I want to work in radio, how can I do it? Some tips

Radio Gosh 1992
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children
now Radio Lollipop

In my case my radio career began, as have many others, at a hospital radio studio. For me this particular radio is exceptionally special and is located in quite possibly the most famous children's hospitals in the world. It is here where my passion was realised and the bigger dream began. in those days we would gather records before each show, so quite literally take a pile of records in to the studio, the 'playlist' was created from our ward visits to the children in the hospital asking what was their favourite song and what they would most like to listen to on the radio right now. The experience was magical and I would thoroughly recommend it for anyone anytime.

The picture above is one that I took of a fellow volunteer radio presenter at Radio Gosh (Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children) and believe it or not there are radio stations in 2018 that still look like this!  Back in those days we used Reel to Reel, cartridges, vinyl records and CDs were becoming popular. In today's radio studio you are more likely to see something like this below...a lot less clutter and a few mouse clicks later you have a radio programme.

 Recently I received yet another email from someone who 'really wants to work on the radio,' this time a 41 year young male, someone who has worked for years in the Information Technology sector and wanting to fulfil an ambition to work in radio. I have lost count of the number of applications I have received over the years and yet the desire to work in radio is as alive as ever.

Having received this recent request for help I thought that it was probably about time for me to share some of my 20+years of radio experience.

The presenters view of the studio in the children's radio station. 

The glass component was the major challenge here and also crucial for the children's experience.

RCS Zetta layout system, fully integrated with GSelector music scheduling & Acquira traffic management.

Programme Directors around the world receive 'demos' every day of the week from people wanting to host the next big show on the radio and I have certainly received a lot over the years. 

One of my favourite demos was sent to me by someone who had no radio experience of any kind, was about to study radio as part of a media course but had not quite reached the radio section yet. In this instance I asked for demos to be a One Minute recording of your voice and to include :
1. Who you are.
2. What do you do
3,. Why should working on this particular station for children be exciting?

So the demo began with a ' My name is and blah blah blah.... and ended with a song! Twinkle Twinkle little star, and in this case they forgot the words to this very famous tune. So how on earth did that person end up hosting a daytime show on the middle east's first radio station for kids?
Well, it was all in the way that they realised the mistake, owned it, included it and then recovered to move on and complete the demo. The voice was exactly what I was looking for and it connected perfectly with the young audience we were hoping to engage and entertain. This voice belongs to 'Bunny' or Kate in the real world! And to date one of the best examples of YOU CAN DO IT.

I have to also give a special mention here to Chris Birks, one of the most talented and creative radio presenters on the world circuit today.  There are many others I would like to salute and thank and I am sure I will over time.


Most people who enquire about working on the radio are really looking to be a presenter and play some of my favourite artists and all that jazz. So many believe that the presenter plays the music of their own choosing , maybe launch a few musicians careers or be the next shock jock talk show host. What they don't realise is just how much work goes on behind the scenes to ensure that the radio station you are a part of is delivering the content that will engage your audience and in today's world of Choice Choice Choice the ability to keep your listener tuned in for as long as possible is becoming more and more of a major challenge.

Sir Richard Branson joins my team at Radio 2
we were awarded exclusive advertising rights for the launch of Virgin Atlantic  London-Dubai 

Being awarded exclusive rights for this launch event was the result of hundreds of hours of team work, creative meetings, relationship management with existing clients and an invitation to escort Sir Richard in Dubai.

Our son CJ, getting some practice in the very clean studio.

If you really want to get started in radio you will do whatever you can to do it. With so many recording devices on the market we have all become broadcasters in one way or another.
Your mobile phone is a good place to start as they all have an in built microphone to facilitate your voice calls. Take that one step further and pick one of the many apps used for messaging, whatsapp will do it. Press the microphone icon and record away.  You may want to invest in a studio quality microphone, one that comes with USB cable, can plug in to a laptop and .... you have a mobile recording studio ready to go. It is as simple as that. Podcasting will be big in 2018, perhaps YOU are the next podcaster.

If you are looking to contribute behind the scenes and work in production this is a massive part of the daily operation and key to the stations identity and ability to convert a client's request in to something  transports your audience to a magical place as you create pictures using sound. With so much emphasis on computing, coding and programming there should never be a shortage of potential production wizards working their magic.

Channel 4fm UAE 1997 making a big noise and a  tremendous success
Nik Martin, Steve Johnston, Jeff Price, Simon Timms, Dawn Lancely, Dave Crane, Rick Houghton & Dave Cleary
all have enjoyed continued success in various parts of the world.

This last photo is iconic and this team created Radio history in the Middle East.  These guys broke all the rules and took huge risks and its thanks to this team that the radio market in the Middle East opened up. Channel Fm introduced format radio, with personality, to the people of the UAE and beyond. The team's creativity brought excitement and a sense of identity and belonging to the listening public. A few years before this adventure began I stood with Dave Crane, on the rooftop of a rather nice hotel, where we would regularly get together put the world to rights and set our goals. Wow what an experience!

So what should you do next?

Reach out to someone you know works in the radio business. 

If you want to be a presenter the Programme Director/Editor/ Manager will want to hear your voice. 

DON'T - send a 30 minute recording of you talking about whatever you can think of.

DON'T - send a recording of you in a group of people when you feature after about a minute of everybody else talking... ( believe me I have heard it!) 

DO- send a short recording of you with a Clear and concise message. 

Speaking for 60 seconds is much more difficult than you think! Speaking for 60 seconds on television  ad lib is at least 10 times harder .

DO- be persistent. 

DON'T expect to start immediately. Sitting in the presenters chair is a massive responsibility and it is also a privilege. 

DO- take creative feedback. Listen to suggestions and be prepared to take the good with the bad.

Rejection and disappointment is just as much a part of the radio business as success and the good times.

There is so much more to it. Time though now for a break. Next time we'll highlight music scheduling and nuisance callers!