The BIGGEST Misconceptions in the Radio Industry

Some people believe on-air personalities just talk for a living (granted, we do), but there is still a lot more to radio than just talking.

There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes in a radio station. The day isn't over when an on-air personality is done with their air shift. What better way to show you the common beliefs about radio (and bust them), than having our intern Allison explain them (all from her point of view).

So Much More Goes Into a Radio Show!

A radio show takes a substantial amount of preparation that most people do not realize - myself included! Before I began interning for this awesome company, I never knew the type of planning and organization that went into each DJs show! Most of them spend a few hours just prepping for one show!

Personalities Can't Just Play Music From Anywhere.

What surprised me the most was that each station has its own demographic. For example: a Country Music station cannot play Meghan Trainor just because a listener wants to hear it. The song has to fit the theme of the station.

There is no endless supply of music.

While radio stations have a huge amount of music, they don't have every single song an artist sings. They have the current and most popular music, but they cannot just take music from anywhere (like off YouTube or online, or anything).

Traffic Doesn't Necessarily Mean "Traffic."

When someone mentions traffic, the first thing that comes to mind is the annoyance of sitting behind an endless stream of cars as you're trying to rush home from a hectic day at work. But, what I didn't know is that the term "traffic" also refers to an actual job in the radio business! And it has to do with commercials, not the roadways.

Personalities Don't Just "Talk."

An on-air personality takes on several jobs all at once. It's so much more than just turning on a microphone and calling it a day. Personalities write, do imaging, voice commercials, monitor the station's social media accounts, and so much more!

There's More Structure to Radio Than You Think!

Surprisingly, there are several rules and regulations that personalities must follow. They have numerous guidelines which are properly explained and organized. Some rules are pretty specific (like playing the legal ID at the top of the hour), and others are a little more vague (like when it's okay to talk about certain topics).

But, Every Rule Has an Exception....

Conversely, there are a few times when breaking a rule is okay. Radio is always in the grey scale. Nothing is quite just black and white.

I've been interning here since the beginning of June and I can't believe how much I've learned already! I know I have plenty more to learn and I am so excited to continue to expand my knowledge!

What Are Utica DJs Afraid Of?