Contact103.2 Power FM
"More Music... 103.2... Power FM"
Power FM
Power FM
Licenced from 4th December 1988, this is the current ILR station for South Hampshire. It was created following the splitting of Ocean Sound's East and West services, with the West service becoming Power FM from 10am that day.
The station launched with jingles from AJ Productions. Andrew James was a musical genius... this website thinks that the jingles for Power were some of the best produced. Pete Wardman (as in "Wardman... on the wireless..." was the first voice.
The music policy was to use A, B and C lists, a heavily rotated record may have got get six plays in a day, but not for a whole week, expalined group programme controller Michael Betton. The computerised 'Selector' system was used to achieve the programming mix of 60 per cent chart material, 30 per cent oldies and 10 per cent new records. The long-running "In Session" show went out every weekday evening and featured one track a night from a local band's session plus the daily gig guide. Power FM would also broadcast the Network Chart each Sunday.
The programme schedule was: 6am to 10 am - Pete Wardman's Breakfast Show; 10am to 2pm - Bernie Simmons; 2pm Powerplay - an hour of non-stop music; 3pm to 7pm - Chris Kelly; 7pm Powerplay, an hour of non-stop music; 8pm to 9pm Powerline - a programme of music plus recorded messages from listeners. 9pm to 1am Adriain Lovett; 1am Power FM joined with the other Ocean Sound group of radio stations for "Nightlife".
Michael Betton's two-minutes-to-the-hour news bulletins were legendary. Pip, pip, piiiiip! Power! Power! FM!
The Power FM audience target was 15-35, but Power FM's style was tailored to suit anyone wishing to hear an up-tempo pop service. JICRAR gave a 47 per cent reach for all the the Ocean Sound radio services. Power FM was designed to compete head on with Radio One.
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Studios are based at Radio House, Whittle Avenue, Segensworth in West Fareham, with the station offering contemporary hits, entertainment and information. It is now under the ownership of GCap Media plc.
Can the editor please add that he was utterly convinced that in the late 90s when David Lucas (ex-Ocean and Power FM) launched Wave (with a name similar to 'Ocean') from studios across the road in Segensworth West (rather than Segensworth East) with former staff from Ocean, there was an obvious plan to get Ocean onto 105.2, giving Ocean a regional licence while Power would take on the other powerful 97.5 and 96.7 transmitters, making Power a pseudo regional station. He admits he was wrong. But what an interesting idea.
The station has used jingles from Anthony James' AJ Productions, Century 21, JAM, Who Did That Music? and others who are way too modern for us to mention just yet.
Information amended from the excellent Aircheck UK webpage, jingles are sourced from the equally excellent This is ILR webpage. We love Sean Saunders. We would have his babies.
Power FM Jingles
- Power FM JAM Package - 1992
- Power FM Century 21 Package - "More Music" from (KIIS)1990
- The Launch of Power FM - 4th December 1988. The new sound of Power is here.
- Power FM - Christmas - WDTM? 1997
- Power FM - Examples - Various