Options
Magic London and Wave 105
NokiaNokia
Posts: 1,794 Forum Member
✭✭✭
So, as announced today by Bauer, Magic London is going national on Digital 1.
So, will Bauer go to the next level and roll it out across the South in place of Wave 105? As a regional, Wave 105 is ripe for a switch to Magic with all shows from London as Magic would be available to at least 90% of the UK on DAB - basically following the same model as Kiss and Planet Rock.
Wave 105 is a successful brand, yes, I think all here would agree.
Would the audience drop if it was replaced by Magic? Probably.
But, would the cost-savings attached be attractive enough for Bauer to make the switch?
So, will Bauer go to the next level and roll it out across the South in place of Wave 105? As a regional, Wave 105 is ripe for a switch to Magic with all shows from London as Magic would be available to at least 90% of the UK on DAB - basically following the same model as Kiss and Planet Rock.
Wave 105 is a successful brand, yes, I think all here would agree.
Would the audience drop if it was replaced by Magic? Probably.
But, would the cost-savings attached be attractive enough for Bauer to make the switch?
0
Comments
They must not touch Wave!
Plus, they put Planet Rock on FM in Birmingham and nowhere else, so I wouldn't rule it out altogether.
Surely they'd want to keep local news, traffic.
How much would be saved?
With Kiss they maintained (not sure if they still do) local travel for Kiss East and Kiss West - Rickie & Melvin would just pre-record some extra bulletins.
Financial savings would be fairly substantial, with no building costs, reduced/minimal staff costs (would perhaps maintain a sales office somewhere local). With no presenters, journalists, producers, managing director, admin, accounts etc there would be some huge savings.
Bauer's statement yesterday was quite detailed, with reference to virtually all of their brands in England and Scotland with the notable exception of Wave. A paragraph along the lines of 'Wave 105 will remain unchanged' would perhaps have offered some reassurance.
In fact, thinking it through, Absolute could be relayed on FM to the West Midlands in the same way as it already is in London and maybe Absolute could then be be relayed across the south in place of Wave. I've said it before, I think the temptation will be too great for Bauer to avoid particularly as they have a choice of brands to choose from.
Wave is an expensive station to run and if it goes pear shaped I'm sure Bauer will give it some Magic but I don't think we will see that for a while.
Was torn between Wave and Jack as to what to listen to, both different and both good!
Did they? Can you give us the numbers that prove this?
Go to Rajar or Radio Today and try to work out what happened to Ocean and 2CRs audience when both stations became Heart South Coast. Short answer: They went off to Wave instead.
Wave has a number of big attractions to it but one of the main ones is its a regional that seems to the audience far more local than any of the stations on local licenses. Bauer are clever enough to realize that Wave is actually a massive brand in this area. What they are doing in the North shows they respect the power of brands at a local level.
Bauer rolling out Magic on DAB, (plus DTV and internet), but leaving it's heritage stations like Wave alone, is a way of keeping some of this 25-40 yr old female audience.
Expect this TV ad in more areas?
http://www.magic.co.uk/on-air/magic-tv-advert/
All programming taken from London would create huge cost savings for Bauer. Even if there was a dip in listeneing and revenue, the profit for the licence could actually be increased.
Listening to Magic in London on FM, the new jingles sing "Magic 105.4" - but on national DAB they just sing "Magic" then a 5-note melody. I keep thinking that "105.2" would fit perfectly!
So, any thoughts on timescales?
It's a national brand now and there won't be any localisation of it in the near future.
To save money! 'Wave' goodbye to all the local jocks and team
on the south coast and relay the London service across the south on 105.2FM, with locals ads still via reduced sales force.
It is a very different station- IMHO regional radio as it mostly should be, although they do let themselves down with "Steve Power's Deals of the Day" and the hopelessly obvious phone in competitions that air during every ad break- they just cheapen the station unneccesarily.
I'm not sure the speech requirments apply anymore. It is a different station but that is only because Bauer allow it to be. There is no requirment for them to be different and if Bauer choose they could make it a relay of Magic London.
Audience is important but with big money presenters how cost effective is Wave?
If Magic is rolled out from London, all requirements go out the window don't they - including localness. A national service like Magic ('cos its on D1) can be rolled out onto the Wave licence.
I get the savings thing but why scrap the local Magic station in the North to go straight ahead and create a new life cal Magic.
It doesn't make sense.