University of Sunderland students have scooped an award for the sixth year running at the BBC Radio 1 Student Radio Awards.
This year saw the university’s radio station, Utopia FM, win a silver award in the Best Live Event or Outside Broadcast category. The station was also shortlisted in the Best Journalistic Programming category.
The award, presented in London by Radio 1’s Scott Mills and Jo Whiley, was for programmes recorded outside the studio that capture the essence of an event.
Utopia is the largest student station in the region, working with state-of-the-art equipment at the university’s multi-million pound media centre. The award once again recognises the high standard of the university’s staff and students.
Since the student station began nine years ago, it has won numerous national and international awards, with many of the university’s graduates now working for commercial stations across the country, such as Galaxy FM’s breakfast presenter Karen Wight.
University radio lecturer Richard Berry, said: “This award shows what excellent students we have at the university. They also recognise the high calibre of teaching. We are delighted.”
The station broadcasts across the city and university, providing the best in new music from rock to pop as well as comedy and talk shows.
Many specialist shows are featured during the station’s twice yearly broadcasts and live events are considered the station’s speciality.
The university’s media studies courses are rated excellent by the Quality Assurance Agency.