Radio LaB, formerly Luton FM is a student radio station, managed, produced and presented by students at the Luton town centre campus of the University of Bedfordshire in Luton, Bedfordshire (formerly known as the University of Luton). Radio LaB stands for Radio Luton and Bedfordshire. Radio LaB is now a full-time radio station with a community licence.
Contents
Introduction
Radio LaB started its initial broadcast on 1 May 1997. When the station started it was called Luton FM and each year throughout May, the station broadcast on 87.9FM from a transmitter in Farley Hill, Luton. The studio and production area was based in the School of Media, Art and Design within the Luton campus of the University of Bedfordshire. Luton FM also broadcast on the internet from the station's website.
In 2010, the station name was changed to Radio LaB, and broadcast on the internet. Since then, the station holds a community licence and broadcasts to Luton and across Bedfordshire.
In 2011, after the new Campus Centre was completed, the studio was moved to a brand new state-of-the-art studio. Radio LaB now broadcasts from here 24/7.
Personnel
The station is managed each year by final-year students, and their final university grade based on their performance organising, promoting and running Radio LaB. Final responsibility for the running of the station, however, rests with Radio LaB Coordinator Terry Lee, who is the overall licensee for Radio LaB.
Radio LaB 2016-17
On 10th November 2016, Radio LaB presenter Kyle Bennett won bronze in the Student Radio Awards in the 'Best Interview' category. In December 2016 Radio LaB were awarded as Runners Up at the Luton's Best Awards for Community Project of the Year 2016.
The current student managers are Chloe Calvin, Daytona Leonard, Kayleigh Saunders, Matthew Udall, Miguel Viana and Steve Wells.
Radio LaB 2015-16
On 31st March 2016 Radio LaB were announced as winners of the 'Most Improved Station' at the 'I Love Student Radio Awards 2016' in Cardiff. At the same ceremony, Radio LaB were 'Highly Commended' in the 'Best Community Outreach' category for their project 'The Exchange', in partnership with Luton Sixth Form College & Age Concern Luton.
In November 2015 Radio LaB were announced as the 'runners up' in the Luton's Best Awards 'Community Project of the Year' category.
The student managers were Joe Burcham, Joe Flemons, Luke Gregory, Jacob "Big Head" Roch and Jack Stowell.
Radio LaB 2014-15
In October 2014, Radio LaB was granted a five-year community radio licence extension by Ofcom, allowing the station to continue to broadcast on 97.1FM until April 2020.
Also in October 2014, Radio LaB was nominated for its second Student Radio Association award. Danny Fullbrook was shortlisted for Best Male Presenter for the second consecutive year.
Radio LaB launched a stakeholder consultation in December 2014 to help decide on a new logo design - which since April 2015 has been prominent across the Luton campus.
The student managers were Jack Beeston, Leanne Clarke, Ryan Dilks, Uzair Sayed and Louie Smith.
Radio LaB 2013-14
In 2013 Radio LaB was nominated for and won its first Student Radio Association award. Danny Fullbrook won the Silver Award for Best Male Presenter.
The managers were Calum Steel, Sophie Lee, Matt Bass, George Powell and Danny Fullbrook.
Radio LaB 2011
Going through a transitional period, Radio LaB 97.1FM moved to new premises at the start of the 2011/12 academic year. This is located in the new Student Centre at the Luton campus of the University of Bedfordshire. The new studio boasts state of the art equipment after a £330,000 face-lift. Shows are currently being broadcast across Luton and its surrounding areas on 97.1FM.
Radio LaB 2010
In April 2010 Radio LaB got its full community licence and began broadcasting 24/7.
Radio LaB 2009
In 2009 the station has changed its name once more to Radio LaB and underwent major rebranding. The station was sponsored by Luton Borough Council with an emphasis on recycling in the borough. The station rebranded the logo and tagline to, 'Radio LaB... Experimenting with Music,' which also saw an overhaul of the music on the station, changing from pop and rock, to indie, hip-hop, dance and R'n'B. The station also saw an increased number of specialist shows including 'The LaB' an experimental music show, 'Cloudless Sky' a drum and base music show, 'Sports LaB' a topical sports show and 'Local LaB' a news and topical interest show.
Due to the success of the station this year, 2009 was the last year of the stations twelve-year stretch as an RSL station, as Ofcom awarded the station with a five-year full-time community licence starting in January 2010.
Luton FM 2008
In 2008, Luton FM changed its name to LaB Radio (Luton and Bedfordshire Radio), which incorporates Luton and Bedfordshire.
The Management Team consisted of Ian Lyster, Dominic Moriarty, Jonathan Marsh, Sinead Van Kampen, Brendan Murphy, Cara Doyle and Victoria Fiasco.
Luton FM 2007
In May 2007, Luton FM celebrated its 10th anniversary. To reflect the birthday celebrations, Luton FM played music from the last decade, along with cutting-edge new music, chat and a bigger dedication to national and local news from its brand-new current affairs and news studio.
Luton FM 2006
Throughout 2006, Luton FM broadcast 24/7 on the internet.
Luton FM 2004/5
In September 2004, Luton FM broadcast online for the first time outside of its usual May remit, and did so throughout periods of the 04/05 management.
In an effort to give the station a revamp Luton FM 2004/5 moved away from the previous two years pop/RnB output and instead made alternative music its priority, playing the likes of The White Stripes, The Strokes and Queens of the Stoneage. Despite its new radical change in image and branding, Luton FM continued the traditional chat, national and local news and current affairs of its previous incumbents.
Luton FM 2003
In 2003 the Luton FM management decided that the station would promote new music. To coincide with this the station's brand had a total redesign by then student Dale Martin. 2003 was the first year that a Media production/ Multimedia student worked alongside the radio management team to design new promotional tools such as fliers, a new logo and interactive website.
The Luton FM website in 2003 became a major tool in the promotion of the station as it was the second year that the station was streamed online for the duration of the stations 28-day Restricted Service Licence (RSL). Additionally, 2003 was the first year the website contained an archive of previous broadcasts which could be downloaded in MP3s. The website's design reflected the station's 2003 urban image by having graffiti styled navigational links. The website was also search engine optimised using natural SEO techniques so that the site appears at number 1 in Google's search results for Luton FM.
2003 still remains one of Luton FM most successful years as the website had over 300,000 hits and the station attracted acts such as the classical boys and flute family to perform live on the station.
Luton FM 2001
The 2001 Luton FM is often heralded as the turningpoint for Luton FM. It was the first to stream via shoutCAST online with listeners all over the world and the first to incorporate the use of a webcam, as well as being broadcast in and around Luton on FM radio. The station was run by Richard Whitehouse, Pete Gardner and Claire Bacon.
Alumni
Past Luton FM Managers/Presenters include:
Tim Humphries – now at Ten 17 FM
Matt Fisher & Dellessa James both Produce at BBC Radio 1
Paul Murphy (now Paul Murphy-Kasp) works as a news journalist for BBC London 94.9
Dan Prior at Classic FM (Station Sound Producing)
Melvin Odoom and Rickie Haywood Williams who both are the award winning Morning presenters of Kiss 100 London.
Kerry Magorian who is at Absolute Radio
Tom White at Sky Sports News Presented between 2003 + 2005.