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Jack FM
- Thread starter CassChopper96
- Start date
BBC World Service is available for free via BBC Sounds. In addition to the live stream, you can listen to its programs on demand up to 30 days after the broadcast. You do not need to be a resident of the UK to register for BBC Sounds.
Is Jack-FM like a Classic Hits station? Some titles are the same. But Jack is more rock-oriented. It really zeros in on the early days of MTV, especially the Jack in Los Angeles.
When MTV first played music videos, it was quite rock and alternative-oriented. So Jack and his clones, Bob-FM, Simon, etc. play a ton of artists from that era. Yes, there are a handful of earlier-than-MTV artists, such as Eagles, Stones and Fleetwood Mac. And a few post MTV video era artists: Adele, Nickelback, etc. Jack plays some songs that are not quite rock, but still got played by the album rock stations of their day: Eurythmics, Huey Lewis & The News, Hall & Oates, Duran Duran.
Jack and his clones usually follow the Michael Jackson & Prince rule. Those are the only two African-American artists who get played with regularity. Sure, once an hour Jack and his clones will play a rhythmic or dance song, especially with a bit of novelty: Can't Touch This, She's A Real Mama Jama, Kung Fu Fighting. But only Jackson and Prince have numerous songs in Jack's rotation. Don't expect to hear much Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Billy Ocean, Lionel Richie, Janet Jackson, Pointer Sisters, etc.
And of course, there's the Voice of Jack. That's a big reason I listen. I like the quips, the snide remarks. Most of these stations have no live voices (or on a few Jack/Bob/Simon/Lake stations there's a morning DJ). But the prerecorded voice more than makes up for the missing DJs.
When MTV first played music videos, it was quite rock and alternative-oriented. So Jack and his clones, Bob-FM, Simon, etc. play a ton of artists from that era. Yes, there are a handful of earlier-than-MTV artists, such as Eagles, Stones and Fleetwood Mac. And a few post MTV video era artists: Adele, Nickelback, etc. Jack plays some songs that are not quite rock, but still got played by the album rock stations of their day: Eurythmics, Huey Lewis & The News, Hall & Oates, Duran Duran.
Jack and his clones usually follow the Michael Jackson & Prince rule. Those are the only two African-American artists who get played with regularity. Sure, once an hour Jack and his clones will play a rhythmic or dance song, especially with a bit of novelty: Can't Touch This, She's A Real Mama Jama, Kung Fu Fighting. But only Jackson and Prince have numerous songs in Jack's rotation. Don't expect to hear much Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Billy Ocean, Lionel Richie, Janet Jackson, Pointer Sisters, etc.
And of course, there's the Voice of Jack. That's a big reason I listen. I like the quips, the snide remarks. Most of these stations have no live voices (or on a few Jack/Bob/Simon/Lake stations there's a morning DJ). But the prerecorded voice more than makes up for the missing DJs.
Classic hits is much more restricted in the age or era range of the songs. A typical range would be about 14 to 15 years that covers 95% of all spins.
Jack, musically, is much wider but not as deep. Classic hit is generally pop and lighter more commercial rock, while jack has some of that but leans to a blend that is more rock with a dose of yacht rock. Depending on the market, a classic hits station may play more rhythmic stuff than a Jack might, also.
As you said in your first paragraph, Jack is more rock oriented, and only Jackson & Prince got rock airplay. The others you list were mainly pop stars, so they get played on classic hits stations.
In some markets, especially smaller ones without a classic hits station, the adult hits format serves as the de facto classic hits station or 70s/80s/some 90s stations. See WDRR Augusta, GA and WFLB Fayetteville, NC (both owned by Beasley). The playlists are essentially like WOGL or CBS-FM but with a Jack/Bob FM type presentation.
Remember the “FM News 101.9” disaster?
Merlin Marlin tweaks CBS again | Radio & Television Business Report
The Merlin Marlin is busy with his (her?) word processing software and email account again now focusing on the New York Market. See the memo from the Desk of the Merlin Marlin to CBS's Don Bouloukos
www.rbr.com
For a short time back in the early 2000's, there was an adult hits "Jack" like format that leaned AC; targeting females. It was called 92.7 "Jill-FM". It was a trimulcast: one station served the southern portions of the Los Angeles market and Orange County area, with the second station serving the Ventura County area. The third station served the high desert Victor Valley area.
It lacked the signal to come even close to competing with Jack-FM, and I personally think it leaned AC.
Yes, there was a "Jill-FM" simulcast on the three FM stations in Southern California on 92.7 MHz. Like Jack-FM's slogan "Playing What We Want," the hook was the unexpected playlist, although for Jill, it was a bigger than expected AC-leaning playlist.
