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Career Advice on How to Become a Radio and Television Announcer

Radio and Television Careers, General Information

So you want a radio announcer career or television announcers job, do you? You need to know some key facts before continuing on your entertainment career planning and television or radio announcer job search. While working a radio announcer job, you will get to read all sorts of interesting stuff, ranging from the news and weather to sports. You may also be reading scripted materials and getting to do some neat commercials. Everyone likes reading commercials, because they are swell! 
 
At smaller stations, you might be called on do to all sorts of other activities as well, such as call advertisers and beg for money or clean up the toilet. It’s the excitement and glamor of one of the bottom rungs of show business and entertainment careers.
 
If you get your face on camera within a television announcer career, well you get to be a local celebrity and have people recognize you as “that gal” or “that guy.” Then they will secretly whisper behind your back that you are probably a jerk who dyes his or her hair. Such fun!
 

Radio and Television Careers, Career Facts:

Despite rumors to the contrary, a monkey cannot do this job. Monkeys and gorillas are able to learn sign language, but since they do not actually speak, the assertion that “any monkey could do that” is factually inaccurate. The average radio announcer career, brings in surprisingly little money, which is a bit shocking for most to learn. 
 
Equally surprisingly is the fact that almost half of all radio announcer jobs are actually part-time positions! However, if one is able to become an actual “celebrity” such as a “shock jock,” then the money can just pour into your undeserving pockets. (But let us not be too harsh, because without the shock jock’s show all the people who sell stock animal and bell noises would be in a tough position.)
 

For those hoping to get your face on television with an entertainment career, just be prepared to be handed some pretty crappy jobs in the beginning. You didn’t really think that communications degree was going to knock open doors, did you? There is a monkey in Cleveland who completed a communications degree and the word has gotten out. As a result, that impressive communications degree isn’t carrying the weight it once did for your entertainment career planning.

 

Radio Announcer Careers, Television Announcer Jobs, Opportunities and Outlook-Poor:

The outlook for radio and television announcer careers downright sucks! This career is expected to decrease by about 5,000 television and radio announcer jobs by 2016, which is about eight percent of the total making up entertainment careers of this niche.
 
Job Outlook is Poor
 

Radio and Television Careers, A Day in The Life:

Surprisingly, about forty percent of the time, radio announcer careers involve part time hours, that lead to just enough money to pay for their own food, while living in their parent’s basements. Oh, it is not as glamorous as it sounds. Most work other jobs and dream of figuring out the perfect cow or chicken noise that will push them over the top toward their entertainment career, and into a Howard Stern-like deal with millions upon millions. Sadly, for most, that perfect cow or chicken noise never comes. Individuals working television announcer careers want-to-be’s do not fair much better, they usually have a least one roommate who helps them dye their hair and work on their “TV smile.”
 

Careers in Radio and Television, Average Salary:

The term “chump change” actually comes from Douglas Chump, a 1930’s radio announcer want-to-be who worked the slave wages of the radio industry for nearly fifty years before taking his own life, all in hopes of finding that “magic cow noise.” Well, no not really, but chump change does cover it. The average television or radio announcer can expect to pocket an average of about $11.50 an hour, with some earning as little as $8 an hour. The top ten-percent can make about $60,000 a year, or $32 an hour.

$23k - $60k

 

Radio, Television Careers, Training and Qualifications:

Can you walk and chew gum at the same time? You’re over qualified. If you speak English and can stay sober, you’ve got a shot at an entertainment career as a radio or television announcer. Yes, you could get a degree in the field, but its not absolutely necessary.
 
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