Members of DSU’s student media group nabbed the Lifetime Achievement Award at last night's prestigious Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival Awards ceremony.
Members of De Montfort Students’ Union (DSU)’s student media group nabbed the Lifetime Achievement Award at last night's prestigious Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival Awards ceremony.
The award recognised the consistent, ever-developing efforts of two student cohorts heavily involved with Demon Media and was awarded in a glittering ceremony at the Mercure Hotel on Granby Street on Monday evening.
First, De Montfort University (DMU)’s Advanced Radio Production students – across BSc programmes in Media Production, Music Technology, and Audio and Recording Technology – who led the content on DemonFM, which featured live comedy guests every weekday across the festival, as well as hours of pre-recorded audio and video interviews.
And second, BA Arts and Festivals Management students, for their scheduling and operation of live comedy venues around Leicester in venues ranging from The Criterion and Duffy’s Bar to Peter Pizzeria this year which acted as a hub for Demon Media’s content during the month-long festival.
Adam Redfern, VP Media and Communications at DSU, said: “I am delighted that this recognition has been given to our dedicated and talented students and Demon Media volunteers.
“I have had the pleasure of being involved with Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival for the last four years and it is always one of the highlights of the year.
“To be recognised for our efforts at what is now one of the biggest comedy festivals in the world is a huge honour that we take real pride in accepting.
“Everyone involved should be extremely proud for their highly valued contribution.”
Demon Media Representative Ollie McGrath (left) and The Demon Deputy Editor Emily Frost (right) both pose with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
BSc Media Production programme leader and module leader for Advanced Radio Production, Simon Walsh, was also elated. He said: “In 2008, this content was a podcast series produced by an unpredictable number of final-year project students.
“Since taking the project within taught module delivery, we have consistently raised the bar on expectation, to the extent that we are now – as DemonFM – the de facto youth radio partner for the festival in this city and beyond.
“It gives our students some high-value, real-world experience. Liaising with artists, management and venues; covering a real-world event in real-time; and building knowledge and contacts for the future, understanding how these sorts of things really work in industry.
“Not to mention the perfect opportunity to put legal and compliance considerations to the test, given the nature of the comedian's work!”
You can watch some of Demon TV’s videos from the festival on their YouTube channel here. DemonFM also has a podcast directory with audioBoom here.
And if that’s not enough, you can read The Demon’s special Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival edition, guest edited by stand-up comedian Joel Dommett on the Demon Online here.
If all of that has whetted your appetite to get involved with one of the leading student media groups in the UK, you can find out more here.