Jack is a new
radio station in the
Dallas/
Fort Worth Texas area. Owned by
Infinity Broadcasting, Jack is located on the radio dial at 100.3
FM, which had previously been referred to as WILD FM. Late in June of 2004, a vast majority of the staff and radio personality of WILD were fired or otherwise "let go" in preparation for Jack, with the notable exception of someone named
Alex Valentine. Why this is significant, I don't rightly know. The corresponding website for this radio station is www.jackontheweb.com, but don't expect a live internet audio feed. Infinity Broadcasting is a subsidiary of
CBS and
Viacom, and for some reason there's a standing corporate disdain for internet audio feeds.
Reporter
Robert Philpot of the
Fort Worth Star Telegram described Jack-FM's format as
"a mix of classic rock, adult contemporary and adult album alternative -- think ZZ Top, Phil Collins and R.E.M. -- but it's a lot more than that." What makes Jack signficant, and worthy of an E2 node, is that unlike most any other radio station in the world today, Jack's playlist consists of literally thousands of songs, as opposed to the hundred or so that appear to be the norm for any other pop station. Rather than claiming to play "
the best of the sixties seventies eighties and nineties" like other radio stations, Jack's motto is,
"We play what we want." The general assumption is that what Jack wants will just happen to be what the average listener wants to hear as well. Surprisingly, at least in my humble experience, nine times out of ten that happens to be the case. It should be assumed that in six months to a year some corporate suit dupe will step in and tweak the playlist until it's unlistenable, but at the moment it seems successfully geared towards a wide demographic: Unisex and 20 to 40 in age. The station's predecessor WILD was catering a much younger demographic, and both its ratings and lack of success in the advertising department led to this new change. The moral of the story:
Follow the money.
What appears to be bad to some, at least in the early days of Jack, is that the personality of the radio station is limited to teasing
bumpers which are all prerecorded. There's no live
deejays or interruptions by someone in the control room to report about the weather or traffic. However, what appears to be a good thing for some is that there's no live
deejays or interruptions by someone in the control room to report about the weather or traffic. There's just music nonstop. Even commercial interruptions are non existent. Assumedly this will change if the new radio station happens to attract advertisers. It's a gamble, but it's also a safe bet. While it looks unsafe and daring on the surface, the decision to go this route is a calculated risk made by corporate suits that realize they can't do any worse than WILD in terms of ratings. Anything's better than being on the bottom.
There's only abrupt and brief interruptions between songs reminding people that they are listening to Jack, and that the call letters are lame, so that the focus is on the music itself. Occasionally these brief reminders have snappy
memes or amusing punchlines about how hip the radio station is and how no one thought this would ever work and now the naysayers are tuning in. Or there's the occasional
Phone Jack where carefully selected bits of recorded calls are used to infer that Jack is pleasing everybody and if those people are listening intently then so should you. Of course, if anyone attempts to ask Jack to play something specific, Jack says,
"You can listen so long as you follow one rule: don't tell us what to play." This is rude behavior perhaps for a radio station, but it's also downright honest. Radio stations have pretended to do requests, but that practice appears to have ceased some time in the late 1970s. Some argue much earlier than that.
While other stations pretend to serve their community or listenership, Jack makes no pretentions to that nature, nor does it apologize for its behavior. It simply broadcasts music it thinks is good, and if one wants to tune in for a ride they're welcome to do so. If they don't like a radio station with attitude, there's several others to choose from. In my experience, considering how radio is such a
wasteland, beggars simply can't be choosers. Jack is a radio station with the attitude of knowing it's better than anything else out there, and for the most part one is reluctantly forced to agree with its arrogance. Rather sad, that, but there it is.
