Leeds Student Television
Encyclopedia
LSTV is a student television station run by students from the University of Leeds
. LSTV produces video content and broadcasts on a weekly basis around the University as well as on lstv.co.uk.
around the University. However, it became too costly and time consuming to continue, and the students decided to broadcast radio instead, and Network 4 became LSRfm.com
(Leeds Student Radio), which is still going strong today.
30 years later in 2002, enterprising first year Broadcasting student Nik Smith discussed with a group of friends the possibility of once again setting up a student TV station at the University of Leeds.
They approached Leeds University Union
, and were laughed out of the office when they asked for funding to get the idea off the ground. Eventually the Union agreed that they could set up the station, as long as it was called LUUTV. And so, Leeds University Union Television was born.
slides. LUUTV was starting to go live.
Then, just past 12:00pm on Friday 28 February 2003 (a few months later than planned), LUUTV went on-air across the Union with the assistance of the late Richard Whiteley
who became the station's patron.
The broadcast introduced viewers to The Essential, a news show, and That's Entertainment (now Waffle House). Both are still a key part of the LSTV schedule today.
The full story of the struggle to launch LUUTV is charted in the documentary Going Live.
A new Union executive finally allowed the name to LS:TV, or Leeds Student Television, to bring them in line with the other media groups in the Union, Leeds Student Radio and Leeds Student
(the student newspaper).
On March 15, 2004 the first LS:TV broadcast hit the screens of the Union to a huge reception. With the first show out of the way, the Easter
holidays meant it was time for the new LS:TV to head to its first National Student Television Association (NaSTA) conference, in Norwich
.
LS:TV submitted a mix of LUUTV and LS:TV programming to NaSTA for their annual awards ceremony. They returned from the conference and awards ceremony with 3 major awards - Best Comedy, Best Documentary and Best Ident, and 1 Highly Commended award.
The next year saw LS:TV go from strength to strength, with the purchase of broadcast quality cameras
and microphones
and the production of hour-long weekly shows nearly every single week of term.
LS:TV went into a position where it could afford to diversify and in February 2005, they took their equipment out of the studio for the first time and into the Union's Riley Smith Hall, and recorded a live outside broadcast of the Dance Exposé society's performance Aurora Borealis III. Subsequently they also filmed the Musical Theatre society's production of Romeo and Juliet
, and the Rileys societies awards night.
April 2005 saw another storming LS:TV NaSTA victory, where they took home 6 of the top awards, including Best Broadcaster, which had been held for the past 10 years exclusively by Glasgow's student television station, GUST
.
The following months saw wave after wave of new programming hitting the LS:TV screens, not least their ten hour charity broadcast for 2005’s Children In Need
. Featuring live fund raising, LS:TV collected over £600 and presented a cheque together with LUU’S RAG to the BBC
.
In 2006, LS:TV began to prepare itself to host NaSTA 2006 alongside YSTV
. LS:TV once again scooped a generous helping of awards, but had to say goodbye to its founding members, who were moving on to bigger and brighter things.
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
. LSTV produces video content and broadcasts on a weekly basis around the University as well as on lstv.co.uk.
Formation
In the 1970s a group of students formed 'Network 4' and broadcast black and white programmes on a closed circuitClosed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
around the University. However, it became too costly and time consuming to continue, and the students decided to broadcast radio instead, and Network 4 became LSRfm.com
LSRfm.com
Leeds Student Radio is a student radio station covering the campuses of the University of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds Trinity University College and Leeds College of Music, UK, broadcasting 24 hours a day during term time on the station's website.Like most student radio stations,...
(Leeds Student Radio), which is still going strong today.
30 years later in 2002, enterprising first year Broadcasting student Nik Smith discussed with a group of friends the possibility of once again setting up a student TV station at the University of Leeds.
