KU’s Radio Nipper goes live for the first time

Kingston University’s very own student radio station – Radio Nipper, based at Kingston Hill – is now live and online.

Georgina Deacon

Radio Nipper, Kingston University’s radio station, went live for the first time on January 28 for students to listen and join in with.

The station, created by two third-year music students, is currently broadcasting 13 live shows, which feature a wide variety of music genres, as well as interviews and chat shows.

“We are now a fully functional radio station,” said station manager, Hayden Winwright, 20. “Regardless of what time someone tunes in, there will always be music playing.”

Inspired by a lecturer

Radio Nipper was created last September by Mr Winwright and Lloyd Evans, 21, after they were inspired by a lecture in their second year. However, licences from Ofcom and the Performing Right Society (PRS) were needed before the station could be broadcast live.

At the time, Mr Winwright said: “Our lecturer couldn’t understand how Topps Tiles can have their own radio station and Kingston University can’t.”

Technical hitches

Going live has not been without its problems though. Shows broadcast live during the week were not recorded. One show, Live In The Studio, featured Tim O T, an up-and-coming musician who recently played at New Slang. Although his songs were recorded, the interview with him was lost. Another technical hitch happened on February 1. The server hosting the station online went down over the weekend meaning nothing could be broadcast.

Mr Evans, assistant station manager said: “The shows recorded but the files have no data on them. Essentially nothing recorded, meaning that people have nothing to show for their efforts. We were not aware of the recording problem because the shows were being broadcast live.”

Biting back

Radio Nipper intends to come back and smooth out any technical issues in its second week of going live. The students also want to increase publicity for the station with a week-long bake sale in the main corridor at Penrhyn Road campus from February 11.

Kingston students can listen to the radio online at radionipper.co.uk, and anyone with an idea for a show can pitch it to the Radio Nipper team as there are still slots available in the schedule for students to gain valuable radio experience.

The station is based at Kingston Hill and is named after Nipper, the dog used in the His Master’s Voice painting. The terrier is buried in Kingston and has a small road named ‘Nipper Alley’ next to The Kings Tun in commemoration.