Subcity
Encyclopedia
Subcity Radio is a non-profit freeform
radio station, arts collective and events promoter based at the University of Glasgow
which is run by volunteers from the University and local community with the aim of providing an alternative to commercial and mainstream radio providers.. Its live broadcast runs online 24/7 during term time and until September 2009 also on temporary short-term FM
Restricted Service Licence
broadcasts. The station also hosts a large catalogue of audio for on-demand listening and podcasting, including recordings of the live stream, sessions, interviews, news and live recordings. Off-air, Subcity runs various events and club nights throughout the year, with previous venues including the Sub Club
, Art School, Research Club and The Arches
.
radio stations most notably: Laura Sayers
(BBC Radio 1
), Dougal Perman (Radio Magnetic), Annie McGuire
(BBC Scotland) and Adam Uytman (XFM
). In addition to those who have gone on to high profile careers in radio, many Subcity contributors already had or went on to achieve fame in other areas most notably: Hudson Mohawke
, Optimo
, Boom Monk Ben, Slam (band)
as well as many other Glasgow clubs and DJs.
Subcity has no playlist, instead each show is largely autonomous from station management and presenters have full choice in what music they play as well as the format sound and branding of their shows. The station does not broadcast during the summer holidays and at the start of the new broadcasting year takes applications for shows (also requiring all existing shows to reapply if they wish to continue). Applicants are invited to submit proposals for a radio show with an outline of what music would be played and what style and format the show would take. Musical specialism, non mainstream music and under-represented musical styles are encouraged. This contributor autonomy is extended to most areas of the station's output including podcasts, reviews, design, photography, comedy and current affairs output.
It is a part of, and partially funded by, Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
. It is one of four student media organisations who receive support from the SRC, who provide both a service and opportunities to students at the University and to the wider community. Subcity is also a member of the Student Radio Association
.
The University's first broadcast was as Sweet FM in September 1993 for one month on an FM RSL
from an un-let University flat in the Murano Street Student Village. The next broadcast was under the Ton and a Half brand in conjunction with the Glasgow School of Art who were celebrating their 150th anniversary in the Winter of 1994, with a subsequence joint venture with the School of Art in the winter of 1995 under the "Art School Radio" brand.
Its first broadcast under the new SubCity brand was in October 1995 from an unused University apartment in Park Circus on a minimal budget. As part of this inaugural broadcast the K Foundation
gave their only radio interview about their burning of a million pounds on the SubCity show "Everything You Know Is Wrong" on 3 November 1995 at 6 pm
Freeform (radio format)
Freeform, or freeform radio, is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. Freeform radio stands in contrast to most commercial radio stations, in which DJs have little or no...
radio station, arts collective and events promoter based at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
which is run by volunteers from the University and local community with the aim of providing an alternative to commercial and mainstream radio providers.. Its live broadcast runs online 24/7 during term time and until September 2009 also on temporary short-term FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
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...
broadcasts. The station also hosts a large catalogue of audio for on-demand listening and podcasting, including recordings of the live stream, sessions, interviews, news and live recordings. Off-air, Subcity runs various events and club nights throughout the year, with previous venues including the Sub Club
Sub club
The Sub Club is a club and music venue located at 22 Jamaica Street in Glasgow, Scotland. It opened 1 April 1987 and is the longest running underground dance club in the world. The basement space can legally hold up to 400 people. In 2008 it was voted the 10th best club in the world by Resident...
, Art School, Research Club and The Arches
The Arches (Glasgow)
The Arches is a bar, arts venue, theatre, live music venue and nightclub in Glasgow, Scotland, which first opened in 1991. It is a not-for-profit organisation...
.
Overview
Subcity is run by volunteers and has over 200 weekly contributors from all over the city. Contributors include current students and staff of the university, students from other institutions, former students and others from the local community. Many previous contributors have gone on to jobs at commercial and BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio stations most notably: Laura Sayers
Laura Sayers
Laura Margaret Sayers is the producer of Greg James, broadcast on BBC Radio 1.-Background:Originally from York, England, where she was educated at The Mount School, York, Sayers later moved to Glasgow where she studied for 4 years achieving an MA hons in Theatre and English Language...
(BBC 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...
), Dougal Perman (Radio Magnetic), Annie McGuire
Annie McGuire
Annie McGuire is a Scottish reporter and presenter on BBC Scotland programmes including football phone-in show 'Your Call' and Sportsound. Occasionally links Radio Scotland's New Music Zone and T in the Park coverage and stood in for presenter Vic Galloway. She also wrote occasionally for the...
