1449AM URB
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| 1449AM URB | |
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| Broadcast area | University of Bath - Local AM & Online (URB Online) |
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| Frequency | 1449 KHz (Univ. of Bath) Internet (Rest of World) |
| First air date | 1973 |
| Format | Contemporary Student |
| Owner | Bath University Students' Union |
| Website | URB Online |
URB is the student radio station for the University of Bath, England
Contents |
[edit] History
URB (University Radio Bath), previously URB 963, and currently 1449AM URB launched on May 16, 1973 and is a student-run radio station at the University of Bath. It was launched by Annie Nightingale & Pete Murray from Radio 1. In 1994 and 2003 URB also broadcast under short-term Restricted Service Licences across the city of Bath on the FM band. In summer 1995 Torch FM 106.2 used URB studios and presenters to provide a city-wide radio service for the European Youth Olympics in Bath.
The station was originally broadcast from a cupboard in the Electrical Engineering Department and carried by induction loops in all of the campus residences. A year after launch the station moved the current studios in Norwood house but still retained the induction loop transmitters, which were updated and expanded as new residences were built on campus. Over the years loudspeakers playing URB were added to the campus laundrettes and the students' union coffee shop. In summer 1994 renovations to the Westwood blocks severed the wires to the loops there and after that URB 963 could only be heard in Eastwood, Wessex and Norwood. On 8 February 2001 at 14:49 1449AM URB launched as a low powered AM service covering the whole campus and the remaining induction loops on 963 were switched off. The addition of internet streaming has also given the station a significant boost.
Neil Fox - better known as Dr Fox - and Richard Evans of Radio 1 Newsbeat both started their careers at URB.
In 1987 three URB presenters (Graham Hutkins, Ben Ramsden & Andrew Wiseman) broadcast a special 24-hour show, raising money for local charities. In March 2008 presenters broadcast 60 hours of continuous live shows to raise money for the charity Hearing Aid.
In March 2008 URB Hosted the National Student Radio Conference on behalf of the Student Radio Association the conference between the 17th and 19th of March featured talks from a variety of speakers from the world of radio including Radio 1's Greg James.
Information from URB Online - official website
[edit] URB Today
There are three studios in the Norwood house complex; Studio 1 - the main broadcast studio, Studio 2 - a DJ studio, and finally Studio 3 - a production studio and news room.
The station broadcasts live shows from 9AM in the morning into the night, with shows ranging from daytime entertainment shows to specialist music. When there's not a live presenter in the studio, an interactive "non-stop" service fills in the gaps. URB also informs the campus with hourly news bulletins and “Campus Minute”; a brief run-down of local and student-related news
[edit] Student Radio Awards
2002 - Station Manager Ben Vane won Best Male Presenter, URB came second in the Best Marketing category, and URB also came third in Best Station.
2003 the comedy Because Fish Are Funny won second place for Best Speech Based Non-Factual category.
2004 Gareth Gwynn won Gold for the Best Speech-Based Non-Factual for his one-off comedy show Component Parts.
2005 - URB received six nominations (the most nominations they'd received so far) including Student Station of the Year; which they failed to win. They won two silver awards for Station Sound and Best Male Presenter (Chris Day) and one bronze award for Best Entertainment Programming (Paul Kiernan and David Boddington).
2006 - Best Marketing & Branding - judge Mark Goodier commented "there was something about the winning entry [URB] that really stood out."
2007 - Best Marketing & Branding for the second consecutive time. The judges described this year's winning entry as "slick and professional", and "an example of how an already successful station can effectively build upon its own past achievements. An effective written submission detailed how the various initiatives had been conceived and executed, and the accompanying audio was well-produced and gave a clear sense of the station's mission - to serve its audience".
2008 - Best Marketing & Branding Bronze award, and Best Technical Achievement Bronze award for URB non-stop: the continuous-play computer system used during non-personal playout.
