Why I love working in Radio…
I love working in radio, okay i’m only doing community and student radio, but I still love it. Why?
Well I’m a Computer Science student, but I don’t think I could sit in front of a computer for the rest of my life programming. I like being an engineer at Xtreme Radio because one day I could be fiddling with the mixer, one day I could be programming the website, one day I could be in the attic fiddling with cables, one day I could be on the computers fiddling with playout systems. It’s varied, it’s interesting, it’s fun.
I also get to broadcast! Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I’m the next Chris Moyles, Jonathan Ross, Richard Bacon or even Terry Wogan. But I enjoy it, and I put quite a bit of effort into it, and to trying to improve myself. It also comes back to my point eariler, I can do tech stuff and I can even broadcast… brilliant
Now i’ve recently become involved in Afan FM, a community radio station covering Port Talbot & Neath, and it’s great fun. The first live show I did there was very nervewracking, as it was the first time i’d broadcasted live on FM radio, a pretty big moment for me, and I was paranoid I was going to do something which I’d regret. Anyway hopefully i’m starting to loosen up a bit now, as i’m getting more used to the station, and i’m starting to “forget” about being on FM in a weird way, and just thinking about creating good radio. But on the same token, as i’m starting to become an IT Technician/Webmaster for the station, I can also fiddle with code, fiddle with websites and other stuff as well as be a DJ! What other job lets you have this much freedom?
I’m hoping to go into radio as a career when I leave university, but who knows where i’ll end up. Radio isn’t the best paid job in the world, hell i’ve not made a penny from Radio as yet, but I enjoy it, and i’d rather do something I enjoy but take a bit of a pay cut, then do something I hate but get more money, I mean whats the point in spending ~8 hours a day doing something you hate, just for more money?! Life is too short!