New radio station launched from Ayrshire College
Ayrshire College’s Essential Skills department has launched its own online radio station, broadcasting from the Kilwinning Campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
After weeks of testing, Essential Radio held its launch broadcast on 1 June 2022, with a 12pm to 3pm live show featuring special guests including Ayrshire College Vice Principal Anne Campbell, Head of Essential Skills Greg Cassidy, and more than 10 current Ayrshire College students.
Essential Radio is predominantly a music station, however as time goes on it will also include college adverts, news features, student podcast episodes and ad hoc live shows. Students, lecturers and visitors can listen online via the Ayrshire College website, and the station will soon be made available to students through the ‘my Ayrshire College’ app.
The station is also available to listen to on Alexa compatible devices by saying “Alexa, launch Essential Radio”.
The project has been funded by the Ayrshire College Foundation and will showcase Essential Skills learning outcomes. The Essential Skills department sees this as an important tool going forward for developing students’ teamwork, creative thinking, ICT, and planning skills.
Selected class groups will initially work on Essential Radio, before all campuses get involved by pre-recording themed shows. The first two themed shows have been recorded by Routes to Careers students, who review their favourite games and consoles, before discussing the subject of mental health before and after the pandemic.
Students with an interest in broadcasting are encouraged to get in touch with the Essential Radio team at essentialradio@ayrshire.ac.uk to find out how they can best get involved with the project.
Students can also request a song to be played on Essential Radio by using an online form at https://www1.ayrshire.ac.uk/essential-radio/.
Brian Woolfson, Essential Skills lecturer at Ayrshire College, said: “This project has been eight years in the making, and I was proud to see it finally coming to fruition with our big launch show featuring staff and students.
“The response from across all three campuses was phenomenal and I was so proud of everyone involved on the day. But that was just the start. Essential Radio will be the sound of Ayrshire College – so stay tuned in for our essential news, music, sport, showbiz, business, course information plus student and staff voices, and a few presented shows to entertain you over the summer!”
You can follow the Essential Radio team on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at @ERadioAyrshire to get essential updates on this exciting new project.
10 June 2022
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