1449AM URB
Encyclopedia
History
URB, 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 NightingaleAnnie Nightingale
Anne "Annie" Nightingale MBE is an English radio broadcaster. She is most commonly known by the more informal name of Annie...
& Pete Murray from Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. In 1994 and 2003 URB also broadcast under short-term Restricted Service Licence
Restricted Service Licence
A UK Restricted Service Licence , is typically granted to radio stations and television stations broadcasting within the UK to serve a local community or a special event...
s 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 loop
Induction loop
Induction loop is a term used to describe an electromagnetic communication- and detection system, relying on the fact that a moving magnet will induce an electrical current in a nearby conducting wire. Induction loops are used for transmission and reception of communication signals, or for...
s 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
Newsbeat
Newsbeat is the flagship news programme on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. Newsbeat is produced by BBC News but differs from the BBC's other news programmes in its remit to provide news tailored for a specifically younger audience....
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
Student Radio Association
The Student Radio Association is a representative body which supports and acts on behalf of the UK student radio community, comprising radio stations that are associated with or linked to a place of education...
the conference between the 17th and 19 March featured talks from a variety of speakers from the world of radio including Radio 1's Greg James
Greg James (DJ)
Greg James is a British radio DJ at BBC Radio 1.Having previously had experience at BBC Radio Norfolk and Galaxy North East, James started presenting the Early Breakfast show in October 2007, replacing the previous incumbents of the slot, JK and Joel...
.
URB Today
The station broadcasts live shows from 9 am 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
Student Radio Association Awards
- 2011 - 4 nominations including Best Marketing and Station Sound, Best Journalistic Programming Bronze award for coverage of the 2010 National Student Fees Demo, Best Student Radio Chart Show Bronze award and Best Student Radio Station Bronze award (the first Best Station award since 2002),
- 2010 - Best Student Radio Chart Show Gold award and Best Specialist Music Programming Gold Award
- 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)
- 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.
- 2007 - Best Marketing & Branding for the second consecutive time.
- 2006 - Best Marketing & Branding - judge Mark GoodierMark Goodier-Early career:Mark Goodier was born in Rhodesia . His family moved to the UK when he was a child, eventually settling in Scotland. He was educated at George Heriot's School, in Edinburgh. He became a mobile DJ in Edinburgh and then joined local station Radio Forth at the age of 19...
commented "there was something about the winning entry [URB] that really stood out." - 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).
- 2004 Gareth Gwynn won Gold for the Best Speech-Based Non-Factual for his one-off comedy show Component Parts.
- 2003 the comedy Because Fish Are Funny won second place for Best Speech Based Non-Factual category.
- 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.
Neighbours
URB has sister stations at other universities in the area:Burst Radio
Burst Radio
Bristol University Radio Station is the radio station run by students of the University of Bristol, England. Its studios are located within the University of Bristol Union building, and it broadcasts online. The station was initially known as BURST FM, but this name has now been dropped as the...
- University of Bristol
Xpress Radio
Xpress Radio
Xpress Radio is a national award-winning student radio station based at Cardiff University in Cardiff, Wales, focussed on current, popular and new music. The station broadcasts from 10am-11pm daily with programming ranging from comedy to film review, to the best in new and local music.Xpress is...
- Cardiff University
Previous Station Managers
'11/'12 - Nick Hill'10/'11 - Stephen Briscoe
'09/'10 - Lewis Brimblecombe
'08/'09 - Tim Ayres
'07/'08 - Tim Dye
'06/'07 - Mark Farrington
'05/'06 - Sebastian Mullins
'04/'05 - Chris Day
'03/'04 - Dave Mayo
'02/'03 - Dave Mayo
1984/85 - Martin
1986/87 - Andy
1987/88 - Tony Garratt
1988/89 - Ben Ramsden
Current Committee
The 2011/12 Committee is:- Station Manager: Nick Hill
- Programme Controller: Stephen Briscoe
- Executive Producer: Tamar Hudson
- Head of Roadshow: Matt Edgar
- Head of Station Sound: Steven Pagett
- Head of Music: Sam Faulkner
- Head of IT: Michael Parry
- Chief Engineer: Alex Davies
- Head of Training: Dominic Gillan
- Head of Marketing: Lizzy Roberts
- Treasurer: Linden Watts