Begin a Career in Radio Broadcast by Attending a Broadcasting School

Radio broadcasting has come a long way since Guglielmo Marconi conducted the first successful transatlantic experimental radio communication in 1901. Radio broadcasting has even gone digital with radio stations streaming live online. In addition to radio broadcasting, film and television broadcasts also enjoy an immense popularity. By attending a broadcasting school, you can be prepared for a variety of careers in this field where you will work in radio and TV stations, commercial sound and video production companies, corporate video houses and more. Roles at these difference companies include writers, directors, producers, production crew and studio executives.

Let’s take a closer look at radio broadcast and what it entails. This field is part of the broadcast industry and is comprised of numerous radio stations and networks across the Canada and abroad. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, radio broadcasting stations and networks offer listeners a mixture of programs, including national and local news, music, radio talk shows, advertisements and other types of entertainment. There are several types of jobs available in radio broadcasting, including announcers and program directors. Announcers, also referred to as disc jockeys, play music on the radio station, interview guests, comment on a range of topics and make announcements during commercial breaks. Program directors determine the on-air programming. They decide what type of music is played on the radio and supervise on-air employees.

Before you can go out and get one of these unique jobs, you must attend a broadcasting school or program such as Centennial College’s Broadcasting and Film undertaking, which takes three years to complete. In order to apply, you must possess at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. You must also have completed compulsory English 12C or U, or a skills assessment, or equivalent. In addition you’ll have to attend an admission session, complete a writing test, prove your English proficiency and present a portfolio of work. The portfolio should demonstrate your skill and ability to tell a story using two of the following: videotape/ DVD, audiotape/ CD/ mini disc/ digital images/ photographic prints, scripted material in any format that was used. For more detailed information, check out the Film and Broadcasting Admission page.

In the program, you will obtain practice in the broadcasting school’s HDTV broadcasting studios where you’ll get a feel for a number of positions. You’ll also participate in student films and TV as well as a student-produced news magazine TV show that airs live and online. All of these experiences prepare you for a 15-week industry field placement. During this placement you apply practice to real life situations at radio and TV stations, production houses and much more. Even industry professionals are raving about the type of education students are receiving at Centennial College. “The students coming from Centennial, with whom I’ve worked and hired, are better prepared than most entry level personnel. They understand the importance and role of communications through broadcasting and film. Centennial gets students ready for the workplace,” says Stephen Montgomery a Line Producer.