Radio

Who is a Radio Jockey?

Radio jockey, popularly known as RJ, is the host of a radio talk show,
podcast or a music show. In simple terms, Radio Jockey is the presenter of
a radio programme.

What is the role of Radio Jockey?

An RJ's role is to inform, refresh and entertain. Also known as Radio DJs, their
work involves presenting a variety of music programmes and entertaining audiences
with other things such as guest interviews of artists, celebrities, music or film-related
work.

Why You Should Write a Radio Script

Scripts are a great tool for any broadcaster, so before you start writing you need to
recognise what you’re trying to get across with your script and how best to convey
it. There is no set format for a radio script.

Make sure it fits your brand and the tone you’re aiming for, while being
appropriate to the content you’re covering. A script for a news update regarding
politics or economics is going to sound very different to a short link between two
songs. Despite this, there are a few universal guidelines you should remember
when you write a radio script

Skills required for being a Radio jockey

1. Write as You Speak

A common mistake when writing scripts is not writing the prose for it to be
spoken. A script should sound natural when reading aloud. Don’t make the
mistake of writing too formally, as it results in a stiff-sounding read through.

One of the reasons people tune into radio is for companionship, whether for
long drives or doing household chores, so . Sounding natural is simple; use
contractions like “don’t” and “can’t” instead of “do not” and “cannot”, as
people don’t normally talk like that unless in formal situations. Likewise,
depending on your audience, consider including slang terms, although only
if appropriate; nothing will switch a listener off faster than cringe-inducing
attempts to sound ‘hip’ or ‘trendy’. Try to write as though you’re speaking
off-the-cuff and inject some personality into it.
If you’re having trouble writing it out, try speaking the information you’re
conveying out loud without a script and use that as a reference for how it
should be written. Once that’s done, read it aloud to see if it flows and
sounds natural, then edit appropriately.

2. Keep it Clear and Concise

When you write a radio script, try to keep it as tight as possible. Avoid
unnecessarily flowery words or sentences that don’t add to what you’re
trying to say. Make sure your grammar is correct and be as concise and
clear as possible, it will allow you or your presenter to improvise and
expand on what is written in the script. Radio is at its best when it doesn’t
sound rigid, whether fully scripted or not.

It’s worth being aware that when we refer to terms such as ‘concise’, these
are not to be misinterpreted as meaning ‘as short as possible for the sake
of it’. What they mean is to convey information as clearly and briefly as
possible, which is relative to the topics you’re covering. So don’t skip over
things just to make them short if there’s more to discuss.

3. Tell Your Story Right, Set the Scene

Whether you’re breaking a news story or telling a joke on your comedy and
music show, you have to remember that your listeners don’t have the visual
aid of a television or online video. Try to paint a picture in the listeners
head, help them to understand what you’re talking about. This doesn’t
mean you need to go into excruciating detail, just give them enough to work
with.

 Characterstics of Radio

Put Your Radio Script into Practice

As the old saying goes, put your money where your mouth is. Use your
radio script to create engaging shows for your station.

Writing for news radio broadcasts can be difficult,

particularly since many writers are accustomed to
authoring stories for print. But writing for the ear is
very different from writing for the eye. And writing for
radio follows a distinct set of rules that must be
followed if the broadcast is to be effective and
professional.
1. Use proper format: Format requirements vary by
radio station, but in general, scripts should be in all
caps and double spaced. Information should also be
provided on sound cuts, including speaker, the type of
cut (actuality, wrap, voicer), length, and outcue.
2. Write conversationally: Radio scripts should be
akin to normal speaking style. This varies dramatically
from written writing, as material written for print tends
to be more formal. In short, write as though you are
telling the story to a friend.
3. Use present tense: With news radio, the emphasis
is on what is happening. Therefore, all scripts should be
written in present tense.
4. .Use short sentences: Spoken language is
comprised of brief sentences, and material written for
radio should reflect that. Providing the radio anchor
with short sentences will also help with delivery, as it’s
difficult to anticipate the direction of a long, run-on
sentence.
5. Use dashes for acronyms that are spelled out: In
the case of “AIDS,” you would write “AIDS,” because
this is how it’s spoken. But if an acronym is spelled out,
as in the case of CBS, it should be written “C-B-S.”

