Any Comments on the Jack Radio Format?

[Anderton]

For those who aren't familiar with this, some stations are switching their formats to play a much, much wider playlist of songs with a lot more variety. Apparently ratings spike, but then settle down in markets where this has been tried. And advertisers aren't convinced, because the format induces people to "check in" and sample rather than keep listening...although some do, just to see what's coming next.

 

There's no jack station in my territory, but I pretty much do the same thing with XM by constantly switching among channels.

 

So my question is...any of you familiar with this? Do you listen to it? What do you think? Is it the format of the future or just another blip?

[Duck King]

I've heard of Dave, but not Jack. Both names are stupid though.

[kevinnem]

hmm, not sure if we are talking about the same thing. But I have a station called Jack FM here in calgary. They play a lot of 80's and a real mix of everything. The show is a kinda a satire fo todays radio , .. they have the "no request nooner hour" where you can phone in , but can request song ..... and stuff like that. the saying is "jack FM = playing what we want"

 

 

any way , it is my Fav station in town! I think it is giving the raining champs a run for there money.

 

 

Kev.

[roland]

A 'Jack' station (called Charlie here) displaced the oldies station a few months ago in Portland. I like the wide playlist but don't care for the lack of a local dj or news/weather/traffic.

[franknputer]

It's like they have the general idea, but I don't think anything "new" is really happening. IMO, it's when the station has changed format a few times & built up a BIG library of music on their servers, and they just decide "F*ck it - we'll just play everything!"

 

I think what they need first is some chance taking. Not everyone can form a cohesive flow out of disparate elements, but someone with the talent given the freedom could make a BIG impact, I bet.

 

Oh - and STOP PLAYING THE SAME CRAP CUTS THAT ALL THE OTHER STATIONS HAVE PLAYED SINCE THEY WERE NEW. Drop a B-side or a more obscure album cut once in awhile. Otherwise, I might as well put the radio on "Scan" & listen to all the other guys.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Craig, one of the "classic rock" stations here in LA LA changed over to the Jack format... I've listened a few times, but while I applaud the "variety" concept, it seems to me that they play a variety of songs that really don't "move me". YMMV of course, but I have not been very impressed so far.

[spokenward]

behold! wikipedia JACK:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_FM

[Deef]

 

Originally posted by spokenward behold! wikipedia JACK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_FM

 

 

Hey, at least one radio station listed realizes the format is essentially without taste:

 

 

Rochester, New York

[blue2blue]

Different cookie cutter... same dough.

 

Same corruption. Same robotic programming... just a big phony 'underground' facade.

 

Infinity sucks.

 

Period.

[blue2blue]

Thanks for the wikipedia link. I was not aware that not all "Jack" station were owned by Inifinity. Most in the US, though, I guess. And, of course, it still sucks.

 

But I noted this: "Jack is a hit-based format designed to appeal to the Adult 25-54 demographic."

 

It's nice to know I'm still included... if only by my brittle, aging fingernails.

 

 

The bits about all the clone stations are fascinating. As Elvis C said, "radio, radio."

 

What a bunch of creative cripples -- even from a strictly business point of view. (And I'm a businessman by day, so I admire business creativity.)

 

Anyhow it's a bunch of lame and sorry... stuff.

[Duck King]

 

Originally posted by blue2blue Thanks for the wikipedia link. I was not aware that not all "Jack" station were owned by Inifinity. Most in the US, though, I guess. And, of course, it still sucks. But I noted this: "Jack is a hit-based format designed to appeal to the Adult 25-54 demographic." It's nice to know I'm still included... if only by my brittle, aging fingernails. The bits about all the clone stations are fascinating. As Elvis C said, "radio, radio." What a bunch of creative cripples -- even from a strictly business point of view. (And I'm a businessman by day, so I admire business creativity.) Anyhow it's a bunch of lame and sorry... stuff .

 

 

The record industry has been ignoring everyone over 25 for the last 10 years. It's good to see that someone is realizing that there are more music listeners/ (and hopefully buyers) over 25 with money than under 25. The industry was built for a time when there were no rock listeners above 25, and is about 20 years to late in starting to change. This is the money demo and needs to be, er, serviced.

[Jan Folkson]

CBS101.1 a staple here in NYC, just switched to Jack. Haven't listened much, but it seems really broad based.

[Lee Flier]

We have "Dave" here in Atlanta. I listen every now and then, and occasionally even hear stuff I like or wouldn't expect to hear on the radio. But, it seems like there's way too much emphasis on the 80's, and on trying to appear hip and underground when they're really not.

