November 8 2007, 5.21pm
NOWdigital has won the new local DAB digital multiplex for Oxfordshire. NOW, owned by GCap and Passion Radio (Oxford) (owners of JACK fm and FM107.9), beat off stiff competition from MuxCo and will provide nine digital channels including BBC Radio Oxford. (more)

JACK fm launches in the UK
From Radio Today. Posted October 18 2007, 1.09pm
The first Jack formatted radio station in the UK has launched at 1:06pm today. Jack won a licence to broadcast in Oxfordshire 12 months ago from Ofcom, and follows the 'Playing What We Want' format as heard in the USA and Canada. (more)

JACK fm Name Oxford United Team
From Merry Media. Posted October 16 2007, 1.14pm
JACK fm have announced the team and sponsors involved with Jack's Big Banana - the brand new Saturday show that will follow every Oxford United game as they battle for promotion.. (more)

GCap Media wins Northampton
From Radio Today. Posted October 11 2007, 5.03pm
GCap Media has won the new local digital multiplex for the Northamptonshire area. NOWdigital will provide nine commercial services, including current stations Northants 96, Gold, Connect FM. Xfm will launch in the area along with UCB and Jack FM. BBC Radio Northampton will also feature. (more)

Ex-GCap jocks join JACK
From Radio Today. Posted October 1 2007, 1.17pm
Former Capital FM and BRMB presenter Trevor Marshall will team up with ex-GWR FM programme controller Sue Carter to host the breakfast show on Oxfordshire's JACK fm. The duo will be joined by morning journalist Greg Burke from FM107.9. (more)

JACK fm Announce Breakfast Show Team
From Merry Media. Posted October 1 2007, 1.12am
JACK fm in Oxfordshire have announced that Sony Gold Award winners Trevor Marshall and Sue Carter will host the breakfast show on the station when it launches on Thursday 18th October at 1.06pm.. (more)

JACK gatecrashes Fox party
From Radio Today. Posted September 29 2007, 9.12am
JACK fm is causing a stir already, and the station has not even launched yet. JACK bosses recently gate crashed Fox FM's 18th birthday party, giving out a special birthday card "love from Jack - Oxfordshire's newest radio station". (more)

New radio stations choose IRN
From Radio Today. Posted September 20 2007, 10.07am
Four new radio stations due to launch in the next 6 months, including Emap's 24 hour talk station City Talk, have secured the services of IRN as their national news supplier. Original 106, JACK fm and Herefordshire and Monmouthshire Classic Hits will also take the audio and text feeds. (more)

JACK fm gets closer to launch
From Radio Today. Posted September 19 2007, 9.39am
JACK fm will launch in the UK next month on 106.8 and on DAB next year, with an official start date to be confirmed. In the meantime, the Oxford-based station has appointed First Radio Sales as their national sales house. (more)

JACK FM Choose Sales Partner
From Merry Media. Posted September 19 2007, 12.05am
JACK FM in Oxfordshire has chosen FRS as its national sales representation partner. The station is the first JACK FM to be launched outside of the US.. (more)

Two apply for Oxfordshire DAB
From Radio Today. Posted August 8 2007, 10.51am
Two applications have been received by Ofcom to operate a local DAB digital radio multiplex licence to cover the Oxfordshire area. Once again GCap Media's Now Digital is going head to head with MuxCo to provide a variety of programming services including Traffic Radio and the new JACK fm. (more)

The good times are back
From Radio Today. Posted July 13 2007, 10.16am
Heritage oldies station WCBS FM has returned to New York, after a gap of two years. It was at local time 1:01pm Thursday when the Beach Boys sang Do It Again, and New Yorkers finally got their oldies radio station back. Jack FM had occupied the frequency since a sudden format flip in 2005. (more)

Jack dropped – WCBS comes back
From Radio Today. Posted July 9 2007, 10.37am
JACK fm in New York is about to be scrapped, and the 101.1 frequency returned to the oldies format which occupied the spot for over 30 years. WCBS-FM was New York’s favourite oldies station before the sudden format switch by CBS in 2005. Unconfirmed reports suggest a switchover will happen on Monday morning. (more)

WCBS-FM Predicted to Switch Back to Oldies
From radio.about.com. Posted July 8 2007, 10.51am
On June 3, 2005, CBS Radio (then Infinity Broadcasting), dumped the Oldies format on WCBS-FM/New York and turned the legendary heritage oldies station into 101.1 Jack FM. The company felt... (more)

