Radio Responsibilities: Being an On-Air DJ

RADIO JOCKEY

• Being a radio RJ is a hectic jobbut it can also be a fun andvery rewarding career. Unlikemany other jobs, it is nothectic in terms of worrisomestress. Rather, a RJ has to be amaster of multi-tasking andtime management.

• There are many tasks toperform and processes tokeep in mind while hosting alive show on-air. This guidewill introduce you to some ofthe main responsibilities of aradio RJ during a show.

Station Identification

• A station ID is an audiosnippet that lets listenersknow the call sign,frequency and name of theradio station they arelistening to. A station IDtypically uses the followingformat: “Hi, this is BillyRockstar and you’relistening to RKYM, 91.4 FM,Rock Radio Station.” This ishelpful for people who arejust tuning in and also as away to make the stationstick in people's minds

RJ Vocal Characteristics

• Listeners respond well to a memorable voice,especially since it is the only means ofcommunication via radio. For men and women,this means that their voices should be free ofqualities that might irritate listeners.

• Most commercial stations prefer RJs with ageneral non-regional accent so that listenersacross the country (and even internationally!)can understand the voice. Diction is anotherimportant quality. RJs should be able to speakwell, using measured tones and naturallanguage.

Transitioning Between Songs

• When hosting a live show, it would sound verychoppy and jarring if listeners had to hear the endof the song and then wait for the RJ to cue up thenext one. To ensure a smooth, continuous flow, RJshave adopted the practice of cuing up the next songinto a second player while the first one is alreadyplaying.

• When the first song comes to an end, the RJgradually reduces the volume while simultaneouslyraising the volume on the second player. This effectis known as cross-fading.

• If a RJ has to speak after a song, they simply fade itout and then speak. To keep up the energy levels ofthe show, it is common to have some instrumentalmusic playing in the background while the RJ speaks

A Rundown of the Playlist

• During any radio show, listeners need to knowwhat they have been listening to. There areseveral ways for RJs to share that information.On-air, they can let their audience know thetitles and artists of the songs that were recentlyplayed as well as the next few songs that arecoming up.

• This also ensures that listeners learn about newtracks released by record labels. Today, many RJsalso provide a full playlist on the radio station’swebsite so that anyone can go back to it andlearn the artist and title of a particular song

PSAs

• A PSA is an abbreviation for Public Service Announcement. A PSA is different from an advertisement since it is non-commercial in nature. Typically, PSAs offer short snippets of news, events or promotions from non-profit groups that may be of interest to the local community.

• RJs normally receive a list of PSAs in advance so they are careful to allocate enough time in the show schedule to incorporate these announcements. PSAs are normally read out loud by the RJ, but sometimes they are provided as a pre-recorded audio clip

Listener Requests

• Taking requests is one of theprimary interactions betweenthe RJ and listeners. It helpsbuild listener loyalty and addssome spontaneity to theshow.

• While RJs traditionally takerequests over the phone,today many radio stations alsoallow fans to chat live withthe RJ through instantmessaging services and sendrequests online. Somestations also have a requestwidget on their website forlisteners to send requests inadvance

Qualities of RJ

• RJ should be able to create bondwith the listener, should befriendly, spontaneous, warm, andhave a good voice.

• He would be well read andknowledgeable,

• Should be well acquainted withcurrent trends and fashion,

• Should know current who's who,

• Should have command overspoken words and able to useeasy-to grasp language/dialect,

• Could chat with the guest in thestudio or audience overtelephone,

• Able to operate modernelectronic gadgets like editingconsoles and computer

Out Side Broadcast

• A broadcast not made from a studio. Radio programmewhich is broadcast from a location away from thenormal studio setting. The location doesn't actuallyhave to be out-of-doors the "outside" simply means"outside the studio".

• Events commonly covered by OB units include sports,concerts, ceremonies, etc. OB units may specialize in aparticular area; for example, a motorsports OB unitwould carry specialized camera equipment for in-carcoverage and have staffs which know this particularsport well