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Last Updated By Intajur Rahaman on 27 Jun, 2023
A Radio Jockey, popularly known as a RJ, is a person who hosts a talk show on the radio. In simple words, Radio Jockey is the 'sutradhaar' of an assigned show on radio. The role of Radio Jockeys or RJ's is to entertain the callers in the chat show, which is evidently broadcast by the radio and communicate with the caller through telephone or email and online chat. The Radio Jockey must be able to engage the audience/viewers with their voice and selection of words and how they present the content before the audience/viewers also matter.
Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising and extremely challenging career for music lovers. If you are really interested in a radio jockey career, then it is very important for you to have spontaneous, pleasant, friendly personality. If you want to pursue a career in this field, a strong command over the language and good voice is always a good thing. Apart from this, in order to become a good radio jockey, you shall also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later develop your own with practice.
It is RJ's responsibility to educate, enlighten, and amuse. Presenting a variety of music programmes and entertaining audiences with other activities, such as guest interviews of artists, celebrities, or work related to music or film, are among the duties of radio DJs, another name for them. One manages audience requests and makes comments about music in a radio jockey career.
One can enter into the field of radio jockey after completing class 12. There are no entrance exams available in order to enroll in a course for becoming a radio jockey. Candidates can also do short-term certificate and diploma courses in this field. What matters most in this career path is, of course, your voice. Your diction and pronunciation should also be clear.
Subject Combination - There is no specific subject combination required in Class 12 or graduation level to become a radio jockey.
In order to become a successful Radio Jockey, candidates may have to undergo one or more of the following Radio Jockey programmes:
Diploma in Radio Programming and Broadcast Management (DRPM): Candidates should have passed class 12 examination or equivalent in any discipline from a recognised university/board.
Diploma in Radio Production and Radio Jockeying (DRJ): Candidates should have passed class 12 examination or equivalent in any discipline from a recognised university/board.
Post Graduation Diploma in Radio and Broadcast Management (PGDRBM): Candidates should have passed a bachelor's degree in any subject from a recognised university/institute.
Certificate Course in Radio Jockeying (CRJ): Candidates should have passed class 12 examination or equivalent in any discipline from a recognised university/board.
Note: Those who have participated in media-related internships have a better chance of landing an entry level Radio Jockey job.
Step 1: Accomplish 10+2
Students must successfully complete their 10+2 or an equivalent course with at least a 50% grade from any recognised Indian board. One can come from any field, including science, business, or the arts, and still pursue a career as a radio jockey.
Step 2: Passing the Entrance Exams
Entrance exams are typically required for admission to most colleges. To be eligible to take the entrance exam, students must have at least a 50% average on their 10+2.
Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) Entrance Exam | Indian Institute of Mass Communication Entrance Exam (IIMC) Entrance Exam |
Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) | St. Xavier’s College Entrance Exam |
Step 3: Pursuing Bachelor
After finishing their 10 + 2 requirements, candidates may enrol in bachelor degree programmes in fields like mass communication, radio jockeying, or related ones. Additionally, they must be active in the media. Some colleges and organisations hold entrance exams for bachelor's degree programmes, and they frequently accept students based on the percentage they achieved at the level of 10+2.
Popular bachelor’s degrees
BA in Journalism and Mass Communication | BA in Mass Communication |
Diploma and Certificate course in Radio Jockey | Diploma and Certificate course in Radio Jockey |
Step 4: Pursuing Post Graduation
After completing a bachelor's degree programme, post-bachelor students have a wide range of opportunities to advance their careers in radio. The important choices for choosing the best route with the fewest obstacles are listed below.
Option 1: Having a master's degree will enable you to develop a variety of skills that can be applied to a range of career opportunities. After earning a bachelor's degree, students can choose a postgraduate programme in a field that is relevant to them.
Option 2: Students may begin employment in an entry-level position after completing the bachelor's degree programme. You won't apply for a Master's degree until you have gained several years of professional experience. In some places, especially for production-level positions, employment requires a master's degree.
