www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/11/wradio11.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/08/11/ixworld.html


American radio disc jockeys are being squeezed off the air by a wave of music stations that ditch chit chat for back-to-back hits.

Microsoft

The new stations, called Jack FM, are soaring up the ratings with a format which is said to resemble "plugging a radio transmitter into your home CD collection".

The style is likened to an iPod on shuffle mode, playing tracks that chop and change style and tempo. It has also been dubbed "train-wreck" programming.

Since the first one was launched in Vancouver in 2002, the number of Jack FM stations in North America has risen to 25. Six are in Canada, 19 in the United States and more are on the way.

In the markets where Jack FM has yet to gain a foothold, copycat stations are springing up with names such as Mike FM in Boston, Doug FM in Detroit or Max FM in San Francisco.

Bob, Joe, Dave and even a Jill FM - all aping Jack's all-music, pared-down approach - air elsewhere across the continent.

The success of the new format has astounded even its most ardent champions who until this year were struggling to convince the industry that it could succeed.

"From December 2002 until the end of 2004 it was pretty much laughed out of the room," said Mike Henry, whose Paragon Media Strategies helped develop the first Jack FM. "People told us it would not work as you couldn't play all that stuff together.

"But at the beginning of this year, once the ratings were in for the first three or four stations, the sceptics became apostles."

The format was mould-breaking in that it challenged US radio wisdom that stations should stick to one musical genre, Mr Henry said.

Jack FM and its copycat stations have instead ripped up the rule book with playlists that span the past four decades and everything from pop, indie and rock to hip-hop, soul and dance.

So Duran Duran or A-Ha can be followed by ZZ Top while Purple Rain by Prince can segue into Are You Going To Be My Girl by the indie band Jet before making way for Van Morrison or Jimmy Cliff.

Research has also highlighted audience dissatisfaction with the DJ chatter, advertising and promotions that pepper other stations' output.

When it was launched in Los Angeles this March, Jack FM swiftly became the number one station among English-speaking adults aged 25 to 54. "It is the first new franchise format in American radio in 10 to 15 years," Mr Henry said. Despite the lack of DJs, Jack FM's personality is key, the industry says.

Bob Perry, the president of Big Sticks Broadcasting Corp, first originated the format in 2000, naming it after the fictitious Cadillac Jack Garrett, "a hard living radio cowboy".

"We came up with the idea of a character called Jack who owns a radio station and decides, after years of playing other people's music, that he is going to play whatever he wants," he said.

Mr Perry added he constantly heard from fans who said Jack FM "feels like their radio station".

Critics of the new format, however, describe it as the "McDonaldisation of radio", stripped of live speech, song titles and even weather reports.

And there is evidence it will not work everywhere. When it was launched, New York's Jack FM received a hostile reception.

The original Jacks may be critical of their imitators for "taking an idea and winging it", Mr Henry said. But for the Mikes, Joes and Jills, the field is open.

They killed one of my favorite stations for this crap.

I would like to listen to a radio station that you can actually have a choice as to what is played, and to have a station that is the genre I want to listen to, not rock, then rap, then whatever.

Between this, Clear Channel, and satelite, commercial radio is going down the crapper.

At least I have mp3's on my computer and an mp3 player.  

you need to listen to more Art Bell and George Noorie

I like it.

I've not listened to over the air radio in YEARS until last week when I pulled my CD changer out of my van.

I was horrified to find that one of the oldest stations here in San Diego that I grew up with (B-100) was now "Jack FM".

Can't wait to get new wheels.  A CD/MP3 changer and Sirius receiver will be the first things going in it.

I don't get it; they just play songs from different formats back to back with no ads, no weather/traffic, no DJ?  How do they make their $$ if there are no ads?

Those stations are noting but muzak played by the original artists.

Sounds like broadcast stations are feeling the pressure from the likes of satelite radio, even down to the naming convention.

I can't stand the chit chat of broadcast - "Play the Fucking Song, ALREADY!"  Couple that with the ads and crappy music, I haven't listened to b'cast radio in over a year and a half.

There are ads, plenty of 'em.

