Radio culture started in India around 1936 and is very much alive until now. Lionel Fielden established “All In India Radio”, which later came under the government of India. Well, as a matter of fact, radio, despite being more than eighty years old, is still very much alive and is getting popular every day. Radio, from being a hefty mechanism, has now shifted to an app on smartphones. With the increase in its popularity and availability, the job of Radio Jockey has earned a lot of attention. Even the job of radio jockey has changed over time.
Originally, from being a source of mere information circulation and spreading awareness, the job of radio jockeys is pertinently more dynamic now. It has exceeded from monotonous news reading to entertainment and recreation, maintaining news in parallel. Lately, radio has emerged as one of the most distinguished sources of entertainment people have held onto. To make the radio an even more interesting field, radio jockeys have been putting in an extra effort, communicating with their audiences and fans. Being a professional radio jockey is not less than being a celebrity, it is even more than that. Fans and audiences go gaga over their favorite RJ. Radio Jockey is not merely a job. You need heart & passion to be one.
Courses to get into Radio Jockeying
There are certain courses you can get into to start your career in the field of radio.
- Diploma in Radio Programming and Broadcast Management
- Certificate Course in Radio Jockeying
- Diploma in Radio Production and Radio Jockeying
- Post Graduate Diploma in Radio and Broadcast Management
Career Paths for Radio Jockeys
Now after you have a degree in your desired field, let’s explore the career paths an Radio Jockey has:-
- Announcer- Announcer is the most basic and initial position in a radio station before one gets promoted. The job of an announcer is to read advertisements and get the audience acquainted with the content.
- Music Director- The task of the music director is to maintain the music library on the radio station and to play it when demanded on show. It is because of all the efforts of the music director that we hear quality music on the radio.
- News Reader- Next on the list we have a News Reader, whose very name suggests what the job might be. Working in radio, one must learn the exact way of speaking that can sweep their audiences off their feet, and if you do it right, you are ready to set into the world of real jockeying.
- On-AIR Personalities- These are the radio jockeys we hear and dream of becoming like them or even become great fans of them. Their work is to keep their audiences entertained and engaged along with timely scheduled ads. For being an on-air Radio Jockey, you need an influential voice and utmost honesty and passion in your acts. Communicate with the audiences and win their trust on a personal level.
- Production Director- Production Director is the position one gains after being a senior On-Air Radio Jockey. This person is responsible for controlling On-Air traffic and scheduling production and programs.
- Station Manager- Station Manager is one of the senior-most roles on the radio station. The person is responsible for managing the radio station issues and strategies.
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Life of Radio Jockey
The field of Radio Jockey is growing very rapidly. After a hectic day of work, people tune in to listen to FM radio to relax. It becomes essentially more important for a radio jockey to deliver better services. A professional radio jockey has supposedly more burden on his shoulders. Their life on the surface may seem glamorous, but they have to go through a lot of mental pressure daily. Scriptwriting, interviewing various personalities, and entertaining people with their wit often also cover the list.
Radio Jockey, in his role, should be entertaining enough to keep their audience glued to their channel. Several channels have emerged in the course and competition has become even tougher. Apart from bringing us to create content, Radio Jockeys indulge in various contests too or ask a very open questionnaire to their audiences. The job is to keep the audience engaged and in communication, taking feedbacks from the audience and developing work according to audiences’ interest or the current trend.
Salary
As a professional Radio Jockey, apart from the competition, the remuneration depends upon how imminent you are. If you are a beginner the payout might not convince you, but if you persist with all your heart and passion, you might earn big. An average radio jockey earns a salary varying from Rs.10,000-30,000 while an imminent one can earn up to a lakh. Furthermore, a popular radio jockey has also an opportunity of additional earning by hosting private shows or doing voice-over for different shows.