 

I'd give it a "not that bad," and at least an attempt at widening the playlist and appealing to listeners over 25 without being (ugh) "adult contemporary." Plus I have to give them props for carrying the Little Steven show. Still misses the mark in many ways though... they can't really compete with satellite or Internet radio for variety, and they don't have terrestial radio's main advantage - local talent, news and programming - either. I don't know that radio has figured out yet that listeners still want that.

[The Soundman]

We don't have a "jack" programmed station in my market either, but I've read quite a bit about the programming philosophy. The general idea is to program a wider variety of music on the radio, instead of the top40/alternative/classic rock/oldies type of niche programming most radio listeners are used to.

 

The end result is usually much like a juke box in a bar that has no real theme, like places where all kinds of different people hang out, and play different types of music, and it's all very random. Or like a multiple CD changer set to random play. I don't think the jack radio format is really programmed very well... but at least it is an attempt to engage more listeners.

 

I've been doing an Internet radio show for about 5 years now- (my signature is a link to the website) and I play stuff from the '40's through today. Sometimes I really screw up, and play two songs that really don't mix well. But I work at it, and I've found you can mix rock and pop songs from any era in a way that makes sense. If you're carefull or creative, you can slide in some funk or blues or country stuff as well. I get some pretty positive feedback from my regular listeners.

[blue2blue]

I'm all for a broader playlist -- and clearly even a robotically randomized playlist is probably superior to the bought and paid for sledgehammer rotations at the hits stations. I guess the source of my animus is the fake underground stuff that went with the introduction of Infinity's Jack station in LA.

 

Yes, sure, it looks completely phony to hipsters like us, but I have to tell you that I kept hearing relatively sophisticated adults describe it as an underground station where the DJ's play whatever they feel like -- when, of course, it's simply a big random shuffle.

 

So, I guess I'm mad at Infinity (et al) for such a cheap manipulation, and I'm also frustrated that, to some extent, it worked.

 

 

This is no slam on random shuffle. I use random shuffles of my music files all the time in my portable and at home. Even on my subscription service, Ill often grab a slug of tunes and then shuffle them.

 

But the great thing about random shuffle at my house is that it's coming from my collection and I don't have to put up with Men without Hats or Chevy Van or Billy Joel.

 

And you can't put a price on that...

 

 

[uh... no slag on Men Without Hats, Chevy Van, and Billy Joel fans. I'm sure lots of folks wouldn't go for some of the weirdo music I like. So, you know...]

[Jeff da Weasel]

I personify the ratings trend. At first, I found myself listening a lot out of curiosity's sake... "Hey, they played Spandau Ballet after Neil Young!"

 

I'll still flip by Jack, but the hit-and-miss nature doesn't keep my attention for long.

 

Besides, I'd rather hear Podcasts.

 

- Jeff

[fantasticsound]

 

Originally posted by blue2blue I'm all for a broader playlist -- and clearly even a robotically randomized playlist is probably superior to the bought and paid for sledgehammer rotations at the hits stations...

 

 

Bingo! I was incensed that Oldies 96.3 in Nashville changed format to something called "Jack FM" with a string of sarcastic, hipster VO's proclaiming they play what they want, but out of curiosity I tuned in.

 

Was I floored! Even the songs I don't know are good. And I've often listened for extended periods and been pleasantly surprised by the song choices.

 

I'm not a fan of big radio, but this format is delivering a lot of what I want to listen to, in the rock genre. I still bounce around country stations looking for the good stuff, and mornings and afternoons are usually NPR territory for me, but Jack is a great station to listen to when I'm on a long drive. And the fact that it's a syndicated format means I can find a good station in most any big, U.S. city for Classic, 80's, and 90's rock without the garbage.

[d. gauss]

mixed bag here in new york. first off, they killed the oldies station cbs 101 to put on JACK without warning, so i was quite suspect from the start. and i don't like the snarky canned voice guy.

 

however, for the first 2 weeks it was very cool. everything from wall of voodoo to chic, digtal underground to charlie daniels! but...

 

after 2 weeks i noticed a tightening of the playlist. lots of repeats. no more promos about never hearing the same song twice. boo! meet the new boss, same as the old boss....

 

-d. gauss

[Phil O'Keefe]

But I noted this: "Jack is a hit-based format designed to appeal to the Adult 25-54 demographic."

 

They'd better check their sights, because while I fall squarely into their intended demographic, they've missed be by a fairly good margin.

