Have you ever thought to yourself, "This seems easy, I can do this!" when you listen to your favorite morning show DJ?It's not always easy to make a name for yourself in radio broadcasting, as it can be a rewarding way to affect the lives of thousands of people.It used to be that you had to pay your dues for years as a low-level radio employee.The internet has made it possible for talented amateurs to make a name for themselves.If you want to learn how to host your own talk radio show, click the first step below.
Step 1: You can get involved with your local station.
If you're starting with zero experience, the best way to get a radio show is to participate in the creation of an existing show.If you work or volunteer in a radio station, you will get an introduction to the daily tasks that go into producing a successful radio show.It gives you experience to put on your resume when you apply for airtime.You have a chance to make contacts inside the station.When it comes to landing your first show, radio station staff are more likely to hire people they know and trust to be show hosts than they are to hiring strangers.One way to build up your radio station experience is to volunteer for a local community station.It is relatively easy to find a place on the staff at a station that is not operated for profit because they depend on volunteers to stay on air.
Step 2: Get an internship.
Young students can apply to internship and apprenticeships at some radio stations.Some of these internships are integrated with a local school or college's communications department, which means that they usually recruit from the pool of students in the department.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.There are opportunities for employment after the completion of an internship.It may be necessary to work in the radio industry for several years before you get a show.
Step 3: You can get a broadcasting education.
If you follow the correct path for becoming a radio host, you will have a better chance of getting your own show.Educational programs can often lead to internship and apprenticeship opportunities.If it's possible for you to earn a degree in communications or broadcasting to boost your resume and give you valuable background knowledge, then so be it.An educational background in communications or broadcasting isn't necessary for a successful career in radio.Some of the most recognizable names in radio have communications degrees, but others have no educational background.Adam Carolla, one-time host of Loveline and The AdamCarolla Show, only completed a partial junior college education which included work in a ceramics major.
Step 4: You should be prepared to pay for time on stations that are for-profit.
Local for-profit stations will usually charge the hosts for their show time, even though all stations have their own rules.Less popular times are cheaper than times where listener numbers are high.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 usually make a profit.It is possible for successful radio hosts to support themselves this way.Understanding ahead of time that you may need to pay for your show time is important, as you don't want to find out you cannot afford it.It's a good idea to keep another job until you can generate enough advertising revenue to support your show, because of the cost of hosting a radio show.If you run out of funds and have to go off the air in a few months, dedicating yourself full-time to your radio career is not a good idea.Costs can vary.Depending on the time slot, radio time can cost anywhere from $60-$200 per hour.
Step 5: Consider starting with internet radio.
For first-timers to the world of radio broadcasting, the internet offers a way to get their voice heard with very little up-front costs and no experience requirements.If you know how to use a computer, you can set up a dedicated audio stream to broadcast your show.Live365.com is a cheap and free online broadcasting service that you may want to try.You won't have the resources of an established station to help you grow your audience if you have an internet radio show.It's a great option to record a regular show.Listeners can download and listen to the shows as they please.You can find more information on how to start your own show in the How to Start Your Own Show section.
Step 6: A theme or format is what you should pick.
You need to have a purpose for your show before you start broadcasting.Most successful talk shows have a pre-defined theme or goal and are very flexible in their structure and topics.Don't feel the need to pigeon-hole your show with a specific theme because this can be quite broad.Do you know what my show is about?News/current events Political commentary Music news/Underground music discussion Humor/parody Educational topics are some of the common talk radio show themes.Advice about relationships, do-it-yourself projects, etc.There are niche topics (paranormal, conspiracy theories, etc.).
Step 7: You should schedule out your show's time in advance.
Unless you're an experienced broadcaster, don't wing it in the studio.Scheduling out the time you have available for your show is a must, especially if it's your first show.It's harder for you to run out of things to talk about if you have a plan in place.Some segments may take longer than you anticipated, while others take less time, as you will inevitably discover during your first few shows.Take note of the differences and adjust your schedule when necessary.We just got our first 90-minute political talk radio show.We might have a theme song and introduction for our first show.Jane Smith is a guest interview.There is a discussion about minimum wage being too high or too low.There are ads for 5 minutes.Take calls.How big of a problem is germandering in the modern age?There are ads for 5 minutes.Take calls.Allow guest to plug upcoming events.You can follow with farewell and outro music.
Step 8: It is necessary to have a consistent structure.
Consistency is important when it comes to talk radio.Listeners want to know that they'll be able to hear the same content whenever they tune into your show.If a particular aspect of your show isn't working out, it's better to drop it than allow it to limp along as an unpopular part of the show.If possible, you'll want to keep the basics of your schedule the same from one show to the next while allowing for fresh content in the form of new segments and so on.
Step 9: New guests and old favorites should be invited to your show.
Keeping your show fresh and interesting is one way to keep it consistent.Guests bring their own style and knowledge to the show.The guest is allowed to promote his or her personal projects on-air in exchange for coming on the show.Depending on the format of your show, the types of guests you should invite will vary.If you're running a serious art criticism talk show, you might invite guests who offer new perspectives and unique expertise, like professors and artists.If you're hosting a "shock jock" comedy show, you might want to invite other comedians.
Step 10: Listeners can call.