(BBC Scotland) and Adam Uytman (XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
). In addition to those who have gone on to high profile careers in radio, many Subcity contributors already had or went on to achieve fame in other areas most notably: Hudson Mohawke
Hudson Mohawke
Hudson Mohawke, also known as Hudson Mo or HudMo, is an electronic music producer/DJ from Glasgow, Scotland, affiliated with the LuckyMe collective. He is signed to Warp Records and released his debut album on Warp, called Butter in October 2009...
, Optimo
Optimo
Optimo was a weekly Sunday-night club based in Glasgow, Scotland at the Sub Club on Jamaica Street, as well as a collective moniker for the night's resident DJ duo. Having run every week since it was founded in 1997, on Thursday 11 March 2010, it was announced on the official facebook page that...
, Boom Monk Ben, Slam (band)
Slam (band)
Slam are a producer/DJ duo from Glasgow, consisting of Stuart MacMillan and Orde Meikle . They are co-founders of Soma Quality Recordings. Their music style consists of house and techno.-History:...
as well as many other Glasgow clubs and DJs.
Subcity has no playlist, instead each show is largely autonomous from station management and presenters have full choice in what music they play as well as the format sound and branding of their shows. The station does not broadcast during the summer holidays and at the start of the new broadcasting year takes applications for shows (also requiring all existing shows to reapply if they wish to continue). Applicants are invited to submit proposals for a radio show with an outline of what music would be played and what style and format the show would take. Musical specialism, non mainstream music and under-represented musical styles are encouraged. This contributor autonomy is extended to most areas of the station's output including podcasts, reviews, design, photography, comedy and current affairs output.
It is a part of, and partially funded by, Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council was founded on 9th March 1886 and recognised as the legal representative body for students of the University of Glasgow by the Universities Act 1889. The SRC is responsible for representing students' interests to the management of the University...
. It is one of four student media organisations who receive support from the SRC, who provide both a service and opportunities to students at the University and to the wider community. Subcity is also a member 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...
.
History
Subcity was founded in 1995 after the initial Glasgow University radio brand, Sweet FM, was used by former members of the team who had graduated. They encountered regulatory problems during their broadcast in 1994, leaving the Sweet FM brand tarnished and in dispute with the University student authorities over naming and logo rights. Subsequently, the official university station was rebranded as Subcity Radio.The University's first broadcast was as Sweet FM in September 1993 for one month on an FM RSL
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...
from an un-let University flat in the Murano Street Student Village. The next broadcast was under the Ton and a Half brand in conjunction with the Glasgow School of Art who were celebrating their 150th anniversary in the Winter of 1994, with a subsequence joint venture with the School of Art in the winter of 1995 under the "Art School Radio" brand.
Its first broadcast under the new SubCity brand was in October 1995 from an unused University apartment in Park Circus on a minimal budget. As part of this inaugural broadcast the K Foundation
K Foundation
The K Foundation was an art foundation set up by Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty in 1993, following their 'retirement' from the music industry. The Foundation served as an artistic outlet for the duo's post-retirement KLF income...
gave their only radio interview about their burning of a million pounds on the SubCity show "Everything You Know Is Wrong" on 3 November 1995 at 6 pm
- February 1996 saw the station's second broadcast as Subcity Radio.
- Later in 1996 it was awarded Best Station at the inaugural UK Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC 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...
Student Radio AwardsStudent Radio AwardsThe Student Radio Awards is a UK awards scheme celebrating talent within the UK student radio industry, held annually since 1996 by the Student Radio Association and supported by BBC Radio 1....
.
- In July 1996 Subcity ran a 3 week RSL to cover that year's T in the ParkT in the ParkT in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
festival.
- In March 1997 following the station's awards win the year before, John PeelJohn PeelJohn Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
and Steve LamacqSteve LamacqSteve Lamacq , sometimes known by his nicknames Lammo or "The Cat" is an English disc jockey, currently working with the BBC radio stations BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2.-Early career:He was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire...
presented shows from the station's studio, which at the time was in a student's kitchen.
- In July 1997 it joined forces with Edinburgh's Fresh AirFresh Air (Edinburgh)Fresh Air is the alternative music student radio station serving Edinburgh, Scotland. Launched on October 3, 1992, Fresh Air is one of the oldest surviving student radio stations in the UK...
FM to provide RSLs in Edinburgh, Glasgow and on site for the T in The Park festival.
- In 2000 the station was able to move into a new, purpose built permanent studio on campus which allowed for year-round broadcasting and training.
- In 2002, a 5 year low-powered AMAM broadcastingAM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
license was awarded. This allowed for permanent broadcasting to campus, rather than for just one month per year. Since 2003 the station has not broadcast on AM, but has an online web streamStreaming mediaStreaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
which performs a similar role.
