24 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
A day often starts by checking schedules and emails in Microsoft Outlook, then logging program details in the station log (paper or Excel). You’ll pick music, read news flashes, check traffic/weather, and prepare scripts in Microsoft Word.
During the show you operate the control console and software (Dalet Media Life or Avid), announce songs, ad-lib, interview guests (Zoom or phone), and log everything. Afternoons can mean recording commercials in Adobe Audition or VoxPro, finding guests, and planning tomorrow’s show.
You’ll use Dalet Media Life or Avid to run audio, schedule shows, and store recorded material; Burli Newsroom to receive and edit news content; and Adobe Audition or VoxPro for recording and editing promos and commercials.
Microsoft Word and PowerPoint are for scripts and show ideas; Excel for program logs and music library lists; Outlook for scheduling guests. Zoom is used for remote interviews or panels.
Study background info on the guest first—use notes in Word or printouts. Write a short script with a clear intro, three flexible questions, and an off-ramp (how to end). Keep a copy visible while operating the console so you can glance down.
Use Zoom or phone to connect, test audio beforehand in Audition or VoxPro if remote, and expect to ad‑lib. If a guest goes off-track, steer back with your planned question or a soft transition line you practiced.
AI can draft scripts, suggest show topics, or summarize research for guests. Use it to create a first draft in Word or to generate question ideas—but always fact-check news or quotes using Burli Newsroom or a reliable source before going on air.
Do not let AI write live news flashes without human review. Avoid using AI to fabricate listener comments or pretend a real guest said something; that can break station rules and legal standards.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 21,240 radio and television announcers employed and the median pay was $47,340 per year. The lowest 10 percent earned about $28,190, and the highest 10 percent about $138,440, per BLS data.
Pay varies by market size, station budget, experience, and whether you host the morning drive or a specialty show that brings sponsorships.
Radio jockeys work live to a broadcast schedule, operate console software (Dalet, Avid), and must log content in Excel or station logs. You regularly read news flashes, handle call-ins, and do on‑air promotions tied to the station identity.
Podcasters edit shows offline in Audition and control publishing; they don’t usually follow live FCC-style rules or maintain continuous program logs. TV hosts rely on visuals and studio cameras; radio focuses solely on sound and often uses callers and music beds.
Learn to write and edit tight scripts in Microsoft Word and to ad‑lib smoothly. Good scripts keep shows on time, clear, and legal; ad‑libbing saves you when guests or callers surprise you.
Practice using Adobe Audition or VoxPro to record and clean audio so your voice sounds professional on air. Those two skills—clear scripting and clean audio—make most stations take you seriously quickly.