04 Feb 2010 | Liz Jaques

RAJAR Q4 2009: London Stations

For the first time in over two years, Magic 105.4 no longer has the largest weekly reach of all the London stations, according to the latest RAJAR figures for Q4 2009.

Heart 106.2 FM raced ahead of Magic in the three months to the end of the year to take the top spot, with a reach of almost 1.9 million listeners following a 4.8% year on year rise. 95.8 Capital Radio has also skipped in front of Magic and now boasts a weekly reach of 1.827 million listeners after an impressive 12.5% year on year increase.

Magic 105.4’s reach, meanwhile, now stands at 1.821 million listeners following a 8.8% year on year decline (and a higher 9.4% period on period drop).

However, Magic still boasts the highest share of listening compared to its rival London stations. The station’s share of listening sits at 6.1% after a slight 0.1 percentage point increase.

Magic’s listeners are also sticking with the station for 7.9% more time than they were in Q4 2008, giving it an average of 6.8 hours per listener.

Heart and Capital, on the other hand, both saw their average hours per listener fall over the year. Heart 106.2 FM’s listeners tuned in for 1.7% less time than in Q4 2008, leaving it with 5.7 hours, while Capital suffered a higher 11.3% year on year fall to 5.5 hours.

However, in terms of share of listening, Heart enjoyed a 0.3 percentage point increase to 5.3% and Capital posted a slight 0.1 percentage point rise to 4.9%.

Kiss 100 FM also did well with share of listening and weekly reach. Kiss’ reach rose to 1.6 million listeners after a 1.6% year on year increase. The station’s share of listening was also up by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3%.

Looking at Absolute Radio London and Total Absolute Radio (London), both enjoyed slight period on period increases in share of listening, up 0.2 and 0.4 percentage points respectively. Absolute Radio London’s share now stands at 2.3% while Total Absolute Radio (London) has a 3% share.

Absolute Radio London and Total Absolute Radio (London) also saw an rise in average hours per listener in Q4 2009, up by 17.2% and 13.8% period on period respectively. Listeners now tune in to Absolute London for an average of 6.8 hours per listener, compared to Total’s 7.4 average hours per listener.

However, both stations suffered period on period declines in their weekly reach. Absolute London suffered a 12% fall, which takes its total down to 689,000 listeners, while Total posted a 8.4% to 803,000 listeners.