Gold 104.3
| Company type | Radio broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Predecessor | 3KZ |
| Founded | December 8, 1930 in Melbourne, Australia |
| Founder | Industrial Printing and Publicity Group |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | Melbourne, Australia |
Key people | Christian O'Connell, Dave Higgins, Toni Tenaglia, Steve Fitton |
| Products | Radio broadcasting |
| Owner | ARN Media |
| Website | www |
GOLD104.3 (call sign: 3KKZ) is a radio broadcaster located in Melbourne, owned by ARN Media and affiliated with the Gold Network. It transmits on the 104.3 MHz frequency.
3KZ
The station 3KZ commenced transmission on 8 December 1930, initiated by the Industrial Printing and Publicity Group to promote its communications, initially operating from the Victorian Trades Hall. It originally broadcasted on 1350 kHz, then moved to 1180 kHz in 1935, and later to 1179 kHz in 1978 as part of a nationwide AM frequency adjustment.
In 1989, 3KZ secured a license to transition from AM to the FM band.
KZFM
On 1 January 1990, the station shifted to FM at 104.3 MHz and adopted the brand KZFM while maintaining its call sign 3KKZ and continuing with the "Hits And Memories" format but with refreshed presentation. For a period of one month, KZFM broadcast simultaneously on both AM and FM before the AM frequency was reassigned to 3RPH.
The move to FM initially resulted in a ratings surge, with KZFM achieving the top position in early 1990 and ending Fox FM’s three-year dominance. However, ratings soon declined sharply, leading to receivership in 1993. Subsequently, Austereo acquired the station to complement Fox FM but later sold it to Wesgo in 1995 due to regulatory limits on market ownership concentration.
GOLD104.3
On 7 October 1991, KZFM was rebranded as Gold 104, with a focus on hit tracks from the 1960s and 1970s under the tagline "Good Times, Great Oldies." Following its acquisition by the ARN, Gold solidified its market standing and reintroduced aspects of its original style from the 3KZ period. Early on-air personalities included Shawn Cosgrove, Liz Sullivan, Gavin Wood, Craig Huggins, Bruce Neels, and Phil Baildon.
Gold 104.3 shares studio facilities with sister station KIIS 101.1 in the Pelaco Building located in Richmond, Melbourne. From January 2015 onwards, Gold shifted away from classic hits toward a contemporary playlist emphasizing music spanning the 1970s through to the 2010s, removing tracks from the 1960s. Its branding evolved from "Good Times and Great Classic Hits" to "Real music, real variety / Pure Gold," followed by "Better Music and More of It" in 2017.
On 2 January 2025, Gold updated its branding once again with the slogan "Just Great Songs," spotlighting popular music from the 1980s through to the 2010s.
Present-day hosts include Christian O'Connell, Dave Higgins, Toni Tenaglia, and Steve Fitton.
Breakfast shows since 1999
- April 1999 – December 2011 – Grubby & Dee Dee for Breakfast
- January 2012 – December 2015 – Brig & Lehmo for Breakfast
- January 2016 – December 2017 – Jo & Lehmo for Breakfast
- June 2018 – present – The Christian O'Connell Show