Criteria to be a radio station DJ?

[Keith Blackstone]

Does anyone have any experience for what kind of requirements they ask of people before they get hired as a radio DJ?

No I'm not interested in doing that myself, but I'm wondering what process people like Ruben Toro, etc go thru to get hired...

[JMNYC]

from what I've heard, the best way to go about it is to get the sponsors for the show lined up FIRST. If you go to a station and say "listen, I have $5,000 worth of commercial sponsors lined up if I do a Saturday nights 12-2 slot" I bet someone will at least see you and hear what you have to say.

According to Wendy Williams' book, it helps if you learn how to suck a mean d!ck, too (hahaha).

[ August 16, 2003, 11:50 PM: Message edited by: JMNYC ]

[Tony Cano]

like all things in this business, i think it's a combination of talent, your willingess to work for none to little pay, who you know, and being at the right place at the right time.

tc

[DJ Timmy Richardson]

When you say dj, do you mean announcer or mixshow.

[Keith Blackstone]

mixshow, like Vic Money, Darry James, Ruben Toro, etc...

[Nege]

Originally posted by Keith Blackstone:
mixshow, like Vic Money, Darry James, Ruben Toro, etc... usually you have to go to the program director with a proposal.
and try and prove to them that your show will have listeners .
lining up sponsors is a good thing.

[nev m]

Make a demo tape/CD. For the demo you will be required to edit out the majority of the music they mainly to hear what your presence is like so edit all but the intro/outcue.

Make loads of copies, and repeatedly send them out to your chosen programme controlers, and then some more.

Eventually you'll get a result it took me two years until someone actually listened to the demo, and hired me.

[nev m]

Originally posted by Keith Blackstone:
mixshow, like Vic Money, Darry James, Ruben Toro, etc... Do mixshows in the U.S have to be presented by the D.J. If so two demos would be required.

[mdpm99]

Originally posted by nev m:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Keith Blackstone:
mixshow, like Vic Money, Darry James, Ruben Toro, etc... Do mixshows in the U.S have to be presented by the D.J. If so two demos would be required. </font>[/QUOTE]Greetings:

Did Pirate for awhile....and now a non-commercial station (not a wasteland like often commercial radio is) 1 hour -- midnight sat's and now working on another slot.

In all three situations the Loft parties carried the day for me as far as "getting connected."

My only criteria is to only speak (introduce myself & the call letters - 10 seconds) -- once in the beginning of show. My argument is that the Music came before the word.

Therefore the listener has the luxury of listening to 56 minutes of un-interrupted, non -- mixed and complete compositions of each and every recording. I encourage the listener to "hit" the record button -- as to be able to develop a music library for the home. Some of the material I have is quite rare.

Since I do not play a musical instrument and as my role is to present music thru recordings, ....I feel than I am making a contribution to the world of music.

d

[SiriusHouse]

Here, let me give you the truth.

Be prepared to work for spit, take orders from people who most likely know less than you and oh, a big one, anything you may have learned in schoool and broadcasting school [like ENUNCIATION... FORGET ABOUT IT]

[DJ76]

I'm getting from the title of your thread that you want to know what it takes to BE a radio station dj and not what it takes to GET a show... am I right?

To get a show, you need to know who's who.

To be a radio station dj, well, it depends of your style. I used to have a 1-hour show on the FM which then became 2-hours. I used to start a track, speak a bit 2 minutes in the show, announce what parties are happening, what we were about to play during the show, what new tracks of interest came out this week.... I guess you have to be on top of things, be innovative in your own way without having to reinvent the wheel and carry on. To keep your show, you definitely have to be involved in the station as well, not just come in - do your show - then leave: just like anything, be part of the 'family'.

peace
Alex

[sammyrock]

Keith you can start by going to a public access or commuity radio station,sisnce its for YOU(the commuity) they should have slots availiable to a seperate room that has an extra radio board where you sit in and practice on.I dont think its required to have a FCC licence anymore,unless your going into a main-stream radio station,but for a commuity radio station I dont think you need one.Here in Florida,its not a requirement.All you do is volunteer at the station and be there for fund raisers,clean up duties etc,and as soon as they post an open slot on the bulletin board,make a short proposel and give it to the Music Director of the station,by that time you should have enough hours and experiace to run the board on your own.Ive done that here in Tampa myself.Ok bro I hope this helps and good luck. smile.gif

[music]

just one word ,and i am very serious; politics. who you know, ass kissing and who you blow if you are no body.

however , if they know you are a good mixer, like some people , they aggravate with you less.

no money for hard work if you let them take advantage of you. you will be shocked to know who is not getting paid.

[GROOVE VICTIM]

I have some experience doing mix shows for Arizona St University's radio station. When I first started putting my weekly charts online back in '97, alot of people were interested in what I was playing. One guy in particular asked me to send some mixtapes out to him to be aired on his show at Arizona St. I had a pretty nice following afterwards and began to send mixes weekly. At the time, many people out there were not familiar with the stuff I was playing, alot of Deep House compared to Speed Garage, Break Beat, and Techno. It lasted for about 8 months but it was a nice experience.

Just be persistant and get your name out there!!!


Peace

[The Donger]

Originally posted by david mancuso:
Greetings:

Did Pirate for awhile....and now a non-commercial station (not a wasteland like often commercial radio is) 1 hour -- midnight sat's and now working on another slot.

In all three situations the Loft parties carried the day for me as far as "getting connected."

My only criteria is to only speak (introduce myself & the call letters - 10 seconds) -- once in the beginning of show. My argument is that the Music came before the word.

Therefore the listener has the luxury of listening to 56 minutes of un-interrupted, non -- mixed and complete compositions of each and every recording. I encourage the listener to "hit" the record button -- as to be able to develop a music library for the home. Some of the material I have is quite rare.

Since I do not play a musical instrument and as my role is to present music thru recordings, ....I feel than I am making a contribution to the world of music.

d What station? I definately want to tune in. Does your station reach Queens? Thx.

[mdpm99]

Tokyo

Shibuya FM 784 MHZ

[ August 18, 2003, 12:00 PM: Message edited by: david mancuso ]

[Jolyon]

Man I wish that station in tokyo broadcast over the net too...

[LEONARD REMIX RROY]

Originally posted by SiriusHouse:
Here, let me give you the truth.

Be prepared to work for spit, take orders from people who most likely know less than you and oh, a big one, anything you may have learned in schoool and broadcasting school [like ENUNCIATION... FORGET ABOUT IT] Sad but true...especially if the station is owned by Clear Channel graemlins/puke.gif
That is a major reason radio as we know it now sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ August 18, 2003, 05:05 PM: Message edited by: LEONARD REMIX RROY ]