Pure FM (Portsmouth)

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Pure FM is the University of Portsmouth’s student‑run radio station. Supported by the Portsmouth Students’ Union, it is based at the Union’s Cambridge Road campus and broadcasts in English to listeners in the UK and online worldwide at thisispurefm.com. The station began in 1994 and operates as a student media project run by volunteers.

The station’s output includes music, podcasts, sports and news. Podcasts are created by student members and stored on the Pure FM website. Pure FM is run by a Student Volunteer Committee and the Pure FM University Society, both part of the Portsmouth Students’ Union.

Pure FM’s broadcasting was paused in 2020 due to the pandemic, studio upgrades and flooding. It returned to full 24/7 broadcasting by February 2024. In 2023, Pure FM joined other South Region stations for the Round The Clock Radio Challenge, a 24-hour charity broadcast.

The station has a history of awards and recognition. Notable moments include the 2008 Demo Idol win by Ben Burrell, a 2013 Volunteer of the Year and Gold Award for Best Male Presenter (Glen Scott), a 2014 Gold Award for Best SRA Chart Show, and nominations or shortlists in subsequent years. In November 2023, a program from the Round the Clock challenge, The Big Music Quiz, won a Silver Award for Best Multiplatform Initiative at the National Student Radio Awards, with the award shared by all participating stations.