6. Don’t be repetitive: When writing around sound

cuts in the case of a reporter- or anchor-read wrap, do
not repeat information that’s mentioned in the cut. This
redundancy is a waste of airtime. Instead, the lead-in
should serve as an introduction to what the listeners
can expect to hear.
7.Avoid clichés or “jargons’’
These phrases can be very distracting and void of
meaning. And when the listener is distracted by a
cliché, his attention is no longer focused on the story.
8. Provide pronunciation guides. In the case of
uncommon or difficult-to-pronounce names, provide a
notation on pronunciation following every instance of
the name.
9. Avoid “he/she” ambiguity: When referencing more
than one individual in a script, always reference that
person by name or title. Utilizing “he” or “she” can be
confusing, particularly when there’s multiple individuals
referenced in the story.
10.Ensure clarity and flow: A story that’s clear in the
form of a newspaper article may not be clear when
spoken aloud on the air. When written, a story may also
have a nice flow, but that flow is not conversational. So
read all scripts aloud prior to submission.
11. Only mention what’s necessary: Lengthy,
detail-inclusive stories should be left to the
newspapers. News radio serves to provide only the
most vital facts in a story. Including unnecessary
information will waste valuable airtime and bore
listeners.

12. Downplay unconfirmed facts or unknown

information: Credibility is harmed when an anchor
begins a story by mentioning the information that the
station doesn’t yet have. Instead of beginning a story
by saying, “Police have not released any information in
this case,” mention what is known. Then conclude with,
“Additional information is expected soon,”

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHILE WRITING RADIO

SCRIPT

1. Don’t write your radio script as if you’re reading it, write it down like
it is going to be spoken out loud
Sometimes the mistake is made that people write the script as if someone
is going to read it. It is important to write a radio script for the ear. When
you write your radio script it is important that it sounds natural when
reading it out loud. Make sure the script does not sound too formal, we
usually read a lot more formal than we speak. If you write the script in the
way that you speak, it will sound a lot more fluently.

2. Use your words to paint pictures

Whenever you are telling something do not forget that your listeners don’t
have the visuals they have on tv for example. You don’t have to describe
everything that you are talking about, just make sure it’s clear for your
listeners.

The people who listen to your radio show cannot see you, so you have to
make sure they understand what you are saying. This does not mean you
have to talk about every little detail on the radio show, but be aware that
your listeners might need a little more descriptions to understand what you
are talking about.

3. Keep your script concise

Keep your script as tight as possible, don’t add unnecessary words that are
not adding up to what you want to say. Also, make sure your grammar is as
succinct as possible.This will allow you to expand and improvise on what is
written. You never read directly from your script, because it will not sound
natural if you do this. Make sure that your scripts are directly to the point
and do not include any unnecessary words. The spaces allow you to be
creative with the delivery of your words.

4. Give yourself flexibility during your show

If there are stories, topics or news pieces that you want to discuss, include
them in your script. The same applies for certain words that you want to
use, include them in your script so you won’t forget them. But give yourself
some flexibility, make sure you have the option to add another story or use
different vocabulary. Flexibility in your script can make your show a lot
more interesting. Only write the most important things down for your script
so you have the possibility to improvise.
If you want to be prepared for your radio show, writing down a script is a
great way to do that! It does not have to be difficult to write a script, you
certainly don’t have to write down all the words that you want to say. A
good script keeps you on track during your show and gives you the cues
you need. A good script also gives you the chance to add personality to
your show. Don’t forget that there is absolutely no wrong way of writing a
script, you write a script for yourself and for your radio station. But using
these tips and using a script can only benefit you while being on air.

Capability of creating imageries-:

1. Radio Imaging is the general term for the composite effect of multiple
and varied on air sound effects that identify, brand and market a particular
radio station.

2. These sound effects include : voiceover, music beds, sweepers,

breakers, intros, promos, liners, stingers, bumpers, shotguns, and jingles.

3. The total effect of these on -air elements create an overall sound design.

Brief understanding of the radio studio and transmission equipments:

Microphone

A microphone is a relatively simple device: you speak into it, and it picks up
sound and puts it out through a speaker. However, microphones have a
long, winding history both in and out of radio station studios.

