City | Melbourne, Victoria |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Victoria |
Slogan | Racing & Sport |
Frequency | 927 kHz AM (Melbourne) DAB+: 9A (Melbourne) |
Repeater(s) | 1260 kHz AM (3SR Shepparton) 1314 kHz AM (3BT Ballarat) 17 AM and FM open narrowcast repeaters |
First air date | 8 March 1925 August 1996 (as Sport 927) |
(as 3UZ)
Format | Horse racing, sports radio |
Language(s) | English |
ERP | 5 kW |
Former frequencies | 930 kHz AM (1925–1978) (Melbourne) |
Owner |
Racing Victoria Limited Harness Racing Victoria Greyhound Racing Victoria (3UZ Pty Ltd) |
Website | www |
RSN Racing & Sport (ACMA callsign: 3UZ) is an Australian radio station in Australia. Owned and operated by thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing bodies of Victoria, it broadcasts a sports radio format to Melbourne, and to much of Victoria through various repeater stations. First broadcast as 3UZ on 8 March 1925, it was in 1986 sold to the state's racing bodies. Today, the majority of the station's programming is dedicated to coverage of thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing.
3UZ was founded by electrical engineer Oliver John Nilsen CBE, who was later to become a Lord Mayor of Melbourne. Known as "O.J.", Nilsen had created an electrical business, Oliver J. Nilsen & Co. (later Oliver J. Nilsen (Australia) Ltd) in 1916, manufacturing electric jugs, kettles, toasters, crystal sets and radios.
On 6 February 1925, Nilsen was granted a broadcasting licence, and in March 3UZ commenced operations as "The Voice of Victoria". Initially, the station broadcast on 930 kHz AM from studios in 45 Bourke Street, under Victoria's first "B-class" licence, permitting it to broadcast paid advertisements. At the time, other stations were dependent on subscriptions. 3UZ's first lineup saw Keith Cooke engaged as chief announcer, with Leslie Dobson, George Cowley, Dulcie Cherry and Gertrude Hutton included as the first "night artists".
"...has received many favourable comments from Tasmania, South Australia and New South Wales, and many remote country districts in Victoria on its transmission."
In 1929, 3UZ, along with rival Melbourne station 3DB, participated in experimental television broadcasts using the Radiovision system. In 1978, with the implementation of 9 kHz spacing on the AM band, the station moved to 927 kHz.
Over the sixty years between 1925 and 1985, the station achieved consistent top ratings as "The Greater 3UZ", with stars including Stan "The Man" Rofe, John McMahon, Cliff "Nicky" Whitta, Graham Kennedy, Happy Hammond, Allan Lappan, Don Lunn, Ken Sparkes, John Vertigan, Neil Thompson, Don Lane and Bert Newton.