KISS FM headlines the Bauer Passion Portfolio, the home of Bauer’s passionate, iconic brands dedicated to music and lifestyle. The Portfolio increased its reach from 6.4m to 6.6m (yoy), up 3.4%. Listening hours also increased, up 4.3% (yoy).
Within the Portfolio, The Hits also increased its reach from 1.1m to 1.2m, with hours up 5.8% (yoy). Highlights include the brand new ‘Future Hits Live’ event series, intimate gigs featuring emerging artists like Tinchy Stryder, Wretch 32 and girl band, Parade. Popular promotions around ‘Bieber O’Clock’ and Glee saw The Hits become the top trend on Twitter for several days at a time this quarter, supporting Bauer’s strong focus on social media.
Smash Hits also increased its reach significantly, rising from 990k to 1.1m (yoy), whilst listening hours increased 1.6% (yoy). Smash Hits has continually proven the popularity of its jukebox style focus on pop music. The Bauer programming team focuses constantly on tweaking and fine-tuning the playlist, with a view to ensuring the music remains relevant.
Bauer Gets Social
Bauer’s strong focus on the power of social media to enrich the radio experience is reflected in its online and social media numbers. Each month 1.8m fans visit Bauer’s radio websites, total app downloads have now reached 1.5m and over 1.2m fans follow a station on Facebook.
Steve Parkinson, managing director of Bauer Radio London, said: “Our London team is rightly celebrating today’s figures – with both Magic and Kiss enjoying their highest audiences ever. Quite an achievement. Magic is playing the BBC at their own game by using other Bauer platforms such as magazines and TV to promote our service, and Kiss continues to connect with millions of young consumers across radio, and via a huge increase in app downloads and online listening.”
Dee Ford, group managing director radio, Bauer Media said: “I am very pleased to see that the strategy behind Bauer Place Portfolio and Bauer Passion Portfolio is continuing to pay dividends, as we return another strong set of results. I am particularly pleased to see Magic 105.4 return to number one spot in London, with the largest reach of all music stations, including the BBC. Commercial radio as a whole is performing very well and listening hours are up across the board. The rise in digital radio listening hours and reach is also a great story as The Hits and Smash Hits have a positive quarter under the Bauer Passion Portfolio. The Bauer Place Portfolio continues to focus on local programming and we are thrilled to see our hours continue to grow, reflecting our ambition to be ‘big in all the right places’. The results make Bauer commercial market leader for reach and share in each of our 21 markets.”
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Source: RAJAR / Ipsos - MORI / RSMB, period ending June 2011, all stations and groups results are reported on their specified reporting period and TSA.
Available for comment:
Steve Parkinson, managing director, Bauer Radio London
Karen Stacey, head of broadcast sales and Bauer Access, Bauer Media
Ric Blaxill, music and content director, Bauer Radio
Pete Simmons, programme director, Magic 105.4 (Bauer Place Portfolio)
Andy Roberts, programme director, KISS (Bauer Passion Portfolio)
Bruce Mitchell, digital product and innovation director, Bauer Radio
About Bauer Media:
A leading UK media group, with interests spanning magazines, radio, TV, online, live events and mobile. The company aims to connect audiences with excellent content whenever, wherever and however they want.
• Its award-winning portfolio of influential media brands includes Magic 105.4, heat, Metro Radio, Closer, Kiss, GRAZIA, EMPIRE, Q, Cool FM, KERRANG!, Radio Clyde, MCN, Key 103 and FHM: all delivering must-have entertainment and information to diverse and valuable audiences.
• Bauer Media publishes 53 leading magazine titles, over 40 of which were launched by the company.
• More than 13 million people a week listen to a Bauer Media radio station. Bauer Media is also home to the number one commercial digital station - The Hits Radio.
• Box TV, a JV between Bauer Media and Channel 4 runs seven music channels, including Smash Hits, Kerrang! Magic, Q, Kiss and the number one music TV channel - 4Music.
• Bauer Media's on-line businesses have more than 10 million users, visiting some 48 unique brand sites.
Bauer Media is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bauer Media Group, a privately owned media empire offering more than 320 magazines worldwide, as well as TV and radio stations. For more information, please visit www.bauermedia.co.uk. For subscriptions and gift ideas, please visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk
