Timeline of Magic
A timeline of notable events relating to
Magic Network broadcast on AM stations in the north of England
.
1990s
- 1990
- 9 July – Melody Radiolaunches as an easy listening music service in London.
- 17 July – Magic 828launches as a MW oldies station in Leeds.
- 9 July –
- 1997
- February – Emap launches a network of Magic stations on its MW frequencies across the north of England. Playing Magic 1152 and Magic 1170
- 17 March – The Magic brand is rolled out across the north west.
- February – Emap launches a network of Magic stations on its MW frequencies across the north of England. Playing
- 1998
- June – Emap purchases Melody 105.4 FM.
- December – Magic 105.4 FM.
- June –
- 1999
- No events.
2000s
- 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 105.4between 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 105.4on 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 105.4are replaced by automated output.
- Richard Skinner leaves for a while. He had been mid-morning presenter for Magic since 1997.
- Live evening programmes on
- January – Due to a sharp decline in listening, Emap ends the networking of London station
- 2004
- No events.
- 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]
- 2007
- September – After a year with the station, Graham Dene leaves Magic 105.4.[4] He is replaced as drivetime host by Steve Priestley.
- 2008
- 2009
- Steve Priestley leaves.
2010s
- 2010
- 9 January – Boyzone singer Ronan Keating joins the station to present a Sunday afternoon show.[7]
- 2011
- No events.
- 2012
- 23 March – Magic Network.[8]
- April – The weekend breakfast show on the north of England Magic Networkstations 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]
- 23 March –
- 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
- 30 September – Magic 105.4's breakfast show for the final time. since Fox was arrested at the Magic 105.4 Studios on sex assault charges.[12]
- 27 October – Magic 105.4to present the drivetime show.
- 30 September –
- 2015
- 5 January –
- Magic 105.4 launches nationally on Digital One.
- The north of England Magic Network stations are rebranded as Bauer City 2.[13]
- January–March – Sunday Lunch.[14]
- 5 January –
- 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".
- 2019
- 21 November – Bauer launches
2020s
- 2020
- 31 August – Magic Radio begins broadcasting on MW in East Yorkshire, Hull and North Lincolnshire.
- 31 August – Magic Radio begins broadcasting on MW in
- 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]
References
- ^ "DJ Fox to dish up Magic breakfast". The Guardian. 8 September 2005. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Emap plans Magic Radio revamp". The Guardian. 18 May 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Dave Lee Travis to join Magic". The Guardian. 20 June 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Ex-Magic host to from Smooth breakfast show". The Guardian. 27 November 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Emap sells magazines and radio divisions to Bauer for £1.14bn". Campaign Live. 7 December 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
- ^ "Kim Wilde to present weekend show on Magic". The Guardian. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Ronan Keating gets Magic radio show". The Guardian. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Blackburn & Read join DLT on Magic AM". Radio Today. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- ^ "DLT taken off-air with immediate effect". Radio Today. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
- ^ Bauer networks three more Magic stations
- ^ Magic AM starts networking at breakfast Radio Today, 15 February 2013
- ^ "DJ Fox arrested over 'sex assaults'". BBC News. 2014-09-30. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
- ^ "Major brand swap for Bauer's local stations". RadioToday. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
- ^ "Christine Bleakley among stars on Magic radio as it launches in Portsmouth".
- ^ "Bake Off star Mel Giedroyc joins Magic Radio ahead of digital launches". The Guardian. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ Magic Radio Sign Ronan Keating to Breakfast. magic.co.uk Retrieved 5 September 2017
- ^ "Bauer to launch Magic at the Musicals on DAB+". 14 November 2019.
- ^ "Bauer to turn off four AM transmitters in the North". 25 February 2021.
- ^ Bauer Media Audio UK to launch services on DAB+
- ^ a b c "Tom Price and Kat Shoob to take over Magic drivetime show". Radio Today. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ Bauer Media Audio UK to launch services on DAB+
- ^ "Bauer to remove all radio stations from satellite and cable TV platforms". 28 November 2023.
- ^ BeBroadcast.co.uk