20 awesome facts about East Coast Radio
Some of these facts will blow your mind!
East Coast Radio became an independent radio station in 1996.
The first song onair when we launched as an independent radio station in 1996 was Van Halen’s Jump.
East Coast Radio was the first radio station in the continent to give away a fully-furnished home valued at R1.5 million.
East Coast Radio’s Toy Story initiative is one of the longest-running CSI campaigns in KwaZulu-Natal. Now in its 16th year, Toy Story has seen YOU help us raise over R10 million for disadvantaged children in our province. You also helped us collect 1 million new toys during this period so that every child in government hospitals, homes and crèches had something to smile about over the end-of-year holiday season.
East Coast Radio was the first radio stations to give away a car to the person who stayed in it the longest! Live Inside and Win the Ride got everyone talking back in 1999.
East Coast Radio made history in 2009 when it gave away R1 million in cash in its First Africa Radio Millionaire promotion.
More than a quarter of a million people have joined over the past 12 years for the biggest outdoor participative event in KwaZulu-Natal. The Big Walk kicked off in 2004 with 1800 participants. Numbers have swelled over the years and this May, 30 000 friends and families took to the Durban promenade for some exercise and some quality time with their loved ones.
Two of the voices you hear on-air have been with us since Day 1. Damon Beard and The Traffic Guy, Johann von Bargon, have both celebrated their 20 year anniversary on East Coast Radio.
More than 100 000 music fans have joined us to celebrate South African music since Durban Day was launched back in 2009.
Over the past 20 years, East Coast Radio has made it possible for KZN music lovers to enjoy, first-hand, some of music’s hottest superstars. From Usher to Mariah, Boys 2 Men to Buble, Seal to Lionel, we’ve put Durban on the international concert map.
East Coast Radio was one of the first commercial stations in the country to throw our weight behind local music. From Durban Day to weekly artist interviews to #BeTheBand to our weekly show dedicated to South African talent, we have supported local talent development from the get-go!
East Coast Radio holds the record for the highest and fastest traffic report. In 2001, the Traffic Guy aka JVB delivered three traffic reports while on board a jet that flew from Durban to Richards Bay to “Maritzburg.
In October 2012, East Coast Radio set a new record for the most number of people running a race wearing flip flops! 421 people ran 1 kay wearing their flip flops!
Over the past 20 years, East Coast Radio has won 17 awards for its engaging content, its calibre of journalists, its world-class production and its CSI projects.
We are passionate about our beautiful province. In 2011, East Coast Radio became the first radio station in South Africa to host three other radio stations from the continent so they could experience the magnificence of KZN. The Connecting Africa project has since united more than 30 million listeners in the continent.
East Coast Breakfast host, Darren Maule, holds the in-house record for being the East Coast Radio employee who’s taken off his clothes the most!
In 2015, East Coast Radio became the first radio station to open its own TV centre.
Our website, www.ecr.co.za is the number one radio station website in South Africa.
In 2012, President Jacob Zuma, visited East Coast Radio to acknowledge the role the station plays in the community.
The top three most requested songs for our Classics Hits feature every night at 8pm are Secret Lovers by Atlantic City; Leane Rhimes’ “How Do I Live” and Angel of Mine by Eternal.