STV city channels to cover Festival

STV Edinburgh and STV Glasgow will join forces to bring the best of the festival into homes across the central belt next month. They are pairing up to broadcast the Edinburgh Festival 2015 programme live from Akva bar and cafe from Wednesday 5 August.

The show will see hosts Ewen Cameron and Hayley Matthews from STV Edinburgh’s flagship programme The Fountainbridge Show team up with STV Glasgow’s David Farrell and Jennifer Reoch to bring the best international talent and local acts to the screen over the course of the festival.

Paul Hughes, channel editor of STV’s City channels said: “The Edinburgh Festival is the world’s biggest arts festival and it’s on our doorstep. It’s an exciting opportunity for STV’s City channels to cover an event that’s both local and global at the same time bringing the festival to our viewers in a way we never have before.”

The one-hour show will be broadcast live at 7pm each weekday evening from the canal-side Akva bar and restaurant at Edinburgh Quay.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh’s Festivals and Events Champion, said: “Every year, visitors and media from all over the world descend on the Scottish capital to experience our festivals. No one is more immersed in the festival atmosphere than the local reporters who cover Edinburgh in August.

“This new show will give viewers a unique insight into the heart of each festival. It’s great that STV is shining a spotlight on Edinburgh in this way and I hope it will encourage viewers to visit the city for themselves.”

As well as the Edinburgh Festival 2015 programme, STV Edinburgh and STV Glasgow will be featuring highlights of the festival on the Edinburgh Festival 2015 catch-up programme from 8:30pm Monday to Friday and the Edinburgh Festival See What You Missed show each weekend.

Edinburgh Festival 2015 is sponsored by the Barbados Tourism Authority and is available on Freeview channel 23, Sky channel 117 and Virgin channel 159.

More local TV from today

STV’s city TV channels, STV Glasgow and STV Edinburgh, have enhanced their schedules for viewers in Scotland’s largest cities from today with extended hours and a range of exciting new original programmes.

The channels are now on air from 7am and will feature hourly week day news bulletins from midday. At 1800, 2000 and 2200, 30 minute news programmes will bring viewers across central Scotland all the latest updates.

The enhanced schedule will also include original, 30 minute Scottish programmes at 2030 each week day evening.

The schedule now includes:

The People’s History Show – Mondays 2030

Published authors and local historians, Dan Sweeney and Dan Gray take us on a journey through the streets of our modern Scottish cities into the past to reveal the real people’s history. This series takes viewers across the history of Scotland’s largest cities, including visits to Edinburgh’s St Bernard’s Football Club, the closes off the Royal Mile and Glasgow’s Merchant City in days gone by. The People’s History Show also takes a look at much loved familiar favourites such as The Sheep Heid Inn and Leith Theatre.

Jak and Eddie’s Scottish Kitchen – Tuesdays at 2030

Top chef Jak O’Donnell and master baker Eddie Boyle join forces to make delicious dishes from the very best of Scottish ingredients. Jak will be cooking culinary delights while Eddie bakes, both have a passion and talent for cooking and produce Scottish traditional favourites with a modern twist. This series is packed with delicious dishes, fabulous ingredients, helpful baking tips and inspired Scottish recipes that will be available on the STV website.

My Life in Ten Pictures – Wednesdays at 2030

Some of Scotland’s best known faces share their personal photo albums to give viewers an insight into their lives through ten carefully selected pictures. The series sees celebrated Scots pick ten pictures which sum up their life giving a fascinating insight into TV, politics, radio, music and comedy. Guests include TV presenter Carol Smillie, TV and radio presenter Ross King, and comedian Andy Cameron.

Grass Roots Music – Thursdays at 2030

This one of a kind show is at the forefront of the Scottish music scene giving brand new local bands and established Scottish artists a platform to share their talent. Scotland’s only weekly music TV show, Grass Roots Music will put local music first and host some of the biggest names in Scottish music, plus emerging new talent in Scotland. Presented by Paul Hughes, STV Glasgow and STV Edinburgh channel editor, the show offers an eclectic range of music from Scotland’s live scene, including interviews with Del Amitri front man and acclaimed solo artistJustin Currie, and singer-songwriter Donovan. Filming takes place in famous gig venues across central Scotland, such as Glasgow’s Nice N Sleazy’s and The Jazz Bar in Edinburgh.

