EMAP set to launch Heat radio station
EMAP-owned celebrity magazine Heat is launching its national music radio station on Freeview at the end of September. It is the first of EMAP’s non-music titles to be launched as a radio station.
Heat Radio will launch on SDN, which holds the digital terrestrial licence for multiplex A, alongside Mojo, which will also launch this month. Heat Radio will reflect the magazine’s content and the music policy will feature upbeat tracks from the Eighties to the present day.
EMAP has focused on developing its digital radio stations this year and its portfolio already includes Kiss, Kerrang!, Smash Hits!, Q, Magic and The Hits. The success of the stations has been partly attributed to EMAP’s ability to cross-promote the launches across its TV stations, magazines and existing radio portfolio.
It reported the first national Rajar figures for Kiss, Kerrang! and Smash Hits! in May this year, and Q, Magic and The Hits will report for the first time in October. Kiss reported an extra 932,000 listeners from outside its traditional listening market, increasing its audience to 2.4 million. Smash Hits! and Kerrang! reported figures of 759,000 and 771,000 respectively.