Sure Radio
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sure Radio | |
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| Media Type: | Radio |
| Launched: | 1995 |
| Website: | http://www.sureradio.com/ |
| Member of: | Student Radio Association, Community Media Association |
| University: | University of Sheffield |
| Other University Media: | The Steel Press |
| Availability | |
| Online | Live stream |
Sure Radio is the student radio station of the University of Sheffield. It broadcasts during term time on the Internet and throughout the students' union, catering for a varied taste in music. Weekday daytime is playlisted; evenings and weekends are open to specialist shows, which provide an upfront variety of music.
[edit] History
Sure Radio was founded as a student society at Sheffield Union by Helen Grimes. The station followed in the footsteps of "Forge FM"; a station jointly run by students and the local community broadcasting from University House, which ceased to operate some time before. The original aim of Sure Radio was to broadcast 4 week FM "RSL" broadcasts twice a year, and to become a self sufficient organisation. Being part of Sheffield University it was (and still is) student-run, although it broadcast to the city of Sheffield, and to all happy travellers driving up a small stretch of the M1.
Sure FM expanded gradually over the next few years, becoming a "Working Committee" of the Students' Union; no longer a society but a part of the organisation providing services to all of its members. Sure's DJs graced the union bars, and regular participated in liaisons with the city's clubs. It built up a regular listener base of local residents and students, and cemented itself in the Sheffield community.
In 2000, Sure FM was awarded Student Radio Station of the Year by College Music Update, with Dan Morfitt also being nominated as Best Head of Music. Later that year, Dan also received a nomination at the Student Radio Awards. Sure then made the national news in February 2001, including ITN's News At Ten and BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat, for being banned from playing any music by Eminem by University of Sheffield Union of Students. Although not broadcasting at the time of the controversy, Sure took the unilateral step of breaking the ban during its next broadcast on FM, for which it was duly fined by the Union.
In subsequent years, the station's equipment began to show signs of aging, and with the loss of the Station Manager in December 2004 Sure Radio had reached a pivotal point in its life. The Winter 2004 FM Broadcast saw advertising contracts fall through, and the Students' Union was left footing a large bill to bail the station out; something that was never intended by Sure's founders. The previous summer had also seen a possible bid for a full time Community FM broadcast (a joint venture between Sure and Sheffield Hallam University's Union) fall through, and disillusioned the majority of Sure's management decided to move on.
The beginning of 2005 saw a takeover by a new committee. Headed by Simon Hunt and Oliver Quinlan, Sure set off in a new direction, which would change the face of the station. Capitalising on new technology Sure became a full-time internet station, broadcasting across University of Sheffield Union of Students and the web, providing a full time radio service to Sheffield Students for the first time in its history.
A revamp of the radio studio has increased the quality of Sure's output, which was acknowledged by a nomination for Oli Q at the national Student Radio Awards, and the visit of BBC 6 Music on the 7th Dec 2005, as well as the odd celebrity popping in (Phill Jupitus, amongst others). Sure's continued success led to the creation of a new website on February 5, 2006. Membership of Sure expanded greatly during 2005 to accommodate over 250 members, working at differing levels and ensuring the continued expansion of the station. Current shows include Tasty Biscuit, How to Recycle a Goat and ShadowPlayboys. The ShadowPlayboys' show Faces for Radio has hosted live sessions from Sheffield's independent label Thee SPC's bands Monkey Swallows the Universe and Champion Kickboxer as well as Bison and Pete Green. The show is associated with ShadowPlay fanzine.
Sure Radio not only broadcasts online and in the Students Union but also became the first university to broadcast in their university gym as one of the preset choices users of the cario equipment could select. Sure Radio also broadcasts in a Pub - the "Hadfield" in Crookesmoore.
Sure Radio is undergoing some exciting development with regards to production and the range of broadcasting for the academic year 2007/08.