When 100.3 first became Jack FM, there were rumors that it was actually a joke - a parody format making fun of another recent radio station change in the D/FW area. 97.1 FM had been known as KEGL the Eagle for over twenty years. Clear Channel bought the station and effectively ran it into the ground. When purchased, KDGE 102.1 "The Edge" became The Eagle's sister station. Between that station and another Clear Channel owned station Classic Rock KZPS 92.5, the Eagle found itself competing with its own sisters. However, The Edge was too trendy for diehard Eagle fans, and KZPS was too old and cratchety. Still, The Eagle found itself wedged and
Clear Channel did little to support it, finally ending The Eagle's twenty plus year existence in North Texas. In its place, CC regurgitated its "Sunny" adult contemporary radio format from elsewhere in the country. Sunny 97.1 has a limited and safe playlist consisting of highlights from the latter half of the 20th century. A couple months later, Jack shows up, appealing to the same demographic as Sunny, but much more effectively. Whether or not Jack is actually a joke is yet to be proven, but one would be hard pressed to deny that it's not in reaction to Clear Channel's turning The Eagle into Sunny.
What follows is a sampling of Jack's playlist, taken from random airchecks over the course of several days. The date and time of each piece indicates when each song was heard by myself, not the length of a given piece. Along with the notating of each recording is a
gut check of whether or not I personally found the music appealing at the time I was hearing it. This is probably not very scientific, but a vast majority of the music happened to appeal to me at the time. So as much as I hate to admit it, the station is a go for me. Notice as you scan the list, that there's little to no concern for genre.
Heavy metal big hair bands are played before or after
light rock and
new wave. The intent is to cater to a listener's varied taste in music. Since it's widely known listeners habitually tune from one station to another looking for something they like, the programmers behind Jack are attempting to alleviate a listener's concern in that area, by virtually changing the channel for them. The focus isn't on the idea that one style of music is better than another, but that so long as you consistently play high quality music from any genre, people will remain tuned in. Or something like that. One more thing: If you examine closely you will see duplicates. The station is playing the same songs over and over, but repetition isn't as common on Jack as it is on other stations.
Date Time Band Name Title Good?
7/2/2004 12:41p Journey Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) Y
7/2/2004 12:44p Pat Benatar Love Is A Battlefield Y
7/2/2004 ~12p Led Zeppelin Foolin' Y
7/2/2004 ~10a Billy Joel River of Dreams Y
7/2/2004 12:51p Tom Petty You Don't Know How It Feels Y
7/2/2004 12:52p Heart Barracuda Y
7/2/2004 ~10a Joan Jett I Hate Myself For Lovin' You Y
7/2/2004 12:58p Baltimora Tarzan Boy Y
7/2/2004 1:02p Lynyrd Skynyrd Sweet Home Alabama Y
7/2/2004 1:05p Tears For Fears Tears Roll Down Y
7/2/2004 1:10p Fixx One Thing Leads To Another Y
7/2/2004 1:13p The Kinks Come Dancing Y
7/2/2004 1:18p Simple Minds Alive and Kicking Y
7/2/2004 1:22p Dixie Chicks Landslide (S.Nicks) Y
7/2/2004 1:28p C'est Chic Freak Out Y
7/2/2004 1:30p Police Spirits In The Material World Y
7/2/2004 1:33p Beach Boys Kokomo Y
7/2/2004 1:36p Blues Traveller Run Around Y
7/2/2004 1:39p B.T.O. Let It Ride N
7/2/2004 1:43p The Pretenders Back On The Chain Gang Y
7/2/2004 1:49p Gin Blossoms Follow You Down Y
7/2/2004 1:52p Patty Smyth The Warrior Y
7/2/2004 1:56p O.M.D. Jackie Blue Y
7/2/2004 2:00p Phil Collins You Can't Hurry Love Y
7/2/2004 2:05p John Mellencamp Wild Night Y
7/2/2004 2:07p Elton John Bennie and the Jets Y
7/2/2004 2:21p Rolling Stones Brown Sugar Y
7/2/2004 2:27p Donna Summer She Works Hard For the Money Y
7/2/2004 2:30p Pearl Jam (cover) Last Kiss Y
7/2/2004 3:40p Billy Joel You're Only Human (2nd Wind) Y
7/6/2004 8:38a Joan Osbourne What if God Was One of Us Y
7/6/2004 8:41a Linda Rondstadt When Will I Be Loved N
7/6/2004 8:43a Pet Shop Boys What Have I Done To Deserve N
7/6/2004 8:47a Tom Petty Learning To Fly Y
7/6/2004 9:30a Chumbawamba Tub Thumping N
7/6/2004 9:32a Traveling Wilburys Everybody Needs Somebody Y
7/6/2004 9:37a KC & Sunshine That's the Way I Like It N
7/6/2004 9:40a Matchbox Twenty Unwell Y
7/6/2004 9:43a B-52s Roam Y
7/6/2004 9:47a INXS Need You Tonight Y
7/6/2004 9:50a Manfred Mann Blinded by the Light Y
7/6/2004 9:57a Melissa Etheridge Come To My Window Y
7/6/2004 10:00a Stevie Winwood The Finer Things Y
7/6/2004 10:04a Elton John Your Song Y
7/6/2004 10:08a Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes Y
7/6/2004 10:12a Lenny Kravitz Fly Away Y
7/6/2004 10:16a Tina Turner Simply The Best Y
7/6/2004 10:20a Go-Gos We Got The Beat Y
7/6/2004 10:25a Kid Rock w/S.Crow Picture N
7/6/2004 10:28a David Bowie Rebel Rebel Y
7/6/2004 10:33a Genesis Land of Confusion Y
7/6/2004 10:39a Smash Mouth Walking On The Sun Y
7/6/2004 10:41a Culture Club Karma Chameleon Y
7/6/2004 10:44a Doobie Brothers Black Water Y
7/6/2004 10:49a Sugar Ray When It's Over Y
7/6/2004 10:51a Bangles Manic Monday Y
7/6/2004 10:55a Cars Tonight She Comes Y
7/6/2004 10:59a Seal Kiss From A Rose Y
7/6/2004 11:02a Madonna Who's That Girl N
7/6/2004 11:06a Bad Company Can't Get Enough Of Your Love N
7/6/2004 11:13a Collective Soul December (spit me out) Y
7/6/2004 11:16a Simple Minds Alive And Kicking Y
7/8/2004 8:29a Mister Mister Kyrie Eleison Y
7/8/2004 8:33a Sarah McLachlan Sweet Surrender Y
7/8/2004 8:37a H.Lewis & News This Is It Y
7/8/2004 8:41a KISS Wanna Rock and Roll All Night Y
7/8/2004 8:44a Sugar Ray Fly (w/SuperCat) N
7/8/2004 8:48a Fixx One Thing Leads To Another Y
7/8/2004 8:51a Joan Jett Crimson and Clover Y
7/8/2004 8:54a Roy Orbison Anything You Want Y
7/8/2004 8:58a Paul McCartney Silly Love Songs Y
7/8/2004 9:04a Duran Duran View To A Kill N
7/8/2004 9:07a Don Henley Sunset Grill Y
7/8/2004 9:14a Billy Idol Dancing With Myself Y
7/8/2004 9:18a Fleetwood Mac Say That You Love Me Y
