theJazz

theJazz was a British jazz digital radio station run by GCap Media that started on Christmas Day of 2006[1] on Digital One, DAB ensemble, Sky Digital, Virgin Media,[2] and the internet.[3]

theJazz
Broadcast areaUnited Kingdom
FrequencySky Digital: 0113
Virgin Media: 961
SloganCome into the cool and feel good
Programming
FormatJazz
Ownership
OwnerGCap Media
History
First air date
25 December 2006
Last air date
31 March 2008
Links
Websitethejazz.com

The station played blues and traditional and modern jazz[2] and stopped broadcasting on 31 March 2008 on DAB. The station was a generic automated two-hour loop on Sky, Virgin, and onlne without disc jockeys.[4] This was closed down and removed from Sky and Virgin on 3 November. Chill started on Digital TV using theJazz's old channel numbers on both Sky and Virgin.

History

After the closing of PrimeTime Radio, Ofcom allowed a variation of the Digital One license to replace the requirement of an easy listening station to a classic and contemporary jazz requirement.[5] On 19 September 2006, GCap released a press statement announcing the start of a national radio station before 2007.[6]

TheJazz started test transmissions on all the platforms it would broadcast on in December 2006. The test transmissions consisted of Lindos Electronics test tones and an announcement of the forthcoming broadcast.[7] Beginning in December 2007, it broadcast on DAB at a bit rate of 96 kbit/s in mono. This was increased to 128 kbit/s in joint stereo.

On 6 April 2007, the station started programming led by presenters.[8] At 09:00, Darren Henley, managing director of Classic FM, opened theJazz. Helen Mayhew was the first voice heard on theJazz, introducing theJazz 500, a chart of jazz songs voted for by listeners.[9] Presenters included Margherita Taylor, Jamie Cullum, David Jensen, Mike Chadwick, Anthony Davis, Digby Fairweather, Jacqui Dankworth, and Courtney Pine.[10]

On 11 February 2008, GCap Media announced that unless a buyer was found, theJazz and its sister station Planet Rock would close at the end of March 2008. To compensate for the closing, Classic FM broadcast a nightly jazz program between midnight and 2 am, but that ceased in late September 2008 without warning. TheJazz stopped broadcasting at midnight, 31 March 2008 on DAB. The last song to be broadcast was "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin followed by the beginning of "Tally Ho" by Don Byron.[4]

Services

Internet

GCap Media has also stated that the station will expand beyond radio in the services it offers, including podcasts, concerts, and downloads.[2] GCap set up a MySpace profile for theJazz to promote the station in the same way that it has done for sister stations such as Planet Rock, Chill, and Core. On 1 August 2007 the website was restarted as part of this expansion.[11]

Record publishing

In April 2007, GCap announced that it had made a deal with Universal Classic and Jazz to allow theJazz to start its own record label. The label will publish jazz albums under theJazz name.[12]

Other

PURE Digital and TheJazz started a branded DAB digital radio receiver in 2007, sold exclusively in Marks & Spencer stores in the United Kingdom.[11]

Slogans
  • "Come into the cool and feel good with The Jazz."

See also
  • 102.2 Jazz FM – An earlier UK jazz-only radio station which broadcast from 2002 until 2005 before being rebranded as 102.2 Smooth FM. It was owned by GMG Radio and had no connection with theJazz. However, many of the DJs and shows from Jazzfm could be heard on theJazz.

References
  1. Xmas Day launch for GCap Jazz Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine. Published by Radio Today on 28 November 2006. Accessed 28 November 2006.
  2. GCap Media Press Release for theJazz. Released 28 November 2006. Accessed 28 November 2006.
  3. Welsh, James. GCap's jazz station gets Christmas launch, published by Digital Spy on 28 November 2006. Accessed November 29, 2006.
  4. Sherwin, Adam (2008-05-02). "Jazz station wins record audience after scrapping DJs". The Times. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  5. "ANNEX - PART I - Conditions relating to simulcast services and digital sound programme services". Ofcom. Archived from the original (doc) on 2007-06-29. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  6. "GCap Media to Launch First National Jazz Station". GCap Media. 2006-09-19. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  7. "theJazz starts testing". Radio Today. 2006-12-17. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  8. "GCap axes all Core presenters". Radio Today. 2007-03-15. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-03-15.
  9. "Helen Mayhew - Latest News". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-03-15.
  10. "theJazz comes alive". Radio Today. 2007-03-24. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  11. "New website for theJazz". Radio Today. 2007-07-26. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  12. Milman, Oliver (2007-04-30). "Record label extension for theJazz". mad.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-05-05.
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