2009 - Best Marketing & Branding Bronze award (along with 4 other nominations; Best station, Best Entertainment Programming, Best Live Event or Outside Broadcast and Best Journalistic Programming)
U Talk Marketing, 2007 Marketing Entry, http://www.utalkmarketing.com/Pages/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3585&Title=URB_1149_am_winning_marketing_campaign, retrieved 2007-11-20
Student Radio Association, Awards Website, http://www.studentradio.org.uk/awards, retrieved 2009-12-07
[edit] Neighbours
URB has sister stations at other universities in the area:
Burst Radio - University of Bristol
Xpress Radio - Cardiff University
[edit] Current Committee
The 2009/10 Committee is:
- Station Manager: Lewis Brimblecombe
- Programme Controller: Cedric Sureshkumar
- Chief Engineer: Stephen Briscoe
- Head of Roadshow: Iain MacCormick
- Head of Online Media: Adam Milne-Smith
- Head of Station Sound: Liam Matthews
- Head of Music: Sam Hurley
- Lead Producer: Peter Farrar
- Head of IT: Tom Gregory
- Head of Training: Lewis Taylor
- Head of Advertising & Marketing: Holly Jay-Szoke
- Treasurer: Dom Gillan
- Secretary: Phil Byrne
[edit] Previous Committees
2008/09
- Station Manager: Tim Ayres
- Programme Controller: Steve Ash
- Chief Engineer: James Berry
- Head of Roadshow: David Board
- Head of Online Media: Peter Walker
- Head of Production: Steve Briscoe
- Head of Music: Lorna Greenwood
- Head of IT: Tom Gregory
- Head of Training: Simon Budden
- Head of Catering: Craig Stranger
- Head of Advertising & Marketing: Katie Brown
- Treasurer: Cedric Sureshkumar
2007/08
- Station Manager: Tim Dye
- Program Controller: Tim Ayres
- Chief Engineer / Head of IT: Craig Stranger & Mark Farrington
- Head of Production: David Board
- Head of Roadshow: Oliver Whittall
- Head of Music: Oliver Billenness
2006/07
- Station Manager: Mark Farrington
- Program Controller: Dani Tynan
- Chief Engineer / Head of IT: Simon Field & William Larque
- Head of Production: David Board
- Head of Roadshow: Oliver Whittall & Oliver King
- Head of Music: Stuart Johnson
2005/06
- Station Manager: Seb Mullins
- Program Controller: Colin Chesterman
- Chief Engineer: Simon Field
- Head of Production: Mark Farrington
- Head of Music: Jenny Marsh
2004/05
- Station Manager: Chris Day
- Program Controller: Chris Lucas
- Chief Engineer: Tom Natt
- Head of Production: David Houghton
- Head of Music: Jenny Marsh
2003/04
- Station Manager: James Palmer
- Program Controller: Chris Day
- Chief Engineer: Mark Chappell
- Head of Music: Joe Fyrth
- Head of Advertising: Tom Natt
- Head of Marketing: Gareth Gwynn
2002/03
- Station Manager/PC: David Mayo
- Head of Production: Ben Vane
- Chief Engineer: Cliff Davey
- Head of Music: David Houghton
- Head of Marketing: James Palmer
- Head of Training: Chris Day
- Head of Online: Thierry Draper
2001/02
- Station Manager: Ben Vane
- Programme Controller: Rishi Jassal
- Head of Online: David Mayo
2000/01
- Station Manager: Andy Savin
- Programme Controller: David Mayo
- Head of Music: Rob O'Brien
- Advertising/Publicity: Danielle Bachelet
- Treasurer: Katerina Papachristoforou
- Head of Production: Ben Vane
- Head of Engineering: Cliff Davey
1998/99
- Station Manager: Pete Srodzinski
- Deputy Station Manager: Cliff Davey
1996/97
- Station Manager: Phil von Oppen
- Programme Controller: Andy Sinclair
- Treasurer: Richard Allen
- Head of Music: Pete Srodzinski
- Chief Engineer: Gareth Jones
- Roadshow Manager: Tom Spinks
- Head of Production: Titus Jennings
1995/96
1994/95
- Roadshow Manager: Dave Bute
1993/94
- Station Manager: Mike Pratt
- Programme Controller: Dawn Banks
- Head of Music: Nick Holmes
- Chief Engineer: Nick Prater
- Roadshow Manager: Nick Prater
- Head of Production: Karen Hancock
[edit] External links
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