Capital Radio 604
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| Capital Radio 604 | |
| Broadcast area | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 603 & 585 kHz & various short wave |
| First air date | 26 December 1979 |
| Format | {{{format}}} |
| Owner | {{{owner}}} |
Capital Radio 604 was a radio station that broadcast to listeners in South Africa from transmitters located in the Transkei using Medium Wave (AM) on 604 kHz.
The station started transmitting on 26 December 1979 and was forcefully shut down by the South African government in 1996.
Capital Radio 604 changed radio in South Africa forever when it introduced listeners to great uncensored music, polished presenters, uncensored news, and great jingles. Previously, the state run radio stations (no private stations were allowed) were not allowed to tell the real news or play certain songs or music from certain bands.
While this station is off the air now, an archive web site (Capital Radio 604) exists that contains many photos, video, jingles, and recent interviews with ex-604 personal. There is also a podcast which allows listeners to hear re-broadcasts of old shows which originally aired in the 1980s.
Capital Radio 604 was an almost carbon copy of Capital Radio 194 (1548 kHz) in London (which later split to become Capital Gold and Capital FM). Capital Radio 194 operated on Medium Wave at 194 meters (hence the name). Capital Radio 604 operated on Medium Wave at 604 kHz (they used the frequency number instead of the meter length). While the station reportely operated on 604 kHz, it was actually 603 kHz (but then the jingles wouldn't rhyme).
Bill Mitchell returned to re-word the deep gravelly voice drop-ins and simply said 604 instead of 194. Many presenters were chosen because they sounded like presenters that were already on Capital 194. Finally the Capital 194 logo was slightly modified by changing the bird to a seagull and obviously changing the number to 604.
Some of the household names who presented shows on Capital included Alan Mann, Dave Simons, Darren Scott, John Berks, Martin Bailie, Oscar Renzi, Kevin Savage, Tony Murrell, Alan Khan, Dave Guselli, Alan Pearce, Steve Crozier, Justice Ramahlola, Lee Downs, Barry Lambert and former Magic 1548 Liverpool presenter Richard Jardine, brother of ITV1 Formula One pundit Tony Jardine.
