2GZ
Encyclopedia
2GZ is an Australian radio station
, licensed to Orange, New South Wales
. It is owned and operated by Macquarie Regional RadioWorks
, and transmits on 105.1 MHz on the FM
band. It originally broadcast on 990kHz, before switching to 1089kHz, before switching to the FM band. The former Am frequency of 1089 was turned into a relay station of an automated Sydney station, and later purchased by Broadcast Operations Group
.
The station was founded in the mid 1930s. It was opened by the Postmaster General
, Sen. McLachlan on the evening of 31 October 1935. The ceremony was actually performed in Sale, Victoria
, as the Senator was performing a similar duty opening the new ABC
regional station 3GI. The speech was relayed by landline to Orange. Contrary to popular thought, 2GZ was not the first to open west of the Blue Mountains as previously thought, that honour goes to 2MK at Bathurst
, it opened in 1925 and closed in 1930/31. The original licencee of 2GZ was Country Broadcasting Services (later Country Television Services
Ltd), who also launched CBN-8 Orange and CWN-6 Dubbo, now Prime Television
, in the 1960s.
The station converted to the FM band on October 8, 1999.
Today the station broadcasts an Adult Contemporary/Classic Hits
format, with a wide playlist of songs from the 1960s through to the 1990s and today, with a target demographic of 35–55 years.
It was the Central West outlet for the John Laws
morning show, as well as running its own breakfast program, similar to most of the former DMG
-owned stations. It then ran the Charles Wooley
morning show, sending Laws to 2EL. Ironically, 2GZ was once one of the regional stations that Laws worked at before becoming a national radio icon. In December, Macquarie severed ties with Charles Wooley, and was one of a handful of regional stations to take up a feed of Ray Hadley's 2GB radio show, commencing January 27.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
, licensed to Orange, New South Wales
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
. It is owned and operated by Macquarie Regional RadioWorks
Macquarie Regional RadioWorks
Southern Cross Austereo is an Australian company formed in July 2011 by the merger of Southern Cross Media Group and Austereo Group.Southern Cross Media was previously known as Macquarie Regional RadioWorks, prior to the absorption of the remaining assets of Southern Cross Broadcasting that were...
, and transmits on 105.1 MHz on the FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
band. It originally broadcast on 990kHz, before switching to 1089kHz, before switching to the FM band. The former Am frequency of 1089 was turned into a relay station of an automated Sydney station, and later purchased by Broadcast Operations Group
Broadcast Operations Group
Owned by Bill Caralis, Broadcast Operations Group operates a number of radio stations in northern New South Wales & southern Queensland, Australia. These are collectively known as the "Super Radio Network"...
.
The station was founded in the mid 1930s. It was opened by the Postmaster General
Postmaster-General's Department
The Postmaster-General's Department was created at Federation in 1901 to control all postal services within Australia. Its minister was the Postmaster-General. In mid-1975 it was disaggregated into the Australian Telecommunications Commission and the Australian Postal Commission...
, Sen. McLachlan on the evening of 31 October 1935. The ceremony was actually performed in Sale, Victoria
Sale, Victoria
Sale is a city in the Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. It is the seat of the Shire of Wellington as well as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sale and the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland. It has a population of around 13,336, and is expected to reach a population of 14,000 soon...
, as the Senator was performing a similar duty opening the new ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
regional station 3GI. The speech was relayed by landline to Orange. Contrary to popular thought, 2GZ was not the first to open west of the Blue Mountains as previously thought, that honour goes to 2MK at Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
, it opened in 1925 and closed in 1930/31. The original licencee of 2GZ was Country Broadcasting Services (later Country Television Services
Country Television Services
Country Television Services was an Australian media company, wholly owning two television stations, CBN-8 Orange and CWN-6 Dubbo , as well as stakes in several others , and two radio stations, 2NZ Inverell and 2GZ Orange....
Ltd), who also launched CBN-8 Orange and CWN-6 Dubbo, now Prime Television
Prime Television
PRIME7 is an Australian television network owned by Prime Media Group Limited. Prime Television launched on 17 March 1962 as CBN/CWN in Orange and Dubbo, New South Wales, and has since expanded to cover regional New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory as a Seven Network...
, in the 1960s.
The station converted to the FM band on October 8, 1999.
Today the station broadcasts an Adult Contemporary/Classic Hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
format, with a wide playlist of songs from the 1960s through to the 1990s and today, with a target demographic of 35–55 years.
It was the Central West outlet for the John Laws
John Laws
Richard John Sinclair "John" Laws, CBE , an Australian radio presenter, sometimes known as Lawsie, was from the 1970s until his retirement in 2007, the host of a hugely successful morning radio program, which mixed music with interviews, opinion, live advertising readings and listener talkback...
morning show, as well as running its own breakfast program, similar to most of the former DMG
DMG Radio Australia
DMG Radio Australia operates commercial radio networks in metropolitan and regional areas of Australia. The company is 50% owned by United Kingdom company, Daily Mail and General Trust Group. Lachlan Murdoch's Illyria Pty Ltd bought 50% of the company in November 2009.DMG Radio Australia was formed...
-owned stations. It then ran the Charles Wooley
Charles Wooley
Charles Wooley is an Australian journalist, reporter and writer, who reported for Channel Nine's 60 Minutes.At the age of 16 Wooley moved to Hobart where he gained an honours degree in history from the University of Tasmania. While he was studying he developed his journalistic skills by editing...
morning show, sending Laws to 2EL. Ironically, 2GZ was once one of the regional stations that Laws worked at before becoming a national radio icon. In December, Macquarie severed ties with Charles Wooley, and was one of a handful of regional stations to take up a feed of Ray Hadley's 2GB radio show, commencing January 27.