Sheffield City College launches its own radio station

Students at Sheffield City College (formerly Castle College) are set to launch their own radio station next week.

The trial project has involved fifty learners, on courses ranging from foundation to degree level, using their expertise to compile five days worth of content that will be aired from Monday 12 to Friday 16.

Both students and staff will be able to listed to broadcasts, which will cover topics from music to issues that affect young people, at the College’s canteens. They will also be able to listen online via its intranet system.

Most of the students are studying on either the Online College’s digital media course or its e-communications foundation degree.

Matt Hine, Digital Media Lecturer of Online College, said: "Students have been really motivated by this project. They have been coming into college in their own time and putting in extra hours to research ideas, interview people and make the programmes."

The radio enthusiasts will be utilising the College’s Sound Station, which is fitted with industry standard equipment software.

Mr Hine continued: "Initially, some students were a bit nervous about learning how to work the equipment and were wary of hearing their own voice. When you first walk into the radio station it is so well equipped, it looks like something from the Starship Enterprise. But after 20 minutes of being in the studio, they soon got stuck in, working the microphones and the mixing desks.

"They’ve also made their own jingles using the digital media course equipment by using sound samples. The whole experience has improved their confidence, inspired their creativity and boosted their media skills. The entire broadcast content has been made by students for students."

Pictured: Heather MacDonald, chief executive of The Sheffield College