Independent radio is a rare beast in the UK. In fact, there are only two British radio stations that are owned by an individual. One of those is Radio Jackie, which markets itself as “The Sound of South- West London.” I talked to Steve Mowbray, a presenter on Radio Jackie, to ask him about the station.
Radio Jackie has had a long and varied history. It was founded in March 1969 as a pirate radio station, meaning it was acting illegally, without a licence. At the time, the only radio station was the BBC, which didn’t play the American rock music that was loved by the youth of the time. Mowbray told me that unlicensed pirate stations were created to play music that would be enjoyed by the young.
The major example was Radio Caroline, named after Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of President John F Kennedy. It broadcast from a ship located off the British coast and was thus safe from the British authorities. Radio Jackie was created in the same vein. It was named after President Kennedy’s wife, Jackie Kennedy, but unlike Radio Caroline, it was originally broadcast from a pram being pushed around a park. Originally, it was only meant to broadcast for one week, but it proved to be so popular that it became a mainstay of the pirate radio scene.
“Radio Jackie was a threat to the BBC so the General Post Office (GPO) would try to shut it down by raiding the offices and confiscating equipment. However, these actions were ruled unlawful, so Radio Jackie could continue transmitting,” Mowbray told me. He went on, “Radio Jackie did not want to be a pirate radio station. We wanted to be a station that could serve the interests of people in South-West London. But we didn’t have a licence.”
Radio Jackie worked with and co-operated with the authorities and acted as a legal radio station in all but name, even receiving advertisements from companies as big as Barclays Bank. They were told off the record that they were a good experiment in local radio, and in 1972, a recording of the station was played in the House of Commons, to show what local radio could sound like. However, this all came crashing down after a series of well-publicised raids, and a controversial survey, where it was discovered that Radio Jackie was more popular in South-West London than the legal Capital FM. This led to a series of appeals by Capital, who said that their listeners were being stolen by Radio Jackie. This forced the closure of the station in 1985.
In 1997, Radio Jackie found a perfect opportunity to get back on air. A new FM license for South-West London was advertised, and Jackie applied. Unfortunately, Jackie lost the bid, and it instead went to a new station called Thames FM. However, this new station failed, and they offered the license to Radio Jackie for the token sum of £1. Finally, Radio Jackie was back!
Nowadays, Radio Jackie is a very different operation. It is owned by one man, Tony Collis. This makes it one of only two independent radio stations alongside Two Lochs Radio in Scotland. Radio Jackie is a tightknit organisation, with a dedicated team of presenters who are all, as Mowbray puts it, “from the manor.” Some presenters, such as Mick Brown, a former Capital Radio host, are experienced in the broadcasting business, while others, such as those who present the traffic and travel sections, are radio rookies, looking to take their next step. “Radio Jackie has one of the largest potential audiences in the UK, more than stations in Manchester or Glasgow, therefore a job on Radio Jackie is much sought after.” Radio Jackie is at its heart a community radio station. It provides local news for South-West London and advertises local businesses during commercial breaks. There is a tradition of fundraising for worthy causes. In particular, local hospitals such as the Royal Marsden were supported. The station plays an eclectic range of music that satisfies all tastes from young to old. “We don’t like pigeon-holing,” Mowbray told me. “To be played on Radio Jackie, a song must first and foremost be a good song. We don’t just resort to Christmas music as other stations do.” He continued, “We are aware our audience is mainly older as they are more interested in radio than younger generations, however, many younger people have grown up on their parents’ music.”
Despite the fragile position that radio finds itself in, Radio Jackie has reason to be optimistic. Audience numbers skyrocketed during lockdown, in no small part due to the cosy and friendly nature of the station. “Radio Jackie keeps you company,” said Mowbray. He cited an email that the station received from a woman called Nelly in Uxbridge. She told them, “God bless you, Radio Jackie, I am in my twilight years and Radio Jackie made my silence colourful.” You can listen to Radio Jackie online at www.radiojackie.com , or in South-West London and North Surrey on 107.8 FM
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