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Timeline of Jazz FM (UK)

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A timeline of notable events relating to Jazz FM, a radio station in the United Kingdom, and its predecessors 102.2 Jazz FM and 100.4 Jazz FM.

1990s

[edit]
1990
1991
  • February – Gilles Peterson is fired after playing peace songs on-air and encouraging listeners to attend an anti-war march during the Gulf War.[3]
1992
  • No events.
1993
  • July – Jazz FM's licence is put up for renewal by the Radio Authority. As well as Jazz FM, there is a bid for the licence from Euro Jazz London, which includes ex-Jazz FM employees.[4]
  • September – Jazz FM retained its licence to broadcast.[5]
1994
  • 9 May – Jazz FM is changed to JFM in order to appeal to more listeners who may have been put off by the name "jazz", and who thoink that Jazz FM only plays jazz records.[6] The station spends £500,000 on publicising the name change.[7]
  • 1 September – 100.4 Jazz FM is launched in Manchester as 100.4 JFM.
1995
  • Richard Wheatly is appointed as Jazz FM's chief executive officer to revive the station, which has three months cash remaining in the bank.[8] Golden Rose Communications was floated on the stock exchange in the early part of 1995.[9][10] Wheatly subsequently sells sister station Viva AM which was losing £100,000 a month before the sale[8] for £3 million to Mohamed Al-Fayed as part of his cost-cutting plans.[11][12]
  • Autumn – JFM is rebranded back to Jazz FM after Wheatley asks the Radio Authority for permission to change the station's name.[13][11][14] The change back to Jazz FM is reported to have cost £900,000.[7]
1996
  • No events.
1997
  • No events.
1998
  • No events.
1999
  • No events.

2000s

[edit]
2000
  • 7 June – Jazz FM launches ejazz.fm,[15] on 7 June 2000[16] a website focused on the wide genre of jazz and including free and subscription based jazz content[17] as well as two continuous jazz music streams for uptempo and downtempo jazz. The website is designed by the DDW agency.[18] Club ejazz for a subscription of £5 a month allows listeners to listen to exclusive one-hour specialist shows from Jazz FM presenters as well as live and recorded concert material.[19][20]
2001
  • No events.
2002
  • 6 June – The Jazz FM stations are purchased by the Guardian Media Group,[21] and subsequently become part of the company's radio division, GMG Radio Holdings Ltd.[22] 100.4 Jazz FM is closed and rebranded the following year.[23]
2003
  • GMG Radio conducts market research into the type of music that listeners in the north-west of England want to hear on the radio. The study concludes that many people are dissuaded by the name Jazz.[24]
2004
  • 10 February – Dave Lincoln, a well-known radio personality in Northwest England, and former Radio 1 presenter Andy Peebles will head the line-up when 100.4 Jazz FM is relaunched as 100.4 Smooth FM in March.[25]
  • 13 February – 100.4 Jazz FM closes ahead of its relaunch.
  • 1 March – 100.4 Jazz FM is relaunched as 100.4 Smooth FM.
  • 12 July – The Guardian Media Group relaunches the ejazz.fm website.[26] The site includes more than 200 specially commissioned programmes,[27] with five new programmes being added each month from Jazz FM's presenters such as Sarah Ward, the late Campbell Burnap and Peter Young, as well as jazz news and features, including the ejazz.fm artist of the month. The subscription fee for Club ejazz is dropped but user registration remains.
2005
  • 14 February – GMG Radio confirms plans to rebrand 102.2 Jazz FM in London with the Smooth name after being given permission to do so by Ofcom. As part of the changes, Smooth has committed to continue to play 45 hours of jazz content each week.[28]
  • 27 May – 102.2 Jazz FM closes at midnight, ahead of its relaunch. The last song to be played on the station is "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" by Ella Fitzgerald.[29][30]
  • 7 June –
    • London's 102.2 Jazz FM is relaunched as 102.2 Smooth FM.
    • Alongside the launch of 102.2 Smooth Radio, the ejazz.fm website is renamed to jazzfm.com. The station also broadcasts on free-to-air digital satellite and via the Sky platform.
2006
  • 10 April – It is announced that Jazzfm.com will no longer be available in Yorkshire from summer 2006 after Leeds United and the multiplex owner, MXR Yorkshire agree a deal to launch a new sports and music radio station, Yorkshire Radio.[31][32]
2007
  • No events.
2008
  • 14 March – GMG Radio announces plans to relaunch Jazz FM from the jazzfm.com service which broadcasts on DAB in Glasgow, online and on a DAB multiplex in London, and requests that Ofcom remove the 45-hour jazz commitment for its Smooth Radio stations in London and Manchester.[33]
  • 22 April – Ofcom declines GMG Radio's request to remove the Smooth Radio jazz commitment.[34] GMG relaunches Jazz FM despite having to retain the jazz commitment.[35]
  • 8 October – GMG Radio relaunches Jazz FM on DAB.
2009
  • No events.

