Jack FM (United Kingdom)

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

The station is owned by 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 . 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 an American station,[4][5] 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 former Blake's 7 actor Paul Darrow, referred to on the station only as The Voice of JACK.[6] Following Darrow's death in June 2019, Oxford born Jim Rosenthal has been introduced as an additional voice to commentate on current affairs while Darrow's more generic announcements continue to be used.

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.

The original logo of Jack FM Oxfordshire

The station has one regular presenter-led show: JACK's Wake Up Call is the weekday breakfast show, hosted by Trevor Marshall. Since 2021 this programme has been transmitted across all six JACK stations, with a 'split playlist' system, similar to that used on the Absolute Radio Network, allowing relevant music for each station to be inserted. Until February 2022 an afternoon drivetime show was hosted by Adam English. English's afternoon show was previously broadcast only on Union JACK, the host having moved to this slot when his breakfast show on the station, The Full English, was dropped to make way for the networked breakfast programme.

Prior to this structure, the station's only live show was JACK's Morning Glory, hosted by Marshall and Rich Smith. Past shows include The Sunday Roast and The Big Banana, a live sports show centred on live commentary from Oxford United matches. It was hosted by the station's sports guru Andrew 'Selfy' Self who also commentated live along with Andy Roberts with punditry and opinion from Kev Jordan.[7]

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.[8]

JACK FM has 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 broadcasts on DAB in Oxfordshire and previously on DAB in Surrey and Hampshire.
• JACK 3, branded as JACK 3 & Chill, is 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[9] and was replaced by JACK Radio in October. The national and Oxford versions of JACK 3 were two separate streams, and the Oxfordshire version remains available. In April 2020 it replaced JACK 2 on 107.9 MHz in Oxfordshire following a request to Ofcom.[10]
• Union JACK is 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.[11] 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.[12] The station also featured a weekly programme dedicated to new music titled 'Underdogs', presented by 'Lucy Leeds'.[13] The station, along with JACK 3 and Union JACK, featured voiceovers from Paul Darrow and Jim Rosenthal.[14] 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.

In February 2022 the Union JACK stations ceased broadcasting on DAB[15] and it was later confirmed they had been put into administration.[16] Adam English was made redundant.[17] The stations finally ceased broadcasting on or around 18 March 2022.

• 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.[18]

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.[19] 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.[20]

• Jack FM
• Adult hits

• JACK fm (Oxfordshire)
• JACK 2 Hits (Oxfordshire)
• JACK 3 & Chill (Oxfordshire)
• Official website of Union JACK
• Transmitter information