LSRadio

History

Founded in 1961 as the Liverpool Amateur Radio Society, by a radio enthusiast group that went under the callsign 'G3OUL', LSRadio as a society has been in operation for over 55 years. It is the second oldest student radio station in the UK. Since its founding, the station has rebranded on numerous occasions, such as XSLive (1998–2002), which was the first time the station had ever broadcast online using the internet. However, XSLive still made pre-recorded broadcasts on CD-RWs, which were played throughout certain spaces in the Guild, such as the former Saro Wiwa Bar (now Starbucks as of 2013).

Another notable brand of the station is ICON Radio (2002–2011); with a lifespan of 9 years and 5 months, ICON Radio was the longest known format of the station, and the most beloved by students. It proved to later on become an influential platform on campus, and also a learning space for many alumni members, who later went on to achieve professional careers in radio broadcasting.

In September 2011, the station in its 50th year rebranded to its current format, and began broadcasting as LSRadio, to align itself with a new web based venture undertaken by the Guild and several other of its media societies, known as LSMedia (Liverpool Student Media). However in 2015, LSMedia has since then folded due to lack of interest from students, and was replaced entirely by a new online version of a student publication at the University of Liverpool, called The Sphinx. LSRadio therefore once again, became a separate society at the Guild.

Between 2013 and 2014, the station underwent a complete overhaul in many respects. Firstly, the logo was changed, separating from the uniform LSMedia brand. Additionally, a brand new and highly advanced studio was built on 'The Street' corridor in the Guild; the studio has glass windows so that the students or the public can easily watch broadcasts as they went live on the air. This replaced the old studio, the 'Radio Room', on the 2nd floor of the Guild. The website also had a complete transformation, from a one page website with few navigation options, to a more interactive and user friendly website, which encased a variety of news, music reviews and interviews, very much like the old ICON Radio website.

In November 2016, LSRadio announced to their society members that a "marketing rebrand" would be taking place for 2017; the station name would remain as LSRadio, but a new logo and marketing scheme would be unveiled for the beginning of January 2017. On 16th January 2017, LSRadio unveiled their new and current logo to much high appraisal, including that of the Student Radio Association via social media. Furthermore, LSRadio announced a new lineup of shows beginning at the end of January, including a variety of new breakfast shows, afternoon shows, and a brand new weekly late night radio programme which features different societies at the Guild hosting a two hour show, 'Society Spotlight'.

2017 Return to Live Broadcasts in the Guild

Prior to 2017, LSRadio was unable to broadcast live in the Liverpool Guild of Students due to student media regulations enforced by past administrations at the Guild; only approved pre-recorded shows were allowed to be broadcast. However in January 2017, after 4 years of intermittent negotiations between the Guild and previous LSRadio committees, Guild President Sean Turner announced that the Guild would finally allow live LSRadio broadcasts in the Street corridor of the building, and that a loudspeaker would be installed outside the LSRadio studio, which would play out live broadcasts 24 hours a day. The news of this long awaited breakthrough was welcomed by the 2016/17 LSRadio committee.

Notable Alumni

Operations

LSRadio is currently divided into five teams which specialise in different roles for the station, particularly in its online content.

In addition to this, LSRadio is administrated by an elected committee board, who specialise in various different roles:

Station Managers