Edition: December 8th, 2021
Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
- Excerpts from article by Rohit Manglik, published on the India Today Web Desk
Radio has played a pivotal role in shaping the course and the future of communication. Owing to its ability to reach a large number of people at a time, radio has been the most dominant form of communication for close to two consecutive centuries – from being used initially as one of the most potent weapons in the war for altering people’s opinions, to being the chief form of entertainment.
Even in the 21st Century, Radio is going through an evolutionary phase redefining itself and finding a stable footing and audience in the age of music streaming services. It’s safe to say that radio isn’t going away anytime soon.
Contrary to popular notions, radio isn’t just about the one person who presents a programme or talks on air. Instead, it requires coordinated teamwork with contributions from skilled professionals in various fields.
Let’s take a look at the key roles in radio, in three main areas – Technology; Content and Creative; and Management.
1. Radio Careers in Technology
Radio has been incorporating several technological advancements to keep itself relevant through changing times.
- Chief Engineer: They deal with all the technical issues that might arrive in the transmission. A Chief Engineer is the head of the Tech team in a Radio Station. All engineers and technicians report to him/her.
- Radio Electronics Technician: They work in the radio station and handle the electronic equipment used in the radio station.
- Broadcast and Sound Engineer: They operate equipment and tools that record, synchronise and mix audio. A Broadcast and Sound Engineer also works with the creative team to provide a more entertaining experience to the radio listeners.
- Radio Field Technician: They are in charge of adjusting, maintaining, testing, repairing, installing and updating all the tech (mobile or stationary) within or outside the station.
2. Careers in Content & Creative
Coming up with high quality content that the public can related to is the responsibility of this team.
- Announcer: Reads advertisements on-air and introduces the content or the programme on the radio. The person requires excellent speaking skills along with command over the language in which they are presenting.
- Music Director: In charge of maintaining the music library that is played both at random and on-demand on various radio shows.
- On-Air Presenter (Radio Jockey/RJs): These are the persons we hear and love on the radio, who present their shows regularly. Skills required include the ability to keep people engaged and entertained in addition to managing studio arrangements and advertisement placement during the show.
- Production Director: They are responsible for coming up with new content for RJs, strategising and scheduling programmes and production for the various shows that are aired.
3. Careers in Management
An average radio station requires a dedicated operations team.
- Station Manager: This is a senior-level position in a Radio Station. Responsibilities include managing day-to-day working of the Radio Station and dealing with the various issues that arise.
- Sales Manager: They are in charge of generating revenue by providing slots for advertisements to other organisations.
- Office Manager: Looks after the administrative duties of the station like logistics, finances, legal matters, bills, audits and other compliances.
- Operations Manager: Works closely with RJs and focuses on coordination, scheduling of on-air programmes, etc.
Keeping pace with the rapid changes, radio has adapted well to the digital age. Today, radio channels are available across platforms and devices. Not just that – content and programme formats have been altered to include much more than just music. These include games, quizzes and interviews and so much more.
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(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
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