Rajar Q3 2010: Magic steals Heart's crown in London

Capital's Johnny Vaughan and Lisa Snowdon continued their stint as the the most popular commercial breakfast show with a weekly reach of 1.15 million, up 10.2% year on year and 2.6% quarter on quarter.

Magic 105.4 had an average weekly reach of 2.05 million during the period 28 June to 19 September 2010, up 7% year on year and 5% quarter on quarter.

In addition, Magic increased its listening hours, the metric used by media agencies when trading radio, to 14.77 million, 22.7% year on year and 6.5% quarter on quarter and over three million hours ahead of Capital, Heart and BBC Radio 1.

Steve Parkinson, managing director of Bauer Radio London, said: "In London it’s a marketing game, whether it’s the BBC or Bauer of Global and investment in the sector can only be a good thing. With Magic we got the marketing right and our attention to detail has paid off.

"The music’s moved maybe two to three degrees more contemporary and our close up and personal events make us more touchable than some stations."

Dominic Woolfe, investment director at Publicis agency Starcom, said: "Magic continues to be a success. It’s a tried and tested method that once again has proved successful. Magic is a very good product and has been for many years."

Capital, which is set to roll out as a national network in early 2011, had a weekly reach of 2.13 million in the third quarter, up an impressive 16.9% year on year and 10.6% quarter on quarter.

Heart 106.2 FM had a weekly reach of 2.06 million in the third quarter of 2010, up 8.7% year on year but down 5.9% quarter on quarter and putting the station at third place in the capital.

The second biggest breakfast show, over 300,000 listeners behind Capital, is Jamie Theakston and Harriet Scott on Heart 106.2 FM with an average of 834,000 listeners a week, up 2.2% year on year and 9.8% quarter on quarter.

This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk