Aberdeen Student Radio announces plans to reopen after hiatus
updated 4 October 2022
By Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
photo courtesy Aberdeen Student Radio
After several years of uncertainty surrounding the future of ASR, the University's student-run radio station, The Gaudie has learned that the internet radio station is returning for the 2022-2023 academic year.
The station, which broadcast from studios in the Student Union Building, had closed down this summer after several years of declining membership due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Granite City TV (GCTV), the University’s student-run television station since 2014, closed as well, AUSA confirmed to The Gaudie.
Before the pandemic, ASR had a thriving operation, with a variety of shows broadcast online each day from mid-morning to late evening, as well as broadcast into the Union Brew lounge area. However, as COVID-19 descended on the campus in the spring of 2020, ASR was forced to broadcast over Microsoft Teams and Zoom, which they did for several months. However, this strategy ultimately proved to be unsustainable, and although attempts were made to begin broadcasting again in the studio in October 2021, nothing ultimately came of these plans.
Similarly, GCTV also struggled to maintain operational throughout the pandemic, posting on Facebook in June 2020 that they were not able to hold their AGM due to COVID restrictions. GCTV, which regularly uploaded content to YouTube and other channels before the pandemic, has not posted any videos online since March 2020, over two and a half years ago.
A spokesperson for AUSA told The Gaudie that sabbatical officers are ‘proactively working on a plan to support the re-establishment of these groups’.
AUSA praised the work of both organisations. ‘Both ASR and GCTV have provided excellent
opportunities for students to express themselves through different forms of media and gain some
valuable skills in the process,’ said a spokesperson.
The Gaudie spoke to Tomás Pizarro-Escuti, the new Director for Content at the station, who confirmed that ASR would return, perhaps in a matter of weeks. He also told The Gaudie that plans for four programmes were already in progress.
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