Profiles In a Radio Station!!!

The moment we hear the word Radio or a career therein, we end up thinking about Radio Jockey, much like the moment we think about TV Serials we think only about the actors working in it. But the fact is that a radio-station has many more opportunities. And one would find various teams in a radio station, mostly:


     Programming: This is the creative department, where all the ideas/shows or any other thing        which you hear on a radio are churned out. You can call this the core of the station.

2.     
      Sales: Obviously this department gets the dough to keep a station working.

3.     
      Technical: Responsible for smooth operation of all the machinery, including uplinks, audio systems, internal monitoring, studios, generators, air-conditioning, CTI etc.; basically anything which comes under electrical or electronic heading falls in their domain.

4.     
      Administration/Finance/HR/Marketing/PR: These are mostly handled by couple of people in a non-metro station. And the same person can be looking after Finance, HR and Admin or maybe working with a different combo.

Within programming and sales department there are various profiles. Mostly in non-metro radio stations a programming person looks after more than one aspect.  So at times a show producer will also act as a script writer or an ad-sales producer, a jock may fill in as a music manager, the programming head might be looking into marketing tie-ups as well…so the boundaries are not absolute; and multi-tasking is expected and part of the norm.

Still the profiles which might be found in a station can include:

1.    
      Programming:

a.     Programming Head: Responsible for all aspects of programming

b.     Radio Jockey: Hosts shows or does OBs

                                          i.    Show Hosts

                                         ii.    OB jocks

c.     Producer: One who produces an idea is the producer. The role of a producer demands making of a program completely – from generating ideas to deciding on the music and to finally getting it aired. Besides this, a producer also looks after radio show formats, co-ordinates with guests, briefs callers and sees if the show is aired on time.

                                          i.    Show Producer: Is responsible for complete content and orientation of a show

                                         ii.    Ad-Sales Producer: Is responsible for sales coordination and preparing jingles or ads for clients.

                                        iii.    Promo Producer: A term which is often used to describe a person who does the work of both a producer and a sound engineer.

                                        iv.    Station Producer: One who looks after the production of promos, jingles and other in-house properties.

d.     Sound Engineer: Works to mix or enhance an audio which is supposed to be aired.

e.     Script Writer

f.      Music Manager: Responsible for the correct flow of songs, maintaining database, and preparing reports. Music is an integral part of radio as in the absence of visuals, it’s only music that maintains the continuity of any radio program.

2.                       Sales:

a.     Sales Head

b.     Account Manager

                                          i.    Retail Sales Executive

                                         ii.    Corporate Sales Executive

So you might be good in one or the other thing because each of these jobs require a particular mindset and it should be in sync with your attitude and abilities. Any clash between your attitude and the requirements for a profile will frustrate you and you will lose in the long run.

Soon I’ll post about the requirements to be a good radio jockey and some universal requirements for any profile in a radio station.

                                                                                
                                 ...Be With Me...