I98FM
 |
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| City | Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Wollongong RA1 |
| Slogan | Feel Good |
| Frequency | 98.1 MHz FM |
| Translator(s) | Kevin Hall |
| First air date | 1 January 1979 |
| Format | Hot adult contemporary |
| Language(s) | English |
| Callsign meaning |
2 - New South Wales WIN Corporation |
| Former callsigns | 2OO (1979–1992) |
| Former frequencies | 1575 kHz AM (1979–1992) |
| Owner |
WIN Corporation (Win Radio Pty Ltd) |
| Sister stations | C91.3FM |
| Website | i98FM |
i98FM (ACMA callsign: 2WIN) is a commercial radio station broadcasting on the FM band to the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It is owned by WIN Corporation, the parent company of WIN Television.
The station was born as 2OO ("2 Double 0") on 1 January 1979, broadcasting on 1575 kHz on the AM band. It often rated well behind popular rival commercial station, 2WL (now Wave FM), who had been broadcasting in the region since 1931. On 25 June 1992, 2OO converted to FM broadcasting and was relaunched as i98fm.
Since 1995, i98fm has consistently been the #1 radio station in the region (with the exception being two consecutive surveys in late 2002 and early 2003, when its main commercial rival, Wave FM, was the #1 station).
The station was broadcasting its own live coverage of Illawarra Steelers matches since the team's inception into the NSWRL competition in 1982. After the team merged with the St. George Dragons during the 1998/99 off-season, the station continued to broadcast their own live coverage of St. George Illawarra Dragons matches until 2001. In 2002, the live Dragons matches was axed in favour of the "Continuous Call Team" on relay from Sydney station 2GB, which aired on Sunday afternoons. That move contributed to i98fm's loss of the #1 position to Wave FM.
Notable on-air teams on i98FM over the years have included: Maroon & Milly (Breakfast), Marty & Erica (Breakfast), Marty, Erica & Stretto (Breakfast), Ryan Cram & Matt Smith ("The Shift" - night program), Marty & Bianca (Breakfast), Maje & Fairlie (The Backseat - Drive program).
From October 2008 and into 2009, some big on-air changes happened at i98FM. Bianca Dye joined the Breakfast Show replacing Erica Hodge and Maje Saba and Fairlie Hamilton formed the first male/female duo team in Drive, called "The Backseat". Ryan Cram moved from nights to Afternoons and Glenn "Stolzy" Stolzenhein moved from sister station C91.3FM nights to i98's night program, called "After Hours". A weekend spot program called "Game On" was created and was hosted (until early 2012) by Tim "Robbo" Robinson.
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