Media UK

Student Radio

Student radio stations are stations owned and operated by universities (generally through the respective students' union) or higher education colleges.

Student-based

Student radio stations are usually 100% student-based and student-targetted; this means that presenters, newsreaders, producers, sales staff, managers, programmers and everyone involved with the station are enrolled at that particular educational establishment. Other stations have professional management in place, with additional presenters and staff of ex-students, plus enthusiasts from other walks of life. These stations are aimed at that university's or city's student population and therefore tend to play contemporary music and feature specialist music shows.

There are number of methods by which student stations broadcast. Some of them broadcast via internal loops in their students' union buildings. Some have an LPAM licence - they transmit on an AM frequency in a tightly defined area restricted by the terms of their licence to the university campus. Stations in far-flung areas, such as Lancaster, Exeter and Bangor, are able to transmit permanently on FM on an LPFM licence. Many stations now simulcast on the Internet, or just across their campus's computer network, but some stations exclusively broadcast on line. However, the most common licence arrangements for student stations are Restricted Service licences, which allow the station to broadcast on a designated FM frequency 24 hours a day for up to 28 days. RSL regulations state that any organisation running an RSL can only have two broadcasts each calendar year with four clear months in between; but some student stations on a tight budget only broadcast once a year.

Some stations are now also making use of Community Radio Licences to operate fulltime FM services. Notable successes are CSR in Canterbury and Siren FM in Lincoln.

History

The first university radio station was University Radio York, started in 1967 and still going. It was also the first legal independent station in the UK, so its 40th birthday in 2007 will also see the anniversary of independent radio in the UK. It was followed by University Radio Essex (URE), based at the Colchester campus of the University of Essex. Swansea University's Xtreme Radio was founded in November 1968 as Action Radio. It also had the names URA and C-Air before becoming Xtreme.

Representation

Many student radio stations are represented by the Student Radio Association (SRA). This organisation represents the collective of stations at a national level, as well as dispense advice and help to all affiliated stations through their twice-annually conferences. They also compile weekly charts and organise the annual Student Radio Awards in conjunction with the Radio Academy and BBC Radio 1 to recognise the best stations.

The Student Radio Chart Show

Student radio stations across the UK are currently involved in a trial period for the live, syndicated 'Student Radio Chart Show'. The show broadcasts on Sundays from 3-5pm during term-time, and full details of the show are at www.studentradiochart.com The Student Radio Chart is compiled from the top-ranking tracks on student radio stations across the UK.

Sustaining services or automation?

While student stations usually broadcast 24 hours a day while they are on air, they typically use a sustaining service during the hours when live presenters are not available. or the premises are closed. This simply means that the station rebroadcasts some other organisation's output. As playout software becomes more accessible and cheaper, more and more student stations, even those on a tight budget due to lack of funding and the cost of licences, are changing over to automated playout outside of their manned hours, many have even produced their own software to take on the task.

Until the summer of 2004, most student stations used SBN - the Student Broadcast Network - as their sustaining service. It provided subscribers with specialist shows and student-orientated news and information via sateliite. SBN paid stations for taking syndicated advertising and sponsored shows (like Friday Night Kiss and The JD Set), which enabled them to buy transmitting and studio equipment. However, in July 2004, SBN's parent company Campus Media ceased its student radio operation at short notice. Many student stations relying on an income from SBN suffered a severe financial setback and some have not returned to air since because of the withdrawal of this essential funding.

While a few sustaining services have been set up following the demise of SBN, none has made as big an impact as the original service.

Alumni

The Association of Student Radio Alumni (ASRA) was set up as an organisation to provide a way for alumni of student stations to keep in touch with each other and the stations that they were from.

As well as organising regular events, ASRA provides tools on its website (blogs, forums and mailing lists) so local alumni stations can be easily set up free of charge.

Student radio in the Media UK directory

• Student radio stations in the UK (page temporarily unavailable pending re-coding)

External Links

• Student Radio Assocation (http://www.studentradio.org.uk)
• Association of Student Radio Alumni (http://www.studentradioalumni.com)
• NonStopPlay.com (http://www.nonstopplay.com): one of the replacement sustaining services in the wake of SBN's demise
• Student Radio Wiki (http://www.studentradio.org.uk/wiki/index.php/Main_Page) - providing info and advice for student radio stations.
• The Student Radio Chart (http://www.studentradiochart.com) - Including information about the nationally syndicated 'Student Radio Chart Show'.