Belfield FM
{{short description|Student radio station at University College Dublin}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo_size =
| format = Student Radio
| power =
| class =
| former_callsigns =
| former_frequencies =
| owner =
| licensee =
| name = Belfield FM
| city =
| area = UCD, Belfield, Dublin
| branding =
| frequency =
| translator =
| repeater =
| airdate =
| erp =
| haat =
| facility_id =
| coordinates =
| callsign_meaning =
| affiliations =
| webcast = [https://www.belfieldfm.com/ www.belfieldfm.com]
| website = [https://www.belfieldfm.com/ www.belfieldfm.com]
}}
Belfield FM is University College Dublin's internet student radio station. The station began broadcasting in 1990. It was initially run as a part of the UCD Students' Union, under the remit of the entertainments office, before becoming an independent entity within the Students' Union (SU). Belfield FM disaffiliated with the SU at the end of the 2011/2012 college year, and is now run independently within the UCD Societies Council framework.{{cite web |url=http://www.collegetribune.ie/index.php/2012/02/possibility-of-belfield-fm-society-being-formed/ | website = collegetribune.ie |title=Possibility of Belfield FM society being formed |accessdate=2012-10-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219221918/http://www.collegetribune.ie/index.php/2012/02/possibility-of-belfield-fm-society-being-formed/ |archivedate=2012-02-19 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.belfieldfm.com/about/|website = belfieldfm.com | title = About Us|date = 2 February 2019}} The station forms part of UCD's "Student Media Network", along with The University Observer and The College Tribune. The station is run by volunteer staff and contributors, and broadcasts on week-days.{{cite web|url = https://www.belfieldfm.com/ | website = belfieldfm.com | title = Belfield FM website - Timetable }}{{better source needed|date=October 2021 }}
Awards
File:Aisling winning smedia.jpg
File:William (Willem) McCartney's Smedia Win.jpg
File:Cian, Patrick and Matthew.jpg
Belfield FM have participated in the National Student Media Awards and have won a number of awards.{{cite web|url=https://universityobserver.ie/ucd-win-8-awards-at-the-student-media-awards/ |title=UCD Win 8 Awards at the Student Media Awards | University Observer |publisher=Universityobserver.ie |date=2017-04-10 |accessdate=2019-05-14}} These included a People's Choice Award for William McCartney in 2018,{{cite web|url=http://www.smedias.ie/winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504174941/http://www.smedias.ie/winners/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2019-05-04 |website = smedias.ie| title=Winners 2018 - National Student Media Awards 2019 |via=Web.archive.org |date= |accessdate=2019-05-14}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ucd.ie/newsandopinion/news/2018/april/20/sixstudentmediaawardsforucdjournalists/|title=Six student media awards for UCD journalists|date=2018-04-20|website=ucd.ie |language=en-GB|access-date=2019-04-16}} a Radio Journalist award for Patrick Power in 2019,{{cite web|url=http://www.oxygen.ie/the-smedias-the-full-list-of-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504174954/http://www.oxygen.ie/the-smedias-the-full-list-of-winners/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2019-05-04 |title=The Smedias: The Full List of Winners | website = oxygen.ie |via=Web.archive.org |date=2019-04-12 |accessdate=2019-05-14}} and a People's Choice Award for Aisling Grennan in 2019.
Controversies
In 2015 the Societies Council temporarily closed the station due to it being unsupervised for lengths of time.{{cite web|url=http://collegetribune.ie/belfield-fm-plans-to-reopen-in-the-coming-weeks/ |title=Belfield FM Plans To Reopen In The Coming Weeks | College Tribune |publisher=Collegetribune.ie |date=2015-04-08 |accessdate=2019-05-14}}
In late 2018, "Keepin' it Country" was criticised by the College Tribune for inappropriate comments regarding named students live on air,{{cite web|url=http://collegetribune.ie/criticising-keepin-it-country/|title=Criticising Keepin' It Country|date=2018-11-20|website=College Tribune|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-02-27}} and the show's podcasts were subsequently removed.{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/keeping-it-country-agriculture-students-sorry-for-lewd-remarks-on-ucd-radio-show-37603219.html | publisher = independent.ie | title = Keeping It Country: Agriculture students sorry for 'lewd' remarks on UCD radio show | date = 7 December 2018 }} In the subsequent semester of broadcasting, the controversial show was absent from the schedule of programming.{{cite web|url=https://universityobserver.ie/keepin-it-country-will-not-return-to-belfield-fm-this-semester/|title='Keepin' it Country' will not return to Belfield FM this semester|last=Donnelly|first=Brían|website=University Observer|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-27}}
In 2019, the show "Up Late with Dave" featured an interview with John Connors to discuss the travelling community in Ireland. During the interview, comments were made about the directors of Pavee Point which were reportedly described as "defamatory and slanderous". The station later published an apology on their website.{{cite web|url=https://universityobserver.ie/belfield-fm-apologise-over-comments-concerning-the-traveller-community-made-on-up-late-with-dave/|title=Belfield FM apologise over comments concerning the Traveller community made on 'Up Late With Dave'|last=Clarke|first=Rory|website=University Observer|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-08}}