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Radio DJ

Expert Sources: Brandi Garcia Maxwell Wendy Wild
Last updated: Oct 7, 2021
Reads: 160,849

Career Overview

A Radio DJ plays music on-air, talks to listeners, and discusses current events, music, news, or other subjects on broadcast, internet, and satellite radio stations. They also interview artists, advertise sponsors, and work to promote their station to the general public.

Alternate Titles

Radio Host, On Air Personality, Radio Personality, DJ, Disc Jockey, Radio Announcer

Avg. Salary

$53,5801

Salary Range

$19K-$105K1

Career Description

Radio DJs entertain listeners and discuss news, music, or other topics of interest on breaks between songs. They work with Producers and Board Ops (Board Operators) who coordinate on-air interviews, mix and play the music, and sometimes screen calls. Other names for Radio DJs include Disc Jockey, Radio Host, and Radio Announcer.

Radio DJs used to be very influential in determining tastes in the music industry by choosing music for their shows. They had the power to break a fledgling act into the mainstream by playing their music on air. Now, most commercial radio stations use music playlists, which are selected by the Program Director based on market research instead of personal taste.

Except for Independent and College Radio DJs who curate all the music for their shows, today’s commercial DJs are focused more on storytelling, journalistic segments, talking about current events, interacting with listeners, and discussing music and celebrities than on choosing and playing music.

DJs must spend time preparing for their show at the station, checking trending topics on news, music charts, and social media, recording promotions and commercials for on-air, and scheduling their music and talk segments. A typical show lasts 3-5 hours, with breaks for weather and news, contests, concert or event promotions, and banter with listeners who call into the station.

There’s a certain amount of work involved with preparing the production for shows, both before and after the on-air shift. Some Satellite Radio DJs focus exclusively on interviews, politics, or talk radio. Music-oriented Radio DJs may be expected to attend concerts and music industry events as a representative of their station.

To learn more about the day-to-day of Radio DJs and how to get a foot in the door in the radio industry, we talked to:

  • Brandi Garcia (98.5 The Beat, KDAY 93.5)
  • Maxwell (Z100, WNCI 97.9, Nick Radio)
  • Wendy Wild (103.5 KTU, Y100.1, My 99.5, Totally 93.9)

How do you become a Radio DJ?

Maxwell (Z100, WNCI 97.9, Nick Radio)

I would encourage anyone reading this not to be afraid to reach out to the radio station team, management, or even the local DJ, because interning is a really good gateway into the industry. It gets you that in-studio experience. Maybe it’s with a promotions or marketing team that’s looking for assistance within the radio station.

I think a lot of people get scared and think it’s unattainable when really it’s as simple as reaching out and seeing if there’s an internship program. Then you get the chance to learn while you’re on the job. You get the chance to observe; to be in the studio. So just reach out!

As a matter of fact, I’ve had several of my Interns, if not a vast majority of them over the years that I’ve been in radio, hit me up on social media. They just slid into my DMs on Instagram. I had some Interns back in the day who were sending me messages on MySpace. They got the opportunity to be in the studio and get involved.

That’s the gateway: look for an internship program. Some of those schools that offer broadcast journalism offer the opportunity to learn in a controlled environment. They also place a lot of their students into internship programs, or based off their curriculum and connections with radio in a particular city or market, they might find job opportunities.

You just have to be bold enough and brave enough to take that chance and hit up your favorite DJ or do some research on the station’s website and find the Program Director, and just go for it. It’s very doable.

Wendy Wild (103.5 KTU, Y100.1, My 99.5, Totally 93.9)

I certainly recommend majoring in communications in college! I personally started off stalking my local radio station as a kid in high school, using AOL to network before I even knew what networking was. I landed an internship right out of high school, but these days colleges will help place you in them.

Internships are of the utmost importance: not only do you use your time to learn on the job, but you will most likely be considered for a paid position if one opens up! Plus, many of them you will get college credit for (or might be paid internships!) Use your time wisely and network.

