Inside a Radio Station

The culmination of creating the content that airs on any radio station results from skilled people working in the following roles in common radio station departments:

On Air/Programming

Announcers - The radio station's voice who introduces programs and music, reads commercial copy and public service announcements and is involved in the overall public presentation of the station.

Digital Content Coordinator – Responsible for the station’s entire digital presence.  Oversees the creation and updating of audience-relevant website and social media content.

Music Director - Manages the station's music library and works with the program director in selecting new recordings to be played as they are submitted by record companies.

News Director - Assigns stories to reporters on staff, monitors the wire service and is involved with identifying the important news issues within the community.

Production Director - Assigns announcers, schedules studios, arranges recording sessions, produces commercials, and directs programs.

Program Director - Responsible for the entire on-air product, the PD governs the sound of the stations.

Sports Director - Handle the play-by-play coverage of local sporting events.

Promotions

Promotions Director - Works closely with the program director in creating on-air promotions and also with the sales department in securing new clients and maintaining current advertisers.

Street Team – The people who represent the station at live broadcasts, concerts, community events and other public appearances, greeting the public and handling setup, teardown, etc.

Sales

Account Executive - Sells advertising and works closely with marketing businesses to the station listeners.

Copywriter - Writes commercial and promotional copy in support of the station's sales, marketing and promotional efforts.

General Sales Manager - Hires and supervises the sales staff, reviews programming for the best sales opportunities, develops sales plans and goals, oversees billing, studies and understands the station's market and approves all sales promotion campaigns.

Sales Assistant - Offers support to the sales staff and managers by handling much of the office work, including drafting proposals, which allows the sales staff to focus on meeting with clients and developing business.

Administrative/Business/Traffic

General Manager - Responsible for the overall operation of a station.

Owner - A person or group of persons that possess the station. Every owner must hold a license from the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast on their assigned frequency.

Receptionist - Duties vary according to the size of the station. This position is ideal for understanding all the aspects of how a station operates.

Traffic Director - Collects data from other departments in order to prepare a minute-by-minute schedule for the broadcast day.

Technical/Engineering

Chief Engineer - Responsible for the technology necessary to put the station's broadcast "on-the-air" within the station's licensed range and over its internet stream. They work to maintain existing broadcasting capabilities and provide quick solutions to problems that may arise within IT, the transmitter, tower, satellite receiver and other related equipment.