Do you dance in the rain and sing aloud? Do you always have the iPod on and keep downloading the latest songs every alternate day even before anyone else has heard it? When in a group, are you the most talkative? At a social gathering where everyone is silent and thinking what to say, are you the one to crack a joke and start conversation? Are you the agony aunt to your friends? Do you feel the pain when you see a man in tears? If the answer is in the affirmative to these questions, then you are wasting time sitting at home and attending useless parties. Wake up and join the most talked about job in the entertainment industry. The Radio Jockey or the RJ. Before it is too late, realize your potential and be the voice people want to hear even at odd hours. All you need to be an RJ is to be passionate about music; as they say eat, live, dream music. And know to connect. If you can create that linking thread with strangers, then listeners will automatically tune in to your program on radio. That will give your career the wings to touch the sky.
A Radio Jockey has no fixed time of work. It depends on the time of your show. Generally you have to be in the studio some time before the show is to go on air and remain in office after it. At times you have to interview guests or work in group and stay in office till late. You can also have a night show. So you should be prepared to work indefinitely. The target should be met. So this is one job where 100 percent commitment is crucial to survive. If you falter, you will get replaced in the wink of an eye. If quality is important, so is professionalism and commitment. Even when you are not working, you have to devote time to read, research and prepare yourself for the next day. It is an ongoing task. At times you may get an idea as you lie down to sleep. At such times a truly dedicated RJ will get down to writing it.
An RJ's job profile is exciting as well as challenging, fun as well as a lot of hard work. You play the song requests, answer queries of listeners relating to the program you are handling and talk on topics. You also have to interview guests to your show over the phone or in the studio and provide information on news updates and the latest trends, films etc . You do not require formal training or degree to be an RJ. The only criteria is that you should be at least a graduate. It is a learning job. The more experience you have, the better you get at it. Exposure at work builds up confidence, flair and professionalism required to be a successful radio jockey. There are a few institutes that do offer a course in radio (generally covering all aspects of it) and you can get yourself registered to understand the technicalities of the profession. Also you get to learn to operate the equipments you will use on the job. An institutionalized training is like polishing before you enter the real world. Some of the renowned colleges are the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) Delhi, MICA Ahmadabad, Xavier Institute of Communications Mumbai, Academy of Radio Management Delhi, FTII Pune, NSD Delhi, Jamia Milia Islamia Delhi, IGNOU, Indian Institute of Journalism. A voice modulation training helps a lot. So does a script writing course, though you will learn this during the training and you can find books on this. You can practice voice training at home that should include working on your diction and pronunciation. Build up you stamina as you have to work long hours sitting at one place at anytime. Yoga helps. Avoid cold things, pickles and anything sour as it can damage the basis of your job- your voice.
The job of an RJ is one that is full of enthusiasm and challenges. It is a promising career option for those who are dedicated and willing to put in their best. Any lack of it makes you succumb to pressure, competition and peer pressure. Most significant is the die hard love for music. Only such a person will keep a track of the latest songs, the singers, the history of songs, musicians, singers etc which only enriches the program and draws listeners. A boring RJ is a curse to any channel. You have to spend quality time researching on music. You have to be aware of events taking place around you, the film and music releases, the latest trends and anything that people may be interested in. you should watch the television, listen to other shows on radio, search online. Thus you have to be observant. A successful and popular RJ finds interesting and show related anecdotes, quotes , information and facts. This becomes the magnet to the show. You also need to have excellent communication and linguistic skills as this is all about being able to communicate and connect. Your vocabulary and pronunciation should be at the best. You should be able to visualize the words before you speak as you are provided with no second chance most of the times to correct or alter what you have already spoken. A good sense of humor, budding ideas and concepts, empathetic and sensitive attitude increases your demand in the industry. You have to be friendly, approachable and down to earth when dealing with listeners. Only then they will confide and share with you. You should be able to answer even tricky and awkward questions tactfully. A good RJ maintains a point of view which is unique, but does not try to sell it. He does not offend his listeners. You need to be diplomatic and politically correct and still stand out. And always keep the target audience in mind before saying anything. A script always helps to perform better in this job. If you are thinking of being a radio jockey, start incorporating these in your daily life, begin self training and get creative. Your skill gets you the job, but hard work sees you through it and makes you successful.
You do not require too much in terms of finance to be an RJ. The various institutes offering the course do so at an affordable fees. And the other courses like voice training are also not expensive. So you do not need to worry about money and can concentrate only on working and improving yourself.
With so many radio channels being launched every second day, in metros as well as other cities in the country, the scope for any aspirant has only increased. There is availability of innumerable job opportunities as an RJ. More so as this is a profession where talent is more important than formal education. And today this has become one of the most highly paid jobs in the media industry. You may start by earning around 20,000 a month but very soon you earn in lakhs a month. There is scope for lateral movement also in a radio station and you can switch to the managerial level with experience. Radio channels hire people who are less than 35 years of age. Many radio jockeys also become voice-over artists and lend their voice to movies, television series etc. You are not restricted in this profession. It only opens up doors for you to venture out and try different things. So this is a paying job- both financially and self satisfactorily.
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