3UZ was founded by electrical engineerOliver 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. 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 kHzAM 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, Nicky Whitta, Graham Kennedy, Happy Hammond, Allan Lappan, Don Lunn, Ken Sparkes, John Vertigan, Neil Thompson, Don Lane and Bert Newton. In 1985, the Nilsen family sold 3UZ for $9.2 million to Launceston-based ENT Ltd., associated with the controversial figure Edmund Rouse.
News Beat reported motor vehicle accidents in Melbourne, with audio recorded at the scene, interviewing witnesses and tow-truck drivers and typically ending with "... and here is the police report". Eventually, Newsbeat reporter Neil Thompson attended a fatal accident which turned out be his own son's. In later years, the program broadened its focus to include any calls made on emergency services – ambulance, fire police. It was broadcast on Sunday mornings, with the tagline "this was Melbourne, overnight". In the 1980s, it was hosted by Paul Makin.
Portia Faces Life
Radio Auditions
Hosted by Johnny McMahon, Radio Auditions was an extraordinarily long-lived talent show in which participants were awarded up to three "gongs". By the late 1960s it had become a rather sad affair, with Shirley Radford heroically attempting to provide piano accompaniment to nervous persons whose ambitions exceeded their talent. Entertainer Barry Crocker first appeared on the programme as did Jamie Redfern who went on to appear with Shirley Radford on HSV-7s "Brian and The Juniors". Shirley Radford was best known for her showcasing talented musicians. Launching the career for none other than Roselyn Della Sabina.
However, just one year later, 3UZ was onsold to the Victorian thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing bodies. In 1988, the station re-introduced horse racing coverage, leading the station to rebrand as Sport 927 in 1996. Throughout the late 1990s and 2000s, the station would acquire various AM and FM open narrowcast radio stations, as well as Shepparton-based 3SR, extending coverage across Victoria. It also established 3BT as a Ballarat-based rebroadcaster as 3BA transferred to the FM band, and affiliated with ACTTAB Radio and TOTE Sport Radio. In 2004, the station participated in DAB digital radio trials in Melbourne, alongside 3RRR, ABC Classic FM, ABC DiG, Radio 2 and SBS Radio. In May, the station took Nielsen Media Research to court, citing "hundreds of thousands of dollars" in lost advertising revenue due to ratings reporting policies. The case returned in April, and reached a settlement in September.
As RSN Racing and Sport
Briefly, in 2011, the station rebranded as Radio Sport National. However, coinciding with the pending sale of Tote Tasmania to Tatts Group, the station rebranded as RSN Racing & Sport. Following this sale, RSN was replaced on its Tasmanian frequencies by Brisbane-based RadioTAB. ACTTAB Radio eventually dropped RSN coverage, in favour of that from Sydney-based network Sky Sports Radio.
In Melbourne, RSN Racing & Sport is simulcast on DAB+ digital radio. The station operates two separate stations – RSN Carnival and RSN Carnival 2,TAB Live. All four stations stream online.
