The Sydney University Radio Group was created in the late 90s by William Balfour, who now works for the University of Sydney Union as entertainment manager for Manning House. At that time, SURG complemented the University Broadcasting Service which operated from beneath the Wentworth Building. Activities involved organising for members to produce shows on community radio stations around Sydney and subsidising members’ participation in radio presentation and production courses. We had affiliations with 2SER at UTS in Ultimo, 2RRR at Gladesville and 2RDJ in Marrickville.

In the mid 00s, after UBS transferred and transformed into Fbi Radio at Waterloo, we began independent broadcasting using the Temporary Community Broadcast Licenses which we continue to use today. A former SURG member, Tim Traeger – who worked at FBi Radio – would lend us equipment and his expertise to get the station up and running, twice a year. Tim now works for ABC 702 and continues to help us out with transmitters and microwave links.

The radio station is technically called USUFM as it is the University of Sydney Union which owns the license and USUFM is the official name of the station as given to it by the Australian Media and Communications Authority, however many presenters treat ‘SURG’ as interchangeable with USUFM.

Many SURG members have gone on to hold positions within the University of Sydney Union or to work in the media industry. As well as Will Balfour and Tim Traeger, notable SURGers include:

• Rose Khalilizadeh, SURG President 2006, University of Sydney Union President 07/08 ;
• Richie Coutts, SURG President 2005, presents on Fbi Radio and has worked at Nova969;
• Oliver Peterson, SURG member, produces the breakfast show on Fbi Radio;
• Matt O’Neill, SURG member, presents on Fbi Radio.
• Tim Dunlop, SURG member, produces on 2Day FM

To read about what SURG’s various activities over the years, have a read through the annual reports.