GMG Drops JazzFM Brand To Smooth Over Audience Woes
Guardian Media Group-owned JazzFM will disappear from London’s airwaves later this year as the company rebrands its station as Smooth FM order to appeal to a wider audience of listeners and boost its weekly reach.
The move follows the success of Smooth FM in the north west, which was rebranded from JazzFM last March. The London-based station will adopt the new brand from the third quarter of 2005, targeting a wider audience of listeners and supported by a multi-million pound TV and outdoor campaign across the capital.
GMG’s decision to drop its JazzFM brand was taken after efforts to communicate the station’s programme schedule whilst retaining the JazzFM name failed to significantly increase audience and revenue.
However, research carried out by the broadcaster revealed that there was an audience for the mix of R&B and soul music which 102.2 Smooth FM will play. Artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, George Benson and Diana Krall will fill the new station’s daytime schedule following permission from Ofcom for GMG to change its format last year (see Jazz FM To Increase Advertiser Appeal With Mixed Playlists).
Explaining the move, GMG Radio’s chief executive, John Myers, said: “We believe this station has enormous potential and will soon be among London’s top five commercial stations. As sorry as we are to say goodbye to JazzFM it’s a sad fact of life that it has never made a profit in its 15 years of existence.”
He added: “We are caught between not playing enough jazz to please the purist and having the name JazzFM which inhibits trial from other listeners. There are not enough people who like jazz music to make it a viable proposition and this has been a fact for 15 years now. This new brand and direction will allow us to really grab the opportunities that lie ahead – there is a wider gap in the market for what we will do. The success of and appetite for Smooth FM has already been proven in the north west and we’re looking forward to replicating its achievements in London.”
Smooth FM in the north west has already seen its revenues increase by 400%, with audience levels also growing. The station currently holds a record weekly audience of 437,000, representing a 43% increase year on year.
The London station will continue its commitment to broadcast 45 hours of specialist jazz programming each week, and current presenters such as Sarah Ward, Ramsey Lewis and Campbell Burnap will remain with the station.
The JazzFM website will also continue, with GMG investing in the site to provide pure jazz output 24 hours a day via the internet. Myers said: “Whilst its not on FM, this move will ensure that those listeners who enjoy real jazz can go to a site and hear their music 24 hours a day.” Smooth FM’s website, Smoothfm.com, will be launched alongside the new station later this year.
Guardian Media Group: 020 7713 4452 www.gmgplc.co.uk/
Recent Radio Stories from NewsLine SMG Rejects 3i Offer For Virgin Radio GFK Pulls MediaWatch From RAJAR Audiometer Tests Digital Radio Penetration Hits Record Level
Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive