Job Roles In Radio

By Shakeel Uddin

Radio presenterHow to apply for the job?• To apply to this job you will need to first apply to a radio station such as BBC radio or key

103.You will need to complete application form to get in but once your in you will start by getting experience that will help boost a career in radio. While acquiring practical experience, it's a good idea to pay attention to the various kinds of verbal skills that will serve you well in future efforts to become a radio presenter.

Radio presenterHow do you get into the job?• I think start out in an entry-level role and take every opportunity to develop your presenting

skills until you’re able to secure a full-time presenting job. To stand a chance of being selected, you will have to show that you have hands-on experience, rather than specific qualifications. To gain this hands-on experience, you could seek a place presenting community, student or hospital radio. Occasionally, Radio Presenters are recruited for their specialist knowledge or celebrity profile, acquired from working on newspapers and magazines, or in the music business. Others make the move to radio from presentation roles in TV.

Radio presenterWhat essential knowledge and skills do you need?• There are a lot of knowledge and skills you do need to be a great presenter, its not easy just

knowing how to do everything form the start so you have to practice. To do this role, you will need to have excellent presentation and performance skills, be able to generate original ideas, and to think creatively about how to communicate them to audiences. Understand how to use the voice effectively for radio and be able to learn how to use a variety of recording equipment and to operate different radio studios. That's just to name few skills you need to know to be a presenter others include operating studio controls and co-ordinating a range of simultaneous technical activities and such.

Radio presenterWhat training and qualifications do you need to get into the job?• I think you don’t need to have a degree to be a Radio Presenter. Employers will want you to

have hands-on experience and to have developed technical and presentation skills, along with a distinctive personal style. If you do have a degree, employers won't necessarily expect it to be in a media-related subject. They may even prefer you to have a degree in another discipline, especially if followed by a postgraduate qualification in radio production.

Radio presenterWhat salary, conditions and working practices are involved in the job?• The salary is different in any radio station but actual salaries may vary, depending on where

you work the size of company or organisation you work for the demand for the job. Many presenters start as unpaid interns. Starting salaries on local radio are average of £14,000 to £18,000 a year. The work conditions being a radio presenter can be very different depending on what type of radio presenter are you. For example, the conditions for a presenter on a small local radio station with a show in the middle of the night, will be vastly different from those for a high-profile celebrity with a prime-time television show. Presenters always have to work long hours more than anyone and all have similar actions when doing so. Radio Presenters are the voice of a station or programme, whether they work in speech-based or music Radio. They create the tone and style of radio output and establish a relationship with listeners.

Radio News EditorHow to apply for the job?• To apply to this job you will need to first apply to a radio station such as BBC radio or key

103.You will need to complete application form to get in but once your in you will start by getting experience that will help boost a career in radio.

Radio News EditorHow do you get into the job?• You will have worked your way up from a successful previous career as a Radio Broadcast

Journalist or Reporter . You will need considerable experience as a journalist, and must be able to demonstrate sound editorial judgement. There are three main routes into broadcast journalism:

• traineeships offered by a few of the larger employers• moving into radio after first working as a print journalist• completing an accredited pre-entry degree or postgraduate qualification

Radio News EditorWhat essential knowledge and skills do you need?• There are a lot of knowledge and skills you do need to be a great editor, its not easy just

knowing how to do everything form the start so you have to practice. To do this role you will need to understand and have an instinct for what makes a good news story, also exercise sound editorial judgement. Have excellent writing and storytelling skills, with the ability to tailor and adapt content for different audiences and platforms. Be able to generate original ideas, and to think creatively about how to communicate them to audiences. Be able to work calmly effectively under pressure, react quickly, and meet tight deadlines and to lead with confidence and decisiveness. Those are just several skills that you could need working as a radio news editor in a radio station.

Radio News EditorWhat training and qualifications do you need to get into the job?• The training and qualifications you will need usually you would have worked as a Radio

Broadcast Journalist or Reporter. It is also likely that you’ll have gained a recognised journalistic qualification. You will need to acquire experience of dealing with a wide range of editorial issues. It will also be advisable to gain management and mentoring experience, either through employers' schemes, or by gaining external qualifications, or undertaking relevant short courses

What salary, conditions and working practices are involved in the job?• The salary is different in any radio station but actual salaries may vary, depending on where

you work the size of company or organisation you work for the demand for the job. Radio editors gather news, stories, and information in order to organize a radio show or program. These professionals generally have a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism, mass communications, or a related field. Starting salaries vary significantly between local and national broadcasters but can range from around £16,000 to £24,000. At senior level with several years' experience, salaries may range from £30,000 to £60,000. The most experienced and high-profile journalists in television may command salaries of £80,000+.

Radio News Editor

How to apply for the job?• To apply to this job you will need to first apply to a radio station such as BBC radio or key 103.

You will need to complete application form to get in but once your in you will start by getting experience that will help boost a career in radio.

Radio Producer

Radio ProducerHow do you get into the job?• There are two main educational paths you can take into radio production an undergraduate

degree in radio or media production; or a first degree in any subject, followed by a postgraduate Diploma or MA in radio production. You might also achieve a traineeship with one of the larger broadcasters. Also possible for you to move into a Producer role by gaining an entry-level role without a degree and advancing by gaining experience and contacts on the job.

Radio ProducerWhat essential knowledge and skills do you need?• There are a lot of knowledge and skills you do need to be a great producer, its not easy just

knowing how to do everything form the start so you have to practice. To do this role you will need to have to generate original ideas, and to think creatively about how to communicate them to audiences and have excellent writing and storytelling skills, with the ability to tailor and adapt content for different audiences and platforms. Also have knowledge of the radio market, different station and programme styles, and audience demographics. Learn how to use a variety of recording equipment and to operate different radio studios. Those are just several skill you need to know while being a radio producer.

Radio ProducerWhat training and qualifications do you need to get into the job?• You don’t need a degree to be a Radio Producer, but most of them are graduates. If you do

have a degree, employers won't necessarily expect it to be in a media-related subject. They may even prefer you to have a degree in another discipline, especially if followed by a postgraduate qualification in radio production.

What salary, conditions and working practices are involved in the job?• Radio Producers create programme content and manage the whole production process for

both live and recorded radio programmes. They must generate original ideas, identify suitable ideas from others, and carry out thorough research. They play a key role in creating what is heard by listeners but are not usually heard on air themselves. Salaries vary depending on the employer and location. Within a local, commercial station you may start on salaries of around £13,000 to £16,000. Within the BBC, salaries tend to be higher and you could expect to start at an entry-level position, such as broadcast assistant, on a minimum salary of around £15,700 for local stations or £20,000 within London.

Radio Producer

Radio ReporterHow to apply for the job?• To apply to this job you will need to first apply to a radio station such as BBC radio or key

103.You will need to complete application form to get in but once your in you will start by getting experience that will help boost a career in radio.

How do you get into the job ?I thick the best route in are three entry routes you can take into reporting in radio:

• traineeships offered by a few of the larger employers; • moving into radio after first working as a print journalist• completing an accredited pre-entry degree or postgraduate qualification. Employers will expect you to have hands-on experience. To gain this hands-on experience, you could seek a place presenting community, student or hospital radio.

Radio Reporter

Radio ReporterWhat essential knowledge and skills do you need?• I There are a lot of knowledge and skills you do need to be a great reporter, its not easy just

knowing how to do everything form the start so you have to practice. To do this role, you will need to understand and have an instinct for what makes a good news story. Have excellent writing and storytelling skills, with the ability to tailor and adapt content for different audiences and platforms. Be able to generate original ideas, and to think creatively about how to communicate them to audiences. Understand how to use the voice effectively for radio

What training and qualifications do you need to get into the job?• The training and qualifications usually you don’t need to have a degree to be a Radio

Reporter. That said, most Reporters are graduates. If you do have a degree, employers won't necessarily expect it to be in a media-related subject. They may even prefer you to have a degree in another discipline, especially if followed by a postgraduate qualification in radio production.

Radio Reporter

What salary, conditions and working practices are involved in the job?• Radio Reporters identify and research news stories then present them on air to a wide range

of different audiences. They may report live from events as they unfold, or record and edit material to create pre-recorded items for inclusion in news bulletins, or produce longer features or documentaries. Starting salaries vary significantly between local and national broadcasters but can range from around £16,000 to £24,000. At senior level/with several years' experience, salaries may range from £30,000 to £60,000. The most experienced and high-profile journalists in television may command salaries of £80,000+.

Radio Reporter