Fife College student, Kay Simpson, has topped the international charts after winning the Best Music Presenter award at the International Student Broadcasting Championship (ISBC).
HNC Media and Communication student Kay was one of just six finalists in the highly competitive global category, competing against students from colleges and universities worldwide. The ISBC aims to showcase the best emerging talent in broadcasting and connect them with industry professionals and potential employers.
Kay’s award-winning show, PixelPulse, airs on the College’s student-run station BOOM Radio, part of the School of Business, Digital and Creative. The show spotlights video game soundtracks, stories, and culture, featuring interviews with voice actors alongside podcasting and live-streaming content.
Kay, from Glenrothes, said:
"I’ve been creating media around games for nearly seven years, but I wasn’t always sure where to take it. The confidence and support of my lecturers helped push me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to keep creating. That’s how I discovered a medium I absolutely adore, radio."
This year marked BOOM Radio’s strongest performance at the ISBC Awards to date, with six nominations across multiple categories. HND Media and Communication student Morgan Teevan was shortlisted in Best News & Sports for her documentary on Selective Mutism, while Sharrell Carroll, last year’s Best Podcast Talent winner and HND graduate, received another nomination for CampusCast Season 2, Fife College’s sustainability-focused podcast.
Station Manager and HND Media and Communication student Kyle Fraser secured three nominations – Best Podcast Talent, Best Outside Broadcast for FCSA Pride coverage, and another for BOOM Radio’s reporting at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Fife College Media and Communications Lecturer, Scott Hastie, said:
"2025 has been an exceptional year for our college radio station. Our students have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with university broadcasters from across the UK and around the world.
"We encourage our learners to create as much content as possible, so it’s incredibly rewarding to see their hard work recognised at this level."
Fife College Curriculum Manager for Creative Media Productions, James Bisset, added:
"This is a fantastic achievement for Kay, who is hugely passionate about her show. I’m extremely proud of Kay and of all our finalists, supported by our dedicated team of lecturers.
"Being shortlisted at both the National Student Radio Awards and the International Student Broadcasting Competition highlights the skill, talent, and creativity of our students. Winning on the world stage for the second year running is the icing on the cake!"
The ISBC achievements come on the heels of BOOM Radio’s strongest ever performance at the UK National Student Radio Awards last week, where the station earned five nominations. These included:
- Best Specialist Music – Kay Simpson
- Best Creative Speech Programming – Kaila Bartlett
- Best News & Journalism Programming – Morgan Teevan
- Best Podcast – Jude Bright
- Best Newcomer – Kyle Fraser
More information about the 2025 ISBC can be found at https://isbc.co/.
BOOM Radio can be heard online here.
For more information about Broadcast Media and Communications courses on offer at Fife College, visit our course pages.