RADIO station 91.3FM is getting a shake-up as its Morning Show goes for a makeover.

Anchors of that show, Joe Augustin and Petrina Kow, left last month, and the programme director of 91.3, Mr Jamie Meldrum, says there will now be "a fresh start" as it revamps itself.

That will include a new name and "known personalities" for the show. A newbie may also be expected. More details will be announced later this week.  

A revamp has been ongoing since December 2006. The station, previously under Union-Works, became a subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings in February 2006.

"Petrina and Joe played an important role in helping to change many people's perceptions of the station," says Mr Meldrum, adding that 91.3 was once thought of as an "Ah Beng" station.

"But when Petrina resigned, management was left with a difficult decision on its hands. After careful consideration, they eventually decided to release Joe from his contract."

Petrina tendered her resignation in early May and, two weeks later, the management at 91.3 decided to let Joe go. They had been on air together for two years.

Petrina, 32, is involved with husband Lingun Sung's Peach Blossom Media company, which was in the midst of setting up office in Kuala Lumpur when my paper spoke to her back in March.

They also have two children, namely, Victoria, five, and Oliver, who is just over a year old now.

Her commitments to Peach Blossom and her kids led to her resigning from the station in May, said Mr Meldrum. Her last day on the air was May 16.

While Joe proposed new names as a co-anchor for the show, Mr Meldrum says that management decided to make a completely fresh start.

"We didn't want a revolving door of Joe's partners," he said. "We want a fully stable team."

It didn't help that Petrina and Joe's show rated No. 7 out of all the English stations, which include Gold 90.5, Class 95, 98.7 and Power98.

Joe's last day was on May 27. He received severance pay, but has said that the termination came as a shock at the time.

However, Mr Meldrum said that he wants to leave the door open to working together in the future.

"We wanted to make sure the split was amicable," he said. "In this small market, chances are that we'll end up working together (again) in the future.

"In the meantime, Joe, 39, is spending time with his children - Megan, 12, Jordan, 9, Tasmin, 7, and Lauren, 3 - during the June school holidays.

He also intends to concentrate on independent projects, which include emcee work. He has other offers on the table - all which have to do with radio.

"I'm a radio guy," he told my paper over the phone yesterday. "It's the appealing wench which keeps calling my name."

He also calls his chemistry with Petrina "the best radio friendship I've ever had", and intends to work with her in the future.

"It's easy to make magic together," he says.