3BT is owned by Kevin Blyton (owner of Capital Radio Network) and Ron Camplin (previous owner of the Bathurst stations).
I believe they bought it as a “favour” for the Cameron’s back in the 90’s after Power FM went to air and Grant Broadcasters had to sell one of their licences, to stop a competitor entering the market. Last I heard the transmission site and mast are still owned Radio Ballarat Pty Ltd which is (now) owned by ARN and operates 3BA and Power.
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3AK and 5DN were part of the pre-Crocmedia/SEG era of SEN, so they came under the umbrella before the current strategy took full shape.
I completely agree with you regarding 2CH and 4KQ. However, it would’ve been incredibly difficult for SEG to retain those legacy brands while simultaneously trying to introduce entirely new programming formats to their respective audiences. Even if SEN had entered the Sydney and Brisbane markets with the 2CH and 4KQ names intact, there likely still would’ve been a significant drop in listenership due to backlash against the format change alone.
On the other hand, RSN/3UZ is a different story. It has a deeply entrenched history in Melbourne, having broadcast for over a century across different frequencies, formats, and brand identities. Given its heritage and the strong value it holds in the market, SEG/SEN would never risk diluting or discarding the RSN brand—it’s simply too significant an asset.
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Also, 3AK was in the doldrums when SEN got involved. It had no brand heritage left after almost 20 years of instability and failed formats and relaunches. SEN was really the best thing to happen to it, and the most successful format for the station since Beautiful Music ended in 1985.
Is the RSN brand that highly regarded, though? The station has had a very niche listenership for 30 years since it dumped the 3UZ name on-air. Barely anyone now would have listened or remembered 3UZ in its heyday of the 50s, 60s or 70s when it meant something in Melbourne radio.
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I thought it was still called Sport 927 
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3AW 1278 was the nb1 station, they made the move to 693, and it really wasn’t a big deal.
I’m not saying SEN is definitely going to move. But financially it does make sense for them to put the live AFL coverage on the more powerful 927am frequency and get SEN closer on the dial to 3AW and 774.
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Crucially though (and unlike 2CH & 4KQ), RSN’s brand and format aligns perfectly with SEG/SEN.
It also makes sense for RSN and SEN Track to be closer to each other on the dial to create syngeries and linkages between the two stations (whilst maintaining their separate formats).
Pretty sure RSN has done that in the past during the Spring Racing Carnival through one of the RSN Xtra digital radio stations.
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It’s difficult to make that argument without a solid factual basis. While it’s fair to say that stations like 3AW and ABC 774 would likely remain dominant, even if 3UZ had continued in its previous format, claiming that almost no one would listen to a modern-day version of 3UZ is speculative at best. That same logic could be applied to any former callsign or station when compared with today’s radio landscape.
Any radio station is far more than just its branding. RSN, for example, has demonstrated that it still holds an audience despite undergoing numerous changes over the years. A change in format doesn’t inherently mean a callsign has lost its relevance, nor does it mean the station has lost its audience entirely—it simply means the target audience may have shifted to suit the new direction.
But it’s hard to argue the relevance of a callsign when it hasn’t been used for two decades.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if SEN eventually dumps the RSN brand and merges it with SEN Track to create national brands: SEN Track 1 & SEN Track 2.
Having SEN on the stronger 927 AM signal in Melbourne, would also make sense with SEN Track 1 on 1116 and SEN Track 2 on the 1593 frequency, with all 3 available Melbourne-wide on DAB.
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I think they’ll either keep the RSN name or name it SEN 2 - They might even brand them as SEN 1116 and SEN 927?
I don’t think they’ll use the SEN Track name, as that was more a move to help prove their are niche enough for the narrowcast licences.
Personally, I’d scrap breakfast on RSN and move Harf over to join the Breakfast Team(s) on the main SEN channel.
On RSN, I’d air live US sports at Breakfast - like SEN do with the NFL, before they switch to Fanatic at 6am - until about 10am, then do the Racing Preview and into Racing coverage after that. After Midnight, air UK/European sport.
I’d like to refer you all to the main body of this week’s Sounding Board podcast. Hutchy briefly outlines the short/medium term plans for synergies between RSN and SEN Track.
Hutchy doesn’t go into much detail. But he does mention the brands will continue to co-exist, with “finding common ground” where possible.
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Listening to Hutchy and Pickers discuss it on Off The Bench there was a hint that RSN could do its traditional coverage of the Spring Carnival while SEN could do seperate coverage with Gerard Whateley calling the races…
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SEN plans to buy RSN and there is speculation that they will do a frequency swap.
You’re about a week late… scroll up 
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The VRI has reportedly received assurances that SEG intends to retain RSN on the 927 AM signal for a period of six years as part of the acquisition terms. Additionally, it is understood that the industry will continue to play an active role in overseeing the station’s programming and content following the completion of the transaction.
Then what? That’s a random amount of time.
After the six-year period concludes, SEN/SEG will assume full control of the license, granting them the discretion to determine its future use. While RSN will remain an industry asset in essence, it will be operated by SEG, with the VRI continuing to have input on key elements such as race day broadcast structure. SEG will be required to meet certain performance benchmarks in order to maintain the ongoing partnership arrangement.
SEN breakfast show to be simulcast on RSN and other lineup changes for RSN927
Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) has confirmed initial program changes for RSN, following the acquisition of Racing & Sports Network (RSN) last week.
These planned changes to take effect from September 1, subject to completion of the sale:
SEN’s existing breakfast shows – ‘Fireball’ with Kane Cornes and David King on Mondays and Fridays, and SEN Breakfast with Garry Lyon and Tim Watson from Tuesdays to Thursdays – will now also be heard on RSN.
Oh goodness. Is this what the future looks like?
If SEN/RSN can’t swap frequencies, just swap/share programming?
Poor Melbourne.