Hub Radio is the University of the West of England’s (UWE) student radio station, which broadcasts on 1449AM locally or online. The Station boasts a schedule of varying appeal across a diverse range of musical genres, as well as special interest programs and special events.
Hub broadcasts largely from UWE’s Frenchay campus in Bristol, and has the capabilities to broadcast from other campuses such as Bower Ashton.
The Hub originally started back in September 1994 under the banner Fresh.fm. Media Centre Senior Technical Director Instructor Steve Hagerty was keen for UWE to have it’s own student run radio station. Once the all clear was given, Steve along with a number of willing studens started fresh.fm on a Restricted Service License in Bristol. The station was sponsored by local businesses.
In 1998, UWE media students though that fresh.fm needed a make over and the station was re-branded as Radio Base. In 2002, a new media student group came about managed by Patch Jobson and gave the station a revamp, with a 5-year AM licence and 24/7 internet streaming. The station was then renamed The Hub, illustrating the station’s desire to be the centre of the UWE community at it’s new base in the Rachay building in City Centre.
In 2005, the station had to move out of Rachay due to rental costs and moved into a temporary home in Bower Ashton. Following a fall in participation in 2006, the station was re-branded once again into it’s current form today. The station found a new home on the 5th floor of F block on the Frenchay campus amongst a larger student population and next door to the UWESU media centre. The studio was crammed into an old store cupboard in F block 5th floor UWESU media centre (nicknamed “The Hubboard”) for a while until an unused games machine room became available on the ground floor in F block, next to the UWE main reception, and UWESU Escape Bar. Everything was then moved into the new studio ready for Freshers 2009. At the end of 2011, the studio was fitted with recycled furniture.
Hub has had increased participation over the last couple of years, with listenership and website traffic increasing year on year. Hub over the last year has hosted the Freshers 2011 Line-up announcement show, which to date has had the highest listened to show. Hub has also broadcast live commentary along with neighbours BURST of the Varsity football match, and has broadcast the live Students’ Union election results.
Hub Radio is now under control by a committee of students as a society, and housed by the UWE Students’ Union. Steve is still involved as Chief Engineer of Hub Radio.
Previous Station Managers
2012-13 – Kim Wells
2012 – Matthew Ribbins
2011 – Alex Wyatt
2010-2011 – Pete Johnson
2009-2010 – Simon Bishop
2008-2009 – Alec Herron
2007-2008 – Alex Bright
