Entertainment News
Iwer Gets Soca Station
By Blue Wolf Media
Jul 8, 2004, 4:52

Neil 'Iwer' George and Denise Belfon

Trinidad and Tobago will soon get its first strictly soca radio station courtesy soca artist, Iwer George. George, who received one of three community radio licences, plans to officially launch the station during the Independence holiday weekend at 51 Point Fortin Main Road.

However, the station has not yet been named, nor has a band been acquired.

“This station will be the first only soca station in Trinidad and Tobago and the world,” George said. George applied for the radio licence in April 2002.

He explained that his decision to go strictly soca was based on his belief that soca music was the only music genre without its own radio station.

“We have everything else at a high percent,” he said. “The only thing that we don’t have at a high percent is soca.”

George explained that the station would also provide advertising opportunities for businesses within the Point Fortin area, as well as cater to those who lived “over the hill” and could not previously pick up any stations.

Another recipient of one of the three community licences was producer Kenny Phillips, whose station – WACK FM – will be based in San Fernando.

WACK FM, Phillips explained, is an acronym for “We Are Culture Krazy,” and speaks to his aim to focus on local music of all genres. Too many local radio stations he noted focused on foreign music, while local music was basically ignored. He aims to change this with his station.

“The whole country is out of wack,” Phillips said. “It is time to get back into wack, 100 percent local content.”  

The third community licence was granted to Side Walk Radio in Curepe. A total of 13 new radio licences were approved by the government on Tuesday.  The remaining ten licences are national licences and were granted to several national organisations.