Brandi Garcia (98.5 The Beat, KDAY 93.5)

The #1 most important thing is [to] get your foot in the door, no matter how you can. If it’s in a cluster [a group of radio stations owned by one company], you can maneuver around eventually, you just have to prove yourself. Don’t complain. Do anything that is asked of you and hang around.

Go to all the smaller surrounding markets, [where] you can get actual hands-on experience. Put together a resume and go look up every station in the surrounding area and submit to any Intern or part-time job in the general area. Get in there and start doing anything and everything.

Get an internship or start working part-time at any station you can, whether it be in promotions or on the street team or Board Ops. Whoever hangs around the longest, that is willing to work on the holidays, you’ll eventually get a chance.

Try to find one person to take you under their wing. Eventually, let them know your aspirations, but take all your work seriously. If you do your job well, people have no choice but to respect you.


What skills do you need to be a Radio DJ?

Wendy Wild (103.5 KTU, Y100.1, My 99.5, Totally 93.9)

Well, language skills for one. It helps to be tech-savvy since you would be using a board and a whole bunch of computers and programs. These days, social media rules the world, so it helps to learn about how to optimize your show by incorporating social media and vice versa.

Maxwell (Z100, WNCI 97.9, Nick Radio)

You need to know just about everything–at least a little about everything. Especially in a Top 40, pop culture world. It varies between genres. People that are on classic rock stations or adult contemporary stations don’t necessarily need to be tapped in on TikTok and Instagram as much as I need to be.

More than anything, you need to be connected with who you are and be comfortable in your own skin. As soon as you crack the mic and you’re talking to literally millions of people—and in an instance like mine on Z100, there are people from all over the globe who are listening to me—if you pretend to be someone you’re not, people are going to read right through that inauthenticity.

The more comfortable you are with owning who you are, the better you’re going to be. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about what’s going on with Justin and his wife, or Ariana Grande’s new music video for the remix of “34+35”. I can only speak about things from my perspective, and if I try to pretend like I’m interested in something when I’m not, people are going to pick up on that.

So aside from all the technical things that you need to know, the biggest thing is to just own who you are. Be comfortable. Whether it’s quirky, intelligent, poignant: just be you.

[With regard to the technical side,] we have a big mixing board that’s full of sliders which are what we call “pots.” They slide up and down and control your mic level.

The computer programs vary depending on what radio station or company you work for. The program that we use here at iHeartRadio and at Z100 is a control room computer program called NexGen. Pretty simple. It displays a playlist almost like it would on an app such as Spotify or Apple Music. It’s like a big computer screen with songs loaded onto it. It plays one song after the next, only we have a little bit more control over when to stop and start the music.

There’s another program that we use in the studio called VoxPro, and that’s like an audio recording, shortcut recording, and editing software. Whenever phone calls come through, I record them in VoxPro and edit them. That way it prevents me from putting somebody on the radio that’s gonna drop a big old curse word or say something stupid. It allows me to edit things to make them a bit more timely.

Whereas with the morning show, they take live phone calls because they actually have Phone Screeners and Operators to take the calls prior to putting them on air. There’s an extra level of protection and security before that person makes it onto a live radio program.

So if you were going to call Ryan Seacrest on his morning radio show, before you get to Ryan Seacrest, you’re probably going to hit an Intern who’s going to pass you over to the Phone Operator, who’s going to coach you on what you’re going to say before Ryan Seacrest picks up the phone live on the radio.

That’s the interesting part about morning radio and night radio. I don’t have that luxury; I utilize the software that we have around here.

And last but not least, I use other editing software when I’m doing things like recording video. I use Adobe Premiere and Photoshop when I’m doing stuff for our website or stuff for social media.

Brandi Garcia (98.5 The Beat, KDAY 93.5)

What’s cool about it is it’s not a career with certain prerequisites.

You have to be proficient at social media, have a certain level of web knowledge.

Take a speech class. It helped me tremendously when I was in college.

