Source Radio



Source Radio is a radio station operating from Coventry, England. It is a division of the Coventry University Students' Union, and broadcasts to the Campus and surrounding area on 1431AM. It has in the past operated for short periods on FM, but currently offers a near CD-quality version of the output via the Internet.

Known as "Source FM" from 2001 to 2005, and "Phoenix Radio" before that, the station changed its name as part of a rebrand to eliminate confusion over the fact that it does not broadcast on FM for the majority of the year, and was moving to a permanent AM license.

The station opened on Monday January 9th 2006 at 8am with Dan & James at Breakfast, the station's morning-show of that era.

Music
The station provides a unique blend of music to the city, uncatered for by the other stations in Coventry. Current "youth" favourites and upfront music are complemented by the best tracks of the past four years, and the biggest songs of the 1990s. The breaking of new acts forms an important part of the music policy.

Famous Alumni
The station has many talented presenters, a number of whom have gone on to enjoy success in the professional arena.

Its alumni includes the likes of Chris Nash, who regularly presents at Rugby FM but freelances throughout the CN Radio network, ex-Virgin Radio presenter Kelly-Anne Smith, James Martin who has worked at a number of stations & now presents on Fosseway Radio and Rutland Radio - both stations part of the Lincs FM Group, Bill Bennett and Dan Doubleday. Some of the other stations they have collectively worked for include BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, as well as the now-defunct stations Kix 96.2 FM, Passion 107.9, Centre FM and The Bear.

Production Values
Source Radio's current jingle package was produced by ex-Station Manager Chris Nash, and the station voices are Dave Barker (KMFM, Rugby FM) and Anna Harding (Rugby FM).

Becoming Source Radio & Going to AM
The rebrand came about as the station rarely broadcast on FM, and with the (later-fufilled) possibility of an AM license on the way it was felt it was time to strengthen the brand.

Around the same time the CN Group controversially closed down its youth station in the city, Kix 96.2, and flipped it into an adult contemporary station, Touch FM, which made it part of a network of six (soon to be seven) stations in the Midlands - however both Source Radio, and indeed many of Kix's competitors, felt that the audience simply wasn't there for an adult-contemporary station; unusually, Radio 1 is the number one station in the city (in most areas of the UK, this accolade goes to Radio 2.)

The new-sounding Source Radio intended to remedy this, as due to the loss of Kix 96.2, the replacing Touch FM did not offer a particularly strong crossover musically with Source Radio (Touch targeting the over-30s, Source targeting those under.) As a result, its placing in the market is far more unique.

The station launched to the city on 1431AM on Monday, March 5th 2007 with a special programme presented live from the Student's Union nightclub, FiftyFour.

Technology
The station has one studio, with a 12-channel Soundcraft sound desk. The playout system used is BC Software's Sound Box, with music scheduled by RCS Selector & Linker. It is anticipated that the station will move to a more technologically-advanced playout system, when funds allow.

In addition to this, the DJ can play music from 2 CD decks, 2 turntables or a PC, as well as any device they may choose to connect via 3.5mm cable input such as an iPod.

Flirt! and Source Radio
Students Unions across the country participate in a national event called "Flirt", a franchise for an evening entertainment event. CUSU became the first union in the country to have its radio station simulcast the event live on its radio station throughout the 2004-5 academic year.

Achievements of Note
For the first time ever, September 2006's Fresher's week saw Source Radio's entire daytime broadcasting come live from the Fresher's Fayre.

Source Radio now provide indepth coverage of the university's Varsity Day, with 2006 being a major milestone in which 12 hours of programming was given over to covering the sporting events of Coventry University as they took on local rivals Warwick University.

Kat Page is the first Station Manager to spawn more than one term in office.

The font used in the current logo is "SF Grandezza".

The station premises underwent a major refurbishment this year, following refits of the office in 2004, and the studio in December 2005, during the callsign changeover. The IT infrastructure was also massively overhauled.

Source Radio are a Sony Radio Award winner! Sort of - they received an honorary Sony Award to recognise their participation in Tsunami Relief radiothon UK Radio Aid in January 2005.

On the back of Radio Aid, Source FM (as was!) helped out a team doing a Tsunami Relief 24-hour sponsored stay-awake by doing a "24 Hour Takeover." During this unprecendented 24 hours of live broadcasting (including 6 hours live from the university's nightclub) students were encouraged to donate, in return they could have absoloutely anything played. Other highlights included a special programme from James Martin and Bill Bennett, the Wind Up Call Masterclass, broadcast between 2am and 4am. James had been at Flirt! in the Student's Union, which was broadcast live as part of the takeover. Upon returning to the studio James was evidently not sober, meanwhile Bill managed to drag down the then Kix 96.2 jock OJ Borg for a live interview - during which time they wound up a large number of shopping centres and radio stations in the United States!