Ch-Ewen the Fat – Fridays at 2030

Non-stop chatterbox Ewen Cameron hits the streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh to find out what real Scots think about his topic of the day. Ewen is a unique character who has a knack for bringing out the best in people and Ch-Ewen the Fat is a great opportunity for The Fountainbridge Show presenter to speak to people about topical issues events and ask the questions they may not want to answer. In the first few episodes, Ewen gets his groove on to see if he can get the Scottish public dancing in the streets with raves, tangos, and ultimately a mass Zorba the Greek style dance.

In the first month on air, STV Glasgow and STV Edinburgh reached a combined monthly audience of over one million viewers with an engaging mix of news, innovative formats and classic dramas from the STV archive.

Elizabeth Partyka, deputy director of channels at STV, said: “These exciting changes will serve to strengthen the range and distinctive offering of City TV and allow us to reach new audiences. The new STV Glasgow and STV Edinburgh schedules reinforce our commitment to delivering local programming for our consumers and we hope the 8.30pm slot will become appointment to view TV for viewers in Scotland’s largest cities.”

STV Glasgow broadcasts to a potential audience of two million viewers in the west of Scotland and STV Edinburgh has a potential reach of one million viewers in the east. The channels are delivered in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University and Edinburgh Napier University, with over 100 students from the universities having gained experience so far through their involvement in broadcast operations of the channels.

STV Glasgow launched in June 2014 with STV Edinburgh following in January 2015. The channels broadcast on Freeview channel 23, Sky channel 117 and Virgin Media channel 159 within their transmission areas. STV, STV Glasgow and STV Edinburgh are available to watch live online with the STV Player.

Ads the way to do it!

Radio students make real adverts for Edinburgh College

Edinburgh College students have made their debut on the airwaves and used skills learned in the classroom for a real-life radio campaign to promote the college’s courses.

First-year radio production students devised, wrote and produced radio adverts to advertise college courses starting this August and information days taking place this month. Working with acting students, they recorded them at the college’s recording studio and will now hear their voices transmitted on Edinburgh radio stations. The adverts are live now on Forth One and Capital FM.

The college’s Marketing team set the radio students a brief to develop adverts to promote August courses as part of the college’s wider advertising campaign, which is currently underway. Working with their lecturers, the group of HNC Creative Industries: Radio students took the brief and created two adverts to promote the courses and Course Information Days, based on the campaign theme ‘Make it happen with Edinburgh College’. The students pitched their ideas to the Marketing team, took feedback and developed them to meet the college’s needs.

The students work on similar projects as part of their course, but this is the first time their work is being used on air.

Radio lecturer Conor Wright said: “Giving students real practical experience like this is what further education is really good at. It’s not just about theory work but about giving them real-world skills and an understanding of what’s expected of them in a workplace.

“They had to work to a proper brief from a real client and deliver to a professional standard so there was pressure to make sure the work was good. They were getting real feedback and had to push themselves, but they did a great job and the end result is excellent. This has really benefited the acting students too, as well as the radio students.”

Radio Production student Iona Fotheringham, 17, from Dunfermline, who was one of the writers, producers and actors, said: “Doing the adverts was great experience and it was a good chance to turn what we’ve learned in college into practice for a real project. The thought of our work going out is kind of scary but I’m excited to hear it on the radio.”

Forth 1 DJ Mark Martin, who does the weekday Home Run slot from 3-7pm and studied radio at Edinburgh College, said: “We’re playing the students’ adverts now and they’re great. They’ve done a fantastic job. Getting this kind of experience while they’re studying is really important and means they’re better prepared for when they leave college and start work. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the college and everything I learned there, and I’m delighted to see the students continue to get such excellent training.”

