Students BIRSt through at Radio Awards

14 November 2008

Radio students strike gold for third successive year at national Student Radio Awards.

Radio Production students from BU have scooped Gold and Silver awards at this year’s national Student Radio Awards, supported by BBC Radio 1.

Both awards came in the category ‘Best Scripted Programme’. Selina Williams, a recent graduate of our MA in Radio Production, took the Gold for her production ‘Three Years in Heaven’. The evening was a double celebration as the Silver went to fellow Radio Production graduates Eleanor McDowell & Geoff McQueen for ‘Embers’.

Both programmes were created especially for BU’s unique internet radio station BIRSt. The station broadcasts entirely on the internet. Visitors can choose from a range of pre-recorded programmes - from drama and fact-based features to comedy and music – with some programmes produced by international students in their own languages.

The University’s Professor of Radio, Sean Street, congratulated the three graduates. “It doesn’t surprise me that Selina, Eleanor and Geoff have excelled in this year’s Student Radio Awards. Their success demonstrates that wherever radio takes us in terms of technology, it is still about creating good programme ideas. We’re very proud of their achievements.”

This year marks the third successive year that BU has brought home Gold from the SRAs. In 2006, Kathryn McDonald won the top award for her work ‘Fishing for Love on the Net’ in the category ‘Best Comedy & Drama’.

Last year, it was Jackie Courthoys who came home with the top honours in the ‘Best Scripted Programme’ category for her production ‘Kwik Lit Classix presents...Wuthering Heights’. Fellow graduate Dave Dodd achieved Silver in 2007 as ‘Best Presenter’ for his role on BIRSt.

This year’s award ceremony was held at the O2 arena in London and were hosted by BBC Radio 1 presenters Fearne Cotton and Scott Mills.