Absolute to expand Absolute 80s and launch Absolute 90s
Absolute Radio has moved its new London-based DAB station Absolute 80s to the national digital broadcasting platform Digital One.
From today, listeners will be able to stream Absolute 80s around the UK. The new station will also be made available on Sky, Freeview, Freesat and other mobile platforms.
In addition, Absolute Radio has announced plans to launch a new station to add to its existing portfolio – Absolute Radio 90s, which follows on from the success of the Absolute 80s service.
The radio group said the expansion of Absolute 80s and the launch of Absolute 90s will “provide significant added commercial opportunities for Absolute Radio’s brand partners, increasing the network’s portfolio of brands, which currently includes Absolute Radio, Absolute 80s, Absolute Classic Rock and dabbl”.
Absolute 90s is aimed at “reluctant adults”, playing music from the decade including Oasis, Blur Texas, Lenny Kravitz, Beautiful South, Sheryl Crow and KLF. The station, which is due to launch at the end of June, will feature a range of new and existing Absolute DJs, including the breakfast show host Christian O’Connell.
Donnach O’Driscoll, Absolute Radio’s chief executive, said: “With Absolute 80s we struck on a winner so extending the format with this 90’s proposition was the natural progression. 11 million DAB sets have now been sold in the UK, and with the Digital Economy Act now in place, digital is a huge area of growth in the UK.”
In yesterday’s RAJAR release, for Q1 2010, Total Absolute Radio suffered a 17.5% year on year decline in its national reach, which takes it to around 1.4 million listeners.
However, the group’s Classic Rock station had a much better quarter, posting an impressive 37.1% year on year increase, taking its total to 255,000 listeners.
Absolute 80s reported for the first time this release, with a total weekly reach of 264,000 listeners.
This week, Absolute Radio also published its on-demand listening figures for the first time. In total, the Absolute Radio Network serviced 7.22million hours of online content in April (including live online streamed hours, live mobile streamed hours and on-demand).