Chris Evans’ arrival on Virgin Radio as presenter of its breakfast
show proved top of the hypes in the post-dawn shoot-out with Radio
1.
With the ’added value’ of Freud Communications behind him, as opposed to
the in-house BBC team for Zoe Ball and Kevin Greening, Evans featured in
15 PR-led stories, compared to a probable three for Ball/Greening.
The Evening Standard, the Sun, Daily Star, the Guardian, Sunday Times
and the Daily Mail carried lengthy interviews with him.
Not all Evans’ coverage was positive, especially the news that the
show’s sponsor Kellogg’s had taken an opt-out option with change of
presenters.
The news that Beamish Red beer had stepped in as a replacement rated
only two mentions. The Mirror championed Radio 1, describing Ball as
’bubbly Mirror girl’ and Evans as producing ’inane cackle’.
In the photographic stakes, Evans romped home with 25 pictures, compared
to the more photogenic Ball’s 17. Greening trailed in with just
three.
Evaluation and analysis by CARMA International. Cuttings supplied by The
Broadcast Monitoring Company. ’What The Papers Say’ can be found at:
www.carma.com.