How would I go about getting a job in radio?!
Question: How would I go about getting a job in radio!?
Do you have to go to school or what!? Www@Enter-QA@Com
Answers:
I've been in radio for over 10 years!. I will guide you on what you need to do to be able to get on the air!. Just a warning!. Radio is an EXTREMELY competitive and volatile business!. It's not meant for those who want stability or like lots money!. After 10 years I chose stability and a chance for a retirement over free t-shirts, CD's and concerts!.
What they demand is experience!. How do you get experience if you need experience to get on the air!? Here is the best method to try and start your radio career;
1) Go to college and work towards a Media Communications degree!. Be sure to use the college's station for practice, and tape every show! Keep them, don't erase them no matter how much you think they may suck!. Listening to them, no matter how painful, is how you learn to improve!. Stay away from those "broadcasting schools!." Nobody in the business takes them seriously and they take your money!.
2) In college you will learn about formatics, Hot Clocks and that the DJ has absolutely no say on what songs get played!. This will also lead to internships at stations!. Only college students can get an internship!. While you are interning, get to know people, make a positive impression and when you do that, have the PD or MD listen to your tape!. Be sure to ask for guidance and take those suggestions and put them to practice!. Hang out with the jocks, help them with the phones or whatever they may need to keep their show flowing!. Volunteer to do stuff for the promotions department!. You will be working without pay to earn your bones!. Now you are getting not only on-air experience at school, but practical experience with the station!.
3) Have people help you to put together your aircheck and resume!. Radio resumes are very different that real world resumes!. Start sending packet out to stations in smaller radio markets!. They are more likely to allow someone as green as you to get on the air!. Larger markets are very hard to break-in to when you are just starting out!.
4) Once you have honed your skills in a smaller market, start trying to sell yourself to a larger market!. Most of the time you will end up just doing weekends at larger market stations, and the pay isn't enough to live on!. You will need to find a real job until you've been able to land a weekday gig!. AGAIN, you will have to earn your bones! Volunteer at station promotions, do stuff for the morning show and be willing to do a lot for no money!. You will learn about something called "trade" that is when they compensate you a free movie or a dinner to do something for them!.
5) Be available to fill-in during the week!. The regular airstaff takes vacations and they need someone reliable to sit in while they are gone!. Most of the time, they will move other people to the prime spots leaving an opening in the middle of the night, that will be you!. Take advantage of that time and get plenty of tape!. Don't snub your nose at board-oping for other jocks when they are out on remotes!. Do whatever needs to get done!
The life is not easy, it is hard economically, emotionally, mentally and physically!. It can also be very lonely, as you will be spending most of your waking hours doing something for the station versus hanging out with your friends or significant other!.
Like I said earlier, there is not very much money in it!. It took me 7 years to break $25,000 per year!. Very few ever make the money we all came into the business to acheive!. Here is something to remember; 'In radio you are only as good as your last book!." Get in, work hard and know that each show could be your last!. They don't have to give you any warning before they release you!. It's nothing personal, it's only business!.
Good Luck!Www@Enter-QA@Com
What they demand is experience!. How do you get experience if you need experience to get on the air!? Here is the best method to try and start your radio career;
1) Go to college and work towards a Media Communications degree!. Be sure to use the college's station for practice, and tape every show! Keep them, don't erase them no matter how much you think they may suck!. Listening to them, no matter how painful, is how you learn to improve!. Stay away from those "broadcasting schools!." Nobody in the business takes them seriously and they take your money!.
2) In college you will learn about formatics, Hot Clocks and that the DJ has absolutely no say on what songs get played!. This will also lead to internships at stations!. Only college students can get an internship!. While you are interning, get to know people, make a positive impression and when you do that, have the PD or MD listen to your tape!. Be sure to ask for guidance and take those suggestions and put them to practice!. Hang out with the jocks, help them with the phones or whatever they may need to keep their show flowing!. Volunteer to do stuff for the promotions department!. You will be working without pay to earn your bones!. Now you are getting not only on-air experience at school, but practical experience with the station!.
3) Have people help you to put together your aircheck and resume!. Radio resumes are very different that real world resumes!. Start sending packet out to stations in smaller radio markets!. They are more likely to allow someone as green as you to get on the air!. Larger markets are very hard to break-in to when you are just starting out!.
4) Once you have honed your skills in a smaller market, start trying to sell yourself to a larger market!. Most of the time you will end up just doing weekends at larger market stations, and the pay isn't enough to live on!. You will need to find a real job until you've been able to land a weekday gig!. AGAIN, you will have to earn your bones! Volunteer at station promotions, do stuff for the morning show and be willing to do a lot for no money!. You will learn about something called "trade" that is when they compensate you a free movie or a dinner to do something for them!.
5) Be available to fill-in during the week!. The regular airstaff takes vacations and they need someone reliable to sit in while they are gone!. Most of the time, they will move other people to the prime spots leaving an opening in the middle of the night, that will be you!. Take advantage of that time and get plenty of tape!. Don't snub your nose at board-oping for other jocks when they are out on remotes!. Do whatever needs to get done!
The life is not easy, it is hard economically, emotionally, mentally and physically!. It can also be very lonely, as you will be spending most of your waking hours doing something for the station versus hanging out with your friends or significant other!.
Like I said earlier, there is not very much money in it!. It took me 7 years to break $25,000 per year!. Very few ever make the money we all came into the business to acheive!. Here is something to remember; 'In radio you are only as good as your last book!." Get in, work hard and know that each show could be your last!. They don't have to give you any warning before they release you!. It's nothing personal, it's only business!.
Good Luck!Www@Enter-QA@Com
both!.!.!.go to school and 'what' !!.!.!.!.!.!.by that I mean the more schooling the better!.!.!.!.with emphasis on college(with a college radio station to work on) and get your degree in jornalism/broadcasting etc!.!.!.!.!.Because if you're looking for monetary reward along the way, then mid management,sales management etc is the route to travel!.!.unless of course you're just a natural personality for the radio and can make it on that with a few years at the helm!.(only time will tell on that one!)!.!.!.!.as a rule, radio personalities in small to even medium markets don't get rich! Period!. Large market on air positions require lots of years/contacts/talent/smarts to make it on the air!. You don't just 'walk in' to those positions!.!.!.!.I truly suggest you go the college route! Broadcast schools are for the most part helpful,but not essential for anything other than teaching you the basics!.!.!.!.,which you can easily do at a college station while you're learning!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
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