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Radio Broadcasting

What is radio broadcasting?

Where can one get trained or where are these courses available?

What is the eligibility criterion?

What is the scope of this career?

What is radio broadcasting?

Broadcasting forms a very large segment of the mass media.

Radio stations and networks; broadcast a variety of programs, such as national and local news, talk shows, music programs, movies, other entertainment, and advertisements.

Stations produce some of these programs, most notably news programs, in their own studios; however, much of the programming is done outside the broadcasting industry.

Occupations at large broadcast stations and networks fall into five general categories: Program production, news related, technical, sales, and general administration.

Nowadays with cut throat competition in the broadcast field, emphasis is laid on research also, for news related programs and social issues.

Where can one get trained or where are these courses available?

Listed below are a few institutions offering courses in radio broadcasting. However, this information is subject to change, owing to institutions policy.

1. Course Name: Post-Graduate Diploma Course Radio and Television Journalism

Institute: Indian Institute Of Mass Communication

Eligibility:

• Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university.
• Those who have appeared /are appearing at the degree examinations are also eligible to apply.

Duration: One Year

Course Fees: Varies from Rupees 27,000/- to Rupees 40,000/- *(subject to change)

More Information: Candidates are selected through All-India Entrance Examination and personal interview.

Contact details: Indian Institute of Mass Communication
JNU New Campus
Aruna Asaf Ali Road
New Delhi 110067
Phone No: +91-11- 26171360

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2. Course Name: Sound Recording and Radio Techniques

Institute: Asian Academy of Film and Television

Eligibility: Higher Secondary School Certificate (10 + 2); Or relevant work experience.

Duration: 3 months (the next session will begin in January 2006)

Course Fees : Rupees 43,000/- *(subject to change)

Contact details: Asian Academy of Film and TV
Marwah Studios Complex
FC-14/15, Film City, Sector-16A
Noida 201301
Uttar Pradesh
Phone: +91-120-2515254, 2515255, 2515256
Fax: +91-120-2515246

3. Course Name: B.A. in Radio and Television

Institute: Asian Academy of Film and Television

Eligibility: Higher Secondary School Certificate (10 + 2); Or relevant work experience.

Duration: 3 years

Contact details: Asian Academy of Film and TV
Marwah Studios Complex
FC-14/15, Film City, Sector-16A
Noida 201301
Uttar Pradesh
Phone: +91-120-2515254, 2515255, 2515256
Fax: +91-120-2515246

4. Course Name: M.A in Radio and Television

Institute: Asian Academy of Film and Television

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university.

Duration: 2 years

More Information: The institute provides hostel facility to women candidates.

Contact details: Asian Academy of Film and TV
Marwah Studios Complex
FC-14/15, Film City, Sector-16A
Noida 201301
Uttar Pradesh
Phone: +91-120-2515254, 2515255, 2515256
Fax: +91-120-2515246

5. Course Name: Postgraduate Diploma in Radio Prasaran (PGDRP)

Institute: IGNOU

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised
university.

Duration: The programme can be completed in a minimum period of one year and maximum in four years.

More information: The programme has been developed in collaboration with Prasar Bharati (AIR) and is offered in Hindi.

Contact details: Indira Gandhi National open University
Maidan Garhi
New Delhi 110068
Phone: +91-11-26868450
E-mail: pgdapp@ignou.ac.in
Website: http://www.ignou.ac.in

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6. Course Name: Post Graduate Diploma in Audio Programme Production (PGDAPP)

Institute: School of Continuing Education - IGNOU

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university.

Duration: The programme can be completed in a minimum period of one year and maximum in four years. However, the practical have to be completed in the first year of enrolment itself.

Contact details: School of Continuing Education
Electronic Media Production Centre
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Maidan Garhi
New Delhi 110068
Phone: +91-11-26868450
E-mail: pgdapp@ignou.ac.in
Website: http://www.ignou.ac.in

7. Course Name: Certificate in Voicing, Certificate in News Reading, Certificate in Anchoring, Certificate in Direction, Certificate in Script Writing

Institute: School of Broadcasting and Communication

Eligibility: Higher Secondary School Certificate (10 + 2), or relevant work experience.

