Ofcom have published details of why it decided to award the new radio licence for Oxford and South Oxfordshire to Jack FM.
Among the reasons were that it would increase listener choice in the TSA with a Pop, Rock and Classic Rock music policy, and dedicated local current affairs programmes containing 40% speech.
Ofcom also said it recognised the financial benefits of co-locating Jack FM with Absolute Radio's existing station in the city (Oxford's FM 107.9), and sharing resources between the two. The Radio Licensing Committee (RLC) recognised the realism of the group's financial projections when compared with the performance of existing stations of a similar size and the forecasts of other applicants.
Jack FM also proposed locally produced and presented programmes for at least 18 hours a day, with extensive local news and other locally-relevant information – again proving a hit with the RLC. Officials were also impressed with Jack FM's research-based decision to define the station based on the target group and propose a music policy that encompasses a mixture of eras and genres within that target group, rather than to define the station mainly by a particular era or genre.
For the full details of Ofcom's decision click [link=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/car/awards/oxford/]here[/link].