The Media School

Student radio back for 10th anniversary BIRSt

9 February 2010

BUs innovative Masters Degree in Radio Production is is celebrating its first decade of success with the help of devout radiophile Phill Jupitus.

Jupitus formally launched the 10th anniversary season of the University’s unique internet radio station ‘BIRSt’ – www.birst.co.uk.

BIRSt – Bournemouth Internet Radio Station - is entirely web-based and totally managed by Radio Production students. Programmes by this year’s talented students are available ‘on demand’ and range from drama and documentaries to comedies and music with many productions recorded by international students in their own languages.

“As someone who came into radio as a fan and ‘lucked’ into it as a performer, one of the things that I quite like about student radio is that there is more intent to it,” said Jupitus who started his career at GLR in London in 1993 before hitting the TV screens. Jupitus is involved in number of TV and radio shows, including BBC TV’s popular ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’ and formerly presented his own show on BBC Radio 6 which was once broadcast from the University’s Talbot Campus.

“My radio career was very haphazard but these guys are being shown all of the options,” he continued. “It’s nice to see where tomorrow’s producers are coming from and to know that they are being shown all aspects of radio. You forget there is a very professional side to radio and an experience such as BIRSt is like being shown behind the curtain.”

According to BU Professor Sean Street, the UK’s first Professor of Radio, BIRSt continues to go from strength to strength because of the professional attitude and abilities of the Radio Production students and the quality of the programmes they produce.

For the first time, BIRSt will have a music license allowing it to broadcast specialist music programmes and exclusive live sessions. The music managers are encouraging bands and musicians to send in their demos to the station.

Over the last decade, the station has attracted listeners from around the world and many students associated with BIRSt have won a number of national Student Radio Awards.

“Our track record speaks for itself and this year’s offering promises even greater diversity and interest for a wide range of listens,” said Professor Street. “The station has been highly praised by listeners – many as far afield as Australia, North America and continental Europe. The industry has also taken notice and many of our graduates now work professionally in broadcasting.”