University Radio York
York University Media | |
Ownership | |
---|---|
Owner | YUSU |
YSTV (television) | |
History | |
First air date | 1968 |
Former frequencies | 999 kHz 1350 kHz |
Links | |
Webcast | Live stream online and iTunes |
Website | ury |
University Radio York (commonly known as URY) is a
About
Like most student radio stations, University Radio York is run entirely by volunteers, all students studying at the University of York. The station broadcasts 24 hours a day. Most programming is created during term time, outside of which broadcasting falls to a sustainer service. The schedule is made up of a variety of shows including entertainment, news, speech, drama and music. With a new intake of students each academic year, the station's output can change significantly.
History
In 1967, Mike Greasley then a student of the university, obtained a testing and development license for "Radio Heslington".[2]
The other limitations were strategically overcome and in 1969 the name Radio York not being available, University Radio York was licensed, becoming the first station independent of the BBC to broadcast legally in the UK. The station launch was a joint show with BBC local radio station and featured a guest broadcast by DJ John Peel.[3][4]
The station switched from its original 999 kHz induction loop system to a LPAM licence in 1999, which broadcast across both of The University of York's Heslington West and Heslington East campuses on 1350 AM. The station has also conducted several RSL FM broadcasts across the whole of the city, the last of these being in 2008.
Initially the station's purpose was to broadcast current affairs, and programmes of general interest in the arts and sciences as well as popular music, however the output is now mainly entertainment-based, with additional specialist arts and speech programming. News was provided by The Student Broadcast Network until its demise however, the station's long-running news programme URY Newshour (previously York 60 and York Report) at 6pm is still a pivotal part of the weekly schedule.[5]
In 2008, URY broadcast 12 hours of US Presidential Election coverage.[6]
The URY Marathon was broadcast in March 2013 for 40 hours in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.[7][8] At the time of broadcast, it was URY's longest show ever. The two presenters, William Chalk and Tom Edwards, and one newsreader, Ben Bason, broadcast without sleep for the duration, raising over £1,800.[9]
In autumn 2013, the Chief Engineer and Assistant Chief Engineers of the time (Stephen Clarke, Thomas Haines and Andrew Durant) started a project to completely overhaul the internal audio systems of URY. The main aim of this was to remove the 'URY hum' – a low level buzz starting at 50 Hz with subsequent harmonics which filled the entire audio range. Following Alumni grant and crowd funding, and with the support of Focusrite Audio Engineering, the team was able to upgrade all studio interconnects to be digital, using Focusrite's RedNet system on the Audio Over IP protocol, Dante. In September 2015, URY was able to begin broadcasting a 'hum-less' stream. The project was nominated for a Student Radio Award in October 2016.[10]
URY's longest show at the time, URY 101, was broadcast in June 2016 for 101 hours in aid of Yorkshire Cancer Research.[11] The show was presented by Joe Willis, Naomi Gildert and Caterina Soave, and produced by Adam Brain, Peter Rogers, Stephen Clarke and Andrew Durant. They each took shifts to ensure the broadcast continued, with the presenters getting three 7 hour sleeps over the 4 days and the producers working for 6 hours each. The entire show was done as an Outside Broadcast, from Greg's Place on the University of York campus. The total raised was £1710 (including £1,188.16 donated online), and the show included live music, a broadcast from the campus lake and a whole host of games and challenges. It was completed as part of Yorkshire Cancer Research's '100 for £100' campaign.[12]
In 2018, URY were awarded a grant by the University of York of £40,000 to upgrade their studios. This included brand new audio equipment, a total interior re-design, and fancy red/blue colour schemes to match. The 40K project was completed in Christmas 2019.[13]
In September 2021, URY started broadcasting on 88.3 MHz FM as part of Ofcom's Limited Coverage FM trial.[14]
In September 2022, URY was awarded a limited licence to broadcast on 88.3 FM until 31 August 2027.[15]
Transmissions on 1350 kHz AM ceased on 25 June 2023 following 135 hours of consecutive broadcast, URY's longest show to date.[16][17]
Achievements and awards
Founding - 2009
In 1988, URY won a
URY won the
As part of the prize for winning Student Radio Station of the Year, on 29 May 2006 URY was broadcast on BBC Radio 1, taking over the 4 to 7 am Early Breakfast slot usually occupied by JK and Joel. The show was broadcast nationally on 97–99 FM and DAB, across the USA on Sirius Satellite Radio and online through the BBC Radio 1 website. It was also made available by both URY and BBC Radio 1 on their websites.
