York Student Television (abbreviated YSTV) is England’s oldest student television station. Founded in 1967, the station is based at the University of York, with its studio in James College. YSTV once held the world record for longest continuous television broadcast under a single director, and is a member of the National Student Television Association (NaSTA). YSTV creates and produces a wide range of shows, both independently and in collaboration with other university societies.
Current shows include Monday Evening Live, a magazine show; The York Sport Show, with updates on college and varsity sporting events; The Ultimate Challenge, a game show; Past to Present, a history documentary series; Front Row, a film review show; Student Kitchen, a cookery series; and irregular reports on cultural events under the umbrella of YSTV Reports.
YSTV first broadcast on 21 November 1967, from the university’s Chemistry department. At the start of the 2004/05 academic year on 10 October 2004, the station started to broadcast live on the campus intranet to student bedrooms, with on demand content available worldwide. On 13 January 2006, the station opened up its live stream to the whole world, releasing their content under a Creative Commons license. The station celebrated its 45th birthday in November 2012.
October 1967 – First society stall recruiting members for University of York Tele-Film Productions.
21 November 1967 – inaugural YSTV broadcast from the Chemistry department.
1969 – Germaine Greer and Frank Muir make contributions.
20 October 1986 – inaugural colour broadcast. At this time YSTV could only be watched on seven screens – one in each university college.
January 1988 – YSTV breaks the world record for the longest continuous television broadcast by a single director (Keith Hide-Smith) and earns a place in the Guinness Book of Records with Breaker 88.
29 October 1994 – YSTV's G/046 Goodricke Studio opened by Greg Dyke after the threat of closure by the University.
January 2000 – YSTV produces a programme for BBC Choice titled The Making of Bulletin.
June 2000 – YSTV appeared on Channel 4's The Big Breakfast, competing for a chance to make a 90-second programme live on air.
26 May 2005 – Greg Dyke returns to the studio he opened a decade previously for an in-depth interview.
13 January 2006 - YSTV transitions to broadcasting both live and pre-recorded content online.
17 November 2007 – YSTV celebrates 40 years on air with a four-hour live programme.
October 2009 – Goodricke College is relocated to the new Heslington East campus. Although still in the same location as before, YSTV is now part of James College.
February 2011 - YSTV becomes the first station to broadcast in 3D.
April 2011 – YSTV named second Best Broadcaster and awarded Best Technical Achievement at the National Student Television Association (NaSTA) Awards.
April 2012 – YSTV wins Best Broadcaster at the NaSTA Awards, as well as Best Female and Highly Commended Light Entertainment.
April 2014 – YSTV regains title of Best Broadcaster at the NaSTA Awards, as well as retaining Best Technical Achievement from 2013, and well as Highly Commended in the Factual category for 'Lights on Literature'.
April 2015 - YSTV wins Highly Commended Technical Achievement for 'Autocue'.
April 2016 - YSTV wins Best Documentary at the NaSTA Awards for 'Lights on Literature'
