Why people should get involved in LSRadio

The beauty of student radio is that it’s not like Radio 1 and it’s not trying to be. LSRadio caters for Liverpool students, aiming to provide entertaining shows without the uniform structure of mainstream radio.

It’s an opportunity to play music that wouldn’t necessarily have been heard on the radio before and gives local bands a chance to be heard. It also looks really good on your CV, bonus. And the society has plenty of members; there’s a dedicated committee and a number of people with weekly shows.

You don’t even have to present a show to get involved, the LSRadio music blog provides experience for any budding journalists and you can even get free gig tickets with the promise of a review, who would say no to that? The music blog is something else entirely, with 6,000 followers – not bad for a small platform.

Gig promotion and reviews is something LSRadio excels in and is well worth having a go at. The blog has soundcloud and mixcloud linked in as well so it has a professional feel. Uni bands should take advantage of this to get some promotion because, in terms of online presence, LSRadio is thriving.

Yes, LSRadio isn’t without flaws, it’s easy to criticise but it’s suffering from a serious lack of funding and publicity. The old website was temperamental at best but it now has a brand spanking new one for us all to enjoy. The studio, i.e. a small room with a couple of computers and mixing deck, leaves a lot to be desired (nothing says student radio like being able to hear building work in the background) and the equipment is not exactly high tech.

This is why LSRadio is so frustrating because it has the potential to be so good but the technical side of things really lets it down. The new guild promises a better future, with a glass studio so students will be able to see presenter’s lovely faces whilst broadcasting.

Other student stations are a massive part of campus life and are actually played out across campus. What’s the point in having student radio if you can’t even hear it in the Guild? The Guild should want to work with LSRadio as a student society. Thankfully it has seen sense, so next year, pre-recorded shows will be allowed airtime in the guild – progress at last.

Having a show is a laugh and something you can do with your mates. It’s never going to get a huge following but it should certainly have a larger student audience. It gives students a freedom which you never get outside of university. If there were more listeners, other societies would want to get involved to promote their own events.

It could be a great way for students to get into uni life but it hasn’t found its voice yet. Next year will be a brighter year for LSRadio with its shiny new studio. It’s a work in progress but is worth doing because it could be so good for students. Thanks to the committee the new website has improved LSRadio already and the future is looking good.

Coverage of Liverpool Sound City is where LSRadio really shines, interviewing the acts and offering loads of competitions for listeners. Speaking of competitions, they always have loads going on with the potential of winning free tickets to events like Chibuku if you enter, not bad for tuning into the radio.

LSRadio is a station which doesn’t take itself too seriously, so give it a listen and you might like what you hear.