Read this: All about student radio operating during a pandemic

Well, hello welcome to the fabulous fabulous radio Today programme this week.

We have got something a little bit different for you were turning our attention to student radio students Tom Horn has been in touch.

She says he loves to talk to his boss Leo Jocelyn at the station manager at Leeds to radio all about student radio operating during a pandemic.

Do you think with students not being in universities that be very little point so we'll find out what that's all about the answer to the question on today's programme welcome along the radiator day programme with broadcast bionics creators of The Bionic studio the smarter way to make Radio now before we get into the main into I'd like to draw your attention to something new from James cridland.

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I thought we could get into what it's like to work on student radio.

Why do it and how does it work if no one at university?

Yeah, I spoke to Leah Jocelyn station manager at least student radio who also happens to be my boss.

So no pressure, Workington podcast what's it like producing from home? So you've been producing courses from home during the November yeah, so basically when we got I think it was two-and-a-half weeks worth of in studio broadcasting before the November lockdown hit us and then we left with the choice of or decision to make on how we keep doing she wanted to keep doing the radio obviously I think you know it's quite relief for a lot of people to be what are there in lockdown, but so it's the best way we decided to do that was kind of had built and makeshift radio station in my

Dining room kitchen and did it so all of our so we've got caught shows at least you know radio.

So you know I like your breakfast news for home time all of those ones and so are the best way to keep those going live would be having me produced them and the present is calling using the software called cleanfeed which is like zoom or or whatever but just audio really hard work if you do that so many times a day everywhere.

Yeah, I mean the first it.

I think 3 days for us to set up the station and make sure everything's working the first 2-days the Monday and Tuesday of broadcasting were so long because there was so many likes her problems and a lot of people haven't use cleanfeed before or hadn't you know what kind of had to get over that Barry

Presenting over a laptop or a phone so there's first I went to bed on the Tuesday just be like how on earth am I can do this like 4 weeks like I'm knackered after 2 days, but I think after a couple of weeks all the percentage are getting into the swing using cleanfeed.

We had internet connection and I'm kind of getting more used to it.

So I think by the end of the third week.

Obviously was really time consuming for me in terms of that kind of the technical headaches those of behind out by that point you've got over it.

Yeah.

Yeah, I feel your pain because I think I was on the second show of recording from home on the Monday and there's a tech and this is weird.

Isn't it like sitting in your bedroom just talking to yourself.

See each other.

Yes, I did a few during the first lockdown.

I recorded a podcast every week and it was kind of it took a lot of getting used to as those first few weeks when we had a worse internet connection because there's like a second like between the presenters.

So you can't present in the way that you normally do if you're in a studio with that Dynasty Day United have back and Force now people cracking jokes and coming in but with the second lag like your say something that you think it's funny and then they just like that was funny and then you say something else and then Saul start laughing and then you'll stop saying what you're saying and then they'll stop laughing be like sorry, but we started using an Ethernet cable after after a couple of weeks.

Obviously we're third national lockdown now and broadcasting starts up again in a couple of weeks, so any.

Do the same again or you just can have a break this time? Yeah? No no all be same again.

It was a decision to make a few options the thing with this one is we don't know when this lockdown going to end with the November lockdown.

They can't give us a clear and date at the start of it this what we don't really know when it's going to finish so we didn't want to there was the option of playing applications by a couple of weeks and hoping hoping Willow back in like mid to end of Fab we don't want to take the risk and then be running applications like just before Easter and then you got the Easter break and I think we came to the decision the obviously it's not perfect but the best thing to do is to run applications now, which will be up to the January exam period like we normally would and then do remote radio until we're allowed back in.

Is people the chance to talk also do it live by phone in or if they got their individual show record up from Haywards and then have it pre-recorded and broadcast yeah? I'm just people against them people know the most people and Chancellor sure if they want to ya on that theme.

