Radio show host survival

Have you lost your on air radio presenting job due to cost cuts? Have you been laid off for now because there are simply not enough funds at the radio station? As professional radio presenting jobs become fewer by the day now is the time to start thinking about what you’d do if it all came to an end. Perhaps you’re getting into radio and concerned about the lack of jobs (compared to a decade ago) and wonder if there’ll be space for you in the radio industry?

One thing to remember is that we got into radio because we LOVE radio. Don’t tell the bosses… but most of us would do it for free because we simply love the buzz of being on the air, in a live studio, with real listeners and instant feedback. A fulfilling life is one where you can wake up in the morning and go to bed at night and look back at your day and say “I’m truly happy in what I’m doing”. Radio presenting is one of the few jobs that can help you to achieve that goal.

If you’re worried about the future of radio presenting, you’re not alone, take a look at the vacancies that appear today and you’ll notice there are less jobs around with more and more talented personalities applying for each position. Many radio hosts have lost their jobs due to budget cuts, downsizing and co-location of multiple radio stations. At the end of the day radio is a business and radio station management have to make tough decisions in order to keep the business running, making money and best serving the listeners – a tough task – and cuts need to be made whether you like it or not. The best attitude is to be prepared for that eventuality and have a back up plan or two.

Radio Show Host Survival Tips

If you’ve recently lost your radio gig then read on. I’ve put together a “Radio Show Host Survival” guide. In this guide, you will find ways to earn an income while looking for another job or one of these ideas may replace your income altogether. Here are a few ideas that you can get started on today:

1. Radio Commercial Voice Over

There are radio stations, production companies and places online that hire people to do voice overs for their commercials. If you’re a professional radio host it means you most likely have a great voice and these commercials should come naturally to you. You may need to loose that “DJ announcer” voice if you have one as voice overs for commercials tend to be in a more natural, conversational style.

2. Voice Over Jobs

Again if you’ve presented on the radio have you ever considered using your voice for production, narration and jingles? There are plenty of companies that need voice over talent (like Music Radio Creative!)

3. Podcasting and Internet Radio

Podcasting and internet radio have both become increasingly popular. I now rarely listen to the radio in my car and consume most of my ‘audio content’ by listening to podcasts that match my specific interests. I’ve chosen the content that I’d like to consume so (unlike listening to the radio) I rarely have to skip between channels. With so many people working from home and in the office online they often turn to podcasts and internet radio for entertainment. In the coming years online audio content will only get more popular and with popular UK talk show hosts Ian Collins, James Whale and Iain Lee (amongst many other very talented broadcasters) having just started in the podcasting world now is the perfect time to get in. You need to find a way to make some cash from your online ventures if you have bills to pay and there are many talented internet marketers that will give you ideas on how to do that. You may even find that some more established internet radio stations or podcasts may pay for quality content from you. It’s worth to ask!

4. Something Completely Different

Finally, sadly, I know many radio presenters who have said “enough’s enough” and left radio completely. Most get into radio out of passion for the medium and I don’t believe anyone that leaves radio full time ever really loses their love for radio. If you need to pay the bills and have a family to look after then a final idea for now would be for you to sit down and make a list of all the things you really love in life. Write everything down no matter how silly it sounds. Think about what you like to do when you’re not doing radio – write it down – then look over the list and decide what else you could try that you love.

I hope this helps you whether you’re a radio professional or just getting started today. If you have an opinion or ideas of alternative jobs for ex-radio presenters leave a comment below. Also, sign up to my newsletter and I’ll keep you posted with more tips and ideas. You’ve got to follow your dreams!