- In November 2003 Subcity show 'The City Sessions' won Bronze at the Student Radio AssociationStudent Radio AssociationThe 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...
Student Radio AwardsStudent Radio AwardsThe Student Radio Awards is a UK awards scheme celebrating talent within the UK student radio industry, held annually since 1996 by the Student Radio Association and supported by BBC Radio 1....
in the Best Specialist Music category.
- In February 2004 the station celebrated its tenth birthday with a large event at The ArchesThe Arches (Glasgow)The Arches is a bar, arts venue, theatre, live music venue and nightclub in Glasgow, Scotland, which first opened in 1991. It is a not-for-profit organisation...
in Glasgow. The line up featured DJs from Subcity's past who had gone on to bigger things. 1800 people filled the venue - the largest crowd a student station had ever attracted to an event. It was later discovered that the station's tenth birthday would be in 2005.
- In November 2004 Subcity won the Student Radio AssociationStudent Radio AssociationThe 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...
Student Radio AwardStudent Radio AwardsThe Student Radio Awards is a UK awards scheme celebrating talent within the UK student radio industry, held annually since 1996 by the Student Radio Association and supported by BBC Radio 1....
for Best Marketing.
- In July 2005 the station hosted a small stage on Byres Road at the West End FestivalWest End FestivalThe West End Festival is an annual festival in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland.-History:The West End Festival in Glasgow was started in 1996 by Michael Dale as a small local festival centred on Byres Road....
Opening Parade Street Party.
- In November 2005 Subcity show Grind Your Mind won the Student Radio AssociationStudent Radio AssociationThe 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...
Student Radio AwardStudent Radio AwardsThe Student Radio Awards is a UK awards scheme celebrating talent within the UK student radio industry, held annually since 1996 by the Student Radio Association and supported by BBC Radio 1....
for Best Specialist Music Show, and the Stations won Silver in the Off-Air Promotions and Imaging category.
- In June 2007 and June 2008 the station hosted a stage in Lilybank GardensHillheadHillhead is a district of Glasgow, Scotland. Situated north of Kelvingrove Park and to the south of the River Kelvin, Hillhead is at the heart of Glasgow's fashionable West End, with Byres Road forming the western border of the area, the other boundaries being Dumbarton Road to the south and the...
for the West End FestivalWest End FestivalThe West End Festival is an annual festival in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland.-History:The West End Festival in Glasgow was started in 1996 by Michael Dale as a small local festival centred on Byres Road....
Opening Parade Street Party.
- Between November 2007 and June 2009 during term-time the station ran a monthly club night at the University's Hetherington Research Club.
- In Freshers' Week 2008 the station launched a new website featuring dynamically updated navigation of its listen again content based on playlist data from every show.
- In November 2008 the station won Silver at the Student Radio AssociationStudent Radio AssociationThe 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...
Student Radio AwardsStudent Radio AwardsThe Student Radio Awards is a UK awards scheme celebrating talent within the UK student radio industry, held annually since 1996 by the Student Radio Association and supported by BBC Radio 1....
in the Best Specialist Music category for drum and bass show Armed Response.
- In February 2009 Subcity broadcast on 106.6FM across Glasgow for 28 days.
- In June 2009 the station again ran a stage at the West End Festival, this time in Kelvingrove Park.
- In September 2009 the station broadcast on 106.6FM across Glasgow during Freshers' Week.
- In October 2009 part of Subcity's website was nominated for a Technical Achievement Award at the Student Radio Awards.
- In December 2009 the station launched an archives podcast featuring highlights from sessions, events and the broadcast from the past 15 years.
- On 6 March 2010 Subcity celebrated 15 years of broadcasting with a sold out birthday party at The Arches, the first time the station had returned to the venue since the Block Party era ended in 2006.<
- On 19 March 2010 an episode of the 'Party Party' show on the station was the subject of a news story run initially by the BBC and later in the day by other news outlets including Reporting ScotlandReporting ScotlandReporting Scotland is BBC Scotland's national television news programme. The programme first aired on 1 April 1968, with three main presenters - the most famous being Mary Marquis...
. The articles focused on a drinking game feature and the provocative language and nature of the presenters in the episode. The story was the top UK story that day on the BBC News website and made the top 5 total.
- Between April and August 2010 the station moved to temporary premises on South Park Avenue whilst the John McIntyre Building's roof was repaired.
- In September 2010 the station produced a 60 page hand illustrated guide book to Glasgow, called "Subcity's Guide to Staying Fresh 2010". The station also ran an open top bus tour of the city for freshers' of the Art School and University of Glasgow.