Hear the adverts here:

Radio Advert 1

Radio Advert 2

And watch a video made by the college about the recording here: http://vimeo.com/114778791

The college is offering hundreds of courses beginning in August at levels to suit all needs – from HNC and HND level and associate degree programmes that lead on to university study, to Access courses and programmes designed to get people back into education, community-based courses and industry-approved qualifications.

Applications for courses starting in August will open on 2 February. The deadline is 15 May.

Anyone interested in a course is invited to Course Information Days on 27 January from 2-6.30pm at Sighthill Campus and on Wednesday 29 January from 2-6.30pm at Milton Road Campus. Each event will have information about all curriculum areas.

More information about the college curriculum and courses is available at www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk

STV Edinburgh gets ready to roll

New city TV channel STV Edinburgh will launch next Monday (12 January) at 7pm with the first ever broadcast of The Fountainbridge Show.

Also included in the launch night schedule are Edinburgh’s Murder Mysteries at 9pm, STV Edinburgh News at 10pm and Peter & Roughie’s Football Show at 11pm.

Popular archive programming will return to the STV Edinburgh schedule on Tuesday 13 January with the very first episode of Take the High Road at 5.30pm. STV Edinburgh will also broadcast one hour of non-English speaking content per week with Polish drama, Czas Honoru (Days of Honour), beginning on Friday 16 January, with subtitles.

STV Edinburgh will be on air midday to midnight each day with an entertaining mix of news and features, live and interactive formats, and quality acquired and archive programmes.

Paul Hughes, channel editor for STV Edinburgh said: “The response from local people to the launch of the brand new channel has been fantastic. We’ve been inundated with requests from local bands and chefs from the capital who want to appear on the The Fountainbridge Show which is really encouraging ahead of launch.

“STV Glasgow launched to a terrific reception last June and we anticipate the people of Edinburgh will welcome this new platform that will reflect everything going on in the city on a daily basis.”

The Fountainbridge Show will be presented nightly from the studio by former Heart and Real Radio breakfast show host, Ewen Cameron and broadcaster and presenter Hayley Matthews. The Fountainbridge News will air from 6.30 – 7pm every evening, followed by The Fountainbridge Show from 7 – 8.30pm.

Ofcom announced the award of licences to STV for Glasgow and Edinburgh in January 2013. STV Edinburgh will be delivered in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University, offering students the opportunity to work in a live television environment. STV has also submitted applications to Ofcom to deliver local TV in Aberdeen, Ayr and Dundee.

STV Edinburgh will broadcast on Freeview channel 23, Sky channel 117 and Virgin channel 159 and will be available to watch live on the STV Player. Ahead of the channel’s launch, viewers will be asked to retune their televisions to pick up the Freeview signal for channel 23.

Pictured: George Ward, Hayley Matthews, Zara Janjua and Ewen Cameron.

Red Dot Radio open day

Red Dot radio, the ‘on-air’ name of the Edinburgh Hospital Broadcasting Service, was founded as Forth Radio Network in 1962 and it’s been entertaining patients in Edinburgh hospitals ever since!

Originally serving over 16 hospitals in the early days, the main audience is now in the Western General Hospital and Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

On the air 365 days of the year, they provide programmes from 7pm until 10pm every evening except for Christmas Day when they broadcast from 10am until midday.

The mainstay of their programmes is ‘Request Time’ – the patients’ own choice of music. The volunteers visit the wards each evening to speak to the patients, check that the bedside radio is working and then find out what they would like to hear, before returning to the studio to prepare and present the show.

On Wednesday 12 November, Red Dot Radio are throwing open their doors to let staff and patients, their relatives and friends see how the service operates, and visit the studio ‘live’ on air.

The organisation’s chairman, Malcolm Kirby, says: “it’s very rewarding work and we look forward to meeting as many people as possible and showing them our studios.”

If you are interested in seeing this fascinating organisation at work, go along to the Western General Hospital between 5.30 and 9 pm on Wednesday (12 November). Visitors will be met at the entrance to the Anne Ferguson Building.

Support your local hospital broadcasting service!

openday2014-3