radio jobs

Kaldorn

98fm today fm and newstalk are all advertising positions in their stations for future talent..i noticed that the 3 ads are nearly word for word on each site? i am wondering is this something that they are made to do by the broadcasting commision or something and if so is there actually any weight to these ads or are they compulsory?

alpha2zulu

Have Newstalk and Today FM got a separate website for jobs or something because I cant seem to come across the link.

i noticed that the 3 ads are nearly word for word on each site

Arent the three all basically owned by Dennis O'Brien which might expalin the similarities.

Kaldorn

http://www.todayfm.com/talent.aspx

brettmirl

http://www.dublins98.ie/competitions/radio-talent/

http://spin1038.com/talent/

http://www.spinsouthwest.com/join-the-team-at-spin/

djsupreme

I think the disclaimer at the end of all of them gives the answer. "This is a promotional offer - there may not be any immediate positions available".

This is obviously a group Communicorp effort to see what talent is out there. Whether they'll take many, or any, people on we'll have to wait and see. The fact that they state it's a promotional offer suggests to me that this is more about being seen to be doing something. Anyone remember the Foxy Jock competition on 98FM a few years back to find the next big female radio star in Dublin? Where is she now.......?

ConsiderThis

djsupreme wrote: »

I think the disclaimer at the end of all of them gives the answer. "This is a promotional offer - there may not be any immediate positions available".

This is obviously a group Communicorp effort to see what talent is out there. Whether they'll take many, or any, people on we'll have to wait and see. The fact that they state it's a promotional offer suggests to me that this is more about being seen to be doing something. Anyone remember the Foxy Jock competition on 98FM a few years back to find the next big female radio star in Dublin? Where is she now.......?

Of course we can't really be surprised that radio stations will try to promote themselves, and if someone with apparant talend did happen to send in a tape, I'm sure they wouldn't ignore it. For the stations, this type of promo seems to be win win.

L.Jenkins

Does anyone here actually work for a radio station! I volunteer for a community radio station here in Athlone and find it next to impossible to even get an interview for a radio station!

I do know of a radio station that had a talent search, found there winner and the price was a job for atleast 6 months but the winner hasnt been heard of since!

kraggy

How would one go about recording a demo? As in a radio programme demo? How would you record audio of your own voice without background noise and play songs as well?

Would it have to be done in a studio or could it be done at home?

The Muppet

djhunter30 wrote: »

Does anyone here actually work for a radio station! I volunteer for a community radio station here in Athlone and find it next to impossible to even get an interview for a radio station!

I do know of a radio station that had a talent search, found there winner and the price was a job for atleast 6 months but the winner hasnt been heard of since!

I do. I suggest you keep on trying and trying and offer to do anything they need answering phones\assisting on ob's etc etc to get your foot in the door. Get yourself noticed as being really interested and you will get your chance.

L.Jenkins

kraggy wrote: »

How would one go about recording a demo? As in a radio programme demo? How would you record audio of your own voice without background noise and play songs as well?

Would it have to be done in a studio or could it be done at home?

It could be done at home, but you would need silence! I do most of my promos and jingles at home!

kraggy

djhunter30 wrote: »

It could be done at home, but you would need silence! I do most of my promos and jingles at home!

What software do you use? Surely there would be background noise when using something like Audacity or the like?

And how would you switch from speech to playing tracks like on the radio?

Thanks.

L.Jenkins

You'll still get alittle bit of noise, like movement and so on! I use different software, like Audacity, Wavepad and Mixpad usually for recording, mixing and putting stuff together.

You could record vocals and use zulu as a mixing deck for music!

The Muppet

kraggy wrote: »

How would one go about recording a demo? As in a radio programme demo? How would you record audio of your own voice without background noise and play songs as well?

Would it have to be done in a studio or could it be done at home?

Whoever you give it to will be listening for content not quality. Keep the links snappy and interesting to the target audience of the station you wish to join, Keep it local and relevant. If including music use only the first and last few seconds of the track. Audacity should do all you need. The final demo should only be a few minutes duration.

More Music

kraggy wrote: »

How would one go about recording a demo? As in a radio programme demo? How would you record audio of your own voice without background noise and play songs as well?

Would it have to be done in a studio or could it be done at home?

You will need to learn the basics of audio editing before you apply for a job at a commercial station. Stations want people that can multi-task.

Being able to edit segments for your show, mixdown music sweeps, pre-record stuff and generally mucking in to help other people is a big plus for anybody.

