Slogan "The Power of 5" | Owner SABC | |
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Broadcast area South Africa Broadcast Nationwide (via, repeaters) Frequency various nationwide, 98.0 FM in Johannesburg First air date October 13, 1975 (1975-10-13) Format CHR (Contemporary hit radio) | ||
5FM is a South African FM radio station that follows a Top 40 music format and is owned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), South Africa's public broadcaster. Headquartered in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, 5FM broadcasts nationally to a youth audience, using the payoff line Live Loud.
Contents
A 90% rule for only South African content has recently been introduced by SABC COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
Origin and history
Formerly known as "Radio 5", the station developed from a commercial station, LM Radio, which had been operating from Lourenço Marques (now Maputo) in neighbouring Mozambique. Radio 5 first went on the air on October 13, 1975 after Mozambique gained its independence. The station was established with eight medium wave transmitters, catering for the pop music audience. The name indicated the SABC's fifth radio channel at that time.
Re-branded "5FM" in 1992, it has as its current logo a red "5" and superscripted "FM" within a circle and the words "The Power of" inscribed along the upper periphery of the circle. Music is the heart of 5FM's format, supported by news, sports and traffic catering to a wide range of tastes for a youthful market.