I98FM
radio station in New South Wales, Australia
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.
History
The station was born as 2OO ("2 Double 0") on 1 January 1979, broadcasting 1575 kHz on the AM band. It often rated well behind the popular rival commercial station, 2WL (now Wave FM), which 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 has been broadcasting its live coverage of Illawarra Steelers matches since its 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 were 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), Alicia & Coastie (Breakfast), Marty & Erica (Breakfast), Marty, Erica & Stretto (Breakfast), Ryan Cram & Matt Smith ("The Shift" – night program), Marty & Bianca (Breakfast), Marty & Fairlie (Breakfast), Marty, Christie & Crammy (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".
The public source identifies “I98FM” as radio station in New South Wales, Australia. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around I98FM, radio and station.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “I98FM”, the useful work is to connect “radio station in New South Wales, Australia” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q5968235. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1979, 1575, 1931 and 1992.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “I98FM”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow I98FM primary sources, I98FM archive and I98FM research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “I98FM”?
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- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “I98FM” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.