RAJAR Results: Q4 2003: Heart Keeps Capital Under Pressure

The latest RAJAR listening figures for the three months to December 2003 show that Chrysalis-owned Heart 106.2 continued to challenge Capital 95.8 FM for the top spot in London with a solid 5% year on year increase in weekly reach to just below the 2 million mark.

Heart has seen its popularity increase steadily of late thanks largely to its female friendly approach to programming and a move away from a reliance on the increasingly diverse pop acts that dominate the charts. The station’s managing director, Steve Parkinson, recently told NewsLine that he has his sights firmly set on being number one in London and is planning a number of marketing initiatives to take Heart forward over the coming months (see NewsLine Interview: Steve Parkinson – Managing Director Heart 106.2).

Capital 95.8 FM saw its dominance of the London market dip further with a 6.3% year on year decline in weekly reach to just above 2.3 million. The station has undergone a number of changes recently in an attempt to win back its core youth audience, but the imminent departure of lynchpin DJ, Chris Tarrant, looks likely to reduce its market lead (see Capital Confirms Tarrant Is To Leave Breakfast Show).

However, the picture changes in period on period analysis with Capital 95.8 recording a slight 1.5% increase in weekly reach in the three months to December and its oldest and fiercest rival, Heart 106.2, suffering a 2.4% decline.

Meanwhile, Capital Radio Group’s alternative music station, Xfm, saw its weekly reach increase by a solid 6.2% year on year to over the 500,000 mark. The station has made a number of changes to its programme line-up recently with Zoe Ball moving from the high-profile drivetime slot to present a new Friday night show.

Emap’s dance-focused Kiss 100 lost valuable ground in its battle for London listeners in the three months to December. The station suffered a 14.5% year on year decline in weekly reach to below 1,381,000, despite a £1.8 million advertising campaign targeting its core 15 to 24 year-old youth audience (see Emap Rolls Out Live Sexy Campaign To Promote Kiss).

Things were more positive for Magic 105.4, which saw its weekly reach increase by a healthy 6.9% to just under 1.4 million with its reliable mix of chart music, news and lifestyle features continuing to draw in listeners.

Guardian Media Group’s Jazz FM saw audiences surge in the three months to December with weekly reach jumping by almost 24% to 835,000. The station’s mix of easy listening jazz, Latin blues and swing has also proved successful in attracting advertisers and it recently appointed a new sponsorship and promotions manager to take advantage of the increasing interest (see Jazz FM London Appoints New S&P Manager).

Year on year analysis of share of listening reveals a slight 1% points decline for Capital 95.8 FM, which has seen its grip on the London market loosen over the last twelve months. However, the station recorded a nominal period on period increase in the three months to December, which pushed it past Heart 106.2 and helped it reclaim the top spot in London.

Chrysalis-owned Heart saw its share of listening increase by 1% year on year as it strengthened its long-term position. However, the station experienced a nominal 0.2% dip in period on period analysis, which pushed its pack into second place in the capital.

Meanwhile, LBC 97.3 continued to hit the mark with Londoners and recorded a 1.5% points year on year increase in share of listening to 2.5%. The recently relaunched station has been working to improve its line up with the addition of former BBC royal correspondent, Jennie Bond and former Five Live presenter Fi Glover (see LBC Raids BBC For New Presenters).

However, things were not so positive for sister station, LBC News, which suffered a 1.2% points decline to below the 1% mark during the three months to December 2003 as listeners turned away from its mix of round the clock news, views, information.

Asian music and chat-focused Sunrise Radio suffered a 0.7% points year on year decline in its share of listening, which dipped below the 2% mark. However, there was good news elsewhere for the station, which recently had its bid to acquire Mean Country 1035 AM approved by the Radio Authority (see Watchdog Shines On Sunrise Radio’s Mean Country Bid).

Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive