Media regulator OfCom has said that the Guardian Media Group's Smooth Radio franchise cannot automatically drop its commitment to jazz music just because its parent company is planning on launching a new jazz only digital service.
GMG Radio recently announced plans to relaunch Jazz FM as a digital station after rivals GCap announced they were closing down their jazz service theJazz as part of their withdrawal from digital audio broadcasting.
Jazz FM used to be an analogue radio station, of course, but was relaunched as Smooth Radio by GMG with a more mainstream-friendly easy listening music policy in daytime. In order to get OfCom permission to change jazz station Jazz FM into easy station Smooth, GMG had to commit to including some jazz programming late night on Smooth in addition to some online jazz music services.
When they announced plans to relaunch Jazz FM on digital, GMG hoped that that might be used to persuade OfCom to let them drop Smooth FM's commitment to late night jazz, allowing them to output more of that mainstream-friendly easy listening. But OfCom have refused, saying the relaunch of Jazz FM on digital is irrelevant to Smooth FM's programming commitments, and that any move to remove jazz programmes from Smooth must be considered in isolation from GMG's other business ventures.
The regulator said in a statement: "It is important to note that the legislation requires Ofcom to consider the proposed changes... on a stand-alone basis and so this consultation relates solely to those two stations [the former Jazz FM now Smooth franchises in London and Manchester]. Consideration of these changes cannot be linked to any possible future request from GMG to launch a jazz station on DAB".
OfCom will now review the proposal to drop jazz from Smooth.