BTW, Jack FM stole one of my favorite stations, too. The only 80's station in Minnesota is now gone.

Quoted: I don't get it; they just play songs from different formats back to back with no ads, no weather/traffic, no DJ?  How do they make their $$ if there are no ads?

Aren't the ads the real way they make money, along with record companies paying them to play songs?

Quoted: Sounds like broadcast stations are feeling the pressure from the likes of satelite radio, even down to the naming convention. I can't stand the chit chat of broadcast - "Play the Fucking Song, ALREADY!"  Couple that with the ads and crappy music, I haven't listened to b'cast radio in over a year and a half.

This one station I listen to(97.1 for the IL crew) has minimized the chatting and the ads).  

Very little chatter.

No morning shows.

No bullsh%t.

We got one of these stations here in the Metro Detroit area a little while ago.
Ours is "Doug"FM, not "Jack", and I'm not sure if it's one of the above or just a copy-cat station.

I'm not crazy about it, as the voice-over guy ("Doug") that does all of their promotional spots is annoying as hell! And the name of one of the most annoying people I've ever worked with,and still do, is Doug.

But I can see that the demand for the "Just shut the stupid DJ up and play the music already!" and "PLEASE-GOD! not the same Fu*king 20 songs...Over and over, and over again!" Or the no DJ satellite stations are really cutting into the radio markets around here.

It's a change of pace, and because I like many types of music, I do listen to it sometimes. I Don't think it will ever be the dominant style of station, but I think it'll be around for awhile.

What I want to know is HOW THE HELL some dumb-ass like IMUS is even on the air???? Much less on cable? WTF? over!
We have My good buddy Mitch Album, here in Detroit. What makes people want to listen to these retarded little fucktards anyway?
I just don't get it..........

Tall Shadow

Quoted: We got one of these stations here in the Metro Detroit area a little while ago. Ours is "Doug"FM, not "Jack", and I'm not sure if it's one of the above or just a copy-cat station. I'm not crazy about it, as the voice-over guy ("Doug") that does all of their promotional spots is annoying as hell! And the name of one of the most annoying people I've ever worked with,and still do, is Doug. But I can see that the demand for the "Just shut the stupid DJ up and play the music already!" and "PLEASE-GOD! not the same Fu*king 20 songs...Over and over, and over again!" Or the no DJ satellite stations are really cutting into the radio markets around here. It's a change of pace, and because I like many types of music, I do listen to it sometimes. I Don't think it will ever be the dominant style of station, but I think it'll be around for awhile. What I want to know is HOW THE HELL some dumb-ass like IMUS is even on the air???? Much less on cable? WTF? over! We have My good buddy Mitch Album, here in Detroit. What makes people want to listen to these retarded little fucktards anyway? I just don't get it.......... Tall Shadow

I watched Imus during the 2000 election, and he's just an annoying idiot.  

The funny thing is, when I was watching the "Jack FM" story on the news, they played the same interluding voice for a station which is the same as the one on my local station.  

it doesnt help that all of todays "rock" bands sound the same to me, POD, Creed, blah blah blah...theyre ALL crap in my opinion.  you just dont hear music these days that has its "own" sound like Zepplin and Steve Miller Band and Skynyrd, etc.

Most of the "over the air" radio station have at least 20 minutes of commercials per hour, couple that with news and weather reports, a few other miscellaneous chit-chat, there is only about 30 minutes worth of music.

Quoted: it doesnt help that all of todays "rock" bands sound the same to me, POD, Creed, blah blah blah...theyre ALL crap in my opinion.  you just dont hear music these days that has its "own" sound like Zepplin and Steve Miller Band and Skynyrd, etc.

I had an interesting conversation with my dad one day about how today's music is crap and how there were good bands back in the 60's and 70's.  But today it's all crap.

I hate to be racist, but back in the 60's and 70's, African American artists had good stuff like Motown.  I love that music, because it's clean and it's all about love.  Today, it's dirty and all about killing, and it's just plain stupid.  

I've been spending less time listening to the radio and more time with my hands in my pants.