What do you think the purpose of a student station is cos obviously want to give everyone a chance and make sure that everyone can practice at the same time you got have good quality engaging content as can I listen yeah.

Yeah, that's one of the interesting things about running at last are cos you've got to accommodate for all our members different interests as quite a Spectrum what people want to get out of LSR so on one end.

You got people who literally just joined it as a society is a bit of extracurricular stuff to do university you know.

For an hour or two week just to have some crack with M8 then on the complete opposite end.

You've got people who clsr and student media as the star of kind of a career in media.

Is there work experience and every year we have a few people who go on to work in the media like in all different parts of industry.

So you can't go to accommodate for the complete spectrum of what people want to get out of student radio your some people who see it as kind of their portfolio.

This is their demo tapes is what they're giving to employees when they graduate saying I wouldn't work in media is what I'm capable of then.

You got people who you know just one ever come on the radio and the music they like for an hour.

So I kind of is you got a accommodate and find the balance for everyone to make it a successful Society yeah sounds like a good.

With these people these people who become professional and just trying to build a portfolio and like you said can you spot them? I mean obviously you've liked on station quite long time you quite a few people go through you can go and just look at someone's going to say you're gonna be on Radio 1 in 10-years.

Yeah, you can stop them because they're in the radio every day.

I mean obviously there's so many different ways you can work in the industry like some people like the group as you can tell if somebody is a good present because there's just kind of this report that you have a 50 if you're really comfortable in front of the mic and can't just talk by then other people's I want to work.

Yeah, I can production or what kind of the creative side or the market inside the branding and design aspective of the media industry.

The quiet larva, you can just tell by how passionate they are there is some people at last.

I just put in so much work across across the radio but also their part of the medium-sized the TV The Griffin all the other publications with the university's you can tell just by her passionate.

They are so it's kind of the courier for that live and breathe it.

Yeah.

They're just so keen this is what they really want to do and I think that you that kind of shows you that it's it's a career for them.

Yeah, do you think something is needed from radio at the moment because obviously we're lockdown and do you think people want escapism or are they looking for someone who can kind of hold her hand against time and acknowledge their problems, but everyone's feeling at the moment.

I think I think both really they kind of go they go together.

So you know it is a source of people can turn to that living on their own or you know the missing amaze the live far away from the family or something that happened to work from home as it can be in a compliment say something to support you you know saying yeah.

He might be on your own or living in a bad house whatever but you know radio here for you to chill with entry music or whatever it's already you're interested in it does also offer an escapism in that form.

So sort of like an accompaniment hands and a release in the same same time.

Have you had much response from listeners because I know that I've had a couple of messages.

Just my one Sure people say I really just stuff yeah.

Give me a laugh especially the moment what everyone needs.

Yeah, there was one nice.

There is a nice post on on Facebook in Leeds

The Facebook group called Leeds student groups kind of two weeks into the second lockdown, you know when I was thinking of God this is so tiring and so was you supposed to say I just wanted to show gratitude for the student visa is kept going in the lockdown and you know catch up the content cos we're all at home.

You know bored and lonely with taking their mates from Student media and do it.

Yeah, but post like that kind of especially after 2-weeks when you were when I was thinking of God you know I'm going to keep doing this for the whole lockdown is that would like oh, you know that from from the present from percentages as well like they say after a show that will be like.

I'm so happy.

We can still do Leicester I can still do the show with my friends because you have something.

I look forward to each week for those two hours of just having fun on the radio or something that really kind of look forward to and especially if they're you know in isolation and lockdown, but still having to uni work they they kind of need that release as well and he is saying the radio codes in that kind of makes it worthwhile.

It makes you feel kinda quite good and happy yeah.

Yeah, I agree.

I mean I found it.

To talk to someone different in even if it just someone you don't live with just outside your flat but anyway, I want to move on and talk about about you a bit now and your job so talk through like your typical day like if you're in the office.

How does it work being station manager in no time if I can remember that to those good old days.