[Working as a DJ is good for] anyone who likes to talk with, entertain, and joke with people and genuinely loves the music. I love making people’s days better. You can be a positive, uplifting force for them. If you are a boring person with no opinion, do not apply.


What does a Radio DJ do?

Maxwell (Z100, WNCI 97.9, Nick Radio)

I’m the guy that entertains in between your favorite songs when you’re listening to the radio. Being on a Top 40 radio station, we’re playing the most popular music out there, so it’s my goal to keep people connected between their favorite songs, and to orchestrate things like interviews, promotions, and giveaways. That’s what I do as far as an on-air Radio DJ.

But the job has evolved into a kind of all-encompassing content creator role over the years. We’re tasked with making sure that we’re staying relevant on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

Wendy Wild (103.5 KTU, Y100.1, My 99.5, Totally 93.9)

A Radio DJ is someone who not only plays music and talks between/over songs, but someone who feels like (and is) a friend to their listeners. Someone who is relatable, stays on top of the news and pop culture, but also understands the grind of everyday life…commuting, binging shows, relationships, things happening locally, etc.

The most challenging part (if you’re on a music station) is finding a way to weave in what you have to say in a limited amount of time and still have it all make sense.

Brandi Garcia (98.5 The Beat, KDAY 93.5)

Show prep. Scouring the internet, checking out celebrity birthdays, current news, and what people are talking about. Looking at social media to see what’s trending, what events we’re promoting in-house so you can place your breaks and what you’re going to talk about next.

After the shift, it’s production work, helping my P.D. schedule music, and setting up for the next day. Seeing if there are any commercials or promos to record. It’s always fun and different every day.

For hip-hop, in particular, you have to live the lifestyle. It’s all about the music, the attitude, the style, going to different events…it’s a whole feel to it. I go to a lot of the shows and different events our listeners go to. You have to be part of the community, not just show up to do your shift and go home.

Salary

While it might seem like an attractive job to play music and get paid for it, a high salary isn’t the big draw in radio. Most positions are relatively low-paying with about half of Radio DJs earning about $35,000 annually or less. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for a Radio DJ is approximately $53,600. Salaries for Radio DJs range from about $19,300 to $105,200. When you’re just starting out you could earn quite a bit less than the average.

Despite the salary being on the low side when starting out, Radio DJs report very high job satisfaction, meaning they are generally quite happy in their careers. It makes sense, since music causes the brain to release dopamine, the “feel-good” neurochemical associated with the experience of pleasure. Therefore, it’s not surprising that most Radio DJs are happy in their work.

It’s a fact that the most well-known DJs at top stations make more than everyone else, especially if they are hosting the morning drive-time show. This means that the overnight DJ earnings will likely be at the lower end of the pay spectrum. DJs with the highest name recognition can always earn a decent living. The reality is that the people at the top stations in top markets can earn high salaries, while everyone else earns a lot less.

How much do Radio DJs get paid?

Wendy Wild (103.5 KTU, Y100.1, My 99.5, Totally 93.9)

This is where it varies. Likely your first radio job will be in a small market and you won’t be on the high end of that scale. My first radio job paid about $27,000 a year, but I supplemented that by also working in the office as a Receptionist. I worked my way up from there.

Radio DJs in large markets can make upwards of $100,000+, plus endorsements and talent fees.

Maxwell (Z100, WNCI 97.9, Nick Radio)

There’s a spectrum. As a Radio DJ at the number one radio station in America, I will be compensated differently to someone doing the same job, unfortunately, in a city like Sioux Falls or Albuquerque, New Mexico.

I like to use this analogy when I talk to friends and students: it’s like a professional sport in the sense that I’m lucky enough to have made it to play for the New York Yankees of radio. Z100 is that brand. That doesn’t mean that a person who plays for the San Diego Padres is any less important to the industry. They just might not be with the biggest media brand or the biggest sports team in the world.

So, there is a scale, but the thing is, it’s like any other full-time job. You’ll be compensated. I’ve worked and been able to be in radio in various markets across the country. Money was never my driving factor. But I always made enough to survive no matter where I was. No one was shortchanging me.