2010s

[edit]
2010
  • 5 August – With the announcement that Smooth Radio will become a national station from 4 October, the jazz commitments for London and the North West are also ended.[36]
2011
  • No events.
2012
  • 19 February – Jazz FM issues an apology after listeners heard five minutes of what appeared to be an adult film played over the beginning of one of its programmes the previous evening.[37] Ofcom later launches an investigation into the incident after receiving three complaints.[38][39]
  • 23 April – Jazz FM is found to be in breach of Ofcom's broadcasting code after the transmission of a pornographic soundtrack during an edition of one of its programmes. However, the station is not fined over the incident.[40]
2013
  • 5–7 July – Jazz FM's inaugural Love Supreme Festival, the first greenfield jazz festival to be held in the UK for twenty years, is held at Glynde Place in East Sussex.[41]
  • 26 July – Jazz FM is heard on DAB in Northern Ireland for the first time as digital radio is switched on there, allowing a further 1.4 million listeners to hear the station.[42]
  • 29 November – Robbie Vincent announces he will leave Jazz FM. His final show airs on Sunday 1 December.[43]
2014
  • 1 January – Jazz FM stops broadcasting on the national Digital One multiplex, but continues to be available on DAB in London, online and through satellite television.[44] Its Digital One slot is temporarily taken over by the return of Birdsong Radio, with plans for a permanent replacement in February.[45]
  • 11 February – LBC 97.3 launches nationally on the Digital One platform, taking over the slot formerly occupied by Jazz FM.[46][47]
  • 15 September – The Jazz FM schedule receives an overhaul, which includes an hour of specialist jazz programmes each day, and Lynn Parsons taking over as presenter of The Jazz Breakfast.[48]
2015
  • 4 March – Jazz FM celebrates its 25th anniversary with a series of clips from its archives.[49]
  • 12–15 November – BBC Radio 3 joins with Jazz FM to operate a four-day pop-up station called BBC Music Jazz.[50]
2016
  • 29 February – Jazz FM is made available nationally as a digital station again when it launches on the Sound Digital multiplex.[51]
  • 24 March – Mike Chadwick retires from the station after over 20 years.[52]
  • 22 June – Jazz FM announces it will extend its morning business programme, Business Breakfast from 30 minutes to an hour on 24 June to cover the results of the EU membership referendum.[53]
  • 15 August – Jazz FM introduces a new schedule. Clare Anderson's The Late Lounge is dropped, while Mark Walker succeeds Helen Mayhew as presenter of Dinner Jazz. New one-hour programmes are also introduced at 6pm.[54]
2017
  • 5 July – Jazz FM confirms its presenter Peter Young, known as PY to listeners, has stepped down from his presenting role after 27 years at the station due to ill health. The station also announces a new schedule beginning on 8 July, which will see three new presenters – Tony Minvielle, Tim Garcia and Anne Frankenstein – join its weekend lineup.[55]
2018
2019
  • No events.

