RAJAR Results Q1 2004: Capital In Focus As Tarrant Leaves

The latest RAJAR listening figures show that Capital continued to see its grip on the London market loosen in the first quarter of this year as lynchpin DJ Chris Tarrant played out his last few weeks at the station.

Tarrant hung up his head-phones at the end of March after seventeen years at the helm of the Capital’s flagship breakfast show. However, the veteran DJ left the station in less than impressive shape with weekly reach declining by 3% in year on year analysis to just above the 2.3 million mark (see Capital Confirms Tarrant Is To Leave Breakfast Show).

Former Big Breakfast host Johnny Vaughan recently took over in the all-important toast and marmalade slot and Capital will not doubt be hoping that a heavyweight £1.8 million advertising campaign will help prevent listeners from switching stations (see Capital Pushes Vaughan With TV Ad Campaign).

Meanwhile, Chrysalis-owned Heart 106.2, also failed to shine, with its weekly reach dipping by 3.2% over the same period to just under 1.8 million. The station has been nipping at Capital’s heels for the last few years and bosses recently unveiled an extensive television campaign in an attempt to steal Vaughan’s breakfast thunder.

Emap’s Magic managed to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat in the three months to March, with its weekly reach jumping by more than 17% in year on year analysis to just under the 1.5 million mark.

Xfm also proved there is still plenty of mileage in the alternative music scene, with the resurgence of pop-rock bands, such as Franz Ferdinand and Maroon Five, helping to boost weekly reach by an impressive 26.5% to just under the 600,000 mark.

Dance-orientated Kiss 100 also inched up by a nominal 0.2% year on year to around 1.5 million, but LBC 97.3 FM saw its weekly reach rise by a staggering 58% to 697,000 after improving its line up with the addition of former BBC royal correspondent, Jennie Bond and former Five Live presenter Fi Glover (see LBC Raids BBC For New Presenters).

Capital saw its share of London listening dip back below the crucial 8% mark after suffering a slight 0.2% points decline in the three months to March. However, arch rival, Heart 106.2 FM, also faltered following a slightly sharper 0.4% points decline during the same period to 5.8%.

Things were more positive for urban soul, dance, reggae station, Choice FM, which saw its share of listening inch-up by a notable 0.7% points year on year to the 2% mark. The station, which launched back in 2000, was recently acquired by Capital Radio for around £15 million (see Capital Radio Takes Choice FM For £15 Million).

Jazz FM put in a relatively positive performance in the three months to March, with its share of listening in the capital rising by 0.3% points in year on year analysis to 2.2%. Meanwhile, LBC 97.3 FM also saw some upward movement with a notable 1.9% points increase in share of listening to 3.4%.

Asian music and chat-focused Sunrise Radio enjoyed a 1.1% points year on year boost to its share of listening, which rose to 2.8%. There was also good news elsewhere for the station, which recently had its bid to acquire Mean Country 1035 AM approved by the Radio Authority (see Watchdog Shines On Sunrise Radio’s Mean Country Bid).

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