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Racing Radio

By Neale Towart

The Cup is over, but the races go on, and so does Labor council's radio station, 2KY, as it celebrates its 75th Anniversary.

Whether it's at Flemington, Royal Randwick, Wangaratta or Oodnadatta, you will here it on 2KY. The station hasn't been around as long as the Melbourne Cup, but has a long tradition of association with the races and the workers. Gareth McCray has documented some of the highlights in Reflections of 2KY: 75 years of broadcasting.

The minutes of the Labor Council at its Executive Committee meeting of 17th February 1925 recorded the following:

R E. Voigt was present by invitation of the Council to place the matter of "Radio" fully before the Executive. He explained the approximate cost of the installation of a B Class Broadcasting Station would be �1,500 - 500 watt station. This station could broadcast to any part of Australia or New Zealand. It could be picked up by small crystal sets on a 12 mile radius. Crystal Sets could be made at a small cost approximately 4 or 5 shillings each".

The following resolution was soon carried unanimously:-

"That we recommend that the principle of installing a broadcasting set of the B Class be affirmed. Further that a Committee be appointed with power to go right ahead, addressing meetings on the matter".

Class B stations were stations financed by selling commercials. Class A ones were financed by license fees.

The three oldest B class stations still broadcasting are 2UE, 2UW and 2KY. Only 2KY retains its original owner.

Emil Robert Voigt was the prime mover behind Labor Council getting into broadcasting. He was clearly concerned that unions have their own media voice via the radio (and also union newspapers). He was also the instigator of the Labor Research and Information Bureau at Trades Hall as a centre for union information gathering to help unions remain on top of industry trends. Other great NSW labour movement names on the Labor Council Executive at the time were Jack Beasley and Jock Garden.

On the 7th of May 1925 the Labor Council applied for permission to build a "B Class" broadcasting station in Sydney with programme material that focused on "Matters of educational value, musical entertainment, news service, weather and market reports, public debates and other matters of general public interest".

The P.M.G. approved the License on the 20th of May 1925 for a fee of �5 per annum. The Labor Daily reported that the Station was one of the most powerful in the Southern Hemisphere. The call sign allotted by the P.M.G. was 2IC. This was changed briefly to 2LC, then 2TH and finally to 2KY, which was Voigt's preference.

They're Racing

From 1st October 1949 Night Totting commenced and 2KY covered that event and has covered every meeting since. Ken Howard was at the mike for that meeting.

In the mid 1960s, 2GB allowed 2KY to broadcast the Wednesday racing and as result 2GB's Cliff Cary was heard on 2KY. By 1968 you could hear racing out of 2GB on 2KY on Wednesday and on Friday Night from Harold Park and Saturday Night 2KY would broadcast the greyhounds...both of these with Ray Conroy.

From 1974 it was decided that 2KY would start doing its own Wednesday meetings instead of taking the feed from 2GB. By August of that year it was decided at 2KY that the station should do its own Saturday Racing Service during the daytime. The dilemma was how this would be achieved as the station did not have a network like 2GB. Technical staff managed to organise links with Channel 10 to overcome this problem.

The competition with 2GB was intense from then until 2GB decided to drop racing in 1981.

The federal government Narrowcasting decision of 1992 enabled 2KY under Barrie Unsworth to develop a strong network of Racing Narrowcasting Services across NSW. By the year 2000 this had given 2KY a network of 145 stations across NSW.

Workers Online continues the 2KY tradition, with Labor Council again being quick to exploit the opportunity offered by the new media to provide the labour movement with a new voice in their support, as well as a way to talk back to the powers that be. We don't have the horses, but sport is there, as well as news and ideas for labour. 2KY has moved onto the web too at http://www.2ky.com.au.

Digital radio is the next move with 2KY being the first Australian station to test Digital Audio Broadcasting. The popularity of home digital music equipment means that radio needs to make the move to survive. CD quality sound will come through your radio receiver, terrestrially or via satellite, on the same frequency, which will offer national coverage for the broadcaster.

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  Issue 77 contents

»	Games Workers Still Waiting on Closing Ceremony
»	Showdown: Howard Faces Court Over Rail Sell-Off
»	World Awaits Landmark Slave Labour Decision
»	American Voters Reject Vouchers
»	Illawarra Fights The Big Bastard
»	Retailers Rethink FairWear Retreat
»	Killer Holidays: Activist Fired for Taking Vacation
»	ANZ Faces Contracts Challenge
»	Cup Workers Score Heady Brew
»	Meals on Wheels Turns Mean
»	Wild Horses Get Maurie's Goat
»	Labor Council backs Souths Rally
»	Sisters Celebrate Four Years
»	Reith to Face the Music

»	The Soapbox
»	Sport
»	Trades Hall
»	Tool Shed

»	Nader no Fels
»	Sartor's Veladrome

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