40 Years Of JAM At The BBC (A chronological interview)

Really interesting, thoughtful and well put together – enjoyed listening to it.
There’s’ been a lot comment in recent years that people at he BBC don’t know how to use jingles or appreciate them. I think listening to Chris you can tell that how the station sounds and how shows imaging work is his passion!

It was a great listen. Thanks.

Maybe Jon, or someone in the know, can clarify something. I’m sure it’s been mentioned that Chris Moyles used those ’80s Radio 1 jingles without JAMs permission. Is that really true, or just a rumour…?

“with NO permission and NO compensation OF ANY KIND.
How infuriating that must have been. And it being the BBC, too”

I think we trod this exact path on JM a while back – and I think from a legal perspective too – so I’m watching my words carefully…

However, its supposed to be that ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that is an extant “Copyrighted feature” can be broadcast by
ANY BBC entity without “clearance” as its called in advance from whatever the appropriate “department” is called, and
due permission from the Copyright Owner(s) given and fees/royalties prior agreed or retrospectively paid. And the
programme logs “checked” afterwards to ensure compliance. The Beeb is stuffed full of people who do this every day!
(…and no doubt a certain Be&tles clip played for 10 seconds every morning at 7:05 am on Radio 2 will have prior “clearance”…)

Would anyone seriously expect that the “incidental music” used in a certain TV baking programme much in the “news” (sic)
would get broadcast for free and without permission from its Copyright Owner, simply because, say, one of the presenters
involved “was a great fan of such music, liked it and blatantly bunged it into the programme” on their own violition?
Not bloomin’ likely!

Still, its past history now, and what’s gone is gone – but I think we can still much sympathise with JMW on this one! :^)

sorry if it trod on unpleasant ground, but the piece as a whole was designed to be a reflection of jingles as a whole at the BBC

Robin, my comments were not meant as a criticism of you for including those cuts. I understand it is part of the history you were trying to document. I was only reporting my reaction to that particular segment, since someone asked about it.

NOTHING that is an extant “Copyrighted feature” can be broadcast by ANY BBC entity without “clearance”

Uh huh. And what do you do when no phone calls are returned and no letters are answered?

somebody heard Chris using them on R1 and our PC contacted Alfasound

Just FYI: All contracts and dealings with Radio 1 and 2 from 1975-1997 were completely between JAM and the BBC. Alfasound was not involved in those projects. But I assume you got your JAM stuff through Alfasound and that’s probably why your PC called them instead of us directly.

Robin – thanks for an incredible amount of work and creativity in that well-written and thoughtfully presented audio – I’ve rarely sat still that long for years – apart from Stephanie Hirst’s recent one !!

I just picked up on this thread yesterday. I just think it so sad that the BBC/Jam relationship ended in the way it did considering the years of collaboration between the two organisations and the obvious friendship that developed during that period. Shame on those who were ‘in charge’ at that time in the BBC during this transitional period. No way to treat your friends.