How to Become a Radio Jockey in India
In this career guide, you will know everything about ‘How to become a radio jokey‘, so stay tuned and read the complete article carefully.
A friend not doing well?… Is mom not feeling well?… Does Sis want to talk to you?… Does Brother want to chill out?… Can you go on talking for hours without having to think a lot?… Do solutions come instantly to you as soon as you think of any emotional problem?… Are you good at entertaining people with your talks?
If yes, then these little skills are the decisive stages, which when groomed and worked upon, can turn out to be a great and successful career.
If you’re good with talking to people out of their problems and sharing positivity around them then give it a thought and start thinking of it as a career. Why not do some real talking and share your thoughts with not only your family and friends but with a large audience. Let us now discuss what this talking career is all about.
What is a Radio Jockey?
Radio is the activity or industry of broadcasting sound programmes to the public and a radio jockey is a radio presenter or disc jockey who handles and organizes the programs broadcasted on the radio.
A radio jockey is basically the person who talks to the virtual audience, shares thoughts on a few topics, plays songs for them by coming up with a series of entertainment shows. Also known as an RJ, a radio jockey must amass the following qualities apart from educational qualifications:
- Spontaneity
- Pleasantness
- Friendly personality
- Good voice
- Command over language be it Hindi, English, or any other
- Well informed of current topics
- Good sense of humor
- Creativity
- The clarity in speech and voice pitches
The advancement in technology has an equal and proportionate effect on the functions of radio stations and in turn, many changes, be it positive or negative, takes place in the job prospects of radio personnel. So, let us now get to know a few of the merits and demerits of working as a radio jockey.
Pros
- Flexible schedule
- Convenient working hours
- Social status
- Knowing the diversity of individuals every day
- Enhances creativity
- Job satisfaction
Cons
- Constant burden for new content
- Lot of hard work
- Inconvenient timings at times
- The initial salary is low
- Constant technological shifts
One can always find a few dislikable things at the initial pace of any profession, however, it is the attitude of the individual towards his/her job that makes it all the more likable.
Types of Radio Jockeys
It is not always necessary for the RJ to host a specific genre of a show and one can choose to work in any one of his/her desired specialization so as to create the content of one’s choice. A radio jockey can work as any of the following:
- Talk Radio Jockey: The talk radio jockey is the RJ who talks about varied topics be it social, political, business, or any other topics. They simply talk and talk and express their views on the topics for an allowed time and at the end of the show, they interact with the listeners.
- Sports Radio Jockey: As the name suggests, a sports radio jockey talks on sports events and does commentary on the various games at the national or international level. This job is usually bestowed to the individual who has been a part of the sports activities in his/her earlier profession and to those who are experienced.
- FM/AM Radio Jockey: 93.5 Red FM, we all have heard the trending songs and Bollywood news on this radio station. However, there are several such stations and assorted RJsworking with each one of them. An FM/AM radio jockey is usually the entertainer who talks and plays music by hosting various shows at different times. They also interact with their listeners via online portals and social media.
Salary
The fun-loving, spontaneous, creative, and interactive profession of a Radio Jockey i.e. RJ can help you earn a sum of Rs.20,000-Rs30,000 per month at the initial stage of practice. The per-month income can even rise up to Rs.1-2 lakhs with time, experience, and popularity.
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria are predominant in determining whether one is actually suitable to apply and compete for a certain situation or not and one must strictly adhere to it.
For pursuing the undergraduate diploma or certificate courses in radio jockeying in any well-established institution one must hold a 10+2 ( any stream) passing certificate from a recognized board. The aggregate score must be between50%-60%, however, it varies from institution to institution. Although age is never a constraint these days, the minimum age is set to 17 years for such courses and one can seek to get into this field even until the age of 35 years.
The candidates willing to enroll themselves in the postgraduate courses in radio jockeying are required to possess a graduation degree in any field with a minimum score of 60%. However, the minimum score varies for distinct institutions.
Selection Procedure
The selection of the rightful candidates usually occurs via two fundamental modes. The primary procedure is simple and straightforward. The aspirant is granted direct admissions on upholding the basic eligibility standards set by the certain institution. This is relevant in the case of maximum institutions in India and prevails to be the most common way of selecting students for a specific course.
The second procedure used for the selection is carried out by conducting entrance exams. Although the concept of entrance exams for radio jockeying courses is not prevalent in most establishments, well-renowned institutions may conduct such exams on their premises so as to select the best amongst all. Some of the entrance exams for distinct institutions are IIMC, XIC, AJK, and so on and so forth.
The entrance exams include written exams, group discussions, extempore, and personal interview. On passing the entrance exam or getting direct admissions one can opt for his/her desired course in the best-suited institution.
Various Courses
Doubts about the value and credibility of a course are often reasoned beforeone decides to pursue a specific career. To be a successful radio jockey it is not always a must-have completed a certain specific course in radiology and one can accomplish the goaleven if they specialize in the mass media course. Nonetheless, it occursthat one can deal better with this technology if they toil in it.
There prevail several distinct coursesfor the undergraduates as well aspostgraduates and moreover, one can continue learning by completing variouscertificate courses.Let us here discuss a few courses which can be beneficial in amassing the fundamental skills and knowledge required in this domain.
- Diploma in Radio Management [1 year]
- Diploma in Radio Jockey [1 year]
- Diploma in Radio Programming and Management [1 year]
- Postgraduate Diploma in Radio Programming and Dubbing [2 years]
- Postgraduate Diploma in Radio Programming and Management [2 years]
- Certificate Course in Radio Jockey [1 year]
- Certificate Course in Announcing, Broadcasting, Comparing and Dubbing [6 months]
- Certificate Course in Radio Production Programme [6 months]
The above-mentioned courses usually involve the study of music programming, live-break training, commercial educational radio, non-commercial educational radio, voice technique, radio broadcasting, console system, transmission system, and so on and so forth. The successful completion of these courses enables the aspirant to begin his/her practice as a radio jockey.
Educational Expenses
No course of study is free of cost and hence the candidates willing to become students of radio jockeying may wonder how much cost do they need to incur for the various courses. To answer that question it is really important for one to understand that the expenses vary greatly depending on the name and goodwill of the foundation in which one seeks to enroll himself/herself. The second most influential factor is the choice of courses which determines the cost as the duration also matters. Considering all such factors as well as the hostel expenses one may need to pay, on average, a sum of Rs.61,000-Rs.81,000 for the certificate courses. Similarly, for courses ranging from 1-2 years, one may need to pay somewhere near Rs.2-3 lakhs, on average.
Top Institutions
The institution has always played a crucial role in shaping up the skills and knowledge of the aspirants. There are several institutions providing courses in radio jockeying and other technical courses in radiology in India. Some of the most prominent and prevalent institutions are enlisted below.
- Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication, Pune
- Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore
- Radio School of Broadcasting, Mumbai
- Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
- Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi
- Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida
- Amity School of Journalism and Communication, Noida
- Institute of Mass Communication, Manipal
- Garden City University, Bangalore
- National School of Dramagdueifhr
Career Scope
A profession that brings out the real you is sure to bring you the benefits of both working and enjoying. The aspirants can take internships at the All India Radio at the beginning of their careers. The auditions for RJs are held after every three months following which they train the candidates. Hence, the interested can avail the opportunity at the earliest to develop a successful career in the near future. This is a dominating sector in mass communication which makes it all the more valuable and well-renowned sector. A career as a Radio jockey will always prevail as a good revenue generating profession for many more years to come.
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