After Greatest Hits Radio, Bauer are working their magic on Magic (and other stations) – and we love it…

Now that they’ve perfected Greatest Hits Radio, how Bauer are working their magic on Magic (and other stations).

 

Greatest Hits Radio has enjoyed perhaps the most metoric rise in popularity in the last few years.    It’s hard to believe but this station actually launched in 2015. It’s quietly been the home of some very established, trusted and popular presenting talent, Jackie Brambles, Richard Allinson, Pat Sharp among them.

 

Then, it really made a noise, hiring Simon Mayo (who had already made a noisy move from Radio 2 to Scala).   It immediately made listeners… well, sit up and listen, and boy did they like what they heard.   You see, Mayo had not had a good time of it in his later years in Broadcasting House. For no good reason, he had been paired with Jo Whiley – and as much as they got on as friends, they’re like chalk and cheese as broadcasters. It didn’t work for them, it didn’t work for listeners and it certainly did nothing for Radio 2 bosses.

 

Listeners retuned in their millions and that meant that Bauer now had a power-house on their hands.   More stablished names… Paul Gambaccini, Janice Long, Mark Goodier all part of the schedule.  Amidst Radio 2’s quite brutal lineup changes, they failed to ever acknowledge the popularity of such talent.  Their drive to bring younger listeners to Radio 2 saw them turn the juggaught 360 degrees around, but all the time they were doing that, they really took their eye off the (Zoe) ball.

 

And then, the masterstroke. Ken Bruce.  Now what many people do not realise is Ken had the most listeners to any radio show in Europe, for years.  Yes, more people listened to him than they did to the flagship breakfast show.  But alas, bosses saw our Ken as part of the furniture.   So comfortable were they, that they gave the man no profile… and less pay than other talent.    So nobody can blame Ken when Bauer came knocking.  Even the most humble broadcaster (if such a person exists) needs a bit of recognition, and there it was.

 

What we particularly loved, was when Bruce hosted his show from a pub.  This kind of thing NEVER happens on Bauer stations and we want more of it.  Get the talent out the studio, gang.

 

Since that incredible transformation at GHR, it has gone on to break listener records.   And now, with millions of new listeners tuning in each week, Bauer have found the time to turn their attention to other stations.

 

Look at Magic. Again, by it’s very nature, it’s like a humble pair of comfy slippers. Everyone likes it… it’s perhaps never been remarkable but nor has it ever upset anyone.   Music takes precedent over content and we all know what we’re going to get if we tune in.    But like GHR, Magic is about to have its moment.  Because many Radio 2 listeners, disgruntled by the new wave of 90’s Radio 1 presenters (Vernon Kay, Scott Mills, Sara Cox, Jo Whiley, Spoony, Trevor Nelson… most of them!), are looking and listening elsewhere. And Magic has so much potential to give much more, partly because it now has multiple sister stations that people can tune into if they just want background music.

 

For a good amount of time, Ronan Keating brought something fresh to Magic.  He co-hosted alongside Harriet Scott, herself a cheeky, funny and very smart presenter.   We had banter, we had jokes, we had laughter, we had sarcasm, we had so much more than a voice that linked between Savage Garden and Enrique Iglasias tunes.     And now, an injection of FOUR big new names who will continue that vibe.   Gok Wan, on Breakfast. A bold hire from Bauer, who brings warmth and a natural warm and funny spirit, rather than a seasoned radio voice who can read a link out.  We have Gaby Roslin, another incredibly popular presenter who Radio 2 relegated to supply teacher status.  Mel Giedroyc – ANOTHER – former Radio 2 presenter (albeit a brief stint), and then, guest what…  yes, ANOTHER presenter Radio 2 overlooked – Nikki Chapman.   Yes, the same host who was good enough to fill in for Zoe Ball for weeks, the same presenter who had the incredibly hard job of presenting Love Songs when Steve Wright passed… but wasn’t fit for a permanent slot.

 

And so that brings us today, and these new voices don’t just bring status and listeners with them.   The output has been refreshed too.  We’ve had Nikki Chapman interviewing Robbie Williams and Gaby Roslin interviewing Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz – in their first weeks on the station!  And there’s nothing more we like than content on Magic.  Give us a quiz, give us guests, give us listeners on the phone – why let Radio 2 have all the fun?

 

We’ll also mention KISS at this point, which has also switched up its schedules and given Sam Darlaston – a presenter who would be the face of T4 if it still existed – a daily slot (Bauer, this really needs to be later in the day, though!).   We now also have Alex Scott, KISSTORY has Marvin Humes… it feels EXCITING.

 

This little opinion piece wasn’t intended to be bashing Radio 2, but when you really think about it, it’s transformation to a ‘younger’ station has meant nothing more than putting ex-Radio 1 presenters (and some BBC One stalwarts like Ranganathan and McGuinness) on the air.  There’s a stentch around a lack of creativity there, and alarmingly, even Scott Mills who was so in his prime when he left Radio 1, now sounds like he’s rehashing old ideas but in a toned down way.    It all feels a bit ‘ten years too late’.  Listeners aren’t going to want to hear about his and his husband’s antics every single day and he’s going to have to find a connection with them, and quickly, which doesn’t involve gimmicks or bizarre stunts (we’re too busy getting the kids to school to care if Stockport Station has been renamed Scottport station for an hour).

 

Whilst it’s always exciting when stations get a re-fresh, a-la Magic, we really hope the momentum doesn’t now grind to a halt.  Beyond the radio shows, they now have the mighty Rayo app and they can also (trust us, we know), bring even more to the table with entertainment and lifestyle content.  There can be more to be made of Absolute, Hits Radio and the other Bauer brands and they can really take on the BBC.