How to Broadcast a Radio Show

Everybody has always told you that you have a wonderful voice for radio. Maybe people have also said you have the perfect looks for radio;) You are burning to get your creativity out to the public and you’d like to know how. Here are some steps that will get you a radio audience.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. First determine who your target audience will be and what kind of show you want to broadcast. There really is no need for another top 20 pop music show; however, if you have a narrow, specialized area of expertise, you just might find listeners. Determine who your audience is defined by specific demographics. i.e. education, gender, age, ethnic composition, geographic reach. Let’s say that you’re a beach bum at heart and couldn’t think of a better thing to do than broadcasting a radio show for Southern California, targeting sailors, surfers, swimmers, fishermen, sun bathers, roller skaters, bike riders and beach goers.
2. Content and audience development go hand in hand. A show like the one I suggested lends itself to a mix of information on weather, surf conditions, beach traffic reports, where the fish are biting as well as safety interviews with lifeguards, Bay Watch and the Coast Guard. You could preview and highlight beach volleyball matches, paddle tennis games, triathlons, sail boat races, bodybuilding competitions and more. Along Santa Monica Bay, there are several clubs featuring live music worth covering as well. At Venice Beach there’s an intriguing cornucopia of street performers. For spice, mix in a blend of surf music, popular hits and sports scores.
3. Analyze who might advertise on your show. In my example, especially in a targeted geographic area, you’d have a wealth of potential advertisers from local shops including, restaurants, convenience markets, bars, surf supply houses, bike and boat rental outlets. You might also get dermatologists.
4. Create a website for your show, with a catchy handle. Ideally you want to name your show for an available dot com domain. It’s practically impossible to find single name domains available as dot.coms today. As a rule, you can still find a unique domain by combining three words together. With the hypothetical show I created, as of this writing, www.SouthlandBeachParty.com is available.
5. Put the whole promotional package together in a proposal, basically a business plan, including letters of intent from potential advertisers. Create a sample demo CD of a broadcast and shop your package to the program directors of local radio stations, with the specific times you’d like to be on the air. In the case of “Southland Beach Party,” Sunday and Saturday mornings from 7-10 AM would be perfect to entice a market of people considering a trip to the beach for the day. It would be a unique niche, compared to the competition. With your proposal, you just might luck out and find a programmer responsive to your enthusiasm, undeniable talent and your show’s potential revenue
6. Be flexible. If you’re initially rejected, offer a short syndicated version that can be dropped into current programming. For years in Boston, there was an astrologer named the Cosmic Muffin, who did a five minute astrological forecast, that proved very popular, on the biggest rock and roll station in town.
7. If you get shown the door by local radio, consider taking your show to the Internet. There are many opportunities for on-line broadcasting through sites like Live 365 and others where you would create a show at home, convert it to MP3 and upload it.
   
   These shows are not regulated by the FCC, however music on line is threatened by a recent ruling of the Copyright Royalty Board that would require webcasters to come up with large royalty payments.
   
   The Internet Radio Equality Act (H.R. 2060), now pending, would address this inequity by providing reasonable royalties for artists and their labels by putting web casters under the same requirements now in place for satellite radio services. You should contact your Congressperson with your views on the topic.
8. If you’re at the start of your career, you can also begin ultra low power broadcasting under the FCC part 15 rule which allows you to operate your own unlicensed radio broadcasting with an effective range of 200 ft, which would allow your family and a few neighbors to glow with pride as you refine your patter.
   
   Another option is to do as some college radio stations do, modulate the electric carrier wave in your apartment complex with a signal that would carry your golden tones through your building’s electrical system. Anybody so inclined could then listen to you by tuning into your station on AM radio, at the open frequency you choose, as long as your listeners are within 200 feet of the building’s wiring.

Who Can Help:

• Earn an Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's Degree from the University of Phoenix
• University of Phoenix, degree Programs to Fit Your Life.