7/8/2004 9:23a Ace of Base I Saw The Signs N
7/8/2004 9:25a Ricky Valens La Bamba Y
7/8/2004 9:28a David Bowie Space Oddity (Major Tom) Y
7/8/2004 9:36a George Michael I Want Your Sex N
7/8/2004 9:49a Jewel Foolish Games Y
7/8/2004 9:57a Peter Schilling Major Tom (Coming Home) Y
7/8/2004 10:02a Jimmy Buffet Brown Eyed Girl N
7/8/2004 10:05a Julian Lennon Much Too Late For Goodbyes Y
7/8/2004 10:09a Westlife Next To Be With You N
7/8/2004 10:15a ?? (icky hiphop) Someone To Lean One Y
7/8/2004 10:18a Bob Seger Shake Down Y
7/8/2004 10:22a ?? - "Why Don't You And I Hold Each Other" Y
7/8/2004 10:26a Eric Clapton Lay Down Sally Y
7/8/2004 10:31a ?? - "Wish I Had A Girl That Walked Like That" N
7/8/2004 10:34a U2 Mysterious Ways Y
7/8/2004 10:36a Paul Simon Graceland Y
7/8/2004 10:41a Meat Loaf Hot Summer Night Y
7/8/2004 10:46a Phil Collins I Can't Dance Y
7/8/2004 10:50a ZZ Top Gimme All Your Lovin Y
7/8/2004 10:53a Eric Carmen Hungry Eyes Y
7/8/2004 10:57a Cars Let The Good Times Roll Y
7/8/2004 11:03a Traveling Wilburys Well It's All Right Y
7/8/2004 11:06a 10cc I'm Not In Love Y
7/9/2004 8:03a Police Don't Stand So Close To Me Y
7/9/2004 8:06a Meat Loaf Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad Y
7/9/2004 8:13a Cardigans Lovefool N
7/9/2004 8:16a John Mellencamp Paper In Fire Y
7/9/2004 8:19a Pat Benatar Hit Me With Your Best Shot Y
7/9/2004 8:23a KISS Shout It Out Loud Y
7/9/2004 8:26a No Doubt Don't Speak Y
7/9/2004 8:29a Hall and Oates Kiss On My List N
7/9/2004 9:32a Blue Oyster Cult Don't Fear the Reaper Y
7/9/2004 9:36a ?? - "Takes some time.. Everything Will B Alright"Y
7/9/2004 8:41a Patty Smyth The Warrior Y
7/9/2004 8:44a Level 42 Something About You Y
7/9/2004 8:47a Marvin Gaye What's Going On Y
7/9/2004 8:52a Melissa Etheridge Wanna Come Over Y
7/9/2004 8:56a Kenny Loggins Danger Zone Y
7/2/2004 1:39p B.T.O. Let It Ride Y
7/9/2004 9:05a Madonna Celebrate N
7/9/2004 9:09a Aerosmith Crazy Y
7/9/2004 9:14a INXS New Sensation Y
7/9/2004 9:17a Billy Joel Second Wind Y
7/9/2004 9:26a Beatles Back In The USSR Y
7/9/2004 9:38a Bruce Springsteen Cover Me Y
7/9/2004 9:41a Supertramp The Logical Song Y
7/9/2004 9:46a Seal Prayer For The Dying Y
7/9/2004 9:50a The Who You Better You Bet Y
7/9/2004 9:54a Yello Oh Yeah Y
7/9/2004 9:57a Doobie Brothers Taking It To The Streets Y
7/9/2004 10:00a Rod Stewart Forever Young Y
7/9/2004 10:29a Proclaimers I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) Y
7/9/2004 10:33a Bonnie Tyler Total Eclipse of the Heart Y
7/9/2004 10:38a Grand Funk Railroad Some Kind of Wonderful Y
7/9/2004 10:41a Vanessa Carlton A Thousand Miles Y
7/9/2004 10:44a Jackson Browne Somebody's Baby Y
7/9/2004 10:48a Men At Work Land Down Under Y
7/9/2004 10:53a Foreigner Cold As Ice Y
7/9/2004 10:58a Rembrandts I'll Be There For You Y
7/9/2004 11:01a Prince Kiss Y
7/9/2004 11:03a Elton John Bennie and the Jets Y
7/9/2004 11:07a Cars Drive Y
7/9/2004 11:11a Bare Naked Ladies One Week Y
7/9/2004 11:14a Yes Owner of a Lonely Heart Y
7/9/2004 11:19a Toni Basil Mickey Y