It would be it's kind of a weird job because it's I've been doing radio since my second year and I did 5 years of uni.

So I kind of work my way up in terms of involvement in a lesser like I started off doing breakfast for just 2 hours a week and then you know did a couple of shows my own music also became more involved was on committee as co-head of music.

I was in the office like every day and then now I'm the manager is my god job kind of is waiting in this position now having each year just been more involved rest yeah.

Yeah, so it's kind of weird if I think back to myself when I joined when kind of the station manager was this mystical all-knowing god that they can solve any problem in and you how radio works and is in the office behind a desk and I'll light on now.

They don't know anything do you have to check a lot of things because obviously like you.

Reducing oil presenting all your Silverstone as these problems are you putting out the social media yeah? Yeah, I mean it is I think in a normal time Debbie a lot more juggling because you've got obviously the radio side sitting there and having people coming in and do radio all day and being there to help them then you've got organising events side kind of we are sort of a business, so you've got the business side of it as well.

You know advertising and sponsorship working with us.

Please your place within the Union with a radio for the universities in Leeds whilst he got be there invisible for for everyone different universe.

Sorry normal time.

Dead certainly a lot more joking, but even now there is quite juggling that was the annoying thing about doing radio from home because I start at like 8:30 in the morning and finishing like 5:30 6:00 and then I'll be like oh, I've not done any of my actual John normal work.

Yeah, it is normally I wouldn't do any producing during a day but then I buy working I'm knackered and I've not even ready single.

No yeah, so that was kind of finding up balance might be couldn't probably do as much as we do in terms of events and stuff during the lockdown because so much of my day was taken up with radio.

So you never going to be able to do everything you want especially flight you're on your own.

You're just trying to keep the station or near the big enough task.

I just thought yeah.

Yeah, I know but one of my predecessors said like you.

Turn the radio Light have big dreams and everything but at the end of the day your job is to keep Alice are on there.

That is your number one priority and then everything else on is a bonus, so it's kind of as long as we're still on here and if we can do that shows and you know we're financially secure and everything then just let me do that kind of work He requires really yeah.

Yeah, how much control do you have a sounds like and what people do you because I know as presenter we get pretty much free rein to do whatever you want.

I mean is that always a good thing or can the station sound incohesive sometimes.

It's not Yeah I mean this is one of the good things about lessons.

It's so varied.

We try to obviously we can't control who replies with what kind.

In general, do you get kind of the same types of shows and when we do our scheduling we have we have a program controller whose common this year and then he section of the schedule has its own editor.

So whether they start of each semester when we sit down to do already in we kind of try and fit what shows applied and got successful applications into the schedule, so it's cohesive so we kind of have you know will I hide shows in the morning and early afternoon speech Roseland you know your specialist music shows in the evening.

You got shows that fit in better with the weekend.

So we can obviously we can't control what shows applied, but we don't have work at 14 on a Tuesday there is some shortly try to go in.

Yeah, what's the biggest thing? I've learnt from being station manager big question.

Yeah, I know he may be asking us to meet the end of certainly boost your confidence a lot like when I started in August I started still in kind of locked down.

I wasn't allowed into the office first month not start nice like oh my god.

This is so much responsibility like a massive station.

We got hundreds of members like.

Am I responsible for all of these really? I wasn't a smart decision.

It's like after a few months and you start broadcasting you can't do that.

Lot of confidence really I think I think I'll probably be what I take away from it the most is the this is it's a challenge.

I've never been in I've never listens to position with this much responsibility but before that I worked in the conference centre, which was great, but I was kind of yeah, my boss.

Told me what needed doing and I did it you're not you're the one now effectively yeah.

Yeah cos read working in a job like that when you student or with your uni work like you just responsible for you, but now I'm kind of under person that everyone goes to first if they've got questions or problems and it's like the 1st pitstop really so kind if I'm not responsible.

