RAJAR Q2 09: London Stations

Magic 105.4 remains above all the other London stations for the tenth consecutive quarter in terms of weekly reach, but has fallen just behind 95.8 Capital Radio’s average hours per listener, according to the latest RAJAR figures for Q2 2009.

Magic’s average weekly reach in London still sits above the 2 million listeners’ mark after a year on year increase of 2.4%, however, the station suffered percentage declines in both share of listening and average hours per listener.

Its share of listening slipped by 0.9 percentage points to 6.5%, however this is an increase of 0.8 percentage points on last period.

Its average hours per listener was down by over 8% year on year to 6.8 hours, taking it just below 95.8 Capital Radio, again despite am impressive 17% increase period on period.

Capital had a very impressive period with increases in all three sections of the Q2 RAJAR report. The station’s weekly reach increased by a significant 21.5% year on year to just below 2 million listeners, its highest reach since Q1 2005.

Capital’s average hours per listener also increased by a significant amount over the quarter, up 19% year on year and an incredible 30.2% period on period to 6.9 hours.

Meanwhile, its share of listening was up 1.6 percentage points year on year, to 6.2% in total, placing it just behind Magic.

Kiss 100 FM also enjoyed a good RAJAR release, with its weekly reach up by a massive 26.2% year on year to just under 1.8 million listeners, which is its highest ever reach figure.

Its share of listening up 0.5 percentage points to 5%, just 0.1 percentage points behind Heart.

Kiss’ average hours also increased to 6.1 per listener after a period on period rise of 7%, despite falling 4.7% over the year.

Heart 106.2 FM, meanwhile, had a disappointing quarter, with the exception of its weekly reach, which was up by almost 7% year on year to nearly 1.9 million listeners.

However, its average hours dropped by 10.8% year on year to just 5.8 hours in total and its share of listening was down 0.6 percentage points to 5.1%.

Looking at Absolute Radio London and Total Absolute Radio (London)’s quarterly RAJAR figures for the three months to the end of June, both stations had a fairly mixed period.

Absolute Radio London’s average hours increased by almost 15% quarter on quarter to 5.4 hours, while its share of listening rose by 0.1 percentage points to 1.9% in total.

However, the station’s weekly reach dropped by 4.3% during the period to 756,000 listeners.

Total Absolute Radio (London) followed a fairly similar pattern. Its weekly reach was up 4% to 882,000 listeners and its average hours increased by 1.7% to 6 in total but its share of listening dipped by 0.1 percentage points to 2.5% in total.