Power FM celebrates a quarter century
As the radio industry shrinks, this iconic South Australian station is celebrating a milestone birthday.
Power FM has a long history of keeping South Australians company as they go about their days.
Power FM launched on 12 May 2000 to listeners in the Murray Bridge area with the South Coast, Murraylands and Adelaide Hills licences expanding the station’s reach a few years later.
This year, on their 25th birthday, the Power FM team honoured their quarter century with an on-air celebration featuring a trip down memory lane from past hosts and other Power FM alumni.
Power FM kicked the morning off with the first song ever played on the station: “New Sensation” by INXS.
During the program, the station featured past announcers including Steve Murphy, Kristel Dally, Hamish Kearvell and Molly Rose.
You might like
From diamond giveaways to a green promo V8 Ute and ghosts in the halls, the Power FM staff past and present relived it all.
With expected declines in radio revenues of 0.9 per cent per annum, radio stations around the country are facing challenges to maintain audiences.
Power FM’s milestone birthday showcases regional radio’s continuing importance in a tough broadcast market.
The station became inundated with birthday messages on their Instagram page from Australian media figures including Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello and Kyle Sandilands.
Stay informed, daily
“Thank you for so much radio and stories that you have been bringing to everyone,” said children’s entertainer and former Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins.
“It’s fantastic to have local radio, it means more now than ever before,” said Gardening Australia host Costa Georgiadis.
“This is why radio is so important and you guys lead from the front,” former Mix102.3 host Ali Clarke said.
Power FM host Craig Pitman, who has been with the station for nine years, reflected on his journey and experience with the station on social media.
“I’ve spent almost a third of this radio station’s existence being in a part of it,” Pitman said.
“It’s crazy to think not everyone in radio gets the opportunity to talk to an audience for that long. I seriously appreciate this regional market and the way it’s been able to let me just express myself and embrace new things.
“Every morning is an opportunity to get up and try to make someone laugh and make their morning a little bit better than it could be,” Pitman said.
Power FM broadcasts at 100.3 FM in the Adelaide Hills, 99.7 on the South Coast and 98.7 by the Murraylands.
