- About postgraduate study
- Part-time study
- Courses
- Order a Prospectus
- Faculties & Departments
- UK students
- EU students
- International Students
- How to apply for your course
- Handy Hints
- Open Events
- Student Recruitment
- Money Matters
- About Us
26 Apr 2011 17:01:11
The community radio station run by students from the University of Bedfordshire is celebrating its first birthday.
Radio LaB is based at the Luton campus and is controlled by five student managers with Principal Lecturer Janey Gordon acting as its project leader. It is staffed mainly by students from the University with additional help from community volunteers.
It began broadcasting full time last April, on 97.1fm, overseen by an initial management team who then all graduated over the summer. It has not been off the air since thanks to its new automation system for nights and holiday periods.
A new group of final year students – Conor Hughes, Laura Heaney, Nish Solanki, Simon Catt and Rob Geary – took charge in September and have been running the station as their final project.
Project leader Janey said: “I’m very happy with our first year. We have 70 active student volunteers involved and we’re getting 15,000 listeners a month based on our recent research.
“We talk about local things and issues that affect young people at the University and also young people in general.
“The five students on the management team are now managing their own work and doing very well. Radio LaB as a whole is instrumental in our teaching and an outlet for the work of all our students.”
Following its Gold Breakfast morning show, catering for one of its target audiences of the over-55s, the daytime broadcasting has the feel of Radio 1 or its Radio 1Xtra relation, with a variety of more diverse offerings in the evening.
As well as the music, Radio LaB also offers topical debate, sport, comedy, drama and even poetry during its breakfast show.
All the poets are local and from two writing groups, Speakeasy in Milton Keynes and Toddington Poetry Society based in Luton. The poetry ranges from the comedic and light hearted to lyrical pieces that even involve instruments.
The drama writers are based at a writers’ group in Milton Keynes and their material has been adapted from short stories to radio scripts and then dramatised. The writers take on the role of directors, so they are actively involved in the making of their play.
The future for the station also looks bright as new studios are being built in Vicarage Street over the summer, ready for September.
Janey said: “We want more community involvement actually inside the University and the new location will be much easier for people to just pop in.”
Top photo: The current Radio LaB student management team
Middle photo: Project Leader Janey Gordon with the student management team
Bottom photo: The initial student management team with Donald Harley, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Resources)
Latest news» 2011» April» Radio LaB is tuned into the local community
