This is the sixth year the competition has run and has attracted a record number of entries from colleges and universities around the United Kingdom. It was pleasing to note this year that entries were received from colleges who had not participated in previous years.

Whilst attracting a record number of entries, the overall quality was not as good as in previous years.  Indeed a number of entries submitted by one particular college were particularly poor - technically they fell far short of the required standard, the editorial had no balance and it seemed to judges that the tutor/s had little or no knowledge of radio production.

Against this, one entry stood out, this being the one submitted by this year's winner, Richard Russell. Technically it was very confident with a good use of stereo and archive material. The piece was well conceived and executed with strong sound bites and good use of appropriate music.  It was well researched and scripted with good presentation.

The Brief

The brief was to produce a short radio feature that makes creative use of the medium of sound and demonstrates the entrant’s production skills.  The judges are looking for pieces that are well produced. Technically this takes into account editing, mixing, levels and the overall quality of recorded sound. Creative production is important and the use of music and sound effects should add to the piece. Presentation is vital – it should be lively, authoritative and tell the story. The judges also look for strong editorial content. The story should have a strong cue that grabs the listener’s attention and puts the piece in context, and the actual piece should have a hook at the beginning, a middle and a conclusion. Interviewees should be relevant to the subject.

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