Leeds Student Television

Leeds Student Television
Media Type:	Television
Launched:	Friday 28 February 2003
Website:	http://lstv.co.uk/
Member of:	NaSTA
University:	University of Leeds
Other University Media:	Radio - Leeds Student Radio Newspaper - Leeds Student
Availability
Leeds University Union	Live from level 2 in the Union every Wednesday at 2:00pm
Online and On Demand	Live on http://lstv.co.uk/ every Wednesday at 2:00pm and On Demand at http://lstv.co.uk/watch.php

LSTV (Leeds Student Television) is a student television station run by students from the University of Leeds. LSTV produces video content and broadcasts on a weekly basis around the University as well as on lstv.co.uk.

History

Formation

In the 1970s a group of students formed 'Network 4' and broadcast black and white programmes on a closed circuit around the University. However, it became too costly and time consuming to continue, and the students decided to broadcast radio instead, and Network 4 became LSRfm.com (Leeds Student Radio), which is still going strong today.

30 years later in 2002, enterprising first year Broadcasting student Nik Smith discussed with a group of friends the possibility of once again setting up a student TV station at the University of Leeds.

They approached Leeds University Union, and were laughed out of the office when they asked for funding to get the idea off the ground. Eventually the Union agreed that they could set up the station, as long as it was called LUUTV. And so, Leeds University Union Television was born.

LUUTV

Screens went up in the Union, and began to glow with a few simple Powerpoint slides. LUUTV was starting to go live.

Then, just past 12:00pm on Friday 28 February 2003 (a few months later than planned), LUUTV went on-air across the Union with the assistance of the late Richard Whiteley who became the station's patron.

The broadcast introduced viewers to The Essential, a news show, and That's Entertainment (now On Campus). Both are still a key part of the LSTV schedule today.

The full story of the struggle to launch LUUTV is charted in the documentary Going Live.

LS:TV

In September 2003, and a new influx of members to LUUTV, there were some big changes. In the first few weeks, broadcasts hadn't gone out as planned, and Nik made the decision to stop broadcasting until after Christmas, to focus on improvements and organisation.

A new Union executive finally allowed the name to LS:TV, or Leeds Student Television, to bring them in line with the other media groups in the Union, Leeds Student Radio and Leeds Student (the student newspaper).

On 15 March 2004 the first LS:TV broadcast hit the screens of the Union to a huge reception. With the first show out of the way, the Easter holidays meant it was time for the new LS:TV to head to its first National Student Television Association (NaSTA) conference, in Norwich.

LS:TV submitted a mix of LUUTV and LS:TV programming to NaSTA for their annual awards ceremony. They returned from the conference and awards ceremony with 3 major awards - Best Comedy, Best Documentary and Best Ident, and 1 Highly Commended award.

The next year saw LS:TV go from strength to strength, with the purchase of broadcast quality cameras and microphones and the production of hour-long weekly shows nearly every single week of term.

LS:TV went into a position where it could afford to diversify and in February 2005, they took their equipment out of the studio for the first time and into the Union's Riley Smith Hall, and recorded a live outside broadcast of the Dance Exposé society's performance Aurora Borealis III. Subsequently they also filmed the Musical Theatre society's production of Romeo and Juliet, and the Rileys societies awards night.

April 2005 saw another storming LS:TV NaSTA victory, where they took home 6 of the top awards, including Best Broadcaster, which had been held for the past 10 years exclusively by Glasgow's student television station, GUST.

The following months saw wave after wave of new programming hitting the LS:TV screens, not least their ten hour charity broadcast for 2005’s Children In Need. Featuring live fund raising, LS:TV collected over £600 and presented a cheque together with LUU’S RAG to the BBC.

In 2006, LS:TV began to prepare itself to host NaSTA 2006 alongside YSTV. LS:TV once again scooped a generous helping of awards, but had to say goodbye to its founding members, who were moving on to bigger and brighter things.

LSTV

A 2008 rebrand saw the station drop the colon and start using the name LSTV. This was shortly followed by the construction of a new studio and a move to substantially larger facilities in the Activities Resource Center in the Union building. This includes a fully operational gallery and access to one of the university's activity rooms, which is transformed into a studio by means of a few props, drapes and chairs.

Awards

NaSTAs

The following is a table of LSTV's known National Student Television Award wins. Where (HC) is placed after a category, the award was for a highly commended entry as opposed to an overall winner.

Riley Smith Awards

The Riley Awards is a ceremony hosted annually by Leeds University Union to celebrate the efforts of the union's 300+ societies. The following is a full list of the Riley Awards LSTV has won since its re-birth in 2004.

Programming

Weekly Live Broadcasts

LSTV broadcasts live every Wednesday during term time at 2pm on www.lstv.co.uk from Floor 2 in Leeds University Union. The broadcast includes both the weekly news and light entertainment programmes, along with any content that the station has produced during the week. Each broadcast, a pair of presenters link between the shows and occasional live acts in the studio. Previous live acts have included magic, music and even Father Christmas. Broadcasts can vary in length, anything from 90 minutes to 3 hours.

The Essential

The Essential is LSTV's weekly news programme. The programme is presented by two live news anchors. The show has a consistent format; starting off with news that affects students in the Leeds area, then moving on to the weather, before finishing up with gathering students' opinions on a topical issue entitled The Essential Question. The programme then signs off in the same fashion, with the line "...and remember, if it's going on, in or around your union, it's essential." Previous notable appearances in the last year alone include Pervez Musharraf (Former President of Pakistan), Ed Balls (Shadow Chancellor) and the England Six Nations Rugby team.

On Campus

On Campus, first aired on Wednesday 10 October 2012 and took over from Waffle House as LSTV's weekly light entertainment programme. The home of the bulk of LSTV's drama, comedy sketches, entertainment news and reviews.

Amplified

LSTV's weekly music show, usually shown within On Campus. Each show includes interviews with bands, footage from gigs and club nights, a Top 5 chart update, music news and most recently Leeds Live Lounge which features interviews with local bands blended together with an acoustic version of their own tracks and covers of classics originally from well known artists. Alexandra Burke, Stooshe and Benjamin Francis Leftwich have previously appeared and been interviewed on the show. The show was first broadcast on Wednesday 10 October 2012.

Sideline

Sideline is LSTV's brand new bi-weekly Sports Show. It covers sport from around the union, the rest of Leeds and elsewhere. With ever-present features such as Battle of the Fans, Premier League Preview and 60 Second Sports Round-up, along with sporting highlights from the BUCS Championships, it covers all areas of sporting action across the University. The show launched on Wednesday 3 October 2012, with a special 5 hour live programme covering the Leeds Varsity clash between Leeds University and Leeds Metropolitan University. It was also most recently Highly Commended as best sports programming across all student television stations in the country by the National Student Television Association.

Outside Broadcasts

As well as the regular Wednesday broadcasts, LSTV also does specialist broadcasts outside of the studio, these are also streamed on www.lstv.co.uk. Past outside broadcasts have included Dance Exposé's annual showcase; the Riley Smith Awards, LUU's annual club and society prizegiving; LUU Question Time, the union executive election candidates' hustings. On top of this, they have done an annual 7 hour marathon livestream in aid of Children in Need for the last 7 years, most recently raising £2,299.

References

External links

• LSTV.co.uk
• NaSTA

Coordinates: 53°48′26″N 1°33′6″W / 53.80722°N 1.55167°W / 53.80722; -1.55167