Reading 107 bosses are changing their station name to JACK fm, becoming the 6th such station to import the brand from North America.
Station Chairman Sir John Madejski signed a deal this week to license the name, saying it’s part of his plan to invest in bringing more entertaining and local radio to the area.
The station will have a new live breakfast show and then play non-stop music during the day but no launch date has yet been set.
Rumours of the station changing name surfaced last week after breakfast presenter Robert Kenny suddenly left the station.
All programming will continue to be produced from the station’s base at Reading’s Madejski Stadium and JACK fm Berkshire will remain fully owned and operated by Reading Broadcasting Company Ltd with Sir John Madejski as Chairman.
Sir John Madejski said: “I welcome this exciting move and I am delighted that it brings something refreshingly different to any other local radio station.”
Managing Director Sue Reynolds said: “Listeners deserve a radio station that is based in the area that they live in, and talks about their lives. People want to be entertained when listening to the radio, which JACK will deliver, instead of patronising them. We have a responsibility to our advertisers to deliver an audience, and JACK fm will achieve that quickly.”
Gavin Harris, who was Reading 107’s PC, will be JACK fm Berkshire’s Programme Manager. He said: “It’s really exciting for me to be part of bringing the JACK fm format to Berkshire. I am confident that listeners will love hearing us Playing What We Want, and talking about everything that is happening in Berkshire.”
Pat Bohn, President of JACK fm owner SparkNet said: “We are really looking forward to working with Reading. Their excitement at bringing JACK to their community is contagious and we can’t wait to help them go live.”
This could be just the first new JACK of 2014 as the current holding page at jackfm.co.uk suggests JACK fm is launching in a number of other regions including London, the North West, Scotland and Wales.
Photo shows Chairman Sir John Madejski signing the agreement with Managing Director Sue Reynolds.
Posted on Thursday, January 23rd, 2014 at 6:41 pm by RadioToday UK