BIRSt launch at BU

29 February 2012

The national launch of BIRSt was celebrated at BU on 24 February.

BU celebrated the national launch of BIRSt on 24 February, with Masters students and industry professionals.

Described as a ‘wordpress for audio’ BIRSt is an on demand audio station, where you can choose between your favourite types of programmes, from experimental to comedy, all tailored to your own schedule.

It also works as a multi-platform site, which can be used as a blog as well as to show YouTube clips. BIRSt hopes to work as a cross platform for radio.

Maria Williams a practitioner in residence at BU, who has previously worked as an executive producer for BBC Radio 1 and 4, attended the launch of BiRSt.

She said “I think it is just amazing for people to hear what’s on offer and swap ideas. It’s brilliant when you look through it to see the people that have come through, who are now the leading lights in audio production in the UK so it’s very exciting looking at these group of people now as what you’re looking at is the future in radio. And I think it is a brilliant showcase for them and potential employers and for anyone interested in media to have a look what the future of radio is looking like and what work is being done here.”

Daisy, an MA radio production student said at the launch “this is our first experience of BiRSt but other years have used it, and we have done a little bit of work with the current website but this is our big day as it were. Hopefully it will give us experience in creating audio which is good enough to be broadcast, and use it as a show reel.”

Zahra, also an MA radio production student, said “I think it is also practice for a quick turnaround, as we are supposed to be uploading things more often, so it is all about time management which is industry realistic.”

Maria is also doing a lecture for International Women’s Day at BU on the 6 March, and she gave a preview of what she would be talking about:

“I am doing a lecture on International women’s day, which is basically the start of sound women how we came about what the figures are and what we are hoping to do.”

Maria also went on to detail why she thinks BU radio students are so important to the industry:

“They are coming to it fresh, they can ask questions, it doesn’t have to be like this, you don’t have to go down the pub after work, and you can suggest an all women team of contributors on the today show.”