Types of microphones-

There are three types of microphones: condenser,

dynamic,carbon and ribbon. You can find all of these mics in
radio broadcasting, but they all had individual qualities

Dynamic
Dynamic microphones are the most recognizable type of microphones: they
are the handheld models used by singers on stage. In a radio studio, they
would most likely be used in the event that a band played a song in the
studio. Or, if a reporter went out into the field for a news report, he would
use the dynamic mic because of its portability.

Capacitor/Condensor

One of the oldest types of microphones is the capacitor (also known as

condensor) microphone. These are the microphones that come to mind
when thinking of a radio studio: the DJ talks into the microphone that is
being held by a long arm-like contraption. Capacitor microphones are good
for quiet settings, which is why they are the most commonly used
microphones in radio studios. They are generally more efficient, but also
more
expensive than dynamic mics.

Carbon

The carbon microphone conjures up images of old jazz joints, with the
singer belting a song into the big, silver metal mic. You may also recognize
carbon mics as the microphones that are lowered from the ceiling to the
man standing in the middle of a boxing ring, waiting to announce the
participants. Popular in radio stations during the early 20th century,
technology surpassed the carbon mic and has made it mostly obsolete,
despite its classic look.

Ribbon

Ribbon microphones have a very similar look to capacitor mics, and are
just as old. Very popular with radio stations in the 1920s and 1930s (where
they replaced carbon mics), ribbon mics are a type of velocity microphone.
They are directional in nature, meaning that you must point them towards
the sound you are hoping to pick up. Early models were very frail, but
newer technology has helped their durability.

Electret
Electret mics are a type of capacitor microphone. They are much smaller
than their capacitor counterparts, and are a bit cheaper. Because of their
lower-quality sound, they haven't had much popularity with radio stations,
as many stations have opted to spend a little extra for the better technology
of the capacitor mic.

What Is an Amplifier?
An electronic amplifier is a device that is used to increase the
power, current, or voltage of a signal. Amplifiers are used in
music equipment, electronic devices such as television and radio
receivers, audio equipment, and computers to increase

How Does an Amplifier Work?

Amplifiers work by increasing a small input signal to deliver a larger output

signal. Amps in audio equipment take tiny electrical signals that contain
musical frequencies and amplitudes and increase their strength. When
talking about power amps, this increases the power enough to drive
speakers back and forth to generate air pressure variations, also called
waves.

What is the role of the amplifier in the radio receiving system?

The receiver uses electronic filters to separate the desired radio

frequency signal from all the other signals picked up by the
antenna, an electronic amplifier to increase the power of the
signal for further processing, and finally recovers the
desired information through demodulation.

Sound Mixer

What is a sound mixer used for?

A sound mixer can also be known as a mixing console or more

commonly as an audio mixer. This is an electronic device used for
mixing, balancing and combining different sounds and
audio signals, sources like microphones, instruments, and
synthesizers

How is sound mixer necessary for radio programming?

A mixing console is an essential purchase on the road to build
a Radio Studio. The Audio Mixer Console is often call mixing desk
or broadcasting desk. The audio console is the heart of the studio;
it's used to control anything that the listeners hear on air. There is
an input for every channel
 Depending on the type , a mixer is able to control analog or
digital signals

What is a speaker in radio?

An electronic speaker is a device that produces sound waves
based on the electrical signals it receives. ... Speakers used for
radio communication are generally not two-way, meaning that
speakers are used along with a microphone

How do speakers work?

They work by running electricity through a voice coil, causing it to move a

cone-shaped diaphragm attached to it. The diaphragm pushes against the
air, producing sound waves in the pattern of the electrical signal. Speakers
used for radio communication are generally not two-way, meaning that
speakers are used along with a microphone.

Audio recording-:
1. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog
recording and digital recording
2. This lets the audio data to be stored and transmitted by a wider variety of
media
3. For talk shows a producer or assistant in a control room runs the show,
including screening calls and entering the callers names and subject into a
queue, which the show’s host can see and make a proper inttroduction
4. Digital recording stores audio as a series of binary numbers (zero’s and
ones) representing samples of amplitude of the audio signal at equal time
intervals, at a sample rate high enough to convey all sounds capable of
being heard.