As already said, a studio quality demo is not important. At the same time don't record a 64k MP3 demo either. Keep it short, 3 or 4 minutes is loads.

heybaby

The Muppit wrote: »

Whoever you give it to will be listening for content not quality. Keep the links snappy and interesting to the target audience of the station you wish to join, Keep it local and relevant. If including music use only the first and last few seconds of the track. Audacity should do all you need. The final demo should only be a few minutes duration.

Yes audacity is more than sufficient, a three minute demo will do the trick, no need to have it any longer than that, as your talent will be evident within the first 30 seconds. In a three minute demo you should have approx 8 links give or take. To echo the post above, only include a second of a song as you begin your link, same at the end of your link.

kraggy

More Music wrote: »

You will need to learn the basics of audio editing before you apply for a job at a commercial station. Stations want people that can multi-task.

Being able to edit segments for your show, mixdown music sweeps, pre-record stuff and generally mucking in to help other people is a big plus for anybody.

As already said, a studio quality demo is not important. At the same time don't record a 64k MP3 demo either. Keep it short, 3 or 4 minutes is loads.

Why would you need to be able to mix down? Does the music stations receive have to be converted or something?

eth0_

kraggy wrote: »

Why would you need to be able to mix down? Does the music stations receive have to be converted or something?

Well you need to be able to create stereo and mono audio if you're a radio producer!

For instance, if you are creating a show with vox pops, you'll need to down mix it so the interviewer is on the left stereo channel and the interviewee on the right. Or if you're working on a radio drama you might need to make a sound pan from left to right.

I think you're confused between compression and down mixing! Compression is editing songs so they all conform to the same level of 'loudness', as there is no uniform agreement of how loud recorded music must be. But in most radio stations (even community ones) they'll have a dynamic range compressor device which does this 'on the fly', live for each song/jingle/speech element.

Cunsiderthis

The Muppit wrote: »

Whoever you give it to will be listening for content not quality. Keep the links snappy and interesting to the target audience of the station you wish to join, Keep it local and relevant. If including music use only the first and last few seconds of the track. Audacity should do all you need. The final demo should only be a few minutes duration.

Keep it snappy? Terry Wogan or Gay Byrne never seemed to keep it "snappy" and seemed to get on ok.

If you want to do the old fashioned DJ spinning discs, then maybe keep it snappy is good advice.

I'd prefer you to be yourself, and try to engage with the listener.

The Muppet

Cunsiderthis wrote: »

Keep it snappy? Terry Wogan or Gay Byrne never seemed to keep it "snappy" and seemed to get on ok.

If you want to do the old fashioned DJ spinning discs, then maybe keep it snappy is good advice.

I'd prefer you to be yourself, and try to engage with the listener.

He's unlikely to be as polished as Wogan or Byrne now is he. Keep it snappy means don't waffle irrespective of what type of show you're presenting. We talking about radio presenting here not Dj ing.

leggo

Cunsiderthis wrote: »

Keep it snappy? Terry Wogan or Gay Byrne never seemed to keep it "snappy" and seemed to get on ok.

If you want to do the old fashioned DJ spinning discs, then maybe keep it snappy is good advice.

I'd prefer you to be yourself, and try to engage with the listener.

A standard link in commercial radio is 45 seconds long (give or take). It's also scripted a lot of the time. Not much wiggle room for self-expression there unfortunately.

Commercial radio doesn't care about you being yourself. They don't care about you. All they want is someone with a voice and personality that can keep people listening to their songs and, thus, ad breaks, promotions etc.

When you cut your teeth doing that (or reporting, newsreading, producing, making tea etc) only then will you get to actually get a shot to 'be yourself'.

You referenced two of the most experienced broadcasters in the British Isles as an example. Do you think they started out getting free reign in what they presented? Nope. They built up the opportunity to flex their muscles through delivering whatever the bosses wanted to perfection until they had cultivated a value to match their name. Only then did they get to 'be themselves'.

The Muppet

leggo wrote: »

A standard link in commercial radio is 45 seconds long (give or take). It's also scripted a lot of the time. Not much wiggle room for self-expression there unfortunately.

Commercial radio doesn't care about you being yourself. They don't care about you. All they want is someone with a voice and personality that can keep people listening to their songs and, thus, ad breaks, promotions etc.

When you cut your teeth doing that (or reporting, newsreading, producing, making tea etc) only then will you get to actually get a shot to 'be yourself'.

You referenced two of the most experienced broadcasters in the British Isles as an example. Do you think they started out getting free reign in what they presented? Nope. They built up the opportunity to flex their muscles through delivering whatever the bosses wanted to perfection until they had cultivated a value to match their name. Only then did they get to 'be themselves'.

Well put, Word economy FTW.:)