Jobs, Working Practices and Contracts

Radio presenter; They're responsible for creating the tone and style of the radio output and to make a relationship with listeners. Presenters in music Radio work for a variety of stations and programmes, catering for all genres. Presenters in speech Radio work in all genres, from topical talk shows to documentaries, light entertainment and comedy.Wherever they work, Presenters are expected to understand the purpose and format of their station or programme; to be aware of the characteristics of their target audience and to be knowledgeable about the subject matter of the output they present. Radio Presenters may present live or recorded shows, scripted and unscripted. They can be required to generate original ideas, carry out research, write scripts and links, work from a brief supplied by other members of a production team. When recruiting Radio Presenters, employers' concern is evidence of hands-on experience and time taken to develop technical and presentation skills as well as a personal style. A degree or other qualifications are not essential for the role. A lot of radio presenters start off in entry level roles on radio and they try to get as much experience to develop there skills until they are able to get a secure full time job. Radio employers do not expect the degree to be in a media-related subjects and may even prefer people with degrees in other disciplines, particularly those related to the radio genre in which they wish to work. Radio Presenters are expected to develop their skills on the job. Most employers also offer a variety of forms of training to keep their Presenters' skills and knowledge up-to-date, and to introduce new technologies. To become a radio presenter you need to know certain things, such as excellent presentation and performance skills, ability to generate original ideas and to be able to think creatively about how to communicate them, an understanding on how to use there voice effectively for the radio, determination and tenacity, ability to build credibility and rapport by communicating knowledgeably and engagingly with audiences, excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to draw information from people, knowledge of the Radio market, a comprehensive knowledge of subjects relevant to the Radio genre in which they wish to work, ability to work independently but also as part of a team, self-motivation and adaptability, ability to work effectively under pressure, react quickly, and meet tight deadlines, knowledge of the law, ethics and industry regulation as they affect Radio production, knowledge of when it is necessary, and how to acquire, the relevant clearances and licenses, including copyright and music clearances, knowledge of the requirements of the relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures, a high level of IT skills - particularly good word-processing and data handling skills, ability to learn how to use a variety of recording equipment and to operate different radio studios, ability to present while operating studio controls and co-ordinating a range of simultaneous technical activities and the ability to conduct effective Internet research, use relevant computer software for audio editing, and, when necessary, to manipulate visual images or edit video, and upload all such material for use on websites. In commercial radio we see some large salaries for local radio presenters, for instance one northwest radio station mid morning presenter shares his £80,000 wage.