Disc Jockeys   

Researched by Baylee B.
2002-03
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
    • PRODUCTS I CREATED
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    • WHY I CHOSE THIS TOPIC 
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Introduction

Disc Jockeys need to be ready to be on air at all times when they are at work. They need to know how to work the controls to get the radio show started. A Disc Jockey, or DJ, is someone who goes on the radio and plays music, announces the weather, and goes to public events for contests. Sometimes a DJ gets to broadcast live at concerts.

Working
Some disc jockeys work all night, all day, or really early in the morning. Disc jockeys work at a radio station. If the DJ is a party DJ then he/she will go to houses and other events. Along with regular DJs, there are party DJs and operations managers that manage the stations. Disc Jockeys use microphones, control panels, and electronic devices to broadcast their voice on the radio. A good thing about being a disc jockey is that no day is like the one before it. One not so good aspect is having to rush because you need to get on the air. If a radio station is really desperate they will hire a DJ just out of radio school. Some DJs get to be on the air in radio school. If you go to radio school then you are more likely to get a job because you have already been on the radio. The job can lead to being operations manager of a radio station A related job would be a news reporter. In the year of 2000 there were 7,100 disc jockeys in the US. There are 890 Disc jockeys in the state of Washington.
Education and Training 
Subjects to study in high school to prepare you to be a DJ are English and reading so your voice will sound good on air. You have to go to radio school for two years to become a Disc Jockey. You need a degree from Radio school. To be a DJ you need to be able to go places and be comfortable on air talking to people. English will help you succeed because you will be able to talk better on air and you won’t be so nervous. 
Earnings and Outlook
If you are a Disc Jockey then you will make about $7,100 (if you’re not very popular) up to $100,000 ( If You are very popular) in a year. Jobs for Disc jockeys won’t increase or decrease much, but they might grow more slowly than average. In the year 2000 a disc jockey would make as low as $9.52 in a hour. 10% of DJs earn more than $24.00 an hour.
History
Guglielmo Macaroni of Italy sent the first radio signal, so he invented Radio. In 1920-1950 every night families would listen to the radio. This was before TV became widespread and popular. When radio had just started they played records instead of compact discs. In the past DJ’s would have to play the songs and switch them by hand. Now you can just program the computer and then you can tell it what to play by another computer. 
The Job
Disc jockeys serve as a "bridge" between radio and the listeners. A commercial announcement must be read as it is written. DJs are not required to play music until the very end of the song because then they will have more time to talk about the weather and sports and that sort or thing. Disc Jockeys can’t always play the music they want because they have requests and they have play lists. Some disc Jockeys ad lib a lot when they are on the air. If you work at a big station then there is less adlibing. Instead they use scripts. If there does happen to be a technical difficulty then you would have to stay calm the whole time.
Requirements
Self-employed Disc Jockeys must provide their own music and equipment. Another requirement is that they have good knowledge of the English language. If you were to take debate and theater that will help when you’re a Disc jockey. 

 
Who I Interviewed And What I Learned

My Interview was with Ron Harris. Ron is the KATS operation manager and he is also the morning show host. Ron has been involved with radio for 24 years. 

The first time he was ever on the radio was December 1977 in radio school.Ron got interested in radio because he listened to the radio a lot and he wanted to be a Disc Jockey ever since second grade. To be on the radio Ron went to vocational school for one year.The thing Ron enjoys most about radio is the music and that the days are never the same. He also enjoys the audiences.

In the history of radio, says Ron, they started playing records then they went to CD’s, from CD’s they went to program computers. He said that he doesn’t use the same equipment today as when he started. It went from records to CD’s to Hard Drive. Ron said the thing that has changed most in recent years for DJs is that they have to make personal appearances now instead of just being on the radio. He said since you can download a radio station from the Internet that now there aren’t as many people listening to the radio as there used to be.

To Ron the most important people that are in Radio are Dick Clark, Howard Stern, and Casey Casen. A different thing for Disc Jockeys now is a lot of cutbacks in funding. Something that Ron predicts for the future of radio is that one large station will own lots of little stations. He said that being a Disc Jockey is fun because it isn’t really even work. You just get to have fun. 

The advantage of radio work is that you get to see people. Also you get to go to contests. Some major advantages of radio is that they can get news right away unlike TV where they have to tape the show first. Ron’s favorite Disc Jockey is John Leagon on Due morning in Seattle.

Ron said that he gets about 50 to 60 calls a day but more if they are asking for requests or if they are having a contest. Ron was a great person to interview because he was an experienced disc Jockey. He was also a lot of fun to interview. 
 
 

         Bibliography

 


"Announcer" Occupational Outlook AHandbook 2-27-03 <http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos087.htm>

"Disc Jockeys," Career Discovery Encyclopedia 2000, 3, Pg. 22 23

"Disc Jockeys," Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guide, 2000, 11, 708 711

Field, Shelly The Music Industry, New York, Check Mark Books, 1995, Pg. 54 55

Harris, Ron. Personal Interview. December 3,2002

Keith, Micheal and Griffis D. Patrick, "Radio" World Book Encyclopedia, vol.16 pg. 83,84
 

Weigant, Chris. Careers Disc Jockeys, New York, The Rosen Publishing Group inc. 1999 PG. 6 8, 19 28, 31, 38 39
 
 
 
 
 
 

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