Gold 104.3

Radio station

| name = Gold 104
callsign = 3KKZ
slogan = "Good Times and Classic Hits"
airdate = December 8 1930 (as 3KZ)
frequency = 104.3 MHz FM
area = Melbourne
format = Classic Hits - 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s
owner = Australian Radio Network

Gold 104.3 (call sign: 3KKZ) a commercial radio station in Melbourne, Australia broadcasting on 104.3 MHz.

History

3KZ commenced operation on December 8, 1930. Its original frequency was 1350 kHz, moving to 1180 kHz on September 1, 1935. The frequency changed again on November 23, 1978 to 1179 kHz when all Australian AM radio stations were assigned new frequencies as part of the new 9 kHz spacing plan implemented.

3KZ was for many years was considered one of the "old guard" of Melbourne radio. In 1989, 3KZ was one of two successful bidders to convert to the FM band. 3KZ bid $A32 million for the right to convert to the FM band, the highest bid made for FM conversion in Australia.

3KZ moved to 104.3 MHz at 12.00am on January 1, 1990. As a result of the change, the official callsign became 3KKZ - in line with normal callsign protocol where '3' designated the state (Victoria) followed by a three-letter call sign for FM stations. However the new station broadcast on-air as KZFM and carried over its successful slogan "Hits And Memories" from 3KZ.

3KKZ simulcast on both 1179 kHz and 104.3 MHz frequencies for a month before the old AM frequency was closed down to be later re-assigned to 3RPH.The switch to FM paid immediate short term dividends, as the new KZFM debuted at #1 in the first ratings survey of 1990, breaking an almost three-year dominance by rival FOX FM. However KZFM's success was short-lived, with ratings soon taking a dive and the station going into receivership. Radio network Austereo soon purchased the station to supplement its popular FOX FM however ownership of 3KKZ shortly changed again to the Australian Radio Network which already owned radio station TTFM which is now Mix 101.1.

By October 1991, the KZFM branding was gone, and replaced with a new name Gold 104 with a revamped playlist predominantly of hit songs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

The station today

Gold 104 and sister station Mix 101.1 now broadcast from shared facilities, in the Pelaco Building in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. Gold 104 now broadcasts with a somewhat expanded playlist, including hits from the 1990s and 2000s to the end of 2007, with the slogan "Good Times... And Great Classic Hits" and as of the end of 2005 was the #1 rating FM station in the Melbourne metropolitan market.

External links

* [http://www.1043fm.com.au/ Gold 104.3 (Website)]
* [http://www.craigharper.com.au Motivational Speaker] Craig Harper is the health, fitness and nutrition advisor for GOLD 104.3 breakfast hosts Grubby and Dee Dee.