Greg James, Mistajam and Steve Lamacq are among the long list of industry names confirmed for the Student Radio Conference which is heading to De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) this month.
The Student Radio Association (SRA)’s annual conference will collaborate with De Montfort Students’ Unions (DSU)’s student-led station Demon FM for the second time in four years from Wednesday 19 April - Friday 21 April.
And some of the biggest names in the industry will also be joined by DMU alumni who are making a name for themselves on the UK radio scene.
One of those is Tom Williams a Drama Studies with Media BA (Hons) graduate and former Vice President Media and Communications at DSU, who led the Demon FM team in hosting the conference at DMU back in 2013. He now works for Smooth East Midlands.
He said: “I can’t wait to come back to Demon FM to speak to the future of British radio at this year’s SRA Conference.
“After hosting it during my time with DSU and then helping to organise it as an SRA Executive Officer in 2014, I know how hard the Demon team will be working to get everything ready for the hundreds of people attending.
“The conference presents a fantastic opportunity; I’ve no doubt that I wouldn’t be where I am today without Demon Media and the SRA.”
DMU graduate Tom Williams, former Vice President Media and Communications at DSU helped organise the conference when it last visited the university in 2013.
Ryan Arnold of Capital FM, Will Gavin of Talksport and Jon Jackson of Virgin Radio are among the other graduates speaking this year, who studied DMU’s former Radio Production BSc (Hons) degree.
Joining them and Radio 1’s Greg James and Mistajam will be Christian O’Connell of Absolute Radio, Amy Voce of Gem 106, BBC Radio Leicester’s Jason Bourne plus BBC TV and radio host Stephanie Hirst.
All keynote speeches and seminar sessions will give current DMU students and students from across the country an insight on how to break into the industry.
That’s not all - two flagship evening events will also bring the conference to life at The Venue@DMU.
The famous Demo Factor will see a panel of industry professionals including one of Demon FM’s founders and talent agent Chris North, judge student’s work in front of an audience, with the prospect of placements at the UK’s leading radio stations on the line.
The final evening of the conference will witness the I Love Student Radio Awards in which Demon FM have been nominated for six in four categories including: Individual Contribution, Best Training Initiative, Most Improved Station and Best Team.
Mike Mayes, the current Vice President Media and Communications at DSU and Media Production BSc (Hons) graduate, said: “I am really excited to welcome everyone to DMU, and raise the bar for SRA conferences once again.
“There are even more names to be announced and I just think that the fact that we’ve got all of these big names is a real testament to the incredible, constant and very difficult work that is put in by members of Demon Media, especially the management team whose commitments is unwavering and ambition through the roof.
“I can’t wait to see other stations and students’ reaction to our campus and our facilities.”
Ollie McGrath, Demon FM's Head of Programming (Left) and Hannah Rowe, Demon FM's Station Manager (Right) are on the SRA Conference 2017 organising committee.
Demon FM’s Head of Programming and third year Media Production BSc (Hons) student Ollie McGrath who is on the organising committee, said: “I am really excited that some of the people who I have listened to for the whole of my life are coming here to DMU to spread their wisdom and it will be a really good opportunity for DemonFM members to learn off of the very best.
“In particular, I am really looking forward to Mistajam because nobody knows new music better than him.
“It will be also be really nice to have a chance to be able to socialise with all of these big names and show them how great DMU is.”
Limited tickets are still available for the conference in the lead up to the event, they can be purchased here.
Posted on Monday 3 April 2017