Jazz FM and late Chairman Richard Wheatly receive Arqiva Lifetime Achievement Award

Jazz FM’s late Chairman Richard Wheatly was posthumously given the Lifetime Achievement Award at last night’s star studded annual commercial radio industry Arqiva Awards. His beloved Jazz FM were co-recipients.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is exclusively given to the recipient by the Chair of the Radio Centre Lisa Kerr for outstanding services to the commercial radio industry.

Present at the ceremony to collect the award on behalf of Jazz FM and Richard respectively were CEO Jonathan Arendt and Richard’s widow Baroness Denise Kingsmill and her son Ben.

Jonathan Arendt said, “it’s brilliant to be recognised by the commercial radio industry and Richard would have been absolutely delighted for Jazz FM to be acknowledged in this way. Jazz FM now sits at the heart of the UK jazz industry giving voice, exposure and profile to hundreds of young jazz musicians, bringing joy to tens of thousands at our truly amazing festival Love Supreme and great music to over half a million listeners weekly.”

Richard Wheatly passed away earlier this year in April following a short illness, aged 69.  He had bought the Jazz FM brand back from Guardian Media Group in 2008 and re-launched it as a digital only product, successfully putting Jazz FM back on the map much to the delight of jazz fans. Only last weekend, the Love Supreme Jazz Festival (co-founded by Richard) was enjoyed by 22,000 visitors in the rolling hills of East Sussex.

Richard was a passionate jazz fan and as well as Chairman presented his own programme on Jazz FM.