How to Host Your Own Talk Radio Show
Get involved with a local station., Get an internship., If possible, get a broadcasting education., Be prepared to pay for time on for-profit stations., Consider starting with internet radio.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get involved with a local station.
If you're starting with zero experience, the best way (bar none) to get any sort of radio show is to start participating in the process of creating an existing radio show.
Working or volunteering in a radio station gives you an introduction to the workflow and regular tasks that go into producing a successful radio show.
It also gives you much-needed experience to put on your resume when you're applying for airtime.
Most importantly, it gives you a chance to make contacts inside the station.
Knowing someone in the industry can make all the difference in the world when it comes to landing your first show — radio station staff are much, much more likely to hire people they know and trust to be show hosts than they are to hire strangers.
One great idea for building up your radio station experience is to try volunteering for a local community radio station (like, for instance, a college radio station).
These stations are usually not operated for profit and depend on the work of volunteers to stay on the air, which means it can be relatively easy to find a place on the staff compared to a for-profit station. -
Step 2: Get an internship.
Some radio stations offer internships and apprenticeships to interested applicants, especially young students.
Some of these internships are integrated with a local school or college's communications department, which means that they usually recruit solely from the pool of students in the department, while other internships may accept applicants from the general public.
Depending on the amount of time you work, an internship can sometimes be more useful for getting a show than working from the bottom up in the station.
Good internships are career-focused and offer opportunities for employment after the completion of the internship.
However, even with an internship, it may be necessary to work in the radio industry for several years before getting a show. , Following the correct educational path for becoming a radio host will only help your chances of getting your own show.
Also, as noted above, educational programs often pave the way for valuable internship and apprenticeship opportunities.
If it's financially feasible for you to do so, consider earning a degree in communications or broadcasting to boost your resume and give you valuable background knowledge and experience.
It's worth noting that an educational background in communications or broadcasting isn't absolutely necessary for a successful career in radio.
Several of the most recognizable names in radio, like Howard Stern, have communications degrees, but others have no pertinent educational background.
For instance, Adam Carolla, one-time host of Loveline and The Adam Carolla Show, completed only a partial junior college education which included work in a ceramics major., Though all stations will have their own rules for their show hosts, generally, local for-profit stations will charge the hosts for their show time.Times where listener numbers are high (like morning and afternoon commute times) are generally expensive, while less-popular times are generally cheaper.
The hosts can pay for their shows with their own money, solicit donations from viewers, or sell advertising time to third parties.
If they make more money from advertising fees than it costs to keep the show on the air, they generally keep the difference as a profit.
Successful radio hosts can support themselves this way.
Understanding ahead of time that you may need to pay for your show time is crucial — you don't want to pursue a coveted time slot only to find out that you can't afford to run your show.
Because of the cost of hosting a radio show, it's often a wise idea to retain another job (at least until you can generate enough advertising revenue to support your show).
Dedicating yourself full-time to your radio career is great for your show, but not if you run out of funds and have to go off the air in a few months.
Costs vary.
For instance, at some local stations, radio time can cost anywhere from $60-$200 per hour, depending on the time slot. , For first-timers to the world of radio broadcasting, the internet offers a way to get your voice hear with very few (if any) up-front costs and no experience requirements.
If you have the computer know-how, you may want to set up a dedicated audio stream to broadcast your show (see How to Stream Live Audio or an online guide, like the one here).
You may also want to try a cheap or free online broadcasting service like Justin.tv (free; allows video broadcasting), Live365.com (cheap; free trial) or Radionomy.com (free for 9 months with conditions).The downside of having an internet radio show is that it's basically up to you to promote your own show and grow your audience — you won't have the resources of an established station to help you.
Another great option is to record a regular podcast.
Podcasts are essentially pre-recorded talk radio shows that listeners can download and listen to as they please.
For more information on podcasts, see How to Start Your Own Podcast or scroll down to the podcasting section below. -
Step 3: If possible
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Step 4: get a broadcasting education.
