THEY may not be the oldest swingers in town, but the 30-plus age group of music lovers in Oxfordshire has been overlooked, according to managers at the county's newest radio station.

Jack FM launched with the track Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who, setting the tone for what its founders hope will successfully tap into demand for music from 1963 up to the present day.

Commercial director Graham Lysaght said: "The research we have done shows there is a big demand for this kind of radio station. We estimate 400,000 people are in our area, which is a huge potential audience for us and we believe there is a big gap in the market."

The station is the first of the Jack FM brand to start broadcasting in the United Kingdom, although there are more than 50 stations across America.

Absolute Radio, which has brought the format to the UK, wants to roll it out across the country. The concept involves cutting out DJs, callers and competitions and playing a constant stream of music selected from a playlist of about 150,000 tracks, which is changed weekly.

The only dedicated programming it will have will be a breakfast show, a Saturday afternoon sports show, the Big Banana, with live coverage of Oxford United's games, and a Sunday programme.

Jack FM, which broadcasts on 106.8FM, won the radio franchise two years ago and has since spent £1m on start-up costs and promotion, which includes a £27,000 deal to sponsor Oxford United.

About £200,000 has also been spent on refurbishing its base on the city's Woodstock Road, where it shares facilities with sister station Oxford's FM107.9, which is aimed at a younger audience, and Six TV which is owned by Milestone, a separate company.