Radio good enough to eat
From Radio Today. Posted May 18 2007, 1.50pm
A new concept in radio launches this weekend on the Classic Gold network. Food Radio, from the people who brought JACK fm to the UK, will air each Sunday afternoon on the GCap oldies network, along with regular appearences on Oneword Radio. It is being billed as an integrated web portal and audio programming channel. (more)

Radio Robot: the new ?surprise? format
From thenoise.co.uk. Posted April 10 2007, 10.46pm
It’s slightly more obscure than the Jack FM format that’s taken the US by storm. But here’s another format inspired by the random and eclectic mix enjoyed by iPod owners. Radio Robot 107.5FM has begun broadcasting to the Hutt Valley in New Zealand. The fully-automated station runs a randomly programmed 800-hour playlist of local music, talks and interviews, [...] (more)

Absolute move for Mix Manager
From Radio Today. Posted March 12 2007, 12.24pm
The Station Manager at TLRC station Mix 96 in Aylesbury, Rachel Faulkner, is leaving to join Absolute Radio to head up its Oxfordshire businesses. Faulkner has been appointed as Commercial Director for both Oxford's FM107.9 and new station JACK fm Oxfordshire. (more)

Steve Penk joins GCap's Fox FM
From Radio Today. Posted March 1 2007, 3.50pm
GCap Media radio station Fox FM is set to sign-up former Capital Radio and Key 103 DJ Steve Penk, RadioToday.co.uk can exclusively reveal. Penk will host the breakfast show as competition for listeners in Oxfordshire steps up with the launch of JACK fm later this year. (more)

Greg Burke Swaps Juice FM for Jack FM
From Merry Media. Posted January 9 2007, 2.12pm
Following the recent award of the new Oxfordshire FM licence to Absolute Radio's JACK fm, award winning journalist and news anchor Greg Burke has announced he is leaving 107.6 Juice FM Liverpool to join the new station.. (more)

Jack hires Burke from Juice
From Radio Today. Posted January 9 2007, 11.01am
Jack FM, the new radio station for Oxfordshire has hired the first person to join the current affairs and music based Breakfast Show. Journalist and news anchor Greg Burke will leave the breakfast team at Juice FM Liverpool to take up the position later this year. (more)

Ofcom explain Jack FM award
From Radio Today. Posted October 23 2006, 3.45pm
Ofcom have published details of why it decided to award the new radio licence for Oxford and South Oxfordshire to Jack FM. Among the reasons were that it would increase listener choice in the TSA with a Pop, Rock and Classic Rock music policy, and dedicated local current affairs programmes containing 40% speech. (more)

Absolute Radio wins Oxford licence with Jack FM
From Brand Republic. Posted October 13 2006, 11.10am
LONDON - Absolute Radio has won the Oxford FM radio licence with its Jack FM classic hits format, which it has also put forward for the Manchester and Liverpool licence contests. (more)

Jack FM Wins Oxfordshire Licence
From Merry Media. Posted October 13 2006, 12.01am
Ofcom has been awarded the new FM local commercial radio licence for Oxford and South Oxfordshire to Jack FM.. (more)

Jack FM Win Oxford
From via Breaking Radio. Posted October 12 2006, 6.16pm
Absolute Radio International have won their first licence with Jack FM Oxford. ARI will be operating the new station alongside Oxford's 107.9FM (nee Passion) which they acquired earlier this year. (more)

Jack FM wins Oxford
From Radio Today. Posted October 12 2006, 5.01pm
The new FM licence for Oxford and South Oxfordshire has been awarded to Jack FM, following a 5-horse race. (more)

