<\/p>\n\n
With over 50 shows going live on air on NSR, it takes a certain flair for those that focus on the more traditional format of music to stand out amongst the rest. One of NSR’s most creative shows in this category is <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Chords and Clues<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. Taking their passion for music, Elliot and Charlie have built a fun game-show to truly test their knowledge “We play a set of 5 songs each, with something linking each set; and it’s up to the other person to guess the link” explained Charlie. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n Inspired by “a segment from BBC Radio 6’s <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Riley & Coe” <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>as Charlie described, the show has continually kept its audience at its core, as they reflected on how “we tried to adapt it to something that actually engaged listeners…”. Tuning into the show, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Chords and Clues<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> ability to stand out on NSR is clear, but I wanted to know what its hosts thought made the show so unique. They both agreed that “Our show is incredibly interactive!”, with Elliot adding “the guessing game making it super unique…”. Charlie expressed “since we have such different tastes in music, you’re almost guaranteed to hear at least one song you enjoy.” Alongside their dedication to audience engagement, their passion for radio is displayed as brightly as their knowledge on music. When I asked Elliot what he felt had inspired the creation of the show he explained “We both really wanted to get involved with being on the radio…”, Charlie supported this by adding “The first time I met Elliot, we decided it would be nice to host a show together.” <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n Last year, the pair were nominated for <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>‘NSR Presenters of The Year’<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>‘Show of The Year’ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>which not only celebrated the hard work behind the show, but seemed to also represent the friendship between the two. “We met each other in the queue for last year’s Freebie Fair. and spent three hours waiting while also discussing the idea of a radio show!”, they both explained. Since that point last year, their friendship has continued to grow both off and on air, taking their skills as hosts to the next level. After having such a successful year, it seems that the only way is up for <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Chords and Clues. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>I asked the pair to explain what they hope to achieve this year, of which they both gave answers that could only excite listeners of the show. Elliot discussed “being more prominent online will be a nice change…” with biweekly Instagram posts, this change seems to have brought a new liveliness to the show. Charlie kept his response short with “I’d quite like to beat Elliot (again).” <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n As their second year of hosting the show is in full swing, both Elliot and Charlie reflected on what the experience has taught them so far. While they explained that most of what they learnt was technical; “It has helped us get to know the studio and what all the sliders do”, they also explained it taught them that “...going with the flow is incredibly important, we now know how to stall and we’ve also learnt to accept that not a lot of people listen to every show and not everything goes to plan all the time.” Despite all the new things the pair had to learn, they have continued to display dedication to their show that represents the very best of NSR.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n <\/p>","author":{"name":"Megan Grimston"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.thisisnsr.co.uk\/_app_pages\/stations\/6337\/blogs\/posts\/84046"},{"id":"o2202-2009-6932d75cdea16","url":"https:\/\/www.thisisnsr.co.uk\/blogs\/nsr\/post\/rethinking-all-the-stories-weve-absorbed-with-girls-on-film\/","title":"\"Rethinking all the stories we've absorbed\" with 'girls on film'.","date_published":"2025-12-08T09:00:00+00:00","content_html":" <\/p>\n\n Amongst Newcastle Student Radio’s variety of specialist music programming, there is also a community of culture and talk-shows. Branching out beyond the world of music, one of NSR’s most esteemed culture-based shows is ‘girls on film’. Talking about toxic masculinity every week, the show has constantly invited its listeners to “rethink all the stories we’ve absorbed”, as co-host Emily, described.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n When I asked her about what inspired the creation of the show, she explained that “film and other media influenced our perceptions and understanding of people growing up”, recognising that it was time to challenge that. “It’s interesting to see the small details about male vulnerability and portrayals that we’ve missed” she discussed while reflecting on what the show has taught her so far. ‘girls on film’ is about to enter its second year of being on air, and as Emily went on to describe, “The biggest lesson has been about how to think more critically about film and gender.” Sometimes the show's premise can be uncomfortable, having to evaluate the ugliest depiction of toxic masculinity, however, the show still continues to stand out on air. When I asked Emily what she thinks makes the show stand out, she pinpointed “We make our criticisms fun, relevant, and unapologetically ours…”<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Last year, the show's hosting pair received Newcastle Student Radio’s ‘Presenter(s) of The Year’ award, and almost 8 months on, Emily reflected on the dynamic of the pair. “I think that hosting has really helped us grow both personally and creatively…”. Tuning into the show, you’ll clearly hear “an atmosphere that cannot be replicated” between two friends that aren’t afraid to challenge each other, and continue to have fun: “We don’t just act as co-hosts who read notes to each other." There are on air interactions between the two that nobody can hear, but continue to pursue the energy in the studio. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n After having such a successful first year, the show has colourful hopes for the year ahead. Emily summarised some of the duo's hopes: “I think one of the most important things is to continue having fun.” It’s clear that the dynamic duo of hosts is at the centre of the show's driving force; “Having a radio show with one of your best friends is one of the most enjoyable things at University…” Emily concluded.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n ‘girls on film’ is the creation of the real world experiences of women, but the show has yet to let the unpleasant nature of its premise stop the co-hosts from freely dissecting the world of toxic masculinity. Beyond that, the show is also the creation of the raw friendship between two people, developing as friends and hosts live on air. the show is the creation of the raw friendship between the hosts, developing both on and off the air.