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Radio jockeying is an interesting career option for the youth. Some information on the prospects.

Old timers would remember Ameen Sayani in Binaca Geet Mala cajoling and inviting you to listen to the latest Lata Mangeshkar or Mohammed Rafi song. And his first payment when he started his career in the fifties was a 'weekly tin of Ovaltine', a popular health drink. Well, things have changed considerably since then.

Now radio jockeys are boasting of salaries of Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh. Yes, it does pay to be a chatter box. And while it may sound all fun and frolic, like every other job, one has to toil hard for it. Today, there are 125-odd private FM channels (and many others to follow) catering to audiences in metros as well as smaller towns. All this potential means many more radio jockeys (RJ) will be required to man the consoles at the radio stations.

A radio jockey has to be a 'thinking on his feet' kind of person as the job profile is mainly to manage one-sided chit-chat or responding to listeners. "While a lot of what happens during a show is spontaneous, every RJ requires a certain amount of training." says Ravi I Yaar, former programming head with Radio City, who now runs a training studio, 'Talkaholics'. His belief is that the industry is moving so fast that it does not have too much time to train people. Adds Prashant Panday, deputy CEO, Entertainment Network India (Radio Mirchi), "In some cases, even trained individuals may have to unlearn what they have learnt to fit into the new mould."

Though a number of institutes including some universities offer broadcasting courses, these do not focus on radio jockeying. Therefore, the training courses available are conducted by those who have been in the field themselves. The course content includes voice training, planning a show, scripting for radio and practical lessons at a radio station.

The courses cost between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000 for period of two weeks to three months. Entry level salaries are at around Rs 8,000 to 15,000 per month. However, as experience grows, so do the numbers, which can be anywhere from Rs 70,000 to a lakh. And if the crowds really love your voice, it is as high as Rs 2 lakh or more. An RJ's market value is largely dependent on the popularity with listeners and as a result, the channel's ability to get more advertisements. As a result, the salaries are demarcated on the lines on the ones performing in prime time (breakfast and evening shows), less prime time (afternoon shows) and least prime time (late night shows). However, these demarcation lines are fast disappearing, as every time slot has its own captive audience. There are other lucrative assignments as well."There are opportunities to explore in television and live events besides just radio," says Noel Keymer, former radio jockey. Other options include voiceovers, advertisement jingles and television channels.

Thus, there are good enough reasons for those who love tuning in to radio stations to check out how those 'motor mouth' radio jockeys' really work. A proper training just adds value to your ability. Perhaps,just to get your 'fade in' and 'fade out' moves.