They approached Leeds University Union
Leeds University Union
Leeds University Union is the representative body for the students at the University of Leeds, England. LUU is a charity for over 32,000 students. LUU is led by students, although many of the decisions are made by staff. There are shops, bars and clubs in the Union building...
, and were laughed out of the office when they asked for funding to get the idea off the ground. Eventually the Union agreed that they could set up the station, as long as it was called LUUTV. And so, Leeds University Union Television was born.
LUUTV
Screens went up in the Union, and began to glow with a few simple PowerpointMicrosoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint, usually just called PowerPoint, is a non-free commercial presentation program developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite, and runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS X operating system...
slides. LUUTV was starting to go live.
Then, just past 12:00pm on Friday 28 February 2003 (a few months later than planned), LUUTV went on-air across the Union with the assistance of the late Richard Whiteley
Richard Whiteley
John Richard Whiteley, OBE DL , usually known as Richard Whiteley, was an English broadcaster and journalist. He was famous for his twenty-three years as host of Countdown, a letters and numbers arrangement game show broadcast most weekdays on Channel 4...
who became the station's patron.
The broadcast introduced viewers to The Essential, a news show, and That's Entertainment (now Waffle House). Both are still a key part of the LSTV schedule today.
The full story of the struggle to launch LUUTV is charted in the documentary Going Live.
LS:TV
In September 2003, and a new influx of members to LUUTV, there were some big changes. In the first few weeks, broadcasts hadn't gone out as planned, and Nik made the decision to stop broadcasting until after Christmas, to focus on improvements and organisation.A new Union executive finally allowed the name to LS:TV, or Leeds Student Television, to bring them in line with the other media groups in the Union, Leeds Student Radio and Leeds Student
Leeds Student
Leeds Student is a British weekly student newspaper, published free every Friday during term-time and distributed around the University of Leeds, Leeds, England. The only paid position is that of the editor, who is elected yearly by members of Leeds University Union. The articles are written by...
(the student newspaper).
On March 15, 2004 the first LS:TV broadcast hit the screens of the Union to a huge reception. With the first show out of the way, the Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
holidays meant it was time for the new LS:TV to head to its first National Student Television Association (NaSTA) conference, in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
.
LS:TV submitted a mix of LUUTV and LS:TV programming to NaSTA for their annual awards ceremony. They returned from the conference and awards ceremony with 3 major awards - Best Comedy, Best Documentary and Best Ident, and 1 Highly Commended award.
The next year saw LS:TV go from strength to strength, with the purchase of broadcast quality cameras
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
and microphones
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
and the production of hour-long weekly shows nearly every single week of term.
LS:TV went into a position where it could afford to diversify and in February 2005, they took their equipment out of the studio for the first time and into the Union's Riley Smith Hall, and recorded a live outside broadcast of the Dance Exposé society's performance Aurora Borealis III. Subsequently they also filmed the Musical Theatre society's production of Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
, and the Rileys societies awards night.
April 2005 saw another storming LS:TV NaSTA victory, where they took home 6 of the top awards, including Best Broadcaster, which had been held for the past 10 years exclusively by Glasgow's student television station, GUST
Glasgow University Student Television
Glasgow University Student Television or GUST, is the student television station of the University of Glasgow. Founded around 1964, it is one of the oldest student TV station in the world with the first being ICTV in 1954 . The station is run entirely by students and produces programs covering...
.
The following months saw wave after wave of new programming hitting the LS:TV screens, not least their ten hour charity broadcast for 2005’s Children In Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
. Featuring live fund raising, LS:TV collected over £600 and presented a cheque together with LUU’S RAG to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
In 2006, LS:TV began to prepare itself to host NaSTA 2006 alongside YSTV
York Student Television
York Student Television is England’s oldest student television station. Founded in 1967, the station is based at the University of York, with its studio in James College. YSTV once held the world record for longest continuous television broadcast under a single director, and is a member of the...
. LS:TV once again scooped a generous helping of awards, but had to say goodbye to its founding members, who were moving on to bigger and brighter things.