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Timeline of Magic

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A timeline of notable events relating to Magic 105.4, a commercial radio station operated by Bauer Radio, and the former Magic Network broadcast on AM stations in the north of England.

1990s

[edit]
  • 1990
    • 9 July – Melody Radio launches as an easy listening music service in London.
    • 17 July – Magic 828 launches as a MW oldies station in Leeds.
  • 1999
    • No events.

2000s

[edit]
  • 2000
    • No events.
  • 2001
    • 13 September – Magic launches a spin-off television channel.
    • December – EMAP decides that it is more economical for north of England Magic stations to share off-peak programmes and begins networking with the London station Magic 105.4 between 10am-2pm, and 7pm-6am, although there are local commercial breaks, and local news on the hour. During these hours the station is simply known as Magic.
  • 2002
    • No events.
  • 2003
    • January – Due to a sharp decline in listening, Emap ends the networking of London station Magic 105.4 on the north of England Magic stations and a regional northern network is created with programmes broadcast from Magic 1152 in Newcastle. During networked hours, local adverts are aired, as well as local news on the hour.
    • September –
      • Live evening programmes on Magic 105.4 are replaced by automated output.
      • Richard Skinner leaves for a while. He had been mid-morning presenter for Magic since 1997.
  • 2004
    • No events.
  • 2005
    • 12 September – Neil Fox joins Magic 105.4 as the station's breakfast presenter.[1]
  • 2006
    • July – The Magic AM network is revamped to appeal to an older audience. The changes see the introduction of more networking with only the 4 hour breakfast show remaining local.[2] As part of the revamp, Dave Lee Travis and Eamonn Holmes join the station to present weekend shows.[3]
  • 2008
    • 29 January – Bauer completes the purchase of EMAPs radio, television and consumer media businesses, purchasing the assets for £1.14bn.[5]
    • September – Singer Kim Wilde joins the station to present a Sunday lunchtime show.[6]

2010s

[edit]
  • 2011
    • No events.
  • 2012
    • 23 March – Tony Blackburn and Mike Read are signed to appear on Magic Network.[8]
    • April – The weekend breakfast show on the north of England Magic Network stations stops being a local show and is replaced by a networked programme. Consequently, only the weekday breakfast show remains locally produced.
    • 16 November – Magic Network presenter Dave Lee Travis is taken off air with immediate effect after he was arrested as part of an investigation into sexual offences.[9]
  • 2013
    • 15 April – Bauer increases networking on its Yorkshire Magic stations with a networked breakfast show coming from Magic 828 in Leeds.[10] The other local Magic breakfast shows become regional programmes at around the same time.[11]
    • August – Richard Skinner rejoins the station to provide cover for holidaying presenters. He continues in this role throughout 2014.
  • 2014
  • 2016
    • Lynn Parsons joins.
    • 15 March – Mellow Magic begins broadcasting, and Fran Godfrey joins.
    • 28 March – Magic Chilled begins broadcasting.
    • 16 April – Mel Giedroyc joins the station to present the Saturday lunchtime show.[15]
    • Spring – Magic broadcasts a temporary pop-up service called Magic ABBA, run as a commercial partnership with Mamma Mia!: the Musical
    • Following the ending of Magic Abba, ‘’Magic Summer Soul’’ is launched. Initially intended as another short-term pop-up, the station becomes permanent in the autumn and is renamed Magic Soul.
    • October – Tom Price joins the station to present the weekend afternoon show, replacing Martin Collins who leaves after seven years of broadcasting at Magic 105.4.
  • 2017
    • Alan Dedicoat joins Mellow Magic
    • April – The station sound is repositioned to play more 80s and 90s along with a new tag line "More of the songs you love."
    • September – Ronan Keating and Harriet Scott become co-presenters of the breakfast show.[16] Other changes see Tom Price replaces Harriet as weekend breakfast presenter and Matt Brown take over weekend afternoons.
  • 2018
    • 30 November – The station flips to a format of 100% Christmas music. Previously, its sister station Magic Soul would change to a Christmas music only playlist but this year its main station flipped. This is the first time a major UK radio station has done so. Bauer says listeners can expect "festive editorial content and a selection of much-loved Christmas pop hits from the last fifty years".

