Requirements for Radio Broadcasting
Becoming a disc jockey or another kind of radio personality can be a fun way to make a living. If you're particularly good on the air, you can even make a great deal of money. Before you can hop behind a microphone, however, there are some requirements you'll need to fulfill. While some are formal, others depend on your experience and ability to keep people entertained with your words.
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Licensing
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In the past, disc jockeys had to obtain licenses demonstrating that they knew how to run a radio transmitter. As the Bureau of Labor Statistics points out, that requirement was eliminated by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. As a result, on-air radio personalities are not required to have any licenses. If part of your radio broadcasting career includes running the equipment, the Society of Broadcast Engineers is the body that currently certifies you are qualified to keep the transmitter humming.
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Education
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While it's not a strict requirement, radio broadcasters often benefit by attending a school dedicated to teaching the profession. Schools such as The Academy of Radio & Television Broadcasting give students hands-on experience with radio equipment as well as a chance to create air checks, which will help them when they start out in the job market. An employer will look at the resume of a prospective hire and know that the applicant has had some education and experience in the field.
Training
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A car mechanic must be very good at using his or her hands to twist bolts and coax intricate parts out of an automobile. Radio broadcasters must know how to use their voices in just as flexible a manner. An on-air radio talent must be able to use his voice in a flexible manner. Reading a sponsor's commercial requires a different tone than the one a disc jockey uses while introducing a hit record. Firms such as The Great Voice Company offer personalized voice training to people who want to possess this flexibility.
Hands-On Experience
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Very few people know how to run a board and other radio equipment on their first try. That's why many employees in radio embark on an internship to gain the skills required to operate all of those potentiometers, dials and buttons. Most internship programs are conducted through colleges and universities, but many public access radio stations, including WEBR's Radio Fairfax, will allow you to volunteer, giving a person the opportunity to gain experience in the field.
Flexibility
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A career in radio often means that a person must be very flexible; formats change all the time, and program directors often make personnel changes. At the beginning of a radio career, a worker must be prepared to move around quite a bit and work the less-desirable air shifts, including the midnight-to-6 a.m. graveyard.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Jeff Keyzer
