A day in the life of URY

URY

The original broadcasts were made from a couple of rooms in the Physics block, and URY has since occupied spaces all over campus.

Its current base doesn’t look like much; I’m informed that it used to be a linen storage area. Despite modest appearances, URY is one of the oldest societies on campus and an extremely popular one.

Started in 1968 as Radio York, the student run station was the first legal independent radio station in the UK

Started in 1968 as Radio York, the student run station was the first legal independent radio station in the UK, sharing the airwaves with only the BBC. Although initially success seemed an impossible task the station was hugely popular, partially because of its independence. It was relaunched the following year as University Radio York with a special guest broadcast from John Peel.

The station’s unique place in history simply compounds the pressure that the current members of URY are faced with; the daunting task of producing something that is both professional and entertaining. As I am shown around the studios by the Station Manager, Tim Wallace, the managers are deep in discussion over who has the free time to dedicate to training up the backlog of people excited to get involved.

This is perhaps inevitable, because of course a radio station run by students will be staffed mostly by amateurs, however, there is little evidence of this in the finished product.

Although apparently time consuming, for the teachers at least, the training must be worth it; the station’s schedule is crammed with smart, interesting shows that cover a broad range of topics and genres, including political comedy and obscure music selections.

The variety and quality of the shows available belie the inexperience of those producing them; while the more popular evening and breakfast slots are generally assigned to more experienced presenters, the first-come, first-served nature of URY’s scheduling each term means that there is no easy way to tell whether the DJ you are listening to has years’ or days’ worth of experience.

Free tickets for events at places like The Duchess and Fibbers are used as competition prizes

With such a professional approach, it is unsurprising that the station has a close relationship with music venues in town and often receives free tickets for events at places like The Duchess and Fibbers that are used as competition prizes.

This, along with the fact that every postal delivery brings with it at least one or two demo CDs from aspiring artists, ensures that URY’s knowledge of emerging music trends is equal to that of most professional radio stations.

URY

Just as impressive is the station’s online presence; the URY website offers many of the same services as those found on the BBC radio sites. Webcams provide a glimpse into what’s happening in the studio, there’s the option to search their online song database and request tracks, and of course you can listen to the broadcasts online.

The internet has really raised the bar for independent stations like URY. Extortionate licensing fees mean that it would be impossible to broadcast outside of campus normally; the station aired across York for two weeks last year as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, at a cost of more than the remainder of the year’s budget altogether.

Internet broadcasting means that URY can be accessed internationally, and more significantly, by York students that are no longer living on campus.

Inevitably, the computer has become an integral part of the station. Although the main studio is dominated by a wall of carefully organised CDs and there is, somewhere, a stash of rarely used vinyl, the majority of the music is stored electronically.

URY

Vast, complicated banks of buttons and equalisers occupy most of the limited studio space, explaining quite clearly why training new members is such an issue, and why anyone with technical expertise is welcomed with open arms by the society.

Two such prized technicians are hard at work as I am shown around; they are busy setting up a second broadcasting studio for the station, something everyone I speak to is clearly excited about.

That is what strikes me the most about the people I met; it is plain that each and every one of them is wildly enthusiastic about what they are doing. While a number of those involved, I’m told, are now keen to start a career in the hotly contested field of media and communications, just as many of URY’s many presenters and producers contribute considerable amounts of their time simply for enjoyment.

As the station approaches its forty-second year, it seems that despite dramatic changes to its inner workings, URY is as popular and as successful as ever.

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