Do you work in radio?

My friend is a producer at the BBC in this very area. I could pass along your questions if you like. She's a very nice person.

I'm sure there must be some folks on here with first hand experience tho. Maybe they are shy.

Pleasant Plains and teeny (if she's still around) to thread.

that'd be great ned, any leads would be super helpful!

PP doesnt work in radio anymore but he could probably still help. he could definitely play devil's advocate to anyone wanting to get into radio as a career.

surmounter are you in the us or uk?

i've worked in small town radio and it is a terrible soul crushing job that pays bad.

i love radio!
i don't work in it. i volunteer in it - produce & host & tech - it is community radio. and i am a university-schooled writer/journalist/interviewer but never formally in radio. i don't know if i'd want to work in radio full-time though tbh.

I would not suggest a career in radio unless you're willing to someday work in sales and/or management. Unless you don't mind making no more than $20,000 a year.

I just started a radio station. Come here and you can work in radio. It doesn't pay anything.

Sounds great! Got a spare bedroom for me and my family?

What definitely killed the radio idea for me was interning at my hometown NPR affiliate half of one summer and noting that even the NPR staff were almost all part-timers pulling one or two other regular shifts at other stations in town. Later that year I think, I was reading some trade publication and they reported the statistic that the ratio of full-time positions at US radio stations and to number of US radio stations was about 2:1, if that, and trending down from there. That and yeah, the money ain't exactly spectacular.

the best full-time radio job will be in post-apocalyptic post-industry radio

Until then, your best bet is to get talent fees for appearing at foam parties to give away bumper stickers.

wow that sounds so fucking shitty.

HA. rrrobyn where'd you get your degree?

A number of people I was at uni with work in radio. One presents the breakfast show in Brighton, another is a broadcast assistant at H3art while my friend Howard is currently a roaming sub presenter for GCap in the west country. all got into it by volunteering at weekends and all would I'm sure, be happy to offer words of "wisdom" if you need.

(i'm in the US btw)

that's awesome upt0, if you want to email me or something, i would love that.

I went to broadcasting school (a one year course) and worked at several small town stations and one large city station years ago. Concur with every negative stated above: slightly better than minimum wage pay, lousy hours (I did lots of nights and weekends,) few job opportunities (and you usually have to move from city to city,) no job security, and ultimately, yes, soul-sucking.

great

A friend's husband retrained from being a solicitor to being a radio presenter, aged about 35. I don't know exactly what courses he went on (this is UK) but could find out. He seemed to get pretty successful pretty quickly at the BBC as far as I can tell. Another ex-colleague retrained from being a salesman to presenting on Five Live (sports radio) and landed a presenting job fairly fast.

oooh, something positive =P if you get any more info pls 2 share

I will investigate, and hope I don't come up with any details that spoil it!

:-)

OK just spoke to the first guy. He did a postgrad course at the London College of Printing, in radio journalism. He then (this is the annoying part) just happened to know someone at the BBC, did something free for them that was liked, and was invited straight into a junior presenting job.

He drove it home to me that he is sure this happens much more in the UK than the US - just the whole structure of radio is different, and also the tradition of internships is that much stronger in the US. I'm guessing the ILXors who know US radio would say the above scenario is pretty much impossible there?

Come and pay extortionate postgrad fees in the UK, walk into your perfect job immediately and instantly, stick with it for three years and get yer residency!

ha! i would love to... thanks so much for the legwork. sounds like a dream of a career your friend is leading
=)

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http://www.desmoinesbroadcasting.com/krnq-kstz/q-morning-zoo/zoo-crew-3.jpg

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