Magic remains Londons top station

Magic 105.4 has retained its crown as the capital’s number one station, according to the latest Rajar figures. The Bauer Media-owned station registered 1.99 million listeners in quarter four, up 5.9% per cent on the third quarter last year.

The figures were also a 1.4% increase on the same period last year and the station increased its market share by 0.2% to take a 6% slice of the London market.

Global Radio’s Heart 106.2 FM held on to second spot with an audience reach of 1.8 million, up 0.7% on the last quarter but down 2.6% on last year. Its market share dipped 0.7% on the last quarter and 1.2% last year. 
 

Elsewhere 
95.8 Capital FM held on to third spot with 1.6 million listeners and a 4.8 per cent market share. Xfm, the Global-owned “alternative” station, has arrested its run of declining listenership with a 9.7% increase on the third quarter to 508,000 listeners. Smooth Radio London reported a 10.4% increase on the third quarter and a 25.1% rise on last year taking it to 594,000 listeners.

Absolute Radio, which was rebranded from Virgin Radio last September, saw its reach drop 22.4% year on year when compared to Virgin Radio.

However, the station did see its national listening via a digital platform reach 45% against, it claims, the industry average of 18.3% while its average listening hours are the highest since June 2006 at 6.6 per week.

Clive Dickens, Absolute’s chief operating officer of the station, says: “Absolute Radio has had just 15 weeks to sink into the nation’s ears, Virgin Radio had 15 years. When Oasis were 15 weeks old they told everyone they were going to be one of the biggest bands in the world.  15 years on, now look at them.  We have the same aspirations.”