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Radio Jockey Career: Courses, Skills, Salary and How to Become an RJ

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Radio is back. And with a bang!

Had it not, we wouldn’t be writing about how to become a Radio Jockey (RJ) in 2020. A Radio Jockey is a new celebrity. Everybody wants to be one today. And we’ll tell how you can be one.

It’s not that easy though. Like all things great, it takes time. But it’s achievable.

If you think you are a chatterbox and fit for a Radio Jockey job, you may be wrong. Chatterbox is a good skill for radio but not without substance.

Here’s what you need to become a Radio Jockey.

  • The good news is you are not required to be highly educated to become a Radio Jockey or RJ but you do need some skills and basic education. So, if one wants to start a career as a Radio Jockey, he or she should first complete an undergraduate degree or bachelor’s degree in mass communication.
  • Secondly, an internship can take an aspirant in the right direction as it offers practical exposure.
  • Further, to make progress in this career one should make great professional contacts as referrals work wonders at times. Networking is the key.
  • However, referrals work only when you are great at what you do. This being a highly creative field, some of the qualities required are imagination, wit, out of the box thinking and a voice that can move people. Not necessarily in that order though.

If you are really serious about following your passion for a Radio Jockey job, this is where you should be heading to get a professional degree to become a Radio Jockey.

Top colleges to pursue a career in Radio Jockey

  • Radio City School of Broadcasting, Mumbai
  • Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi
  • Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai
  • Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
  • Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai
  • The Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA), Ahmedabad
  • Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune
  • Zee Institute of Media Arts, Mumbai

Radio Jockey Courses
Here are some of the Radio Jockey courses that you can pursue to get started on your journey to become a successful RJ.

  • Diploma in Radio Programming and Broadcast Management (DRPM)
  • Diploma in Radio Production and Radio Jockeying (DRJ)
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Radio and Broadcast Management (PGDRBM)
  • Certificate Course in Radio Jockeying (CRJ)

Radio Jockey Career Path

  • Announcer: This is the most basic position in the radio station. An Announcer is a person who reads advertisements and is responsible for introducing content on radio. This job profile is the initial post before one is promoted.
  • Music Director: This post gives an idea of how music library is maintained on radio station and how music is played when demanded on show. This professional is responsible for the music we hear on radio.
  • News Reader: Radio news has a set format and hence one needs to learn the way to speak on radio before jumping into the mainstream jockeying world.
  • On-AIR Personalities: These are the radio jockeys we here on regular basis and their major work is to keep listeners entertained along with scheduling ads and managing studio arrangements.
  • Production Director: This is the position one may attain after being a senior On-Air personality. This is the person who controls On-Air traffic and schedules production and strategizes programs.
  • Station Manager: This is one of the senior positions on the radio station. This is the person responsible for managing the station issues and programs.

 NDTV takes you behind the scenes at the Red FM studio to explore the exciting career opportunities that exist in the industry and to understand what is the job of a radio jockey.

Radio Jockeys have to take care of most interesting and creative tasks and fill it in their day as this Radio Jockey job is all about entertainment and information. In his or her job role, a Radio Jockey may have to control consoles; write a script for a program, record infomercials and commercials for future broadcast; publicise and make music tracks, program breaks, advertisements, and accept song requests from listeners among many other tasks that may vary depending on the actual role of a Radio Jockey in a radio station. To carry out these tasks successfully, a Radio Jockey is required to have some essential skills such as voice modulation, speech recognition, reading and writing comprehension, along with basic technical knowledge to handle various equipment used in the production of a radio show.


There are many radio stations that demand basic languages whereas there are a few which may require you to know the regional or colloquial language. You can have an edge over other candidates, if you know it.

Here are some of the radio stations that you can approach for a Radio Jockey job:

  • All India Radio
  • Radio Mirchi 98.3
  • Red FM 93.5
  • Big FM 92.7
  • Ishq 104.8
  • Fever 104 FM
  • Radio Mango 91.9
  • Indigo 91.9
  • Radio Sharda
  • 94.3 Club FM

Radio Jockey Salary
A Radio Jockey can earn anything between INR 10,000 to 30,000 initially but as one gains experience and popularity, salary of a Radio Jockey can go up to 1.5 to 2 lakhs per month. Moreover, popular RJs get additional earning opportunities by hosting private shows, voice over for television and radio ads among others.

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