RAMP Media proudly wraps up the International Student Broadcasting Championship 2023 (ISBC), culminating in a spectacular celebration of student talent, global collaboration, and industry recognition.
The live-streamed Winners Ceremony showcased a diverse array of winners, highlighting the global nature of the competition.
Launched in October on World College Radio Day, ISBC has not only met but exceeded expectations. With a social reach of over 1.2 million for this year’s campaign and a rapidly growing following, ISBC has made an indelible mark on the global student broadcasting landscape.
Diverse Winners Reflecting Global Excellence
The coveted ‘Station of the Year’ title was won by UST Tiger Radio from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, earning an impressive six awards on the night.
“Our experience for this event is superb! We won several awards for our college radio, and we sincerely feel like our efforts are not put to waste. It is also nice that our college radio station is being acknowledged despite the saturation of college radio worldwide!” said Chiqui Deutsch Ann Cabrera, On-Air Head, UST Tiger Radio
Other notable winners on the night include:
Best On-Air Team: Matt and Issy for Breakfast – SHOCK Radio, University of Salford, UK. “Matt and I are over the moon to have been given the opportunity just to showcase our work, let alone be given the honor of winning an ISBC award!” Issy Brand Student at SHOCK Radio
The award for Best On-Air Talent went to Toby Penman – Youth’s Choice, Global Academy, UK, while the Best Podcast Talent was secured by Rose Kelley – WKNC, North Carolina State University, US.
Toby Penman – Talking ISBC Award post win: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0WrDbcIgZm/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
In the hotly contested Best Sports Play-by-Play category, Traeton Harimon of KRNU, University of Nebraska-Kearney, US emerged as the winner.
Conrad Kunadu of Oxide Radio at Oxford University in the UK secured the esteemed title of Best Music Director. “My award is mostly a testament to just how much incredible art continues to be produced all over the globe. If I had to encourage one action item from this, it’d probably be to head over to your favourite medium for listening to new music and try listening to something new, unfamiliar, and global. Many thanks to the International Student Broadcasting Championship for the award and for doing brilliant work in showcasing the best of student broadcasting “
The surprise highlight of the night came from the category of the best Station Website. The winner, Red Radio from Redhill School in South Africa, exceeded expectations. Despite competing against collegiate-level submissions, the High School impressed the judges and emerged victorious.
The most successful individual for the night was Rising Star winner Gideon Dean from WONY SUNY Oneonta in New York, US. He would also claim wins for Best Specialty Show & Best Social Media Execution, and was a clear judges favourite of the competition.
“I’ve spent a lot of time carving a niche for myself as someone who wants to pursue country radio while studying in the northeast, and my portfolio of work I’ve developed is something I’m very proud of. I’m so honored for it to be recognized in this way.” Said Gideon
ISBC is future focused, with a keen emphasis on the progression of e-sports casting. In its inaugural category for E-Sports Casting, the award was secured by Robert Riach of OMG radio, hailing from Staffordshire University, UK. This strategic move underscores ISBC’s commitment to staying at the forefront of emerging trends in the dynamic landscape of student media.
The Peoples choice categories allowed colleges to rally their local communities, whilst engaging audiences on an international level. Over 10 thousand votes in a week were cast worldwide.
The Station of the Year ‘Peoples Choice’ category was won by the WOLF Sports Network – University of West Georgia, US. “It is really cool to see the community support us like that,” said Brendan Willoughby-Ray sports director for WOLF Sports Network.
Phillip Vinciullo, Founder of ISBC “The highlight for me is the incredible camaraderie and celebration among students worldwide. Videos on Instagram show students cheering in classrooms, and sharing in their collective success. Beyond the ceremony, the power of connectivity is astounding, with entrants supporting each other and building an international community. This is the essence of ISBC – fostering a network that celebrates achievements and supports students & graduates globally.”
ISBC’s international panel of judges are current professionals in broadcasting, podcasting, and the digital landscape, working for some of the biggest media companies in the world.
“It was a great opportunity to see the next generation of talent around the world & for students to see how they fair at the beginning of their careers” said Charlene Loh the Head of Video at SCA & ISBC Judge
Marcel Marais, Co-founder of ISBC, highlighted the significance of the judges, stating, “The diverse international media backgrounds and extensive expertise provides an industry-current evaluation process and ensures the credibility and integrity of the competition.”
Leading Stations and Institutions
With over 30 institutions worldwide actively participating in its inaugural year several stations and organisations delivered exceptional outcomes to secure multiple awards:
Tiger Radio – University of Santo Tomas, Philippines: 6 awards
Global Academy – Youths Choice, UK: 5 awards
WONY – SUNY (State University of New York) Oneonta, USA: 3 awards
WOLF Radio – University of West Georgia, USA: 2 awards
WKNC 88.1 FM at North Carolina State University, USA: 2 awards
TUKS FM 107.2 at University of Pretoria, South Africa: 3 awards
UCT Radio at University of Cape Town, South Africa: 2 awards
Country Outcomes
Led by the US and closely followed by the UK the overall medal tally reflects the global diversity, engagement and excellence of collegiate media worldwide:
United States: 13
United Kingdom: 9
South Africa: 6
Philippines: 6
Australia: 1
New Zealand: 1
Finalists and registrations included Canada, India and many more
Future Plans and International Hosting Announcement
All ISBC finalists will benefit from future feedback sessions as part of the process and commitment to talent support and development.
“Our journey with these students does not end here – ISBC’s goal is to support students and graduates through their pivotal times and their transition from campus to industry.” Annwen Burrows, Co-founder of ISBC.
Phillip Vinciullo, Founder of ISBC, emphasized, “Our primary focus is helping graduates find jobs and opportunities on an international scale. We believe ISBC can provide development, opportunities, and solutions for students, graduates and the industry. ”
We are committed to the student journey and we’re just getting started.” Added Marcel Marais, Co-Founder.
Looking ahead, ISBC is excited to announce that the 2024 Station of the Year winner will host the 2024 ISBC Awards Ceremony. The ISBC team is gearing up for an inspiring visit to Tiger Radio at the University of Santo Tomas, Philippines, next year.