The reason I did it was because I loved the connection I was able to make with the listeners through music. It’s a passion of mine, and if you’re leading with that type of mindset and that type of heart, you’re gonna be okay. You’ll get those big bucks when you’re supposed to get those big bucks. I’m still chasing some more of those big bucks!

My morning show guy makes significantly more than I do. And he’s doing the same exact thing that I’m doing. But he’s also a guy who’s been in radio for 40 years. He’s a true professional. He’s the Tom Brady of the industry. Hats off to Elvis Duran.

It’s definitely possible to make a living doing this. But again, it’s just like any other career: if that’s the reason you’re trying to get into something, to be rich and famous, you’re in it for the wrong reason. No matter if you’re a goat herder or you’re trying to be Ryan Seacrest.

As much money as that dude makes, he doesn’t do it for the money. He does it because he’s a genuine pop culture fanatic. I know it. I’ve been with him. I’ve sat next to him. That dude does not stop.

So don’t lead with that in your heart and you’ll be okay. But just know that you’re not gonna go broke, your rent’s gonna get paid, and there’s gonna be food on your table. I promise you that much.

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Career Outlook

There are some negative trends in radio causing the job outlook to be less than rosy. Due to the consolidation of radio and TV announcing and the use of syndicated programming, there is likely to be a decrease in the number of local Radio DJ positions over the next years. This makes it harder for young DJs to break into local radio. However, there is likely to be a stronger demand in larger markets that produce recorded content for broadcast to the rest of the world.

Increasing use of recorded segments might also reduce the demand for On-air DJs for terrestrial radio stations. A DJ can record multiple segments in advance which could then be used for future shows. These trends could always change. When some local Radio DJs leave to serve larger markets, it can open up slots for local DJs starting out in their careers.

Career Path

Most DJs start off working at a college or independent radio station before looking for a paid job at a commercial station. They might work part-time or full-time, working an overnight shift or during the morning or afternoon. Many work their way up the management chain to become a Music Director or a Program Director. Some Radio DJs transition to television or become well-known as On-air Personalities or Radio Hosts.

Radio DJs work for broadcast, satellite, and internet radio stations. Aspiring Radio DJs gain early industry experience volunteering for college or independent radio stations and might then complete an internship at a major station. Some DJs also create and distribute their own podcasts.

There’s a variety of paths leading to experience and the connections needed to get a job in the industry. While there isn’t one certain way, aspiring DJs prepare and learn by practicing their skills and also need to spend time developing their professional networking and self-marketing abilities.

Local Radio DJs working on terrestrial radio must organize their lives and work around their shift times. DJs working during morning drive time must get up early and are finished by early afternoon, while DJs doing the overnight shift become creatures of the night. Satellite and Internet DJs usually have more flexibility about when and where they work.

Experience & Skills

Professional skills for Radio DJs breaking into the business include having broad musical knowledge and a basic understanding of recording and broadcasting equipment. It’s helpful to have experience with public speaking and be excellent at verbal communication. They should also stay up to date with the latest news, trends, and viral content, and be able to multitask. Because they are being broadcast live, Radio DJs need to be able to think on their feet and remain calm under pressure.

Having an outgoing personality, a sense of humor, and the ability to keep talking even when things go wrong or there is breaking news, are useful attributes for the On-air Radio DJ. They should have good interpersonal skills and be able to engage with listeners on the fly. Besides playing music, Radio DJs need to announce songs and give other information related to the songs, such as concert dates for an artist or how a song is doing in the charts.

DJs could be expected to talk about other things, too. For example, they might read local or national news stories, weather forecasts, and traffic updates on the air. They could be responsible for taking calls and talking on-air to listeners. They might conduct interviews between songs. They typically spend time when not on the air doing research into topics they will discuss on their show. Sometimes they write scripts and also schedule the music to be played for upcoming shifts.