2020s

[edit]
2020
2021
  • 24 January – Clare Teal joins Jazz FM to present a Sunday evening show dedicated to Big Band and Swing music.[61]
  • 21 February – David Jensen joins Jazz FM to present a six-part series about his love of jazz music. The programme will also highlight his work for Parkinson's UK.[62]
  • 28 March – Jeff Young presents his last Sunday morning show for Jazz FM, having announced the previous weekend his intention to leave the station after ten years.[63]
  • 4 April –
    • Jazz FM begins a new Sunday presenting line up which sees Tony Minvielle moving from a late night slot to replace Jeff Young's show, and the fulltime return of Robbie Vincent.[63]
    • Jazz FM begins the ten-part series The Definitive History of Jazz in Britain, presented by BBC journalist Clive Myrie.[64]
  • 4 May – Bauer Radio announces plans to launch premium online subscription services to compliment Jazz FM as well as Scala Radio, Planet Rock and Kerrang! Radio, with an extra 20 stations available ad free and with extra content.[65]
2022
  • 9 January – Jazz Meets Classical, a six-part series exploring the relationship between jazz and classical music begins airing on both Jazz FM and Scala Radio.[66]
  • 19 August – Jazz FM launches its occasional Guest Head of Music feature, allowing an artist whose music is played on the station to choose the day's playlist. The first Guest Head of Music is Emma-Jean Thackray.[67]
2023
  • 19 April – Jazz FM is announced as the official media partner of Birmingham’s Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival 2023, which takes place from 7–9 July.[68]
  • 24 April – Danielle Perry joins Jazz FM to present the weekday mid morning show, replacing Deb Grant.[69]
  • 28 August – Jamie Crick presents his final programme on Jazz FM prior to his death the following day.[70]
  • 13 September – Jazz FM confirms that the annual Jazz FM Awards will return in Spring 2024, moving back to spring following disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic.[71]
  • 23 October – Simon Phillips joins Jazz FM to take on the weekday drivetime show following the death of previous presenter Jamie Crick.[72]
2024
  • 22 June – Tim Smith joins Jazz FM to present their Summer Book Club.[73]
  • 22 July – Jazz FM launches a new summer schedule, which sees new programmes for several of its presenters, but the departure of Lil Koko and Claire Teal.[74]
  • 7 September – Ken Bruce joins Jazz FM to present Ken Bruce on Drums, a four-part weekly series looking at the role of the jazz drummer.[75]
  • 28 December – After a seven decade career presenting on British radio, Sarah Ward presents her final edition of The Sarah Ward Collection for Jazz FM, having decided to step back from presenting the show.[76]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Entertainment | Jazz FM goes for new smooth title". BBC News. 15 February 2005. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  2. ^ Graham, Stephen (9 September 2010). "Jazz breaking news: Jazz FM To Air Ella Fitzgerald Historic Albert Hall Broadcast". Jazzwise Magazine. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  3. ^ "Gilles Peterson: at home with the superstar DJ". Financial Times.
  4. ^ Hebditch, Stephen (July 1993). "AM/FM #13 – July 1993". AM/FM. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  5. ^ Hebditch, Stephen (September 1993). "AM/FM #15 – September 1993". AM/FM.
  6. ^ "Business and City Summary". The Independent. 9 May 1994. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2009.
  7. ^ a b Donovan, Paul (5 December 2004). "All that jazz". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2008.
  8. ^ a b Garrett, Alexander (1 January 2001). "MONEY, MEETINGS AND ALL THAT JAZZ". Management Today. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  9. ^ Perry, Michelle (11 October 2002). "Profile: Alastair Mackenzie, Jazz fm FD". Computing. Archived from the original on 14 September 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  10. ^ INM (2 November 1997). "This Rose smells sweet". The Independent. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  11. ^ a b Minter, Rachel (3 September 2001). "OPINION: Question Time With – Richard Wheatly. Jazz fm's boss can finally relax and enjoy sax and cars, says Rachel Minter". Brand Republic. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  12. ^ MacDonald, Marianne (4 June 1996). "Al-Fayed buys Viva! radio for pounds 3m". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  13. ^ "102.2 Smooth FM (Greater London)" (PDF). Ofcom. 20 October 2006. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
  14. ^ Poole, Denis (February 2000). "Smooth jazz radio in the UK – Part 1". Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  15. ^ "Commercial radio makes waves online". BBC News. 24 October 2000. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  16. ^ "London radio station Jazz FM launches new internet audio channel ejazz.fm". All About Jazz. 5 July 2000. Archived from the original on 20 February 2004. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
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  18. ^ Schogger, Damian (2 June 2000). "DDW updates classics for Ejazz.fm website". Mad.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  19. ^ "EJAZZ.FM – the site for real jazz heads". All About Jazz. 18 October 2000. Archived from the original on 21 February 2004. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  20. ^ Bowsher, Ed (19 October 2000). "JazzFM swings to a better beat". Citywire. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
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  22. ^ "GMG Radio sale: Look back at group's history". Radio Today. 25 June 2012. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  23. ^ Key, Philip (26 February 2004). "Jazz FM opts for change of tempo". Daily Post. Liverpool: Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 31 January 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
