City | Rockhampton, Queensland |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Rockhampton RA1 |
Branding | 4RO |
Slogan | News, Talk and the Music You Love |
Frequency | 990 kHz |
First air date | 2 July 1932 |
Format | Classic hits |
Power | 5 kW |
Transmitter coordinates | 23°35′6″S 150°50′39″E / 23.58500°S 150.84417°ECoordinates: 23°35′6″S 150°50′39″E / 23.58500°S 150.84417°E |
Former frequencies |
1340 kHz (1932–1935) 1330 kHz (1935–?) |
Owner |
Grant Broadcasters (Radio Rockhampton Pty Ltd) |
Sister stations |
4CC KIX Country |
Website | www |
4RO is an AM radio station broadcasting to Central Queensland from Rockhampton, Queensland on 990 kHz.
The station was launched on 2 July 1932 and was the second station in Rockhampton - the first being 4RK, now ABC Capricornia. The opening of 4RO resulted in Rockhampton being the first regional town in Queensland, to have two radio stations on the air.
Coverage of races and football were among the very first items to be featured on 4RO's earliest transmissions on 2 July 1932. The station was officially opened that night by Rockhampton Mayor, JT Lee.
4RO's first studio was built on the corner of East and Denham Streets in Rockhampton's CBD. The studio was on the second floor of the building. An aerial that strung between two masts on the back of the building was responsible for transmitting a power of 200 watts.
In 1953, new transmitters of two kilowatts were built at Pink Lily, on the outskirts of Rockhampton and two years later 4RO moved into new studios in East Street, in a building that became known as Rheuben House. Rheuben House was the home to 4RO until 1970 when a new building designed by architects from Toowoomba were constructed on the corner of Archer Street and Victoria Parade.
The Victoria Parade studio was officially opened by Rockhampton Mayor Rex Pilbeam on 18 August 1970. In 1982, 4RO opened a new transmission site at Port Alma, south of Rockhampton, that started transmitting a power of five kilowatts. The old transmitter at Pink Lily is now used by 4RO's Gladstone based sister station 4CC to broadcast their Rockhampton service on 1584 AM. In 1979, 4RO employed a staff of 24 employees.
In 1996, 4RO was bought by Reg Grundy's RG Capital Radio.
After successfully bidding for an FM licence, RG Capital launched an FM radio station in Rockhampton called Sea FM, which was added to RG Capital's existing network of Sea FM stations across Queensland and New South Wales. The new Sea FM studios were set up inside the 4RO building in Victoria Parade. The original intention for the creation of Sea FM was to use it as a sister-station to 4RO enabling the two stations to cater for two different age demographics with 4RO's programming slightly changed for an older audience, while Sea FM offered a more youth orientated format to attract younger listeners.