At the same awards in 2008, Rob Watts won bronze for best male presenter,[22] URY Breakfast with Rob Watts and Steve Gardner won bronze for best entertainment programme,[23] Rob Watts interviewing Greg Dyke won gold for best interview[24] and The Technical Difficulties won the Kevin Greening Creativity Award.[25]
At the
2010s
2010 was another successful year for URY at the
In 2011 URY received six nominations at the Student Radio Awards. Four of these were successful: The Chalk and Charles Show won Gold Best Entertainment Show, James Bugg's The More Beautiful Game won Bronze Best Speech. On top of this, URY picked up Silver Best Station and The Kevin Greening Award for Tess Humphrey's Prince of Humberside.[citation needed]
In the 2012
At the 2013
URY at the 2014
At the 2015 I Love Student Radio Awards, URY were shortlisted for 4 awards, 2 in Best Audience Initiative for Freshers 2014 and YorkNext, Best Outreach Project for Alex and Tom: Getting gold for Charity and Outstanding Contribution to Student Radio for Jay Glover. The Freshers 2014 marketing and OB setup ended up winning the overall prize for Best Audience Initiative. In 2015, URY won 5 SRA Awards at the 20th Anniversary Awards ceremony – Bronze Best Male (Harry Whittaker), Gold Best Entertainment (The Harry Whittaker Show), Silver Best Event (Elections Results Night 2015), Gold Best Newcomer (Rebecca Saw) and Silver Best Technical Achievement (Roses Mini-OB Kits). The station was also nominated for Best Sports with the York Sport Report. URY Alumni Ben Bason also won Silver Best Entertainment for his show of Forge Radio. Continuing their successful year, URY were also shortlisted for the Radio Academy Yorkshire "Station of the Year".[citation needed]
2016 saw URY receive 7 nominations
In 2017 URY won four awards out of five nominations at the
In 2018, URY won two gold and two silver awards. The URSPY APP won Gold Best Technical Achievement, Gold Best Multiplatform Initiative and the Silver Kevin Greening Creativity Award whilst Joel Mitchell won Silver for Best Male.[30]
In 2019, URY won three gold and two silver awards at the
2020s
In 2020, URY won three gold, three silver and one bronze awards at the
In 2021, URY won two gold and four bronze awards at the
References
- ^ "The Arts at York". University of York. 8 January 2009. Archived from the original on 6 January 2010. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "40 Years of URY". University Radio York. 9 June 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ "University Radio York – John Peel First Show". University Radio York. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "University Radio York – 40 Years of URY". University Radio York. 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
- ^ "University Radio York Schedule". University Radio York. 7 June 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
- ^ "URY's US Election Results Live". University Radio York. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
- ^ "URY's Longest Show Ever in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support". University Radio York. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Macmillan Marathon". York Vision. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "URY's Longest Show Ever in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support". JustGiving.com. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "The Student Radio Awards 2016: NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED". The Student Radio Association. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
- ^ "URY 101". University Radio York. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
- ^ "everydayhero: 100 for £100". Retrieved 17 October 2016.
- ^ "URY About Us". University Radio York. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ "URY About Us". University Radio York. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ "University Radio York gets permanent limited coverage FM licence". RadioToday. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ "URY on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "University York Radio waves goodbye to AM transmission – Nouse". www.nouse.co.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "University Radio York | About Us". ury.org.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "URY | Alumni Shows: Throwback to the 80s Sunday, 31 May 2020 – 19:00". ury.org.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "Flashback to 1987: York's tightest election finish". York Press. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "Student station grabs top prize". BBC News. 27 November 2005. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "The Student Radio Awards Winner 2008: Best Male Presenter". Student Radio Association. Archived from the original on 18 November 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "The Student Radio Awards Winner 2008: Best Entertainment Programme". Student Radio Association. Archived from the original on 18 November 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "The Student Radio Awards Winner 2008: Best Interview". Student Radio Association. Archived from the original on 18 November 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "The Student Radio Awards Winners: The Kevin Greening Creativity Award". Student Radio Association. Archived from the original on 27 November 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "The Student Radio Awards Winners 2009". Student Radio Association. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "The Student Radio Awards Winners 2010". Student Radio Association. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
- ^ "The Student Radio Awards Nominations 2016". Student Radio Association. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
- ^ "Student Radio Awards 2017 – the nominations". Radio Today. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ "2018 Winners". Student Radio Awards. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2020.