2020s

[edit]
  • 2021
    • 30 April – Magic Radio stops broadcasting on MW across East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire following the switching off of the Goxhill transmitter.[18]
  • 2022
    • No events.
  • 2023
    • Autumn – Mellow Magic will move to the DAB+ format, and will start broadcasting in stereo. This gives Bauer the space on the SDL multiplex to bring seven more stations via the semi-national SDL multiplex, of which three will be other Magic spin-offs - Magic Chilled, Magic Soul, and Magic at the Musicals.[19]
    • 9 October – Schedule changes at Magic Radio include new drivetime presenters, with Tom Price and Kat Shoob taking over the show from Simon Phillips, while Neev Spencer joins to present afternoons.[20]
    • 13 October – Singer Lemar joins Magic for seven weeks to present a Friday evening show.[20]
    • 14 October – Angellica Bell joins Magic to present Saturday breakfast, while Nicole Appleton joins to present a weekend afternoon show from 4pm to 7pm.[20]
    • 16 October – Magic's four spin-off stations - Magic at the Musicals, Magic Chilled, Magic Soul and Mellow Magic - launch on the semi-national SDL multiplex. Magic's flagship station continues to broadcast on the Digital One multiplex.[21]
    • 13 December – Magic is removed from Sky and Virgin Media TV platforms.[22]
  • 2024
    • 2 April – Magic stops broadcasting on the Freeview TV platform.[23]
    • 16 September – Magic Classical replaces Scala Radio and Magic Chilled becomes Hits Radio Chilled,.[24]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "DJ Fox to dish up Magic breakfast". The Guardian. 8 September 2005. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Emap plans Magic Radio revamp". The Guardian. 18 May 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Dave Lee Travis to join Magic". The Guardian. 20 June 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Ex-Magic host to from Smooth breakfast show". The Guardian. 27 November 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Emap sells magazines and radio divisions to Bauer for £1.14bn". Campaign Live. 7 December 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  6. ^ "Kim Wilde to present weekend show on Magic". The Guardian. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Ronan Keating gets Magic radio show". The Guardian. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Blackburn & Read join DLT on Magic AM". Radio Today. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  9. ^ "DLT taken off-air with immediate effect". Radio Today. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  10. ^ Bauer networks three more Magic stations
  11. ^ Magic AM starts networking at breakfast Radio Today, 15 February 2013
  12. ^ "DJ Fox arrested over 'sex assaults'". BBC News. 2014-09-30. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
  13. ^ "Major brand swap for Bauer's local stations". RadioToday. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  14. ^ "Christine Bleakley among stars on Magic radio as it launches in Portsmouth".
  15. ^ "Bake Off star Mel Giedroyc joins Magic Radio ahead of digital launches". The Guardian. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  16. ^ Magic Radio Sign Ronan Keating to Breakfast. magic.co.uk Retrieved 5 September 2017
  17. ^ "Bauer to launch Magic at the Musicals on DAB+". 14 November 2019.
  18. ^ "Bauer to turn off four AM transmitters in the North". 25 February 2021.
  19. ^ Bauer Media Audio UK to launch services on DAB+
  20. ^ a b c "Tom Price and Kat Shoob to take over Magic drivetime show". Radio Today. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  21. ^ Bauer Media Audio UK to launch services on DAB+
  22. ^ "Bauer to remove all radio stations from satellite and cable TV platforms". 28 November 2023.
  23. ^ BeBroadcast.co.uk
  24. ^ "Bauer plans rebrands for Scala Radio and Magic Chilled". Radio Today. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.