GCap Media has launched its new national jazz station, thejazz.

Available on DAB, on Sky and NTL's radio channels and online at www.thejazz.com, the station will play a range of music across the jazz genre and plans to engage listeners in a debate throughout 2007 by asking listeners to discuss "What is jazz?"

Darren Henley, station manager of Classic FM and thejazz, says: "Just as Classic FM has taken classical music into the mainstream, so we want to make jazz a part of everyday life in the UK."

The digital-only station, which went on air at 9am on Christmas Day, will operate as a sister service to GCap-owned Classic FM.

Like Classic, GCap hopes theJazz will develop as a brand across live concerts, CDs, books, podcasts, downloads, a website and TV programming.