Quoted: I've been spending less time listening to the radio and more time with my hands in my pants.

Thanks for sharing....

Quoted: I like it.

Me too.
Less ads, less radio "personalities", more music. I just wish my Jack station boosted their signal. At work, I have to listen on the computer.

All we need is 24/7/365 ELVIS. (There actually used to be a station with that format somewhere).

deej86- +1 on the 60's. Best party I ever went to had the Drifters playing. It was an oasis in the middle of the heavy metal, 20 minute guitar riff late 60's. A good time was had by ALL.

Quoted: Quoted: it doesnt help that all of todays "rock" bands sound the same to me, POD, Creed, blah blah blah...theyre ALL crap in my opinion.  you just dont hear music these days that has its "own" sound like Zepplin and Steve Miller Band and Skynyrd, etc. I had an interesting conversation with my dad one day about how today's music is crap and how there were good bands back in the 60's and 70's.  But today it's all crap. I hate to be racist, but back in the 60's and 70's, African American artists had good stuff like Motown.  I love that music, because it's clean and it's all about love.  Today, it's dirty and all about killing, and it's just plain stupid.

i agree totally

Radio?  Oh yeah, that’s the device I find an empty station on and transmit to from my iPod FM modulator so I can listen to any of my thousands of songs and audiobooks.

Me three, I like the idea of tuning into music, instead of another asshole with an opinion.

Quoted: Radio?  Oh yeah, that’s the device I find an empty station on and transmit to from my iPod FM modulator so I can listen to any of my thousands of songs and audiobooks.

My sister does that whenever she goes on a long trip, plugs the "I trip" in and finds a station, sets it on the dash, there ya go.

It's a good thing I have my mp3 folder on my computer, and I can d-load music.  I can play what I want, and if I want something else, I can play it or find what I want.  

Quoted: Me three, I like the idea of tuning into music, instead of another asshole with an opinion.

Exactly.  When I'm with my sister, I listen to the local "mix" station.  In the morning they have a "morning show", which is sometimes funny, but otherwise, I don't care.  They barely play any damn music.

Music? What a concept!  Isn't that what a damn radio station is?!

I like the concept of minimized chatter, but I also like having a dedicated format(all rock or all country or what have you) and I would rather keep stations that you like and have a familliarity with rather than having a good, or at least decent station and next thing you know, it's killed for this "Jack FM" bullsh#t.  

A station near me attempted that for a while. It was OK for the first couple weeks, but their playlist was limited to only hits, so you'd get top 20 from the 70's, 80's, etc. There was _nothing_ that wasn't instantly recognizable.

I think broadcast radio has secretly been taken over by the satellite radio companies, who are attempting to destroy it from within by making it unlistenable, thus driving everyone to subscription radio.

I listen to nothing but talk radio, heck for the last 10 years at least,  Talk radio is differently improving, more choices, more stations.   Morning FM rock stations where they try to have a funny team like Billy Bob and some lacky, or Dave and Tom are lame.

Quoted: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml? Research has also highlighted audience dissatisfaction with the DJ chatter, advertising and promotions that pepper other stations' output.

+ a billion

I started listening to classical music simply because in every other format the dj's never STFU.

Clear Channel buying up indie stations and replacing them with their mindless formulaic crap is the A number one reason why monopolies are bad news. The head of the FCC must have gotten a fat kickback for letting all this audio vomit loose over the whole country.

Quoted: Quoted: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml? Research has also highlighted audience dissatisfaction with the DJ chatter, advertising and promotions that pepper other stations' output. + a billion I started listening to classical music simply because in every other format the dj's never STFU. Clear Channel buying up indie stations and replacing them with their mindless formulaic crap is the A number one reason why monopolies are bad news. The head of the FCC must have gotten a fat kickback for letting all this audio vomit loose over the whole country.

+1.  Clear Channel is doing nothing but turning great stations into crap.  

I just hope that these radio corporations don't corrupt any other stations.  Chicago is now down to one oldies station, and I love it, and would hate to see it go.  

BTW-we have a lot of good rock stations, but like I said, only oldies/60's/70's is played on one station.