It's a good idea to encourage a friendly atmosphere between you and your callers.It's easier to keep the dialog high if you have an active audience.When you open your phone line to callers, you can take a break from thinking up new ideas.Listeners can direct the conversation for you, all you have to do is respond.If you're on a station with rules against profanity, be on the lookout for prank callers.Always know how to stop a call.The last few seconds of airtime can be deleted if a caller says something inappropriate.There is a delay button near the main sound board.If you're broadcasting online, you may want to use voicechat software.If that's not possible, you may want to have a text chat channel for your audience.
Step 11: Avoid air that is dead.
The golden rule of radio broadcasting is to avoid "dead air" (distracting periods of silence), whether you've got a show on community radio with a tiny local audience or a nationally-syndicated morning show.You don't need to be talking for every second of your show.You should avoid stretches of silence that are more than a few seconds long.If it sounds like you're having a technical error, these can lead to an immediate dip in listenership.It's a good idea to keep a piece of new music in a safe place and ready to play in the event that you need a few minutes of time.
Step 12: Seek out advertisers.
It is possible that you will have to pay for your show's airtime.To help pay for your show, try to find advertisers who are willing to put up a little money to have their message broadcast on-air.Advertisers can pay you a fee in exchange for dedicating some of your airtime to ads.Some radio show hosts read the ads themselves, while others play pre-recorded ads.Rates for radio advertising increase with the length of the ad, the time slot, and the number of people listening to the show.By market, ad prices can vary a lot.In a market like Los Angeles, 60 ads can cost up to $500, while the same number can be found in a small rural town for as little as $3.
Step 13: Make sure to promote your show.
You live and die by your audience as a radio show host.The more people you have listening to you, the better.When you have more people listening to your show, you can charge advertisers more per ad, negotiate more lucrative deals with your station, and promote yourself and your guests to a wider audience.You can advertise on other shows that broadcast from the same station as you.You can get a reduced in-house rate for promoting your show.
Step 14: Consider hiring a co-host.
Having a second person in the studio with you on every show makes it easier to do your job.Co-hosting ensures that your own voice and views don't get lost in the shuffle, as they offer their own unique personality and thoughts to every discussion.One of the most entertaining parts of a talk show is the back-and-forth between a pair of co-hosts who can lovingly bicker.If you're thinking of getting a co-host, make sure it's someone you get along with and who understands the commitments of the job.There are other benefits to co-hosting.Some may be willing to split the cost of airtime with you.
Step 15: Regular features can be scheduled.
Some of the fun of listening to a show888-607-ly is from anticipating, listening, and even participating in their favorite recurring features.If you obey the rules of your station and local laws, there's virtually no limit to what segments you can run.Call-in contests for prizes or recognition, Live or pre-recorded man-on-the-street segments " 100th caller wins" type contests, and creative comedy/improv exercises are just a few of the ways to get started.
Step 16: It's possible to create memorable one-off segments.
Even though your viewers are likely to appreciate the consistency of recurring segments, you shouldn't shy away from special one-time events and features.Keeping the basic format and structure of your show intact allows you to continually innovate and surprise your audience.Anything that gets an especially good reaction can eventually be made a recurring segment, which is a good way to find new directions for the show.
Step 17: Frequent contributors can be built a relationship with.
Don't let these people go to waste if you notice that certain people call in to the station on a regular basis or that they seem to be popular with your audience.Try to create a friendly working relationship with them.Ask these people if they'd like to be a part of the show.Even if they aren't interested in joining the show as a dedicated cast member, they may appreciate being made a "friend of theshow" or gaining recognition as an official contributor.If one of your callers has an outrageous personality and crazy political beliefs, you may want to have a semi-regular segment where he calls in and comments on the issues of the day.
Step 18: You can create an on-air personality.
Talk radio shows that examine or critique serious topics are dignified affairs.Many talk shows have characters that are exaggerated or out of place.If you want to entertain your audience, you should create a character for yourself.The interplay between a crazy host character and a straightman co-host can make for great radio.
Step 19: Learn from the greats when in doubt.
From the beginning, no one's radio show is perfect.You can deliver a great show every day if you have years of experience in broadcast.It's a good idea to look at some of the best radio shows and podcasts in the world during this time.There's no shame in getting ideas from people who are already successful, they too had role models in the world of broadcasting before they became famous.The Ron and Fez Show is a raunchy comedy show that is no longer running.
Step 20: Go ahead and record your show.
The difference between a radio talk show and a podcast is not that significant to the person listening.It's a little different to record a live show for the host.Instead of broadcasting your show live, you'll record it and offer it for download on the internet, but you won't perform it.You need an equipment setup that allows you to record high-quality audio files and have enough hard drive space to store them.You can get away with a computer and a decent microphone for less than $100 at audio equipment stores.
Step 21: Take your audio file and make it better.
After recording your show, you may want to listen to your audio file and cut out parts of it you don't like.You will need audio-editing software to do this.You can add ads, music, and anything else you want to.Save your file in a format that will be easy for your audience to use, like.mp3.
Step 22: Your show will be uploaded to a hosting site.
Listen to your show online.Audio files can be uploaded with a free account on a variety of free hosting sites.If you have per-file-bandwidth limits, you may have to split your show into multiple parts.You may be able to host your show on online audio stores like the iTunes Store.Most podcasts are free to listen to and supported by donations, sponsors, or advertisers.When you're competing against hundreds of good free podcasts, it's not usually a good idea to charge money for your show.
Step 23: It's possible to create a website for your podcasts.
The most professional podcasts have their own websites which contain links to the episodes, as well as news, a store for merchandise, and so on.For many people, a free service like Wordpress.com is the best way to build a website.You can see how to make a website.