Thank you, Bob Perry, for giving clarification regarding the genesis of Jack. And forgive my geographic faux pas (I should have guessed Jack was originally a New Yorker. It explains the personality.).

Even though I'll never understand what's up with all the Hootie on the playlist, I remain hopelessly devoted.

We have something very similar here called "Liberty" radio. I like the time periods they cover and the funky mix of different styles. It's the ONLy station in town that plays ROCK that appeals to 40-somethings, alternative stuff from the 80s. We have new (alternative) thrasher, teenybopper Britney Spears 'rock', urban, 'lite' rock, Classic album rock station, and country out the wazoo, but Richmond, VA no longer has a ROCK station except this bland mix station.

I think we're a big enough city to support an AA (Adult Alternative)station--someone come rescue us!

I'm not crazy about the 'Liberty,' a lot more Rush and Men With Hats than Elvis Costello (well, no Elvis Costello that I've heard so far). But, sad to say, it's the best we have here now.

I love the idea of a random playlist, however Jack is not really that random. Do I hear a Frank Sinatra tune followed by Leon Russell? Do I really hear anything I haven't heard a million times already on one station or another? No, instead Jack pretends to be random by shuffling the same old reycled top forty hits of the 70's, 80's, 90's etc...How many more times can we hear the Bee Gees, Cindy Lauper, Duran Duran, Led Zeppelin....yada yada yada. You know who is truly random? Jonathon Schwartz. He is the ONLY DJ who is capable of suprising me and delighting me. Just when you think you have him pegged he will play something you don't expect. Jack is for nitwits.

...mainly because the format BOASTS that it doesn't take requests! In other words, "Beat it, listener, we're here for ourselves, not for you!" Is that any way to run a radio station...or for that matter any sort of business? Remember, folks, "Give The Lady What She Wants" was the mantra of Marshall Fields, which has done pretty darn well over the years - so much so that its future as part of the Macy's megaconglomerate is not sitting well with the (Chicago) locals! Somehow I don't see a similarly great future for "Playing What We Want!"

Jack is anything but random. I first heard the format while working in LA and it was entertaining for about a day. Then it started to repeat. And repeat. The automated DJ, the disco-new wave playlist, it all began to grate very quickly. Jack is just as formatted as any other station and it's not even a very good format.

You want random, for real? Check out Super Shuffle (channel 12 on Sirius.)

As someone else commented, Jack has no personality. But that's true on multiple levels - both the lack of any human presence whatsoever, but also in the lack of any musical consistency. Yes, you'll get Radio, Radio, but it'll be followed by some cheesy synth-pop that makes Richard Marx sound like a badass by comparison. And then the substance-free cheese metal that people like Elvis were revolting against in the first place.

A should be your friend who loves music and seeks out what's really good and turns you on to it. Jack is your friend who buys whatever shitty CD Columbia House sends him every month, and plays them all indiscriminately. So, yes, it's like listening to someone's iPod, but that someone has really shitty taste in music.

that should read "A radio station should be your friend..."

You know, if this is the kind of clap-trap that used to be on Salon 8 years ago, then I'm glad I only started coming to the website 5 years ago...okay, so there's this new radio format that basically ain't a format, big freakin' deal. Commercial FM radio is a wasteland now, and with Stern on satellite and ANYTHING else I ever want to hear on satellite or my CD collection, why should I subject myself to such tripe? It's like VH1 Classics for the radio, minus the program scheduling time slots...which completely kills the format to me.

Here's Jack's logo in Dallas: "Jack...Playing Whatever We Want." Well whoopty-freakin'-do. Their logo should be "Jack...We Can't Come Up with Anything Original So We'll Hit the Random Button on Our IPod, Fire the DJ, and Become Soulless Fucks While You Sit There And Lap Up Our Dribble!" I've had enough Bee Gees and Cyndi Lauper to cover one lifetime. I can always use a little more Judas Priest or Accept, but I know very well that my peculiar tastes in music aren't fit for commercial radio...but then again commercial radio has always been a soulless vacuum, so why bother trying to fix it now.

Alright Salon, let's go back to bitching about the President and Justice Alito (because we all know he'll get confirmed), or hear more complaints about Maureen Dowd. I'm sure this kind of story would appeal to her fans, but not to me.

I had basically stopped listening to the radio, but when I got a new iBook a month ago, it came preloaded with iTunes and a bunch of Internet radio stations. One of these radio stations is Virgin Radio U.K., based out of London. If you're into new English bands (as I am), this is the station for you. I've been hooked ever since.

If you're looking for soulful, random, amazing music, you can catch Alberta's own CKUA -- public radio that is truly unique -- at ckua.com. Guarantee you won't hear the same song fifteen times in a day!

ipod, internet radio, yeah, whatever,

But I need something to listen to while I drive.

For some reason XL or Sirrius don't appeal...because it's so canned or categorized by genre? I don't know. I already pay out the nose for cable, I ain't paying any more for what used to be free on the airwaves.