Radio Victory

Radio station


name = Radio Victory
airdate = October 14 1975
frequency = 95.0 MHz VHF & 1169/1170 kHz MW
area = Portsmouth
& Isle of Wight
format = Contemporary
owner = Various

Radio Victory was the independent local radio station for Portsmouth. It was launched on October 14 1975. It served South Hampshire, West Sussex and the Isle of Wight.

History

Victory was one of the first 19 independent stations in the UK, all of which started broadcasting between 1973 and 1976.Its studios were based in Fratton, Portsmouth. Its FM transmitter, on 95.0 MHz, was at Fort Widley with only 0.2 kW but the signal reached Southampton and all over the Isle of Wight quite well. It also broadcast on Medium Wave 257m (1169 kHz, later moving to 1170kHz) from Farlington Marshes with 0.2kW.

Victory's last managing director was Brian Jenkins. Its address was PO Box 257, Fratton Rd, Portsmouth PO1 5RT.For most of its life it transmitted from 6am to 1am Mon-Fri, 6am to 2am Sat and 7am to Midnight on Sundays.ref|WRT

The Independent Broadcasting Authority didn't renew its licence in 1985 so the station ceased broadcasting on 28th June 1986 at 12pm after 10 years and around 257 days on air despite a local campaign to save it. It was the first ILR station to lose its franchise (although two others, Centre Radio and Gwent Broadcasting, went off air after going bankrupt).

The station was replaced by Ocean Sound which was given a licence for a larger coverage area including Southampton.

The name Radio Victory was kept alive by volunteers broadcasting from a new, small studio in Twyford Avenue, Stamshaw who broadcast on cable TV and with occasional temporary FM licence.

When Greater Portsmouth was re-issued with its own ILR franchise Radio Victory successfully won the bid. It returned to the airwaves in 1999 on 107.4 FM. Unable to compete in the RAJAR ratings with now established local rivals like Ocean FM and Wave 105, the station later relaunched as Victory 107.4 and 107.4 The Quay, allying itself closely to Portsmouth Football Club.

On Air

One of Victory's longest running shows was the Victory Roll, its own top 40 chart show, aired on Saturday evenings until all ILR stations started simulcasting the Network Chart from Capital Radio.

Some of its early presenters were:

Anton Darby,Bill Padley,Chris Rider,Chris Carnegy,Dave Christian,Andy Ferris,Howard Pearce,Jack McLaughlin,Nino Firetto

Its first catchphrase was:

Everything that touches you.

Broadcasters on the relaunched 107.4 franchise include :

Andy Ferris,
Boy George,Kevin Huffer,Gethyn Jones,Andy Martindale, Ralph Mudie,Mark Mudie,Phil Reed,Cliff Pledge,Chris Rider,Tony Power

References

# World Radio Tv Handbook 1984, Billboard Publications