Before allowing students to enroll, many universities hold entrance exams. To be eligible to take the entrance exam, students must have earned a bachelor's degree with at least a 50 percent grade point average.
Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) | Management Aptitude Test (MAT) |
CMAT (Common Management Admission Test) | Common Admission Test (CAT) |
Popular master's degrees, certifications, and courses:
Apart from the required qualification, a radio jockey needs certain skills. After attaining the required educational qualification and skills, a radio jockey can fit into various roles and positions that match their skills. The job of a Radio Jockey is of a diversifying nature. The different roles that radio jockey can take up are listed below.
FM/AM Radio Jockeys: The role of FM/AM radio jockeys is to interact with the audience, play a music or talk or both. They usually work on public radio stations.
Talk Radio Jockeys: The role of talk radio jockeys is to only talk for the entire time period of the show, and to discuss different social and political issues. They also interact with the audience and viewers of the show.
Sports Talk Radio Jockeys: The Sports Talk Radio Jockey is required to interact with viewers to discuss different types of sports news and happenings. The Sports Talk Radio Jockeys have to be either a former athlete, a television anchor or sportswriter.
Satellite Radio Jockeys: The role of a Satellite Radio Jockeys is similar to FM/AM radio jockeys. They usually talk or play explicit content without considering the sensitivity of the issue. They are not regulated by any board.
There is a good scope for a Radio Jockey to get employment opportunities in the government sector. However, there is good scope for the career in the private sector too. The candidates are recruited on the basis of their abilities such as voice modulation, clear diction, accurate pronunciation and command over the language and vocabulary. The following are some of the organisations in which a radio jockey can take up jobs:
Government Sector: Radio Jockeys can find work in government organisations like AIR (All India Radio), state-wise radio stations and other radio stations. In the government sector, there are many opportunities to work and the salary packages are also high. Apart from annual salary, Radio Jockeys are provided various health benefits, retirement pension etc. Government sector employees have job security, as well as the benefits of allowances, perquisites, and retirement like gratuity, pension, superannuation fund, etc. which are absent in the case of the private sector.
Private Sector: In the private sector, there is a lot of scope for job opportunities in companies such as Radio Mirchi, Big FM, Red FM, Radio Mid-day, Radio Wani, Times FM, Radio Star and many other independent radio stations. In the private sector, radio jockeys get good salary package, competitive environment, incentives etc. The working environment in the private sector is quite competitive which is missing in the government sector because they are not established to fulfill business objectives.
Note: Over time, a jockey can also apply for voice-over for commercials, television shows and movies.
Most popular Radio Agencies/ FM stations in the country are:
One needs to have certain skills in order to become a radio jockey. Below are some of the abilities a radio jockey needs:
Workplace environment is a crucial factor that must be taken into account before choosing a career. The work environment depends largely on the type of company that an individual works at and the type of work an individual does, however, there are certain aspects of a job role that remain similar across organizations regardless of the nature of the company. As for the work environment for a radio jockey, it is relatively quiet and safe since the responsibilities of a radio jockey are primarily recording shows inside a studio. Also, radio jockeys work in an office setting since there are other employees who are responsible for the smooth operation of the studio and the radio channel as a whole. The different aspects of the work environment of a radio jockey are mentioned below:
A radio jockey typically has to work 9 hours a day or however long it takes to record their shows. However, these numbers vary vastly from time to time since radio jockeys also have to cover different events every now and then. Also, the hours a radio jockey works depend on the type of employment contract they are under. A full-time radio jockey may have to work the entire 9 hours divided across multiple shows for a channel whereas RJs who are working part-time or on an hourly basis usually record one to two shows per day. It is also important to note that a Radio Jockey can be asked to work at any time of the day or night depending on the type of show they will be recording. Some RJs have to work through the night recording night-time shows for their radio channel. In general, radio jockeys work for 40 hours a week depending on the type of shows they cover and the radio channel they work for.