I've never really had before that's quite a big.

Yeah.

He did take a few months to to get you to feel more comfortable when broadcasting started.

Yeah you even you kind of got into it a bit but without really realising then a couple months in you like.

Oh, yeah, I no longer feel an Imposter I no longer turning to the people who do the job before me go like this is what's happening or password for the email like I feel kind of more comfortable.

Yeah, that's good.

I've got another big question.

I'm not sure if you'll be able to answer but when I put radio on in my flat if I'm just listening to it in general people ask me why because young people for students most people really see the point because you've got streaming service that give you you like all the time for very little money.

So what is the point in putting in all this effort? Yeah? I think I think my answer to that would be different from a lot of people's cos I'm I really love music and a lot of different types of music so when I listen to BBC 6 music lot when I send that on I am.

Turn it on because they'll play music that I don't know like Discovery listening to that sort of radio for me, but I think a lot of people just use entertainment really is kind of quite comforting they like the present as they have shows that they like the not too dissimilar from TV to be honest like watching or something like that.

It's a connection.

Isn't it with them with a presenter or yeah the certain show and just knowing that there might be a surprise in there or I think it's not working no human then kind of your logging onto Netflix or Disney plus to whatever in binge watching the office.

You're not really getting a human connection compared to if you turn on the radio.

You know it feels lot more personal to me why I think it's in George when all these are the mediums have come along and and why so many people like myself.

Coming still prefer.

It's a lot of other things.

Yeah.

I kind of the convenience of the like.

I've always got the Radio 1 in the background like when I walk the Walk off for half an hour come back in listen to the news here a few seconds and it was entertaining then what lost somewhere else can I use it for that a lot just having a kind of just on there in the background.

Yeah, I agree.

I hate using the same just use the DAB she's for you.

Yeah no match Manchester City manager.

Is it the achievement of broadcasting from home so much and I'll be coming so many problems or is there something else I think.

It's gotta be that at the minute keeping radio going from my kitchen for 5 weeks.

With a desk that I had no idea what I do when I started putting it all together and have like 20 cables coming out of it.

I think that's got to be the biggest achievement.

Just keep radio going without a radio station to go into I'm joking aside the guy did my job years ago.

He goes out with my housemate.

You do my job last year was getting a mini fridge in the office.

You know what I've bought a new kettle thinking about it and mini fridge or set radio station in the kitchen.

Yeah, I mean I'm still feeling the benefits of one of them all the radio station in the kitchen.

I remember you telling me a long time ago, but it must been one of my

When did your first ever radio show you practice the whole thing the night for is that tree? Yeah? That's that's true.

Yeah.

I I usually quite nervous not nervous, but shy and I didn't really like kind of new things.

I mean I did bows scary apprehensive the word and obviously kind of I started radio halfway through year during exam period this time now 4 years ago 5 years ago.

Yeah, and I was proper nervous.

Could you get out you don't know slot and I was just doing the music show and so hard songs ready not like I want if he runs over so in my bedroom the night before like midnight or something I did a whole practice.

Turn off my show so I kind of suck their intro.

It would be my link play the song and then just sit there all the song played and then like no down what time does song ended and the link that links 20 seconds know that down like play the next song I could have time just to make sure yeah, I'd like to know if anyone else has ever done the whole show the night before his really exactly I didn't need to do it.

Yeah.

I need a workers at first so went really well because of that I applied for my own show and my own and I didn't get it which is what I tell her people lying cos I didn't get my first application.

I'd like my own music show and he got rejected then like a day or two later the head of.

Set the time just message me like I need a presenter for Monday breakfast and it's kind of like a specialist is called that Music Mondays breakfast shows like a specialist music breakfast shiza.

You application will like you're willing to music.

Do you want to do this on my well Monday night 11 was the only time I said I couldn't do on notification on we start like she got a bit of trouble for it, but he's what means radius.