Ten applications for Liverpool
From Radio Today. Posted July 14 2006, 12.00pm
Ofcom has received ten applications for the Liverpool FM commercial radio licence. These are: allTalk FM Liverpool allTalk FM Liverpool Limited, 5 Castle Street, Liverpool, L2 4XE Contact: Jim Davies Tel: 0151 907 3000 Email: jim.davies@dwf.co.uk A speech based station with a strong commitment to locally led news and information, with intelligent, entertaining and interactive debate relevant to the people of Liverpool and the surrounding areas. The Arrow The Arrow (Liverpool) Ltd, The Chrysalis Building, 13 Bramley Road, London, W10 6SP Contact: Daniel Owen Tel: 020 7470 1065 Email: daniel.owen@chrysalis.com A classic and contemporary rock music station for listeners over 35 in Liverpool. CityTalk Radio City (Sound of Merseyside) Limited, St John’s Beacon, 1 Houghton Street, Liverpool, L1 1RL Contact: Terry Smith Tel: 0151 472 6800 Email: terrysmith545@btinternet.com 24 hours a day of speech programming including news, sport, features, documentaries, advice, phone-ins, studio discussions and special flagship programs on weekly or monthly basis. 105.9 JACK FM Liverpool Liverpool Radio 1059 Limited, 216 Tower Street, Liverpool, L3 4BJ Contact: Clive Dickens Tel: 0151 630 2375 Email: clive@jackfmliverpool.com A variety rock music station for Liverpool and the surrounding area aimed primarily at people aged 40 to 59 years, with regular local news, sport and information. Speech will be most concentrated during weekday peak times, with a music-intensive theme at other times. Liver FM Liverpool Local Radio Limited, Fairmead House, 49 Freshfield Road, Formby, Liverpool, L37 3HL Contact: David Maker Tel: 01704 832207 Email: david.maker@btinternet.com A rolling news and information and music service with Classic Rock and Classic Hits for a 35 plus audience. MerseyLife Merseylife Limited, CN Radio, PO Box 969, St George’s Quay, Lancaster, LA1 3LD Contact: Jon Hewson Tel: 07776 404040 Email: jon.hewson@cnradio.co.uk A locally-focused speech, information and music station aimed at Liverpool’s 45-64 year olds. Original 106 FM Original Liverpool FM Ltd, The New Boathouse, 136-142 Bramley Road, London, W10 6SR Contact: Peter Viner Tel: 020 7565 6600 Email: peter.viner@canwest.co.uk Adult Alternative Radio – an eclectic mix of adult-orientated music with particular ABC1 appeal, with 24 hour local news. Planet Rock Planet Rock Limited, 30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA Contact: Jane Wilson Tel: 020 7766 6863 Email: jane.wilson@gcapmedia.com A music based radio station catering for the community of interest that enjoys classic rock music from the 60s to today. RockTalk Liverpool RockTalk Liverpool, Sterling Court, Capitol Park, Leeds, WF3 1EL Contact: Jeff Stephenson Tel: 07710 073021 Email: jeff.stephenson@gmgradio.co.uk A speech and music service for 35-64 year olds which contains a strong commitment to local news, current affairs and interactive debate for the Liverpool area. Comprehensive local, national, world news and information is included, with a wide variety of rock music played during off-peak and bank holidays. Wicked FM UK Media and Radio Liverpool Ltd, 61 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6AX Contact: Mark Oliver Tel: 020 7313 5900 Email: mark.oliver@oando.co.uk A full service broad rock station for people 20 to 49 in the city of Liverpool and surrounding areas with local news and information with a mix of indie, alternative, guitar based Britpop and classic and soft rock music from the last 40 years with specialist rock shows during evenings and weekends. The full applications for this licence will be published on the Ofcom website shortly. Ofcom welcomes the views of the public about the local needs of listeners in this area and the type of service required. Opinions on these issues can either be emailed to commercialradio@ofcom.org.uk or posted to Neil Stock, Head of Radio Planning & Licensing, Ofcom, Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA. Please mark the envelope ‘Liverpool licence’. (more)

David Mansfield is back with Jack
From Radio Today. Posted July 13 2006, 8.30pm
Just hours after applications were submitted to Ofcom for the new Liverpool FM licence, we can exclusively reveal that David Mansfield is backing one of the bids. It is his first activity in UK radio since leaving GCap Media in January. David is Chairman of the JACK fm application, submitted by Absolute Radio and Communicorp. Absolute Radio consists of highly experienced UK team of radio professionals, and Communicorp is owned by Denis O’Brien, one of Ireland’s leading businessmen with extensive international telecoms, property, leisure and aviation interests. (more)

Five bid for Oxford licence
From Radio Today. Posted June 12 2006, 11.45am
The battle for the new Oxford/South Oxfordshire commercial radio licence looks like it will be an interesting one. Applications have been received from Oxford Local Radio (Castle FM), GCap Media (Fox Gold), Spirit of Oxfordshire Radio (Inspire 106), Absolute Radio International (Jack FM) and South Central Media (More FM). Ridge FM, the group backed by Milestone Group have failed to make a bid. Ofcom estimates that this licence could achieve coverage of an area with an adult (aged 15+) population of around 300,000. The exact coverage will be determined by the location of the transmission site and other technical characteristics. (more)

Jack FM want to win Oxford
From Radio Today. Posted June 9 2006, 5.30pm
Amoungst the applications for Oxford today (yet to be announced by Ofcom), will be an application submitted by Absolute Radio as JACK-FM, the popular music format currently heard in Canada and the USA. JACK-FM delivers a completely new and different emphasis on listener-focus with less clutter and a fresh compelling presentation style with attitude. In a recent US study, Jack’s synonymous slogan “Playing What We Want” was found to have attained higher listener recognition than McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it”. (more)