As Radio DJs often become local celebrities, the job could include public appearances. They may be invited to special events and be asked to emcee at festivals or charity fundraisers. They might also be asked to read advertisements for station sponsors and advertisers.

Education & Training

There are no specific educational requirements to become a Radio DJ, although a station might look for a DJ with a degree for a specific kind of show. Some aspiring DJs attend classes to learn the technical aspects of the job, while others may have developed sufficient knowledge in this area from a young age, for example as musicians or in audio engineering.

The educational requirements vary by station. A passion for music and some knowledge of the industry plus a high school diploma might be enough for some stations. For example, if you’ve used DJ equipment on music gigs you’ve done, had some public speaking experience, and know about music, the station might see that as sufficient background starting out. Other stations might want their DJs to have degrees in broadcasting, journalism, or communications.

What education do you need to be a Radio DJ?

Maxwell (Z100, WNCI 97.9, Nick Radio)

I went to school and studied speech communication—public speaking, that kind of a thing. For me, it definitely helped because I learned a lot of different techniques, a lot of persuasive techniques, and it helped me sharpen my public speaking skills.

You don’t necessarily have to go to broadcast journalism school in order to be a Radio DJ. It helps, but it’s not necessary. It helps because they’re going to teach you some of the basics of radio; the things I do on a daily basis. But this is a hands-on industry. You’ve got to dive in there and just do it.

It’s going to help if you know how to operate stuff, but it depends on which radio station you work for because the DJ software differs. If you go to school and learn how to utilize one particular brand of software and then get hired by a radio station that doesn’t utilize it, all that’s out the window.

I didn’t necessarily study with the goal of working in radio when I went to school. I was just a guy who was no good at doing math and engineering and needed to find a different major. Then I got involved and dove in headfirst. I was put in the studio and was taught by my industry peers: “This is how things work. Go for it. Be yourself. Have fun.”

I was lucky enough to be able to hone my skills and screw up every once in a while and press the wrong button from time to time. But you learn by doing.

Wendy Wild (103.5 KTU, Y100.1, My 99.5, Totally 93.9)

It varies from company to company, but most prefer some sort of degree. In this profession, experience is key–and college will help you with that experience. Look for one that has a radio station on campus.

Brandi Garcia (98.5 The Beat, KDAY 93.5)

The best training in my personal experience is hands-on. Just get your foot in the door.

I feel people waste a lot of time by taking on-air classes. [However] if it’s a school that specializes in it and has a job placement program, I’d lean more towards it.

FAQ

Do you have anything else you want aspiring Radio DJs to know?

Maxwell (Z100, WNCI 97.9, Nick Radio)

I would say the biggest thing is what I mentioned earlier: be the best you that you can be. I know it sounds cliché and cheesy, but authenticity is truly what fuels this industry. People who turn to a medium like radio looking to be entertained aren’t looking to be entertained by an imposter. They want that person’s real self. They’re gonna stick with you and become a fan of you because you are who you are.

So the moment that anyone tries to be like me, Maxwell, it’s not gonna happen. You haven’t walked in my shoes. It’s okay to emulate, and it’s okay to take some of the things that, hopefully, I do well. But be your best self.

There have been plenty of times throughout the course of my career as an African-American male that I’ve had a lot of people think that I needed to be on a hip-hop station or working in urban radio. But I’m a guy from San Diego, California–one of the most diverse cities in the world. I grew up around so many different cultures. Pop culture was something that I loved.

I was just the best me that I could be, and it led to me being on the biggest pop radio station in America, despite what I may have heard along the way or what people may have thought that I should be doing. So be true to yourself. Have fun with it. Every time I say this, it sounds so cheesy but that’s just what it is.

I’ve seen a lot of people try to be like somebody else. A lot of people try to be like Howard Stern. A lot of people try to be like Charlamagne tha God. Those are the people that never, ever, ever, make it. And it’s exhausting too! I’ve seen it wear down so many people.

brandi_garcia
Brandi Garcia

Brandi Garcia is a DJ at 98.5 The Beat in San Antonio.