I probably wouldn't if you don't pick me up identify my first application rejected so kind of way to think the now.

It's my job that yeah, I very nearly didn't even go onto the radio so managed to some samosas will have loads of applications and they weren't always go on path say I didn't get on my first girlfriend you know.

Amazon committee and down the manager and everything so yeah, I just keep going out it and just keep keep trying yeah, but do not sit up all night practicing before so cos you don't need to I might try that.

What was your favourite? So you've ever presented.

Was it that program or later on that really suited for you say my favourite the show that I'm most proud of is show ID ID for 2 years called Got the Blues which was shattered on my own that was about blues music basically each episode had a different theme be like an individual or region or historic period so it shows come like an hour-long audio documentary on.

It's subject loads of work into a assassin the first try today write scripts for the whole shorty's like really smooth and everything and it went under water best music shower and kind of that was that's the most proud of been of anyway, I've done because it was like your passion of mine.

That's sweet radios in one minute.

You have like you need just a standard pop and chart song spend your home like a big like a news discussion of sport and then something is completely random, but also really good like that.

It's just yeah golden nuggets.

Yeah.

We have a few show this year that kind of like that sort of specialist music show like wee wee last semester this person was really into kind of Japanese lo-fi and like you listen to and he's hurt.

Is flashing should have done but you listen to Black one? I didn't know I was disinterested in Japanese lo-fi and two I think I'm only interested because you're doing a good job presenting does kind of the Marquis of a good presenter on stream radio is that make you interested in something that you've never previous interest in at all like I haven't even thought about that music and I'll look forward to that show each week because like yeah.

Sorry presenter.

It's just nice listen to for an hour.

So that's the thing I love about Sudan radio is there are kind of listen to people who are so passionate about something which I have no idea about and finally is there a job you want to do in the future.

What's next for you because after you finish station manager.

I've got no clean mate.

I've got no clue.

I mean, I'm not my super committed to having anyone job.

You meet some people who just like I need to my heart set on something.

I do not work in media.

I will not be happy and they'll take any job but as I love radio and it's like I just be happy doing a hobby working Media I love the media industry, but I'd rather be doing something that wasn't media than being a media job.

I didn't like I feel like I have to work up to media Job for 10 years.

I'd rather rather than yeah career.

I'd rather have a media job that I liked the most of the jobs, but I'd rather have a job that I quite lights and do a show on a community Radio station.

Just feel like I had to have any media Job around even if I didn't enjoy it, but now I just concentrate on the job.

Maybe have a holiday in the summer.

Is there a break yeah? They're just see see what's out there really yeah.

Thanks so much for talking to us know.

Thank you for having me on the radiator day programme with broadcast bionics creators of The Bionic studio listening watching reacting to and learning from every spoken word caller and SMS for a mixed unlock and understand your content the bionic studio transform everything about radio except away.

You make it earlier Jocelyn station manager at Leeds student radio I really hope you've enjoyed today's episode if you want him or for me you can follow me on Twitter at Tom Horn tweets or listen to my shoes at me.

Tmh 0RN thanks and thank you Tom and thank you later as well.

Everything you wanted to know about student radio to ask.

I just finally from me to let you know about cleanfeed if you're doing an OBE or an interview or co-hosting from home maybe if you are student at during the pandemic as we've been hearing then this could be for you.

Clean feed is designed for radio and podcast cos and now it's simple to connect live audio because he's great and you can record it to it doesn't cost anything to get started with cleanfeed and you can find out more at the website at cleanfeed dotnet ok.

That's it for this week.

Thank you for listening all the way to the end.

You'll be treated with special information that next week's guests will be at bush and Richie off of absolute.

Tom Campbell will be speaking to the presenters from The Bower station on This podcast next week.

Hopefully will drop on Wednesday morning once again sounds painful and have a good week.

Take care of yourself.

Speak soon the radio with broadcast bionics changing radio all over again at bionic radio.