7/9/2004 11:22a Pearl Jam Last Kiss (cover) Y
7/9/2004 11:25a Steely Dan Reeling In The Years Y
7/9/2004 11:31a H.Lewis & News Do You Believe In Love Y
7/9/2004 11:34a Alanis Morissette You Oughta Know Y
7/9/2004 11:37a Journey Any Way You Want It Y
7/9/2004 11:43a War Low Rider Y
7/9/2004 11:45a EMF You're Unbelievable Y
7/9/2004 11:48a John Lennon Watching the Wheels Y
7/9/2004 11:51a Hall and Oates Out of Touch (Out of Time) Y
7/9/2004 11:55a Pat Green Wave On Wave Y
7/9/2004 11:59a John Mellencamp Walls Come Tumbling Down Y
7/9/2004 12:02p Meat Loaf Paradise By Dashboard Light Y
7/9/2004 12:11p Madonna Vogue N
7/9/2004 12:22p Tom Petty Dont Come Round Here No More Y
7/9/2004 12:26p Simon and Garfunkel Me & Julio Down By Schoolyard Y
7/9/2004 12:29p Collective Soul Shine Y
7/9/2004 12:35p Kool and the Gang Celebrate Y
7/9/2004 12:39p Aerosmith Sweet Emotion Y
7/9/2004 12:42p No Doubt Keep On Dancing Y
7/9/2004 12:47p Rick Springfield You Better Love Somebody Y
7/9/2004 12:52p U2 - Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For Y
7/9/2004 12:56p E.L.O. Evil Woman Y
7/9/2004 12:59p Better Than Ezra Good Y
7/9/2004 1:02p Pat Benatar Shadows of the Night Y
7/9/2004 1:07p Paul McCartney (Wings) Maybe I'm Amazed (live) Y
7/9/2004 1:12p Stray Cats Rock This Town Y
7/9/2004 1:15p REM Shiny Happy People Y
7/9/2004 1:18p Fleetwood Mac Hold Me Y
7/9/2004 1:22p Howard Jones Things Can Only Get Better Y
7/9/2004 1:26p Five For Fighting Superman Y
7/9/2004 1:31p Boz Scaggs - Lido Shuffle (1 more 4 the road) Y
7/9/2004 1:34p Cyndi Lauper Girls Just Want To Have Fun Y
7/9/2004 1:37p Black Crowes Hard To Handle Y
7/9/2004 1:40p Glenn Frey The Heat Is On Y
7/9/2004 1:45p Abba Waterloo Y
7/9/2004 1:53p Genesis No Reply Y
7/9/2004 1:55p Elvis Presley Don't Be Cruel Y
7/9/2004 1:58p Bob Seger Hollywood Nights Y
7/9/2004 2:02p David Bowie Let's Dance Y
7/9/2004 2:09p Steve Miller Band Fly Like An Eagle Y
7/9/2004 2:13p Alanis Morissette You Learn Y
7/9/2004 2:17p Animotion Obsession Y
7/9/2004 2:23p John Mellencamp Lonely Ole Night Y
7/9/2004 2:26p Stevie Wonder I Wish Y
7/9/2004 2:29p Joan Osbourne What If God Was One Of Us Y
7/9/2004 2:32p Hall and Oates Maneater Y
7/9/2004 2:38p Supertramp Breakfast In America Y
7/9/2004 2:41p Matchbox Twenty Unwell Y
7/9/2004 2:45p ?? (Let's Go) All The Way Y
7/9/2004 2:48p REO Speedwagon Take It On The Run Y
7/9/2004 2:51p Rolling Stones Honkytonk Women Y
I received the following msgs after posting this thing, and wanted to save them somewhere, so, here ya go. Thanks to everybody for all the help.
Ashley Pomeroy says "I'm not in love" is of course by 10CC - unless it was a cover version.
dem bones says re KJKK 100.3 FM: final paragraph before song listings - you've got 'ame' when you want 'same'
panamaus says re KJKK 100.3 FM: "I'm Not In Love" is a 10cc song. Also, "Low Rider" was probably ZZ Top. You could probably Google the others.
Cool Man Eddie says Hey, Zach,
Servo5678 just cooled your KJKK 100.3 FM writeup, baby!
Eidolos says Re: KJKK 100.3 FM While I can't speak for any other songs, I know Low Rider is from a band called War.