Glasgow University Student Television
Encyclopedia
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 campus news, local music, film and sport. Programmes are distributed online via the station's website and also on a handful of TV screens across the University of Glasgow campus.
technology was still in its infancy and was prohibitively expensive, so all content was broadcast live to televisions across campus via the university's RF cable network. In later years, the station switched to pre-recording one hours worth of programming, which was played on a loop from a U-Matic
video deck.
Since around 2000, digital video
equipment has allowed GUST to steadily increase its output, and the aging RF network has been retired. GUST now uses a mixture of different broadcast methods, including via a DVD player connected to a screen in the John McIntyre Building, embedded flash video players on their website and via a YouTube channel.
GUST has enjoyed considerable success in national student television competitions, in particular the annual NaSTA awards, where it won the title of 'Best Broadcaster' for seven consecutive years between 1996 and 2002, as well as various other awards for individual programmes. However, in recent years it has failed to maintain its winning streak in the face of stiff competition from newer stations.
Notable recent GUST almuni include James Cheyne (Sky News
) and Matt Rhodes (BBC World
).
In addition to the weekly programming, the station regularly produce one off programmes. In 2010 they produced a Harry Potter
spoof, a student remake of Come Dine With Me
and a series of Freshers' Week specials.
The station has no official membership beyond the editorial team, and any matriculated student at the University of Glasgow is entitled to contribute. There are twenty to thirty regular contributors each academic year, who produce the bulk of GUST's output.
The station is funded by the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
, but is editorially independent .
As of the spring election of 2011:
They are currently supported by about fourteen editors and coordinators.
Student television station
A student television station is a television station run by university, high or middle school students that primarily airs school/university news and in many cases, student-produced soap operas, entertainment shows, and other programming....
of the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. Founded around 1964, it is one of the oldest student TV station in the world with the first being ICTV
ICTV
ICTV can stand for*International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, a taxonomic organisation and the nomenclature code it produces*ICTV , a content distribution network for delivering the web-media experience through television...
in 1954 . The station is run entirely by students and produces programs covering campus news, local music, film and sport. Programmes are distributed online via the station's website and also on a handful of TV screens across the University of Glasgow campus.
History
When GUST was founded, programming consisted of a weekly one-hour show broadcast from the TV studio at University of Glasgow's media services department, a facility which GUST uses to this day. At the time, videotapeVideotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
technology was still in its infancy and was prohibitively expensive, so all content was broadcast live to televisions across campus via the university's RF cable network. In later years, the station switched to pre-recording one hours worth of programming, which was played on a loop from a U-Matic
U-matic
U-matic is an analog recording videocassette format first shown by Sony in prototype in October 1969, and introduced to the market in September 1971. It was among the first video formats to contain the videotape inside a cassette, as opposed to the various Reel-to-Reel or open-reel formats of the...
video deck.
Since around 2000, digital video
Digital video
Digital video is a type of digital recording system that works by using a digital rather than an analog video signal.The terms camera, video camera, and camcorder are used interchangeably in this article.- History :...
equipment has allowed GUST to steadily increase its output, and the aging RF network has been retired. GUST now uses a mixture of different broadcast methods, including via a DVD player connected to a screen in the John McIntyre Building, embedded flash video players on their website and via a YouTube channel.
GUST has enjoyed considerable success in national student television competitions, in particular the annual NaSTA awards, where it won the title of 'Best Broadcaster' for seven consecutive years between 1996 and 2002, as well as various other awards for individual programmes. However, in recent years it has failed to maintain its winning streak in the face of stiff competition from newer stations.
Notable recent GUST almuni include James Cheyne (Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
) and Matt Rhodes (BBC World
BBC World
BBC World News is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world...
).
Programming
The content of GUST programmes has changed little over forty years, being a mix of news, music, film and comedy. Between two and three programmes are made a week. Each lasts twenty to thirty minutes and is produced by an elected contributor. Current programmes include:- GUST News, the only weekly show, featuring a mix of campus and national news.
- G-Spot, a guide to student events in Glasgow.
- GUST Music, a music programme.
- GUST Film, a film review programme.
- ClubSoc, a programme that investigates the different Clubs and Societies the university has to offer.
- Refreshed, a show produced daily during Freshers' Week.
In addition to the weekly programming, the station regularly produce one off programmes. In 2010 they produced a Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
spoof, a student remake of Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me is a popular Channel 4 television programme shown in the United Kingdom, produced by Granada Television and first broadcast in January 2005. The show has either four or five amateur chefs competing against each other hosting a dinner party for the other contestants...
and a series of Freshers' Week specials.
Organisation
GUST is run by a team of editors, each responsible for one programme, and several coordinators, responsible for the more technical aspects of running the station. They are headed by the 'top four' of station controller, heads of programme, and technical co-ordinator .The station has no official membership beyond the editorial team, and any matriculated student at the University of Glasgow is entitled to contribute. There are twenty to thirty regular contributors each academic year, who produce the bulk of GUST's output.
The station is funded by the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council was founded on 9th March 1886 and recognised as the legal representative body for students of the University of Glasgow by the Universities Act 1889. The SRC is responsible for representing students' interests to the management of the University...
, but is editorially independent .
As of the spring election of 2011:
- Station Controller - Emily Littler
- Heads of Programme - Nailah Blissett and Daniel Laird
- Technical Coordinator - Douglas Aithie
They are currently supported by about fourteen editors and coordinators.
See also
- British student televisionBritish student televisionStudent television in the United Kingdom is about students from universities and colleges around the United Kingdom producing and publishing video content independently, operating in a similar fashion to a small television station...
- Glasgow University Students' Representative CouncilGlasgow University Students' Representative CouncilGlasgow University Students' Representative Council was founded on 9th March 1886 and recognised as the legal representative body for students of the University of Glasgow by the Universities Act 1889. The SRC is responsible for representing students' interests to the management of the University...