And in Spanish-language radio, there is currently a "Jose." (97.5 in Riverside/San Bernardino and 107.1 in a few So. Cal. communities.) Jose also has a larger playlist than the average Latino station. David might know better, but I think Jose mixes Spanish Contemporary and Reggaeton with some Regional Mexican titles, geared toward Spanish-speaking listeners who live in So. Cal.
In truth, these stations aren't "Playing What We Want" or as you hear on Bob-FM stations "We Play Anything." It's just that a few times per hour, you hear an unexpected title. For Jack, it's likely a rhythmic song or pop song that wouldn't get played on a station that leans rock and alternative rock. For Jack stations in Southern markets, it might also be Garth Brooks or Tug McGraw.
Jack really does NOT play everything. You're not going to hear Beethoven. You're not going to hear Willie Nelson or The Beach Boys or Barbra Streisand or Kenny G. or Anne Murray or Elvis Presley. But I'm sure some listeners think of themselves as more broad-minded than other folks who listen to a more limited playlist station. Pat myself on the back for choosing a radio station that "plays everything."
And in Spanish-language radio, there is currently a "Jose." (97.5 in Riverside/San Bernardino and 107.1 in a few So. Cal. communities.) Jose also has a larger playlist than the average Latino station. David might know better, but I think Jose mixes Spanish Contemporary and Reggaeton with some Regional Mexican titles, geared toward Spanish-speaking listeners who live in So. Cal.
In truth, these stations aren't "Playing What We Want" or as you hear on Bob-FM stations "We Play Anything." It's just that a few times per hour, you hear an unexpected title. For Jack, it's likely a rhythmic song or pop song that wouldn't get played on a station that leans rock and alternative rock. For Jack stations in Southern markets, it might also be Garth Brooks or Tug McGraw.
Jack really does NOT play everything. You're not going to hear Beethoven. You're not going to hear Willie Nelson or The Beach Boys or Barbra Streisand or Kenny G. or Anne Murray or Elvis Presley. But I'm sure some listeners think of themselves as more broad-minded than other folks who listen to a more limited playlist station. Pat myself on the back for choosing a radio station that "plays everything."
In the UK, there are several varieties of Jack in addition to the FM. These are DAB subchannels, JACK 2 and Jack 3, as well as its national DAB stations Union JACK, Union JACK Rock and Union JACK Dance.
No, no one plays "everything", even the guys on boards like this who claim to have everything that was ever recorded since the beginning of time on their phones.
Tug McGraw records might be very unexpected, though perhaps suitable for Philly’s variant, Ben.
Tim on the other hand…
(Just having some fun—Tug was a great player)
José is now mostly a personality network, but was originally, like Clear Channel's La Preciosa, a later copy of the originator, HBC's Recuerdo which began in LA in 2000. Recuerdo later expanded in a network including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, LGRV, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Chicago, Las Vegas, San Francisco, LA, San Diego and Fresno.
Both Clear Channel and Entravision made copies of the format. And it has been copied by several group operators in Mexico as well.
The original library of Recuerdo was around 1100 songs, in, of course, a number of rotational and style categories. It gathered mostly Mexican origin (or songs that were very big even in rural Mexico) ballads and contemporary, ranchera, light norteña, Mexican cumbias, and lots of grupera music in a heavily researched blend.
It was created by the LA PD, Amalia González and myself. Amalia was also on the air in mid-days and had been a talent and assistant PD at KTNQ both as a music station and as a local talk station.
The LA José today is a hybrid with nearly all talk and mostly 90's to today's regional (norteña, ranchera, banda, cumbia). The other José stations are a more of a contemporized adaptation or copy of the original Recuerdo 21 years ago.
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Nonsense. Jack-FM Buffalo had enviable shares, Persons 25-54 in it's first five to seven years. Persons 12+ was much higher than "mid 2 to 3 range" during that period. Jack FM Buffalo had a near 15 year run before Townsquare yanked it and replaced it with the foundering "Everything That Rocks" format in a failed attempt to compete with 97 Rock and the Edge. But even in the later years of existence, Jack-FM Buffalo ranked in the top seven and periodically in the top five, Persons 25-54, which is far better than the format that replaced it.
But...but...but...what about "cluster strategy?" LOL
Completely agree that Clownsquare made a horrible move in Buffalo. Perhaps the new station would be faring better if the company didn't go the el cheapo route by plugging in a (past its prime) morning show based in Michigan.
The stats you shared make the programming change at 92.9 in Buffalo all the more stunning.
Completely agree that Clownsquare made a horrible move in Buffalo. Perhaps the new station would be faring better if the company didn't go the el cheapo route by plugging in a (past its prime) morning show based in Michigan.
The stats you shared make the programming change at 92.9 in Buffalo all the more stunning.
As if what was there before was NOT "el cheapo?"
Jack FM Buffalo was lean, no doubt, but it was far more el producto… as in dinero… than the mess that’s now on the frequency.
You have some details on that perhaps? Maybe comparative revenue numbers?
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