Radio Victory

Radio Victory

Broadcast area	Portsmouth & Isle of Wight
Frequency	95.0 MHz VHF & 1169/1170 kHz MW
Programming
Format	Contemporary
Ownership
Owner	Various
History
First air date	October 14 1975

Radio Victory was the independent local radio station for Portsmouth. It was launched on 14 October 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 had three Managing Directors throughout its life - Guy Paine, John Russell, and finally Bruce Jenkins. Housed in St Mary's Institute in Portsmouth's Fratton Road, Its address was PO Box 257, Portsmouth PO1 5RT. For most of its life it transmitted from 6 am to 1 am Mondays–Fridays, 6 am to 2 am Saturdays and 7 am to midnight on Sundays. This increased to 24-hour broadcasting from the start of the Falklands Conflict. Newsreader Penny Guy broadcast news of the first UK warship casualty - the sinking of HMS Sheffield. Listeners were unaware her fiance Derek was aboard the vessel, and she had no idea if he were alive or dead. (He survived - they wed shortly afterwards). ^[1]

The Independent Broadcasting Authority didn't renew its licence in 1985 so the station ceased broadcasting on 28 June 1986 at 12pm after 10 years and around 257 days on air despite a local campaign to save it. Fratton Road was jammed solid with traffic blaring their horns in tribute as the airwaves fell silent for the last time. Victory 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 of Victory, as a radio station for the Portsmouth are was re-invented in 1994 to mark the city's 800th Birthday and the 50th anniversary of D-Day (the city was the world's focus for this hosting many events including a dinner for world leaders in the Guildhall). Victory FM was set up by Mark Samways with the help of Kevin Huffer. Alex Bentley, the city's Lord Mayor during the set-up period was most encouraging and helped by arranging for the council to provide space for the studios in the Civic Offices for a 'pepper corn' rent. This first outing for the new service acquired a 28-day broadcast licence from the Radio Authority called an RSL (Restricted Service Licence).

It returned to the air twice more as Victory FM, over the Christmas period of 1994 and again in 1995 to mark VE Day's 50th aniversary. The studios for this period were located in the Anchor House, North End and were loaned by the owners the Bradford and Bingley Buidling Society. The building had been empty since the Hampshire Building Society closed for business.

The name Radio Victory was kept alive by predominantly the same team, with Caroline Monroe(CJ) now as MD broadcasting from a studios in Twyford Avenue, Stamshaw this time broadcast on cable TV and with occasional temporary FM licence for special occasions such as their own launch on cable at Christmas 1995 and to cover the Special Olympics. A total of six 28-day RSL FM broadcasts were made from 1994 to 1998.

When Greater Portsmouth was re-issued with its own ILR franchise Radio Victory successfully won the bid. It returned to the airwaves on September 19th 1999 on 107.4 FM. The station was acquired by TLRC at the end of 1999 so the 2000 saw a massive change of personnel. It would seem that without the key members who took station from 28 RSL to full time FM licence it was 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 who from Autumn of 2009 became the sole owners.

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. The Victory Roll was compiled from record sales at the Co-Op record department in Fratton Road, where Tony Power was the manager.

Some of its presenters were:

Anton Darby, Glenn Richards (first live programme) Bill Padley, Chris Rider, Chris Carnegy (final broadcast) Dave Christian, Matt Hopper, Nicky Jackson, Dave Symonds, Andy Ferris, Howard Pearce, Bill Padley (later of Wisebuda) George Reed, Mike North, Robin West, Chrissy Pollard, Roger Kennedy, Guy Morris, Ted Trafficator, Jack McLaughlin, Nino Firetto

Its first catchphrase was:

Everything that touches you.

Broadcasters on the relaunched Radio Victory 107.4 in 1999 include :

Andy Ferris, Boy George, Kevin Huffer, Gethyn Jones, Phil Marriot, Kristina Moore, Cliff Pledge, Tony Power, Phil Reed, Mark Samways (founded Victory FM in 1994), John Thompson, Richard Taylor

Broadcasters on the Cable service include :

Andy Ferris, Boy George, CJ, Nicky Crag, Arnold Gutbukett, Rob Haskell, Kevin Huffer, Phil Marriot, Andy Martindale, Kim Michaels, Geoff Peters, Tony Power, Phil Reed, Mark Samways (founded Victory FM in 1994), Natalie Shaw, Richard Taylor, Sally Vincent, Jim Ware, Neil Young,

Broadcasters on Victory FM include :

Dave Christian, Nicky Crag, Kenny Everett (vintage programming from 1970s), Kevin Huffer, Andy Martindale, James Montgomery, Chrissy Pollard, Tony Power, Phil Reed, Glenn Richards (opening programme in May 94, later known as CJ), Kim Robson, Mark Samways (founded Victory FM in 1994), Stuart Shave, John Terrett, Jim Ware, Malcom Young

Its first catchphrases were:

Enjoy the moment, From the heart of the City (with sometimes) to Greater Portsmouth

References

1. ^ World Radio Tv Handbook 1984, Billboard Publications