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n <\/p>","author":{"name":"Megan Grimston"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.thisisnsr.co.uk\/_app_pages\/stations\/6337\/blogs\/posts\/83008"},{"id":"o2202-2009-6932d5d04f5ac","url":"https:\/\/www.thisisnsr.co.uk\/blogs\/nsr\/post\/its-a-reflection-of-ourselves-in-discussion-with-idigress\/","title":"\"It's a reflection of ourselves.\" In Discussion with IDigress.","date_published":"2025-12-06T13:00:00+00:00","content_html":" Sometimes there are shows on NSR that stand out amongst the rest for its longevity, and I Digress is one of its brightest examples. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with the team behind the show as they go into their third year of being on air. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n “An hour a week for three years is a long time…” they opened with. It’s true, however, just listening to I Digress would calm any fears about this being a concern to Amy and Charlotte, with each week providing a refreshing reminder of the quality of shows on NSR. When I asked them what it is that stops them from getting burnt out after three years, they concluded that ultimately it comes from a place of passion: “We have refined I Digress throughout the year, but it has always centred around something we are passionate about.” When you tune into the show, there is a feeling of maturity and independence that you pick up on, differing from the once softer style from the previous years. Their response to this? “Ultimately, I Digress is a reflection of ourselves … our own personal growth…”<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n “Ultimately, I Digress is a reflection of ourselves … our own personal growth…”<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n So what inspired Amy and Charlotte to make the switch and flip the show on its head? “Maturing into stronger, independent women in journalism” they began with, feeling that the current political climate “in which women are still facing the misogyny that inspired the initial movement” was something they wanted to tackle on their platform. Specifically, they aim to ‘spotlight music’s most powerful women’. They shared with me that in a 2022 Musicians’ Union survey, more than 65% of respondents had experienced misogyny in the industry, and that “it is important more than ever to shed a light on the women who continue to inspire us everyday.” They shared that they have local industry females lined up for interviews. With this change, they had to rebrand on social media, opting for what can be described as referencing the ‘Riot Grrrl movement’ in their visual aesthetics. The impact, maturity and frustration at the music industry is palpable through this too, with it being “another way in which we try to communicate I Digress’ mission.” It’s also a clear reflection of their personal growth, with them designing the entire logo in Photoshop, as they develop their skills as journalists.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n As well as growing the show across three years, hosting a show has also impacted them both outside the studio. “...the biggest impact has to be the memories,” they explained, pairing it with a story of their friendship. Amy and Charlotte went from meeting the day before First Year, to hosting the first episode of I Digress just weeks later. The pair have not only developed as people, independent women, and journalists but as friends too. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n I Digress is one of NSR’s longest running shows, but it’s so much more than that too. Tuning into I Digress is tuning into just one step in the road to sharing the world of female musicians. It’s one step in developing into powerful journalists, but powerful women too. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n <\/p>","author":{"name":"Megan Grimston"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.thisisnsr.co.uk\/_app_pages\/stations\/6337\/blogs\/posts\/83007"},{"id":"o2202-2009-6932d2b5e984a","url":"https:\/\/www.thisisnsr.co.uk\/blogs\/nsr\/post\/its-made-me-trust-myself-more-an-interview-with-top-5-records\/","title":"\"It's made me trust myself more\": an interview with 'Top 5 Records'","date_published":"2025-12-05T00:00:00+00:00","content_html":" Music and specifically radio based music shows have long been the pedestals of a special community. This is no different for NSR, and one of those standout shows is Top 5 Records. The show has just started up for its second year on air and this week I had the chance to sit down with the show's host, Charlotte, as she took me on a tour of all things grunge, nostalgia and the homeliness of records.<\/p>\n\n Charlotte’s passion for music is evident, putting her to the test with the forever infamous ‘If you were on a desert island, what album would you pick?’. Her answer? Lungs by Florence + the Machine.<\/p>\n\n “My mum would play it in the car… at six years old I’d scream it at the top of my lungs.” <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n\n This sense of family and nostalgia that she explains in her answer to this question is palpable through the show that she puts on every week. “Music has always felt like a safe space for me” she described, trying to put into words this sense of homeliness that I picked up on tuning into her show. She made it clear that the catalogue of music knowledge needed for Top 5 Records has come from a rich history of “friends who loved all the same things I loved… who couldn’t stop playing guitar at any minute.”<\/p>\n\n She described herself as previously feeling somewhat “militant” about her music, when I asked her about how having guests on the show has impacted her taste. We reminisced on an anecdote from one episode saying; “One of my guests didn’t like the Foo Fighters, whom I love… I instantly tried to convince him he was wrong.” To this day, she mentioned, “he still doesn’t like them, but I realised that's okay.” <\/p>\n\n Charlotte hosts Top 5 Records alone, so it’s not often she has another person to converse with on the show; however, that's one thing I picked up on as admirable about it all. “I had no idea how it would shape me as a person” she heartfeltly expressed. It was a personal moment discussing the relationship that solo hosting has developed into<\/p>\n\n “It has made me trust myself more… increased my confidence tenfold.” <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n\n She reminisced on the fact that she once couldn’t believe she had chosen to get involved in such a way, still choosing to carry on with Top 5 Records as she works towards a Masters degree. Committing to an increased workload would often put people off the idea of hosting a radio show, but Charlotte explained that she finds the show “really cathartic” and that she views the opportunity as “self-care.”<\/p>\n\n Overall, Top 5 Records is a scrapbook of childhood, self-development and warmth all glued together with grunge. Charlotte’s dedication and her clear enjoyment for every aspect of putting the show together perfectly encapsulates the heart of Newcastle Student Radio. <\/p>","author":{"name":"Megan Grimston"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.thisisnsr.co.uk\/_app_pages\/stations\/6337\/blogs\/posts\/83006"}]}\n
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