The Radio Industry in India has truly come of age. With the growth, expansion and increased reach of the radio industry, many new FM channels have come up offering a plethora of diverse content suitable for varying tastes and preferences in music.

The Indian radio sector may become a Rs 1,200-crore industry by 2010, according to a study conducted by the FICCI and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The present annual advertisement budget for media in India is around Rs 12,000 crore and the FM radio's share in it is a meager 3%. The share would grow substantially over the next 10 years, as at least 338 FM channels will be operational by then, the study says.

With this growth, there is a mad scramble for professionals like radio jockeys, engineers and air time salesmen across the country. Naturally, the salaries being offered to them have shot through the roof. After all, the new entrants are expected to invest almost Rs 1,200 crore (Rs 12 billion); a significant part of this can go into hiring professionals. At present, radio jockeys earn anywhere between Rs 15,000 and Rs 85,000 per month, depending on the popularity of their shows and the years of experience they possess.

Experts in the industry feel that money can easily double in the months to come. In the metros, the rise can be steeper — almost 200 per cent. All told, sector analysts peg the additional manpower requirement to at least 6,000 direct and another 10,000 indirect jobs.

Some of the popular FM radio stations in Bangalore include - Big 92.7 FM, Radio City 91.1 FM, Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM, Radio Indigo 91.9 FM, Fever 104 FM etc. Naturally, with such improved avenues for music, there is also a growing demand for talented and musically inclined individuals to handle the different aspects of these shows.

Some of the popular career opportunities associated with this field -

*Radio Jockey (RJ) - A Radio Jockey is perhaps the most well known member of today's radio industry. It is the RJ who is responsible for presenting a radio programme / show to the listeners — an interface between the radio channel and its audience. Besides this, the role of an RJ also includes communicating with callers and guests etc.

A Radio Jockey Must Have - a pleasant voice and personality, ability to communicate well, a strong personal style and interest / knowledge of different genres of music.

*Sound Engineer / Audio Engineer - The Sound / Audio Engineer is responsible for maintaining just the right levels of sound in the studio as well as during recordings and editing etc.

A Sound Engineer / Audio Engineer Must Have - Knowledge and understanding of high end equipments, ability to produce sound effects, music mixing, strong presence of mind to handle technical emergencies and glitches.

*Script Writer - The Script Writer creates the script for each show based on the subject of the programme, its duration and the time slot in which it will be aired etc.

A Script Writer Must Have - an understanding of the masses, ability to create a script that appeals to all classes of listeners, must be good with words.

*Radio Producers - This is the person responsible for producing the entire show by effectively putting together all its elements in just the right manner. From music planning to deciding the content structure, a radio producer is constantly on the lookout for fresh and targetted content for each show that he / she produces.

A Radio Producer Must Have - skills for planning and executing, ability to think new, fresh and out of the box, coordination and communication abilities.