Bauer Media, Magic’s owner, has announced series presenters as it launches Mellow Magic and Magic Chilled as national stations on the second UK digital multiplex today.
Mellow Magic will become a national radio station in its own right on 14 March, having been broadcast in London for the last 10 years, while Magic Chilled is a brand new station launching on 21 March that will offer a more contemporary range of music.
Among the new line-up on Mellow Magic is Patsy Kensit, the actor and model, who will host weekday mornings.
John Hannah, the film actor who starred in The Mummy and Sliding Doors, will host weekend mid-mornings on Mellow Magic.
Magic Chilled presenters include Jade Ewen, the former member of pop group Sugababes, and TV broadcaster Pips Taylor, who has presented I Never Said Yes and Celebrity Bitchslap.
Absolute 80s, Kisstory, Heat radio and Planet Rock will launch their full services on the second digital multiplex from tomorrow (1 March).
Last year Bauer Media bought Planet Rock and Absolute Radio, which has heavily invested in digital, as part of an "acquisition strategy" to increase its proportion of digital listening.
Magic Radio has also signed Nick Snaith, the Magic in the Morning presenter, on a new breakfast show contract.
Sound Digital, the joint venture between Bauer, Arqiva and UTV Media, announced its plan earlier this month to switch on the new multiplex network today (29 February). The network will be officially switched on by John Whittingdale, the culture secretary, at an event tomorrow.
Dee Ford, the group managing director for Bauer Radio, said: "Digital is the future for all of us and with six Bauer Media services added to the forthcoming new national digital multiplex we are cementing our claim as the leader of the commercial digital radio space to deliver new stations, more diversity and more choice that listeners now demand."
DAB digital radios may need to be retuned to receive the new stations' digital frequencies. For more information visit .
.jpg)
.jpeg)
