Magic’s Mark Story steps down
Bauer Radio’s managing director of national brands and managing director of Magic 105.4, Mark Story, is set to leave the company.
Story has worked for Bauer (formerly Emap) since 1990 and played a key role in launching Magic 105.4 and revamping Kiss 100, as well as working on a number of digital launches and Kerrang! 105.2.
He will be replaced by Steve Parkinson, who has been appointed to the newly created role of managing director of London Radio.
Parkinson, who joined Bauer four years ago as marketing director, has previously worked at Heart, Galaxy, Kiss and LBC.
“Steve was at Heart when it overtook Capital for the first time, and at Kiss when the station overtook Capital for the first time,” Dee Ford, Bauer Media’s group MD of radio, said. “Steve has successfully led Kiss for the past two years and I am confident he will deliver the overall London radio strategy necessary to take Magic 105.4 and Kiss to the next level of success.”
Parkinson added: “This is a fantastic role and allows us the opportunity to deliver a joined-up London strategy to take on other commercial broadcasters and the BBC.
“Collectively, Kiss and Magic are leading the commercial charge against the BBC music stations in London. These famous brands are going from strength and I’m looking forward to building yet greater reach and additional hours at Kiss and Magic to dominate the London market.”
The latest RAJAR release shows that Magic 105.4 remains above all the other London stations for the third consecutive quarter, in terms of weekly reach and share of listening (see Magic 105.4 stays on top in London).
Its average weekly reach in London is back up to almost 2 million listeners, after a period on period increase of around 6%.
Kiss 100 FM also experienced year on year growth in the London sector, of 10.5%, taking its total weekly reach close to 1.6 million listeners.
In terms of breakfast shows, Magic 105.4 enjoyed a period on period increase of around 11%, taking its total reach to just over 800,000, while Kiss 100 FM’s reach hit more than 720,000 listeners, following a significant 24% period on period increase (see 95.8 Capital Radio has London’s most popular breakfast show).
Total Kiss Network and Total Magic were also up year on year, by around 8% and 4% respectively – Total Kiss Network now has a reach of 3.2 million listeners, while Total Magic’s is around 3.5 million (see BBC Radio 2 remains top national station).
Bauer Media: www.bauermedia.co.uk