How about making Radio Jockey your career ?

Deepasree Venugopal - Televisionpoint.com | Lucknow
It is exciting, interesting and definitely the next big thing as far as upcoming careers are concerned for the students.

With the boom in the number of private channels on the radio, it has become an extremely popular medium among all age groups, and that in turn has made the job of a radio jockey a coveted one.

Several youngsters aspire to become RJ's. And considering that it's a profession that's got - name, fame, music, creative flexibility, public interaction and scope to earn big bucks- it's not surprising that so many dream to tread this career path.

Though a career in this audio medium gives one immense potential to showcase their talent, the competition in this field is neck to neck and the task of an RJ is by no means easy.

Sneak Peek
Anupam Pathak, programme executive, FM Rainbow - Lucknow, says, "In a nutshell, the main responsibility of an RJ is to make a connection with the listeners and entertain, inform as well as educate them."

"Being a local medium, the RJ has to keep himself up to date with whats happenings in the city as well as be aware of the current affairs of national or global importance because a caller can bring up any topic of discussion with the RJ. And of course, the knowledge of different genres of music as well as a good sense of music is an added advantage." Pathak adds.

Bhavna Bhagwani, a former RJ at a popular radio station in Lucknow, says that, "an RJ has to constantly be innovative and present the show in a creative and interesting manner. The competitive nature of this field make it imperative to have frequent brainstorming sessions in order to incorporate new ideas and concepts into the programmes in a fresh and original manner, and thereby be a cut above the rest."

Bhagwani continues to explain, "It is the Rj's job to engage a caller in interesting conversation and carry the programme forward. A full time job as an RJ can be very demanding and hosting live shows can get stressful, but, on the other hand the plus point is that you have the freedom to experiment with different styles and ideas."

"It is essential for an RJ to be well versed with the operation and functioning of recording, editing and mixing software. There are many a time when he will have to use his presence of mind in order to handle technical mishaps." says RJ Harssh of Fever FM - Mumbai.

Although the script for a programme is sometimes written by an entity other than the RJ, often the RJ does the script writing work himself. "Nowadays, at most radio stations, an RJ clubs the tasks such as writing promos, scripts, music management and some production work along with the job of hosting their shows," says Sagar Suri, an intern at a popular radio station in Lucknow.

What It Takes
It's obvious that an RJ needs to have excellent communication skills, but, apart from that he also needs to be prompt, attentive and skilled enough to handle the time constraint problem.

Akansha Shukla, a former RJ, says that, "if one aims at pursuing this profession then he must be well versed with the local language as well as English, because nowadays the popular trend is to use a mixture of both. The use of dialect, its pronunciation and diction should be flawless and fluent."

Shukla further adds that, "being alert, possessing an active mind and the ability to express all emotions clearly are other must haves on the list of qualities of an RJ."

Bhagwani emphasized that patience is one virtue that a radio jockey cannot do without. "There are all kinds of people who call a radio station. Some talk to much, while some talk to less and some are even rude. The RJ has to deal patiently with all kinds of callers and carry the programme forward," she says.

Suri says that, "An RJ needs to be spontaneous and strike a good rapport with the audience. If a connection with the audience is not made, it doesn't take them long to tune into another channel. Adding a dose of humour and wit in the content is likely to be what keeps the listeners happy and make them stay tuned."

Bright Future
The profession of an RJ is not only creatively satisfying but also rewarding in monetary terms. The pay of a radio jockey depends on his experience and popularity. Good as well as popular RJ's can easily earn in lakhs per month. A fresher usually starts with a package of anything between 15,000 to 20,000.

The number of private radio channels is fast multiplying, thereby a career as an RJ poses to be a highly promising and lucrative one now as well as in the future.