On October 31, 1925, a Saturday, radio station 2KY made its debut in a small room in the Trades Hall Building in Sussex Street Sydney with its purpose:
“(T)o educate and guide the workers toward fulfilment of the common objective of the workers the world over – the Socialist Commonwealth.”
Emil Voight, an Englishman, from Lancashire originally, established the station, with hessian bags on the walls for soundproofing and under the ownership of the Labor Council of NSW. Emil was an Olympic Gold medalist in the 5 mile race at the London 1908 Olympics, and a master engineer. Working for research bureau of the Council he came back from a trip to the US with an enthusiasm for radio. He convinced his employer to form its own station becoming the first that was union owned in the world and giving a voice to the Labor movement in New South Wales.
2KY was the first to broadcast parliamentary activities, ringside boxing, Australian radio serials with Australian actors, music on Sundays, narrowcast broadcasting services and to develop and test digital audio broadcasting. Herbert Beaver was the first announcer.
2KY’s first announcer Herbert Beaver
Appropriately, on this Melbourne Cup Day, broadcasting racing’s 3 codes, thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing, have been 2KY’s lifeblood for the second half of its 100 years. It started with the night trots in 1949 and took over the full broadcast from 2GB in 1974. The Labor Council sold 2KY in 2000 to the NSWTAB who was then sold to Tabcorp in 2007. In 2009 Tabcorp, who also owned Sky Channel, changed its name to Sky Sports Radio to align its businesses under the Sky brand.
On October 31, 2025 a special celebration was held to mark the centenary, with former New South Wales Premier Barrie Unsworth who had attended 2KY’s 50th and hosted the 75th again initiating the welcome to staff past and present.
He said:
“The radio station would not have succeeded without all our colleagues many of whom are here today, thank you for all your efforts and comradeship over the years.”
Keynote Speakers included Malcolm Wallace, Giselle New, Mark Morey – Secretary Unions NSW, Hon David Harris – Minister for Racing, Ben Lloyd – Head of Content Tabcorp and Sky Racing and Max Carter and Tanya Thomas with a historical presentation.
The Sky Sports Radio Big Breakfast continues to this day, hosted by Laurie Daley and Gerard Middleton. The station broadcasts over 1500 races each week to New South Wales and Canberra on a network of over 140 narrowcast transmitters as well as the main 1017 AM frequency in Sydney.
A further celebration of the 2KY Centenary will be held in Sydney this Sunday, November 9th.
Images supplied with thanks to Max Carter.