Radio Internships Part One

Interning in radio can lead to employment. An in-house Internship Program would be an excellent way for a broadcasting company to prospect for and train potential future employees. Many stations have had interns become announcers, salespersons, production assistants, promotion directors, music directors, traffic managers, program directors, and general managers. An internship can be the best route to employment.

Internships and community volunteers share similar experiences, but interns receive high school or college credit for a class. Most internships are non-paid. They are either semester-based or seasonal. Requesting to be a community volunteer, as opposed to an intern, avoids stipulations such as age requirements or restrictions on the time of year. Sometimes community volunteers go on to do internships at the same place they volunteered.

Regardless, intern or volunteer, it's about learning and getting first-hand experience. From this point on, intern will be the only word used in this article. (Community volunteers do not get grades and their participation is not school-sanctioned.)

A student looking for an internship should check with a teacher, college radio supervisor, other students currently interning, and/or the Internet. If you have a mentor at a commercial station, inquire about internship. Do not be discouraged if the station of interest does not have an intern program. It does not mean that they are not open to the possibilities. In fact, you might be responsible for starting a relationship between your high school or college and the broadcasting company. In any case, make sure all necessary paperwork for academic credit is signed and in the proper hands. All music stations operate the same, regardless of format, but if you are interested in talk radio or sports, apply specifically to those stations for internships. To continue reading, just click interns.

If you are a veteran broadcaster or have an ambition to become an announcer, contact the Radio Coach, http://www.radiocoach.biz.