Want to become a radio presenter? Judging by the guests at our Women in Radio events, three things are for sure – there’s no one route in, starting in a junior position helps, and persistence pays off.
The three events took place in Birmingham, Salford and London. Each saw 30 women - including a baker, a childrens writer and even an Olympic 100m finalist - get an insight into the world of radio via hands on exercises and networking opportunities with local radio staff.
They also heard from established women presenters about what life was like as a radio presenter, and about the different ways they had made it into the role.
Routes into radio
For BBC Radio 5 Live breakfast show host Rachel Burden, it was relatively straightforward. On completing her post-graduate journalism course, she ignored the lure of London and headed straight for her local radio station. Rather than becoming a small cog in a large news organisation, she wanted to take on a variety of roles and get as much experience as she could.
Rachel began as a reporter, and may have moved into management if it hadn’t been for a nagging urge to become a presenter. Actually making this happen meant repeatedly “haranguing” her boss (who was by no means convinced that she had a voice for radio) to let her have a go. She eventually got her chance when a cover shift materialised, and her career carried on from there.
Persistence was also required from BBC Radio 4 presenter Jane Garvey, a self-confessed “radio anorak” who was obsessed by radio from an early age. It took “a very average degree in English” and seven applications before she was finally given a junior position at Radio Hereford and Worcester.
"I can do that"
Although dedication is a key theme, it’s fair to say that so is a bit of luck. It took both for Radio Gloucestershire’s Anna King to land get her break as a presenter.
She got into local radio as a volunteer, then began doing vox pops and any other odd jobs that came up at the station. “I became a yes girl, frankly,” she said. “Whatever they asked me to do at any time of day, night or weekend I’d say ‘yes I can do that’.”
Within eight months she was asked to fill in for a presenter when they went off sick. It was a rare opportunity, and one that paved the way to her eventually getting to host her own show.
Then there’s BBC Somerset’s Emma Britton, who got into radio “by accident” after being invited onto her local station to talk about life as a self-employed “fat fitness instructor”.
She proved a natural on air, and was invited back for a regular (though unpaid) health and fitness slot. She eventually applied for a broadcast assistant role, which lead to work as a cover presenter and in time the chance to host her own breakfast show.
Even the BBC’s director of Radio Helen Boaden, who began her career in local radio, couldn’t offer a handy career path to follow. “I never had a plan,” she said. “It’s really about building your skills, being adventurous and seizing opportunities as they come.”
Finding the words
Still, many of the delegates in the audience were keen to have some kind of plan. Particularly around what to do if they made it on air and things went wrong or they ran out of things to say – a common question at all the events.
The presenters agreed that things taking an unexpected turn in live radio can be a regular occurrence, but one that they soon learned to get used to. A list of extra things to say should you need to fill for longer than expected can help when you’re starting out, but in practice this usually serves to boost confidence rather than being reached for in a moment of panic.
It’s also worth remembering that being too relaxed on the radio could be counterproductive and dampen spontaneity. Emma Britton reckoned a sense of adrenaline and nerves can actually work to your benefit, as excitement can rub off on the audience.
Because it's worth it
But rather than worrying about herself, she said her audience are the people she focuses on most while hosting her show.
“I think: is what I’m going to say going to be something people want to listen to, or will they go and listen to someone else?” she said. “If I’m boring myself, then I’m boring other people.”
Jane Garvey had some similar advice: “It’s key to take the audience with you. People aren’t trying to spot your mistakes, they want company and information”.
While there may have been different routes into radio for the presenters who took part in our Women in Radio events, there was one thing that united them all. Their love of the job.
Whether its realising you have reached someone and made an impact on their life, being able to meet a huge variety of interesting people, or the sheer joy of using your imagination to come up with new ideas for your show, it seems that life as a radio presenter is certainly worth the work it takes to make it into the role – however that may be.