Broadcasting from University Park since 1979, University Radio Nottingham (URN) is the multi award-winning radio station of the university's Students' Union.

It's been the training ground for aspiring journalists and broadcasters for nearly half a century and thanks to support from alumni via the university's Cascade grant scheme, a long awaited two year refurbishment is finally complete. Station Manager Margot Howell explains more. 

It’s been a difficult year for University Radio Nottingham. Back at the end of the academic year in 2023, URN began its big renovation project. The space was to be transformed! The prospect of gaining a whole new studio, a flexible second studio to be used for live performances, a podcasting room and a voiceover booth - all of which were completely soundproof and industry standard equipment – URN couldn’t believe its ears! URN was completely stripped out and we were told that the renovation would be all completed in time for our return in September for the next academic year…

However, this proved not to be the case. Due to multiple delays and an awful storm that damaged a large proportion of our equipment, URN spent most of 2024 completely in the dark about if the station would return. It’s been long and winding process to get to where we are today. The renovation took much longer than anticipated, leaving URN off-air for over a year. URN hadn’t gone this long without broadcasting in decades. It wasn’t until the second semester of 2024 that URN was given a small space, allowing us to grow our podcasting community. However, the rest of the station remained completely off air.

However, by September 2024, we were making progress! Thanks to receive a Cascade grant to help us cover the costs from the storm, URN could begin moving back in! For the next 3 months, URN worked tirelessly to rebuild equipment, test old microphones and headphones, go through boxes upon boxes of old cables and re-furnish the office as well as re-introducing our technical hardwares and softwares.

Finally, on Sunday 1 December, URN returned to normal broadcasting. It has been an utterly huge job, and we are all incredibly proud of how far the station has come. The training and recruitment period of members has been large and crucial process – especially as most of our members had never done live radio before due to the rebuild!

It is wonderful to hear live shows broadcasting again across the Portland Building. I cannot thank the continued support from our URN alumni enough!

URN alumni - can you help us?

Our volunteering team is holding an in-person networking event on Tuesday 6 May and is looking for alumni that work across presenting, production, media operations, technical, marketing, social media and podcasting to come and speak to URN members and the wider student body about their career journey and what their job entails!

If you are interested and want to find out more details, please contact our Alumni Volunteering Manager for the Faculty of Arts, Gemma Firth: gemma.firth@nottingham.ac.uk

You'll also get the chance to have a tour round the new URN studios!