Duration: One month course (weekend classes).

More Information: The certificate courses for direction, news reading and script writing session will begin in 2006.

Contact details: School Of Broadcasting and Communication
Anolakshi Building
37, Gilbert Hills Road
Near Bhavans College
Andheri (West)
Mumbai 400058
Maharashtra
Phone: +91-22-26250608/26250609
Fax: +91-22-26250609
E-mail: info@sbc.ac.in

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What is the eligibility criterion?

Post Graduate Programme: 

• Graduate in any discipline from a recognised university.
• Those who have appeared /are appearing at the degree examinations are also eligible to apply.

Graduate Programme:

• Higher Secondary School Certificate (10 + 2). Or relevant work experience.

 Certificate Courses:

• Higher Secondary School Certificate (10 + 2). Or relevant work experience.

Note: Institutes like IIMC conducts admission of the Indian students to Post-graduate Diploma Courses on the basis of an All-India Entrance Examination and personal interview.

What is the scope of this career?

A trained radio broadcaster has the following opportunities.

Disk jockey/combo operator/announcer: A professional DJ, or air personality as some prefer to be called, is a professional talker, a performer, an on-air entertainer, capable of communicating wide variety of thoughts, emotions and ideas to listeners.

News reporter/Anchor: Unlike a print journalist, a radio newsperson must also be a performer. In addition to good writing and newsgathering skills, the newsperson in radio must also possess announcing abilities and be capable of presenting the story on air.

Talk radio host: Today, radio stations of all kinds have some form of radio talk or call in elements a regular part of their programming. Nevertheless, opportunities in talk radio are available for people with expertise in certain areas.

Voice-over artist: Trained voice over artists or, voice actors, are often used to do commercials, promotions, film narration, documentaries and much more.

Production engineer: As a production engineer at a radio station, your imagination is the only limit as you produce commercials, programs, public service announcements and much more. One works with music beds and sound effect libraries, multi-track mix boards and multiple format recording systems (this includes recording, editing, mixing and dubbing).

One can also work in 'broadcast journalism', 'script writing' in television and other broadcast media.

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First-hand account of this profession: a blind person's perspective

I, Jean Parker, completed my certificate course from the Institute for Progressive Communications, Costa Rica (1997) and also obtained a Master's degree in education from the University of Colorado, USA (1986).

Equipped with these degrees, I got a chance to join the advisory board, of "Radio for Peace International", in Costa Rica in 1995. They required producers and this set up for the beginning of my career in radio journalism. My educational background provided a profound base, to tackle and plan my career ahead.

I remember that getting information in accessible form was a challenge, especially in a breaking news situation. There were some technical obstacles too, which were posed by the computerised editing software. All of these things were doable but they demanded extra time and effort, to deal with. And this is what I exactly did. I devoted extra hours of work.

I did not stay away even from the field recordings that required some kind of work-around, as I strongly believe in the saying, "Where there is a will, there is a way"!

Adaptive technologies such as Computer screen reader and Braille were instrumental to my being able to work independently. Some times, depending on the assignment, I took sighted guidance also.

With such passion, Jean Parker continues to pursue this career. Assimilating all her knowledge and experience, she suggests that, in order to succeed in this profession; one must have a sense of curiosity about the world. Mentioned below are few tips for upcoming blind radio broadcasters.

• Learn Braille. This equips you to read aloud well from hard copy and/or paperless Braille, which is a must for doing narrative or voice work.
• Be creative and resourceful: because each day brings new challenges. 
• Use every technological advantage, but also realise when something is best addressed with a low or no-technology solution then let as is.
• Last but not the least; gather basic knowledge about events outside your areas of interest. It is very different to work as a music DJ compared to making documentaries or reporting breaking news, as the skills required for each of them are different. So identify the area you want to work and seek the skills required.

Parker has been in this forte of, "Radio Broadcasting" for the past ten years. She resides in Pune, India and works for news agencies in Europe and North America. To reach her, mail to: radioforever@gmail.com

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