4RO-AM
Encyclopedia
4RO is an Australian radio station in Rockhampton, Queensland, broadcasting since 1932.
Commercial radio station 4RK had opened on 29 July, the previous year. However 4RK was eventually acquired by the Australian Broadcasting Commission (later to become the Australian Broadcasting Corporation), and is now known as ABC Capricornia.
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 Zinc 927 to broadcast their Rockhampton service on 1584 AM.
In 1996, 4RO was bought by Reg Grundy's RG Capital Radio.
In 2000, RG Capital launched an FM radio station in Rockhampton called Sea FM. The Sea FM studios were set up inside the 4RO building in Victoria Parade.
At the same time, DMG Regional Radio, launched 4CC's FM sister station Hot FM, to rival Sea FM. The Hot FM studios were built in an office in Quay Street in Rockhampton.
In 2004, RG Capital Radio and DMG Regional Radio merged to form Macquarie Regional Radioworks, which meant the four major commercial stations broadcasting in the Rockhampton/Gladstone market were owned by the same company.
The merger meant that the newly formed company was required by Australian law to offload two radio stations, as one company cannot own more than two radio stations in the same market. As a result Macquarie decided to sell 4RO and 4CC.
Canberra-based Prime Television bought the two AM stations.
Around the same time, Prime also bought a number of other regional stations after similar events occurred in other regional radio markets.
Apart from 4RO and 4CC, Prime now also own Zinc and 4CA in Cairns, Zinc and Mix FM in Townsville, Zinc and 4MK in Mackay, and Zinc and Hot 91 on the Sunshine Coast.
Macquarie moved the Hot FM studio to Gladstone and Hot FM began broadcasting from Gladstone at the start of 2005.
4RO remained at the Victoria Parade studios until August 2007, when they moved down the road into the office vacated by Hot FM when they moved to Gladstone.
The 4RO studio and Zinc sales office are now home in Quay Street, near the iconic Customs House along the Fitzroy River, with the studios officially opened by Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow in November 2007.
History
The station was launched on 2 July 1932. The opening of 4RO resulted in Rockhampton being the first regional town in Queensland, to have two stations.Commercial radio station 4RK had opened on 29 July, the previous year. However 4RK was eventually acquired by the Australian Broadcasting Commission (later to become the Australian Broadcasting Corporation), and is now known as ABC Capricornia.
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
Port Alma, Queensland
Port Alma is a port in Queensland, Australia, approximately from Rockhampton, at the south end of the Fitzroy River delta. The port primarily handles cargoes consisting of class 1 explosives, ammonium nitrate, bulk tallow and equipment used in support of military exercises held at Shoalwater Bay....
, 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 Zinc 927 to broadcast their Rockhampton service on 1584 AM.
In 1996, 4RO was bought by Reg Grundy's RG Capital Radio.
In 2000, RG Capital launched an FM radio station in Rockhampton called Sea FM. The Sea FM studios were set up inside the 4RO building in Victoria Parade.
At the same time, DMG Regional Radio, launched 4CC's FM sister station Hot FM, to rival Sea FM. The Hot FM studios were built in an office in Quay Street in Rockhampton.
In 2004, RG Capital Radio and DMG Regional Radio merged to form Macquarie Regional Radioworks, which meant the four major commercial stations broadcasting in the Rockhampton/Gladstone market were owned by the same company.
The merger meant that the newly formed company was required by Australian law to offload two radio stations, as one company cannot own more than two radio stations in the same market. As a result Macquarie decided to sell 4RO and 4CC.
Canberra-based Prime Television bought the two AM stations.
Around the same time, Prime also bought a number of other regional stations after similar events occurred in other regional radio markets.
Apart from 4RO and 4CC, Prime now also own Zinc and 4CA in Cairns, Zinc and Mix FM in Townsville, Zinc and 4MK in Mackay, and Zinc and Hot 91 on the Sunshine Coast.
Macquarie moved the Hot FM studio to Gladstone and Hot FM began broadcasting from Gladstone at the start of 2005.
4RO remained at the Victoria Parade studios until August 2007, when they moved down the road into the office vacated by Hot FM when they moved to Gladstone.
The 4RO studio and Zinc sales office are now home in Quay Street, near the iconic Customs House along the Fitzroy River, with the studios officially opened by Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow in November 2007.