Bauer Hires Blaxill For Digital Radio Push

Former Radio 1 and 6 Music chief, Ric Blaxill, has joined Bauer Radio as a launch consultant, as the group plans further expansion of its portfolio of digital radio services.

Following the launch of the new Heat Radio last September and with work underway on the launch of Closer Radio, the group says it is now testing more new formats with advertisers and listeners.

Blaxill is to be looking at a “range of exciting new male music propositions”, according to Bauer, with the launch of a new Q Radio a strong possibility.

Bauer says it is beginning “high level talks with potential commercial partners”, looking for a select number of clients to take advantage of creative new executions and partnerships, “offering maximum cut-through and brand engagement with quality and targeted audiences”.

Blaxill said: “It’s good to look at the potential for translating strong magazine brands into strong radio formats. To translate Q magazine’s reputation, content and credibility into an all new radio format would be very exciting not only for music fans but for digital radio.

“Working closely with Q editor Paul Rees we are exploring how we could offer artists a multi-media platform to support their music with live programming, live performance, a new playlist, themed programming to support the magazine, specialist music strands and a mix of music and comedy.”

Andria Vidler, MD of Magic 105.4, who is leading the digital development team, said demand from both listeners and advertisers would help shape the launch schedule.

She said: “Bauer Radio is already the number one commercial broadcaster in national digital radio. We have already established strong audiences with our strong brands and are now looking at the next chapter in the growth story of digital radio.

“We want to launch where we feel we can provide content-rich exciting formats which serve an untapped demand from both audiences and advertisers alike.”

Bauer completed the acquisition of Emap’s radio and consumer magazine assets, including Q and Closer, last month (see Media In The City: Emap Shareholders Approve Bauer Sale).

Emap Radio, now Bauer Radio, relaunched digital station, Heat Radio, last September, and is testing more new formats with advertisers and listeners (see Heat Radio Announces Top Presenters For New Format).

Bauer’s news comes on the same day that GCap said DAB digital radio was “not an economically viable platform for the company”, with the closure of digital only stations theJazz and Planet Rock (see DAB Dealt A Blow As Gcap Unveils Radical Measures).

In December, former chief executive, Ralph Bernard, said at MediaTel Group’s ‘Future Of Radio’ seminar that digital radio cannot flourish unless Ofcom sets a date for switching off the analogue radio signal.

He added that there is a £10 million loss per annum on digital and the industry “won’t sit and accept that for another 10 years.”

Bernard also said that while it currently costs GCap £8 million a year to run its analogue stations, it costs £15 million to run its digital stations. “Where’s the logic in that? It can’t be sustained,” he said (see Bernard Calls For Radio Switchover Date).

H Bauer Publishing: 020 7241 8000 www.bauer.co.uk