Although born in Michigan, Garcia got her start in Tallahassee, FL, where she first worked as an Intern at a local radio station while still in high school. While attending Florida State University, she simultaneously worked at her college radio station and a local hip-hop station. Her first full-time on-air gig was doing middays at Huntsville, AL station Power 93.3.

She also started making mixtapes and DJing concerts and events. From there she moved to Houston’s 97.9 The Box, where she opened up for Drake, Ludacris, Jay-Z and 50 Cent. She also hosted her own entertainment show on an NBC affiliate, and received the Justo award for “Best Female Mixtape DJ.” From Houston, she moved to Hollywood, where Garcia became the weekday mid-day on-air personality and Music Director at LA classic hip-hop station KDAY.

Her career has been profiled and mentioned by AdWeek, Houston Press, Red Bull, Lala’s World, AXS Live, OC Register, Resident Advisor, Road to the Riches, Business Wire, and Essince.

Z100 DJ Maxwell
Maxwell

You can catch Maxwell on the world-famous Z100 in New York, weeknights from 6-10pm and on iHeartRadio’s heritage Top 40 radio station, WNCI 97.9 in Columbus, Ohio. He is also heard on over 180 radio stations across the globe on the syndicated “Most Requested Live, with Romeo” show as the premiere guest interviewer. Conducting interviews with stars like Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, and more, he has proven to be one of the most sought after in the industry. A true friend of the stars. Teaming up with Nick Cannon on the “TeenNick Top 10 Countdown”, Maxwell has acted as co-host for the television show and also entertains on Nick Radio, Nickelodeon’s go-to for “All The Hits & All The Slime!”

A hybrid radio personality and pop culture correspondent, Maxwell has the unique ability to extract personal truths from the most celebrated artists in music and entertainment today. His conversational interview style coupled with the demeanor of a veteran journalist creates a genuine exchange that both informs and entertains audiences worldwide.

DJ Wendy Wild
Wendy Wild

Wendy first fell in love with radio as a pre-teen, listening in awe of her radio idols. Despite being shy, she knew that this is what she wanted to do. Her first internship was at her local radio station at 17 years-old, while simultaneously working as an ice rink DJ.

Working her way through the ranks, Wendy eventually found her way to her dream job, hosting, entertaining and connecting with listeners during the workday hours.

Currently heard middays on 103.5 KTU, ‘The Beat of NY’ Wendy also lends her voice to Y100.1 in Southwest Florida, My 99.5 in Salt Lake City, and Totally 93.9 in Miami. In addition, Wendy’s ‘What’s Up With Wendy’ segment airs weekends on The Weekend Throwdown with Jagger, a nationally syndicated program with approximately 35 affiliates and counting. She provides various voice-overs for commercials, promos, and programs such as The Weekend Top 30 Countdown.

In the past, she has also been heard on Mix 106.1 in Philadelphia, Nick Radio on iHeartRadio, The All New 95.1 in Albuquerque, NM, 93-1 The Party in Las Vegas, 95-5 The Bull in Las Vegas, New Haven’s legendary KC101, and the world-famous Z100 in New York City.

In addition to her busy radio career, Wendy is also a co-host/producer of the Tales Over Cocktails podcast and the newly launched Give Our Take podcast, which she created to focus on current events, politics and ways we can all make positive change.

While not on the air or podcasting, Wendy has been called a “collector of hobbies” and loves to learn new skills. With a gymnastics background, she has experience in aerial arts (flying trapeze, aerial silks, and static trapeze), but these days mostly enjoys creating content for social media and brand partnerships. She’s used time during quarantine to fine-tune her photography skills and video/photo editing using programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and Premiere.

The name “Wild” may be a little misleading, as Wendy is more of a homebody who would much prefer binging Star Trek Next Generation, or taking pictures of a sunset, but the name was a gift given at the start of her career and it stuck.

  1. 1US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys". Division of Occupational Employment Statistics. published: March 31, 2020. retrieved on: June 23, 2020
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