Magic at the Musicals - new radio station

[n1david]

Magic Radio is launching another new station, this one dedicated to music from the musicals.

Presenters will include Ruthie Henshall, Jonathan Bailey, John Owen Jones, Louise Dearman.

Launches Nov 21 (next Thursday) on DAB in London, the East and Southeast of England, available nationally over the internet.

More details include programme details here:
www.bauermedia.co.uk/newsroom/press-releases/curtain-up-on-bauer-medias-4th-new-radio-station-this-year-magic-at-the-musicals-1

There is an already existing musical theatre radio station called Encore Radio, which is difficult to pick up in my part of London so I haven't listened to it much. It's run by UKRD, which is in the process of being taken over by Bauer, who own Magic, so I'm guessing the two could merge in due course.

[theatregeek]

Nov 14, 2019 16:08:27 GMT n1david said:

Magic Radio is launching another new station, this one dedicated to music from the musicals.

Presenters will include Ruthie Henshall, Jonathan Bailey, John Owen Jones, Louise Dearman.

Launches Nov 21 (next Thursday) on DAB in London, the East and Southeast of England, available nationally over the internet.

More details include programme details here:
www.bauermedia.co.uk/newsroom/press-releases/curtain-up-on-bauer-medias-4th-new-radio-station-this-year-magic-at-the-musicals-1

There is an already existing musical theatre radio station called Encore Radio, which is difficult to pick up in my part of London so I haven't listened to it much. It's run by UKRD, which is in the process of being taken over by Bauer, who own Magic, so I'm guessing the two could merge in due course.

Ohhhh! Interesting. I have the Encore app and listen quote a lot but to be very honest it is really repetitive - I think the music is on a loop now with fewer presenters. I know that after For Forever it'll be I Got Rhythm or whatever.

[ABr]

If I can pick this up in my car this will be great for my drive to/from work in the morning! Longer journeys I'll still use my iPod, but when you just want something on in the background for a 20 min drive, sounds perfect!

[Jon]

I wonder if it'll be live or voice tracked?

[alece10]

Just saw something on Jonathan Baileys Instagram page about this.
I cant pick up Encore on my radio in London either but listen to it online.

[craig]

Decent lineup of presenters, to be fair!

I do enjoy Encore every now and then, and this sounds like it should be good. Hopefully the music won't all be quite as obvious as the tracks mentioned in their press release.

[nick]

I gave up on Encore as the playlist felt like generic performances rather than original cast recordings. I hope this is different.

[justfran]

Ooh this sounds interesting. Is there a reason why DAB will be London only? Am I missing something about digital radio, as I thought digital made it easier for anyone to pick up?

[n1david]

It will be London, East England and Southeast England. They have to buy space on digital multiplexes (and the price depends on how full they are) so I imagine that's where they were able to get DAB space that was cost-efficient. If it's successful, I expect they will expand to other areas. But they may be making the (probably invalid) assumption that people who can actually attend West End musicals might be the bigger target audience (as opposed to, say, those who can't get to West End musicals easily).

DAB allows stations to come and go very easily. If this attracts an audience, I'm sure it will expand quickly - if it doesn't, it will rapidly wind down the star-name presenters and become just a music jukebox (as a couple of posters above suggest has happened to Encore Radio)

[justfran]

Thanks for explaining n1david Fingers crossed it’s successful and they expand their reach.

[Deleted]

Possibly naive question...what happens in the bits between the scheduled shows? Do they programme hours of songs from musicals with no talking or is it dead air? Or are all the shows longer than I am expecting?

I listened to Radio Six all the time when I was on maternity leave but have got out of the habit. It introduced me to so much new music. Listening to Radio Six reminded me of when I used to pore over the NME and tape songs off John Peel and Mark Gardiner during my GCSEs.

The enormity of running a radio station is beginning to hit me (and I have watched every season of Fraiser multiple times.) Am going to read about the commercial models. I cannot imagine how they are profitable.

[FrontroverPaul]

I used to enjoy Encore Radio on DAB but haven't listened since it switched to internet-only earlier this year. Encore had presenters and a similar format to Elaine Paige's show, though with fewer lesser-known stage and film musicals featured and lots of repetition.