Radio Jockeys are hired by channels and studios based on their experience and the type of skills they possess. RJs who are experienced and can record shows quite easily helping radio channels and studio increase their audience can easily be hired for full-time job roles on the company’s payroll. On the other hand, radio jockeys who are just beginning their careers or do not have a significant amount of experience in the industry are only hired on a contract basis. The studio monitors the performance of a contractual radio jockey before promoting them to a full-time position. Aspirants can also seek RJ internships where they are taught the basics of how to handle a show and the responsibilities that come with it.
The job role of a radio jockey involves little to no travel since radio shows are recorded in a studio. A radio jockey typically sits inside a studio with different types of radio equipment and records their show. In most cases, the radio jockey records a live show that is simultaneously being broadcast on the radio channel. However, there can be situations where a radio jockey may have to travel to certain locations to cover events of interest. These instances are rare and only arise during special occasions that need to be covered to increase listeners. Additionally, radio jockeys may have to work alongside famous personalities or persons of interest whenever the studio includes such segments in their shows.
Typically, radio jockeys work in a studio setting where their shows are recorded with the help of an entire production team that directs them through the production process. Most radio channels own studios with multiple studios where different types of shows can be recorded with different RJs. However, sometimes shows can also be recorded outside the studio when a special event needs to be covered. Such shows are generally recorded live as opposed to studio recording which can be pre-recorded or live depending on the show's requirements.
The location of radio jockey job role is entirely dependent on the company. A majority of radio channels have their studios located in urban and semi-urban areas. The location of a radio studio depends on the type of shows that the channel is known for covering on a daily basis. If the radio channel is more focused on live shows that require the radio jockey to travel, then having an urban location is ideal. However, if the channel runs pre-recorded shows or live music shows, then a semi-urban area is more suitable due to the absence of ambient noise.
The role of a radio jockey is to record shows and bring about an element of excitement when recording. The primary aim of a radio show is to entertain the audience and keep them engrossed for the entire duration of the show. Thus, the nature of the job is highly dependent on the skills of the radio jockey. If the RJ is skilled and has an enthusiastic personality that people like, then they can easily keep the audience entertained. However, if the RJ is a shy person who has difficulty entertaining the audience, it can lead to a loss in the number of listeners which can be detrimental to the overall popularity of the radio channel.
Due to private radio waves in this area, demand for Radio Jockeys is increasing. As a fresher in the field, you can expect to earn about between Rs 7,000/- and Rs 15,000/- per month. The pay scale will definitely increase with time and experience. An experienced RJ can make up to Rs. 1.5 lakhs to Rs. 2 lakhs per month. With experience and time, RJs can earn Rs. 2,500 - Rs. 3,000 per show.
As a radio jockey, besides earning the contracted good money, one can earn by advertising ads. You can earn more by voice-over for television and radio ads.
The radio jockey's career development details are provided below. With the necessary work experience and skills, one can choose from a variety of roles in the radio jockey industry.
Announcer: An announcer reads scripts for radio or television, offers commentary on significant news stories, and engages the audience with commentary during sporting events and parades. On rare occasions, he or she might also be expected to choose the programming and make promotional appearances at open or closed events. For some positions, they are also in charge of additional radio and public information functions. It is occasionally necessary for an announcer to operate studio equipment, sell commercial time to sponsors, and create recorded content such as advertisements. An announcer is expected to perform the same duties as an editor or a broadcast technician at various radio and broadcasting information centres.
On-AIR Personalities: A radio host who has attracted a devoted audience to them is said to have an on-air personality. Many sponsors are looking for such a radio jockey in order to support the shows. One must be original and creative when creating content as an on-air personality. To be noticed among the crowd, you must stand out.
Production Director: A radio jockey can advance to this position once they have developed their skills and gained significant experience. The choice of what types of shows will air when is up to the production director. Additionally, he or she also approves the sponsorship's content.
Here's a list of some of the top books to increase your skills and knowledge in the Radio Jockey field:
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