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  28. ^ "Jazz FM turns Smooth operator to boost listeners". The Guardian. 14 February 2005. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
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  31. ^ News from Yorkshire MXR multiplex! Published by MXR Ltd. Accessed 12 October 2006
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  33. ^ "102.2 Smooth Radio (London) and 100.4 Smooth Radio (North-West England) – Request to Change Station Formats" (PDF). Ofcom. 14 March 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 October 2008.
  34. ^ "Smooth Radio (London and North-West) Formats Change – Request Denied". Ofcom. 23 April 2008. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008.
  35. ^ Plunkett, John (23 April 2008). "Ofcom tells Smooth Radio to keep jazz output". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  36. ^ "Smooth goes national on D1". Radio Today. 5 August 2010. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  37. ^ "Jazz FM turns blue after studio incident". Radio Today. 19 February 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  38. ^ "Ofcom investigates Jazz FM porn broadcast". Radio Today. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  39. ^ Plunkett, John (5 March 2012). "Jazz FM to be investigated over gay porn gaffe". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  40. ^ "Jazz FM found in breach after incident". Radio Today. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  41. ^ Mann, Andrea (10 July 2017). "REVIEW: Love Supreme Might Just Be Britain's Best New Music Festival". HuffPost. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
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  43. ^ "Robbie Vincent refused last show on Jazz". Radio Today. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
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  45. ^ "New national DAB station to launch in Feb". Radio Today. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  46. ^ "Global Radio to take LBC national on D1". Radio Today. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  47. ^ "Financial Times sponsors new UK wide LBC". Radio Today. 11 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
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  49. ^ "Jazz FM looks back at 25 years of radio". Radio Today. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  50. ^ "BBC Radio to launch temporary Jazz Pop-up digital radio station with Jazz FM and The EFG London Jazz Festival". bbc.com. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
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  54. ^ "Jazz FM goes presenter-free late at night". Radio Today. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  55. ^ "Peter Young leaves Jazz FM due to ill health – RadioToday". radiotoday.co.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  56. ^ "China Moses joins daily presenting lineup on Jazz FM". Jazz FM. 21 March 2018. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  57. ^ "Jazz songwriter China Moses joins Jazz FM". Radio Today. 23 March 2018. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  58. ^ Martin, Roy (16 August 2018). "Bauer Media Group agrees to acquire Jazz FM". Radio Today. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  59. ^ "Sax player and broadcaster YolanDa Brown joins Jazz FM". Radio Today. 26 May 2020. Archived from the original on 16 June 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  60. ^ "Simon Phillips joins Jazz FM for weekend breakfast". 23 September 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  61. ^ "Clare Teal is joining Bauer for new Jazz FM show". 5 January 2021. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  62. ^ "David Kid Jensen gets six part series on Jazz FM". 10 February 2021. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  63. ^ a b "Jazz FM Sunday changes sees Robbie Vincent return". 22 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  64. ^ "History of jazz series planned for Jazz FM". 17 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  65. ^ "Bauer to launch ad-free premium radio spin-offs". 4 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  66. ^ "Jazz FM and Scala Radio to share new Jazz meets Classical series". 8 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  67. ^ "Jazz FM artists are to programme the station's music across the day". 16 August 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  68. ^ Collins, Steve (19 April 2023). "Jazz FM to be official media partner for Mostly Jazz 2023". Radio Today. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  69. ^ Martin, Roy (3 April 2023). "Broadcasters Danielle Perry and Tim Smith to join Jazz FM". Radio Today. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  70. ^ Collins, Steve (29 August 2023). "Broadcaster Jamie Crick has died at the age of 57". Radio Today. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  71. ^ "Jazz FM Awards moves back to Spring event for 2024". Radio Today. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  72. ^ "Simon Phillips to host weekday afternoons on Jazz FM". Radio Today. 16 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  73. ^ "Tim Smith to present Jazz FM's Summer Book Club". Radio Today. 18 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  74. ^ "New summer schedule for Jazz FM as Clare Teal and Lil Koko leave". Radio Today. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  75. ^ "Ken Bruce joins Jazz FM to present series on drummers and drums". Radio Today. 1 September 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  76. ^ Martin, Roy (2 December 2024). "Jazz FM's Sarah Ward leaves weekly show on Jazz FM after seven decades on the radio". Radio Today. Retrieved 3 December 2024.