The line up of presenters is a good omen I think 

[fossil]

Hopefully the programmes will have a good variety of music and not just a cycle of obvious tracks from a computerised playout system.

Some of their more ambitious programming looks promising. From their web site.....

Magic at the Musicals will broadcast The Olivier Awards live in full, cover West End Live – produced by Westminster City Council and Official London Theatre - in Trafalgar Square and broadcast its own event, Magic at the Musicals Live from the Royal Albert Hall in May 2020.

[Dr Tom]

Moving broadcasts that would have been on Magic to a specialist channel. Hope there’s an audience.

With the techniques used by radio broadcasters now, the audience doesn’t have to be huge. Obviously the big names will be pre-recorded, but that’s even the case on Radio 2.

I don’t see the need for voice tracking. The presenters aren’t people in massive demand to broadcast in multiple regions. But this is soon obvious from the presentation and live elements such as phone-ins.

I imagine there will be a lot of automation and scoops overnight. Hope they get some exclusives.

[Phantom of London]

Has anyone had a listen yet?

[anita]

Can't get it on my digital radio. Couldn't get encore either.

[n1david]

Nov 28, 2019 13:41:56 GMT Phantom of London said:

Has anyone had a listen yet?

Whenever I've tuned in (not often) it's only been a playlist with automated voiceover. No actual presenters, but maybe I've just been unlucky with the times I've chosen.

[ABr]

I managed to get it through my car, so its now always on, mostly for my drive to and from work, which takes about 20mins each way.

Generally I've been happy with the songs that I've heard, but since I've had it on, which was from Friday, there are a couple of songs that I have caught multiple times, so quite clearly they have a batch of songs, and it does a random selection, unless its one of there designated time slots for something different!

But overall, really pleased that I now have a way to listen to the music I like, and lets hope that it picks up, so they can start to man it more, and bring more diversity to it

[ABr]

Nov 28, 2019 14:08:49 GMT n1david said:

Nov 28, 2019 13:41:56 GMT Phantom of London said:

Has anyone had a listen yet?

Whenever I've tuned in (not often) it's only been a playlist with automated voiceover. No actual presenters, but maybe I've just been unlucky with the times I've chosen.

They have specific times that they do bits, according to what I've heard, but even then i think its all been pre-recorded. As I caught it around 7pm when they have someone on playing 'Their favourite songs from their favourite musicals', and the guy at the time his first one was from Hello Dolly, and he said this hasn't been revived in London for some time, and is well overdue. That was Tuesday night, so Hello Dolly with Imelda was announced last week.


Its got a way to go, and hopefully it'll pick up, so they can start to man in with real people rather then pre-recorded  

[Phantom of London]

I have given it a reasonable listen and it is alright.

Certainly agree it has no presenter and the playlist seems to be a bit static, which seems to be mainly from the popular shows. Oddly I have heard a bit on there from Little Shop of Horrors, A fun to do and that is how many songs in a row you can name, bet you will get a few.

However I am a big fan of the Elaine Paige Show which I listen to the same episode several times (do a lot of commuting, show attending and cycling), which I would say is much better as the BBC have the resources to invest in a great show, you get more niche songs from niche shows and great research, where the producer Jessica Rickson does sterling work and also you have Elaine’s infectious laugh.

[Phantom of London]

So over a month, since the launch and people are maybe getting bored at home, with all that turkey and tinsel, so maybe a couple of you may have dabbled with this new station, so who is listening?

I have given it a good listening and did listen to this station driving into work today, it was a god send during the election, which talk based radio station became unbearable. So what do I actually think? Well it is great having another option, BUT it does also feel like their playlist is still limited, you know those television adverts where you get the best musicals ever CD box set, well it feels the playlist is limited to that, the playlist has no depth like my beloved Elaine Paige Show for example you had 'Ik Lach Om Zwaartekratch,' which to you is Defying Gravity in Dutch sung by Willemijn Verkaik or maybe 'It Not About Me' from the Broadway musical The Prom and both recently played on EP. Maybe in future they will be played, when more songs are added.

I quite like the idea of having no presenter, no real adverts and no news as It allows more to be played.

[dontdreamit]

So this has come into it’s own over the last few weeks. I am currently working from home like most at the moment, and I have it on in the background. No adverts and more importantly no news breaks, which allows me to work for a good few hours without listening to updates.