What would i need to major in to become a radio personality?!
Question: Ive always wanted to be on the radio! But i have no idea what direction to go, im hearing different answers everytime. Can anyone help?
Answers: Ive always wanted to be on the radio! But i have no idea what direction to go, im hearing different answers everytime. Can anyone help?
Broadcasting is a good major, as is Journalism. Go to http://www.radioandtvjobs.com , go to the radio jobs portion, and look at the help wanted ads. They will give you a good idea as to what you need to get a job.
Music! You'd need a degree in media too.
judging by the talent in the greensboro nc market, all you need to do kiss jack's *** for a few years.
Broadcasting and/or journalism.
Journalism. There is a course in broadcast journalism.
Experience. there's a lot of good broadcasting schools (despite what other may say) and there's a great scholarship program (below), but your best bet is experience.
Here's my brief version on how to get in radio-in the US. Take it from one who started this way. If you want to try radio as a possible career choice, It's easy, really easier than most think. Go to all the local radio stations and tell them you're willing to do anything for little or no money (at first). Including interning (though those are usually for current college students in a broadcasting major). In a big city, that's going to be more difficult than a smaller town, but not impossible.
Maybe they need a Gofer, or a production or promotion assistant. In the old days you used to be able to 'hang out" at a station. That's still a possibility (usually at night) in a small town, but in a bigger city, it's hard because the stations are in office buildings. Anyway, so maybe you get a Gofer or promotion assistant job. Or maybe you're just the kid who hangs out and will go get burgers. Then as people leave for bigger better gigs, you move up. Radio's a very fluid business. People move a lot. Because the only way to really get promoted is to go to a bigger market.
Give it a try. You've got nothing to lose. Study all the stations where you live. Visit some of the websites I'll put below. Go around to all the stations (obviously start with the ones where you like the music - but don't leave out religious stations, foreign language stations etc. anything to get experience and something legit on your resume). Because you've studied the station and listened to their format, you'll impress them with your knowledge; go to the remote broadcasts and get to know the promotion people - the ones hanging banners, in the tent and handing out bumper stickers.
Sooner or later someone will leave and you can say, "Hey, I can do that, I want his job now that he's leaving." It's important you have a driver’s license & clean record, 'cause you'll be driving the station van. Go 4 it!
Also, many colleges and some high schools (especially magnet schools) have radio courses of study and there are private vocational schools like Columbia School of Broadcasting. Emerson College in Boston is the premiere Media College in the US.
If you are interested in a career in radio, check out this great scholarship program from the John Bayliss Broadcast Foundation. It could mean $5,000 towards your tuition!
www.baylissfoundation.org
Maybe you can turn another skill, with accounting, traffic, or engineering into an off-air career. Sales, though not as popular with young people, is a great way to get into radio even if you don't have a great voice. You'll also make more money and work steadier hours - but it's not as glamorous. Radio stations also need salespeople, acountants and business managers
Free Radio Newsletters:
www.AllAboutCountry.com
www.AllAccess.com
www.insideradio.com
www.radio-info.com
Let me totally honest with you...
I got a degree in Communication Studies thinking I needed it for an on-air job. I was wrong! Half of the people I work with don't even have college degrees and are every successful. Of course, I learned a lot about body langauge, the speech process, how to research ideas and how to present myself on-air through the speech courses.
But, the way I got my job in radio was by doing an internship (I needed it for college credit) with a radio station and busting my *** to show them that I was dedicated to the business. Then, the PD saw the work I've done for the station and decided to hire me on as a Board OPP (Basically, doing behing the scenes work and learning the format of the station). After a few months, the PD asked me to make a demo for him and made me fill-in "liner" jock.
So, that's basically how I got started in radio and I now have my own weekend show.
I would say to do an internship first to make sure thats the right career choice for you. During the internship, go out with jocks when they do remotes, shadow them during their show (as long as its ok with that jock), help out with the promotions department, etc. Make your presences known and show them your dedication, but don't be obseced with the place because a lot of internships aren't paid ones.
If you do get an internship, want to get hired by that station and don't know a lot about the format of that station... Listen to the station at certain parts of the day. Morning shows are totally different from the Night shows. Also, steal an old play list to see what music that station plays and don't be afraid to even ask for an old one because they just throw them in the trash at the end of the day.
Alrighty, I hope this helps you out! Good luck to you in your future radio career because it sure is a lot of fun!!!
Wow! There has been some great info written here! Don't make the same mistake I did by wasting your money and time getting a degree that doesn't matter. Don't get me wrong a degree is good, but in radio it does not matter unless you want to be a PD (Program Director) or something else management related.
Put your demo together. Start by just recording for the recycle bin. Also you might want to see a voice coach. Good luck!