| University Radio York | |
|---|---|
| On Air Online On Demand | |
| Media Type: | Radio |
| Launched: | 1967 |
| Format: | University Radio |
| Website: | http://ury.org.uk/ |
| Member of: | Student Radio Association, York University Media |
| University: | University of York |
| Other University Media: | Television - YSTV Newspapers - Nouse, Vision |
| Availability | |
| On Air | 1350AM (on campus) |
| Online | Live stream online and iTunes |
| On Demand | URYPlayer |
University Radio York (commonly known as URY) is a campus radio covering the campus of the University of York. It was the first legal independent radio station in the United Kingdom.[1]
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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 during university term time (a total of 30 weeks per year). 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.
URY was set up in 1967 by Mike Greasley, then a student of the university. The station broadcast for the first time that year as Radio York under a test licence, and was the first station independent of the BBC to broadcast legally in the UK. The station was relaunched as University Radio York in 1969, featuring a guest broadcast by DJ John Peel.[2]
The station switched from its original 999 kHz induction loop system to a LPAM licence in 1999, and now broadcasts across the both of York University's Heslington and Heslington East campuses on 1350AM. 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 lectures and educational material 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 York Report at 6pm is still a pivotal part of the evening schedule.[3]
In 2008, URY broadcast 12 hours of US Presidential Election coverage.
URY won the Student Radio Association / BBC Radio 1 Student Radio Station of the Year award for the first time in its history in 2005.[4] This was also the first time the station had even been nominated for a Student Radio Award. URY's Programme Controller at the time, Matt Wareham, was also nominated for the Best Station Sound category in the same year, but did not receive an award.
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 7am 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 gold for best male presenter,[5] URY Breakfast won bronze for best entertainment programme,[6] Rob Watts interviewing Greg Dyke won gold for best interview[7] and The Technical Difficulties won the Kevin Greening Creativity Award.[8]
At the Student Radio Awards in 2009, The Technical Difficulties won bronze for best entertainment programme, Joshua Chambers' interview: "Hilary Benn on Binyam Mohamed" won gold for best interview and York Report won gold for best journalistic programming.[9]
2010 was another successful year for URY at the Student Radio Awards, where they picked up two accolades. For the second year running, the URY News Team were award-winning by getting Silver for Best Journalistic Programming and also CoCo Cole managed to win the Silver Best Female award. [10]
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.
| Station Manager | Assistant Station Manager(s) | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Rob Stonehouse | Jack Luckett and Emily Hall | November 2011 - Present |
| Darren Webb | Helen Marrison | November 2010 - November 2011 |
| Oliver Julian | Dave Tracz | November 2009 - November 2010 |
| Scott Bryan | Martyn Williams | June 2009 - November 2009 |
| Tim Wallace | Unknown | November 2008 - June 2009 |
| Rob Watts | Unknown | November 2007 - November 2008 |
| Hannah Green | Unknown | November 2006 - November 2007 |
| Jo Ellis | Unknown | June 2005 - November 2006 |
| James Haigh | Unknown | November 2004 - June 2005 |
| Owen Murphy | Unknown | November 2003 - November 2004 |
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