Are you a radio enthusiast? Are you looking for a career in radio? You’ve come to the right place.
The radio industry has a wide range of career paths to offer students, whether they dream of being the stars behind the mic or want to be the master of the control board.
Although there are some jobs at radio stations that only require a high school diploma or GED, others require a bachelor’s degree.
In this article, we’ll highlight the top 5 careers you can pursue in the radio industry to help you select the one that better suits your desires.
Why Get into Radio?
All thanks to the advent of digital radio, it’s never been a more exciting time to begin a career in radio.
Today, there are more genres and areas of radio than ever before. These include both independent and commercial radio stations, which broadcast all kinds of shows, with content ranging from news and debates to music to sports.
If you’re interested in careers in radio broadcasting, then it’s time to get your academics in order. To become successful in the radio industry, a student must be a knowledgeable personality. You will have great abilities in digesting, analysing and memorizing lots of information.
If you are interested in broadcasting, it is better to start now by doing well-researched assignments. And if you need help with the research, you can find a reliable research company. Writing services are the best way to buy essays online since they deliver great work at affordable prices and on-time. Keep in mind that school assignments just like attending lessons play a significant role in determining your success in education.
With that said, digital media paves the way for truly rewarding and enjoyable careers for graduates. And what’s even better, college graduates will have a chance to grow and climb up the ladder.
Sales manager
This job comes as no surprise. The radio broadcasting industry has a never-ending demand for trained salespeople. If you’re working in a radio station as a sales manager, you get to sell blocks or air time to advertisers to earn money for the station. A sales manager’s primary role is to assemble and deliver a presentation to prospective advertisers.
You can also become a sales assistant and offer support to a sales manager. Your primary role will include billing clients and tending to database management. In this position, you can get promoted into other radio jobs, like sales manager.
Anyone with a high school diploma can secure a sales assistant job. However, if you decide to advance to sales manager, you must take a 4-year course in business-related fields.
Station Manager
The station manager oversees all the activities in the station, as well as public and business relations. If you secure this job, your role will involve setting and communicating the station’s priorities and goals, including budgeting.
Also, you must ensure the radio station broadcast under the Federal Communications Commission regulations.
If you don’t find a station manager job exciting enough, you can opt to become a programming director. In this role, you will oversee all the on-air personalities. Plus, you will work with promotion managers to increase the popularity of the station.
To qualify for the two mentioned positions, you must complete a 4-year degree in broadcasting or communications. Additionally, you must show managerial abilities. You can start building these abilities by working in your university or college radio station, then moving to a small local station.
Chief Engineer
As a chief engineer, you’ll ensure that the radio station has all the technology required to get the music on the air and that all the equipment necessary for broadcasting works efficiently.
Because of the highly technical nature of their tasks, chief engineers often require special training or certifications in the areas such as engineering, broadcasting technology, electronics, or computers. An associate degree is usually adequate for an entry-level position. However, a bachelor’s degree can provide more advancement opportunities.
On-air personalities
On-air personalities like announcers, reporters, and DJ’s work to attract more listeners. Reporters mostly read the news while announcers essentially introduce content. Announcers also read advertisements and public service announcements that rent quite actual commercials.
To become a radio reporter, you must have a degree in communication, international relation, and broadcast journalism. But DJ’s only need to have a high-school diploma and extensive knowledge of the music industry. If you desire the role of a talk show host, you need to be conversant with the latest topics relevant to the show.
Internet Content Creators
Radio stations are always in demand for individuals who can create original content for their websites. Not cut-and-paste artists who take content from other websites and re-use it, but creative minds who can work as advertisers, journalists, or public relation specialists.
Content creators work to fill radio station websites with engaging and original content, which spikes the interest of individuals who read it.
Radio station content creators can secure promotions if they have a degree in business, journalism, or public relations.
Conclusion
If you want to get a job in the radio broadcasting field, ensure you have computer skills, experience with other editing software and other broadcast-related equipment. Also, work on your interpersonal skill since you’ll be knocking heads with lots of people at the radio station. Having such skills will help you advance faster in this competitive industry.
