Sure Radio

StudentMedia
logofile = SureRadiologo.jpg
logosize = 150px
name=Sure Radio
type=Radio
launch=1995
web=http://www.sureradio.com/
media associations=Student Radio Association, Community Media Association
university=University of Sheffield
distribution 1=Online
dist details 1=Live stream|

Sure Radio is the student radio station of the University of Sheffield. It broadcasts during term time on the Internet and throughout the Students' Union, catering for a varied taste in music. Weekday daytime is playlisted; evenings and weekends are open to specialist shows, which provide an upfront variety of music.

History

1995-1999

Sure Radio was founded in 1995 as a student society at Sheffield Union by Helen Grimes, with Jenny Thornton as Head of Music. The station followed in the footsteps of "Forge FM"; a station jointly run by students and the local community broadcasting from University House, which ceased to operate some time before. The original aim of Sure Radio was to broadcast 4 week FM "RSL" broadcasts twice a year, and to become a self sufficient organisation. Being part of Sheffield University it was (and still is) student-run, although it broadcast to the city of Sheffield, and to all happy travellers driving up a small stretch of the M1.

When the station was founded, there was no studio, no equipment, and no space in the newly re-furbished student union building to house the station. Many students joined up and paid society fees, to work on a radio station that didn't exist. It was this commitment that impressed the union's sabbatical officers and after long discussions with the Union, a home was found in a small room above the Interval Cafe Bar.

Early success came with the first broadcasts on FM, funded entirely from advertising and sponsorship raised by the team. Nominations followed in the 1998 Student Radio Awards, sponsored by BBC Radio One, for James Horspool (Best Production) and Rick Webber (Best Male Presenter).

In 1998, the station hosted The Student Radio Association conference, with numerous workshops, discussions and talks. Radio One's Chris Moyles visited the conference to launch the awards and take questions.

In 1999, the station broadcast live for a whole day from a large local pub in Sheffield city centre, The Cavendish.

The original committee ran the station successfully until many of them graduated and left university and thus the station, in the summer of 1999. Many of the original society members are now working in commercial radio, BBC radio, journalism and related broadcasting/media companies. James Horspool (Roberts) later became a successful radio producer at Viking FM, earning nominations in the 2004 industry awards, The Sony Awards. He lost to Terry Wogan.

Sure FM expanded gradually, becoming a "Working Committee" of the Students' Union; no longer a society but a part of the organisation providing services to all of its members. Sure's DJs graced the union bars, and regular participated in liaisons with the city's clubs. It built up a regular listener base of local residents and students, and cemented itself in the Sheffield community.

2000+

In 2000, Sure FM was awarded Student Radio Station of the Year by [http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/ College Music Update] , with [http://www.myspace.com/danmorfitt Dan Morfitt] also being nominated as Best Head of Music. Later that year, Dan also received a nomination at the Student Radio Awards. Sure then made the national news in February 2001, including ITN's News At Ten and BBC Radio One's Newsbeat, for being banned from playing any music by Eminem by the University of Sheffield Union of Students [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1148311.stm |title=Student ban for Eminem |publisher=BBC News |date=2001-02-01 ] . Although not broadcasting at the time of the controversy, Sure took the unilateral step of breaking the ban during its next broadcast on FM, for which it was duly fined by the Union.

In subsequent years, the station's equipment began to show signs of ageing and with the loss of the Station Manager in December 2004, Sure Radio had reached a pivotal point in its life. The Winter 2004 FM Broadcast saw advertising contracts fall through, and the Students' Union was left footing a large bill to bail the station out; something that was never intended by Sure's founders. The previous summer had also seen a possible bid for a full time Community FM broadcast (a joint venture between Sure and Sheffield Hallam University's Union) fall through, and disillusioned the majority of Sure's management - many of whom decided to move on.

The beginning of 2005 saw a takeover by a new committee. Headed by Simon Hunt and Oliver Quinlan, Sure set off in a new direction, which would change the face of the station. Capitalising on new technology, Sure became a full-time internet station broadcasting across the University of Sheffield Union of Students and the web, providing a full-time radio service to Sheffield Students for the first time in its history.

A revamp of the radio studio increased the quality of Sure's output, which was acknowledged by a nomination for [http://www.oliq.co.uk Oli Q] at the national Student Radio Awards [http://www.studentradio.org.uk/awards/2005/nominations/ Student Radio award nominations 2005] , and the visit of BBC 6 Music on 7th Dec 2005, as well as the odd celebrity popping in (Phill Jupitus, among others). Sure's continued success led to the creation of a new website on February 5, 2006. Membership of Sure expanded greatly during 2005 to accommodate over 250 members, working at different levels and ensuring the continued expansion of the station.

Sure Radio not only broadcasts online and in the Students' Union, but also became the first university in the UK to broadcast in their university gym (as one of the preset choices users of the cardio equipment could select).

In association with the Students' Union, Sure has recently moved into a new media hub built for the three divisions of media: Sure Radio, The Steel Press and Sheffield Base.

The station is undergoing some ambitious changes across the board, with branding, production, promotion and scheduling all undergoing considerable transformations going into the 2008/09 academic year. Under leadership of the committee headed by new Station Manager Ben Kennard, the station is looking forward to an exciting future in 2008/09, and is set to compete with the some of the best Student Radio Stations in the country.

Notable Shows (Past & Present)

Dance Beats:

Hosted by Vijay Patel and produced by Matthew Wilson, this show incorporated years of combined Sure Radio experience to provide a mix of Electro, House, Dance and Breakbeat. Vijay won Best Presenter at the Sure Radio Awards 2007/08.

The Forum:

Presented by former committee member Mike McCarthy, this became one of Sure Radio's main spoken programmes and in the process set the benchmark for shows of a similar nature at the station. It focused on current affairs, student politics, technology and film, providing news, opinion and discussion on everything from mobile phones to mind reading. Despite fierce competition from heavyweight shows in the form of Vijay Patel's established "Dance Beats" and the globally popular "Snap, Crackle & Britpop!", "The Forum" eventually came out as the winner of Best Specialist Show at the Sure Radio Awards 2007/08.

Get Your Hits Out:

Despite missing out on Best Playlist Show to the "House of Headwear", the "Get Your Hits Out" team picked up Best Feature/Interview at the Sure Radio Awards 2007/08, for their interview with broadcaster and celebrity Zoe Ball.

House of Headwear:

The three likely lads of daytime broadcasting got rewarded for their quality broadcasting by picking up the award of Best Playlist Show at the Sure Radio Awards 2007/08.

Oli Q:

This dance and electronica show by the former station manager Oliver Quinlan was nominated for 'Best Specialist Show' at the 2005 Student Radio Awards.

Shadow Playboys:

The ShadowPlayboys' show "Faces for Radio" hosted live sessions from Sheffield's independent label Thee SPC's bands Monkey Swallows the Universe and Champion Kickboxer as well as Bison, MJ Hibbett, Kid Acne and Pete Green. The show is associated with ShadowPlay fanzine.

Snap, Crackle & Britpop!:

Starting in 2008, it is the only radio show in the world of its kind - playing only British Indie music from the 1990s (otherwise known as "Britpop"). This resulted in above average listener figures and the emergence of a considerable overseas fanbase.

References

External links

* [http://www.sureradio.com Official Sure Radio Website]
* [http://www.shef.ac.uk University of Sheffield]
* [http://www.shef.ac.uk/union University of Sheffield Students' Union]