 

Again, I think the concept of diversity is a good idea. I do lament the "fake underground" vibe thing, and passing it off as something other than just a huge, random playlist... why not just call it what it is? But I think my biggest beef is the song selection. I'm all for diversity there, and I enjoy a wide variety of musical styles, I would prefer they at least made a little bit more effort to pick the really good songs in several genres, from several eras and play those. There's a LOT of good music in the world that you could pick from... even if you're trying to restrict it to what will appeal to the 25-54 year old age demographic.

 

Maybe for some people they have hit the target right on the bullseye... but from where I sit, they pulled Maggie's Drawers.

[mr.rob]

It's a half baked repackage of some good pop with some hideously bad beyond beleif pop.

Interesting to hear the song "Evenflow" by Pear Jam lead into a song by C and C Music Factory.

I admit, when the C and C Music Factory song came on I listened long enough to guffaw over how such an awful tune could be on any playlist, then I changed the channel.

I mean, is it worth hearing "Purple Rain" if it means having to sit through "You're Unbeleivable"? Sure, I'll get an odd perverse thrill listening to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" or "Rio" or "Shout"

especially when juxtaposed with a song like "Buddy Holly" or "Under the Bridge" but when dead weight like Jesus Jones and god knows who 70's rock b listers stuck in the 80 are in the mix it loses me.

 

I don't oft listen to this station. I actually haven't heard "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" played on it, although I expect had I continued to listen over a longer duration it would have been. And then it would have been followed up by "Barracuda"or "Legs", although "Susudio" and "Eminence Front" and "Sledgehammer" (and what the hell lets throw in "Papa Don't Preach") would in probability be just as likely to be the song leading up to something as turd-like as the latest Lenny Kravitz single; in fact I still carry my distrust of the 80's, and usually enjoy it best as a soundtrack to random murder tirades in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. I find approaching the 80's from that angle more interesting, at this point, than classic rock format radio and adult alternative blandula, for what it's worth. And I enjoy listening to the alterna hits of my school years mixed with the occasional 80's indulgance, during the time I fuss with CD jewel cases and LP sleeves, etc.. But really I turn the channel when a hideously bad song comes on.

Not the best of all possible formats, not the worst.

[Phil O'Keefe]

The other night my wife and I were flipping through the music channel selections on our cable TV and we made a shocking discovery. Just about every major era was represented; but while there were 70's - 90's channels, two different jazz stations (one good, one too "pop"), and a few country channels and even a selection of classic and modern R&B and hip-hop chanels, Spanish language channels, Big Band and even crooner channels, there was NO 60's channel.

 

We were quite bummed.

[Billster]

Ahhh, Jack.

 

Up side: Wider playlist

Down side: Still packaged "known entities" - nothing new. Also I dislike the lack of live DJ and local interest.

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------

I listen mostly to college radio WERS - Emerson College (streaming audio available) and public radio.

 

What I like about WERS is that they have program blocks of about 3 hours per genre (acoustic, jazz, "world", reggae, hip-hop, lounge, etc. - even broadway and children's) and mix new releases with familiar standbys. The weekday jazz program is especially good at this when they have the right DJ on. For instance Billie Holiday --->Madeliene Peyroux, Charles Mingus--->Jeff Coffin, etc.

 

Some music cuts across genres and shows up on the jazz, world and lounge programs. (added that gremlin yet? )

[fantasticsound]

Originally posted by Phil O'Keefe ... there was NO 60's channel. We were quite bummed.

 

In Nashville that was solved in 24 hours.

 

The well known oldies morning dj and his entire crew moved a few freq.'s up the dial. I never heard if it was all planned ahead of time, but it happened lickety-split!

[Lee Knight]

Originally posted by blue2blue Different cookie cutter... same dough.

 

Hey Blue... you're writing songs and ya don't even know it.

 

 

They said "it's something new"

But here's my review

They said "this ones a hit"

But I think it sounds like Jack {censored}

 

So let's go, lt's go, turn off your radio

It's a different cookie cutter... same dough

 

 

[Billster]

Originally posted by fantasticsound In Nashville that was solved in 24 hours. The well known oldies morning dj and his entire crew moved a few freq.'s up the dial. I never heard if it was all planned ahead of time, but it happened lickety-split!

 

A few years ago here in Boston, AOR staple WBCN (Infinity property) wanted to put Howard Stern on in the morning, so local icon Charles Laquidara moved his morning show to "classic rock" WZLX (Infinity property) where he joined at least two other DJ's who moved across the hall previously. And when I say "across the hall", that means literally - the studios were in the same building at the time.