-
Step 5: Be prepared to pay for time on for-profit stations.
-
Step 6: Consider starting with internet radio.
Detailed Guide
If you're starting with zero experience, the best way (bar none) to get any sort of radio show is to start participating in the process of creating an existing radio show.
Working or volunteering in a radio station gives you an introduction to the workflow and regular tasks that go into producing a successful radio show.
It also gives you much-needed experience to put on your resume when you're applying for airtime.
Most importantly, it gives you a chance to make contacts inside the station.
Knowing someone in the industry can make all the difference in the world when it comes to landing your first show — radio station staff are much, much more likely to hire people they know and trust to be show hosts than they are to hire strangers.
One great idea for building up your radio station experience is to try volunteering for a local community radio station (like, for instance, a college radio station).
These stations are usually not operated for profit and depend on the work of volunteers to stay on the air, which means it can be relatively easy to find a place on the staff compared to a for-profit station.
Some radio stations offer internships and apprenticeships to interested applicants, especially young students.
Some of these internships are integrated with a local school or college's communications department, which means that they usually recruit solely from the pool of students in the department, while other internships may accept applicants from the general public.
Depending on the amount of time you work, an internship can sometimes be more useful for getting a show than working from the bottom up in the station.
Good internships are career-focused and offer opportunities for employment after the completion of the internship.
However, even with an internship, it may be necessary to work in the radio industry for several years before getting a show. , Following the correct educational path for becoming a radio host will only help your chances of getting your own show.
Also, as noted above, educational programs often pave the way for valuable internship and apprenticeship opportunities.
If it's financially feasible for you to do so, consider earning a degree in communications or broadcasting to boost your resume and give you valuable background knowledge and experience.
It's worth noting that an educational background in communications or broadcasting isn't absolutely necessary for a successful career in radio.
Several of the most recognizable names in radio, like Howard Stern, have communications degrees, but others have no pertinent educational background.
For instance, Adam Carolla, one-time host of Loveline and The Adam Carolla Show, completed only a partial junior college education which included work in a ceramics major., Though all stations will have their own rules for their show hosts, generally, local for-profit stations will charge the hosts for their show time.Times where listener numbers are high (like morning and afternoon commute times) are generally expensive, while less-popular times are generally cheaper.
The hosts can pay for their shows with their own money, solicit donations from viewers, or sell advertising time to third parties.
If they make more money from advertising fees than it costs to keep the show on the air, they generally keep the difference as a profit.
Successful radio hosts can support themselves this way.
Understanding ahead of time that you may need to pay for your show time is crucial — you don't want to pursue a coveted time slot only to find out that you can't afford to run your show.
Because of the cost of hosting a radio show, it's often a wise idea to retain another job (at least until you can generate enough advertising revenue to support your show).
Dedicating yourself full-time to your radio career is great for your show, but not if you run out of funds and have to go off the air in a few months.
Costs vary.
For instance, at some local stations, radio time can cost anywhere from $60-$200 per hour, depending on the time slot. , For first-timers to the world of radio broadcasting, the internet offers a way to get your voice hear with very few (if any) up-front costs and no experience requirements.
If you have the computer know-how, you may want to set up a dedicated audio stream to broadcast your show (see How to Stream Live Audio or an online guide, like the one here).
You may also want to try a cheap or free online broadcasting service like Justin.tv (free; allows video broadcasting), Live365.com (cheap; free trial) or Radionomy.com (free for 9 months with conditions).The downside of having an internet radio show is that it's basically up to you to promote your own show and grow your audience — you won't have the resources of an established station to help you.
Another great option is to record a regular podcast.
Podcasts are essentially pre-recorded talk radio shows that listeners can download and listen to as they please.
For more information on podcasts, see How to Start Your Own Podcast or scroll down to the podcasting section below.
About the Author
Ruth Wright
Ruth Wright specializes in consulting and has been creating helpful content for over 3 years. Ruth is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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