Radio Broadcasting Schools In New Jersey

Your Options For Broadcasting Schools In New Jersey

Here are your two primary options to begin your career in radio

New Jersey is an interesting state in which to seek a broadcasting school or other training to start your career in radio.  The state is served by some 151 stations, though many are big 50,000 watt “blowtorches,” actually located in New York or Philadelphia, beaming their signals into the Garden State.

Two Things You Need to Succeed in New Jersey Radio

You could start your career at one of these stations, or at one of more than a hundred smaller outlets, without leaving New Jersey. But wherever you apply, the station manager or program director will likely look for these two things in your background:

• Radio Skills, including vocal and presentation ability, and familiarity with the station’s rules and knowledge of how to use its equipment.
• Insider Contacts. With so many wannabes trying to break into their dream job as a radio DJ, sportscaster, newscaster or talk show host, you’re going to need the help of insiders already in radio to put you at the head of the line. More about this below.

Two Ways to Learn the Skills You Need

There are two kinds of training programs in New Jersey that can teach you the skills you need in radio:

Brick and mortar broadcasting schools. You’ll find these in stand-alone buildings, sometimes part of a college campus. And they teach as colleges do. You attend classes, listen to lectures, take notes and pass tests. Your teachers are often retired broadcasters or former radio business managers.

You practice broadcasting, but often in a simulated studio which isn’t actually on the air. The studio may also use older equipment donated by a local station that no longer needs it.

As in any formal school, classes are on a rigid schedule which may cause you to quit a present job or otherwise change your life. And because these schools are usually only in large cities, you may have to travel or even relocate to attend. Brick and mortar schools also ask a major commitment in money: Training can cost up to $50,000, when part of a college degree program.

Radio apprenticeship programs, like those offered by Broadcasters Mentoring Group (BMG.) Apprenticeship is a classic training method, where a newcomer is paired with a working professional who then teaches the job one-on-one, right in the workplace. BMG has adapted this training technique to broadcasting training.

Here’s a brief look at how BMG’s program works:

• When you apply, you are linked with a working broadcaster (your mentor) in a radio station you select right in your area. No need to travel or relocate.
• The broadcaster is in your chosen specialty: DJ, sportscaster, newscaster or talk show host.
• You meet with your mentor weekly, on a schedule that fits your availability. No need to quit a present job while you learn. And you can start whenever you wish. There are no set semesters.
• Your meetings are right in the real radio station, and you practice on the same equipment the broadcasters there use every day.
• You follow a carefully thought-out curriculum, including producing and hosting your own radio show.
• Over time, with your mentor’s feedback and encouragement, your skills grow and grow.

You can choose either a three month or six month program. At completion, BMG certifies you as being ready to go on-air. And we operate a lifetime job placement program to help you keep your dream going,  long after training is completed.

Contacts: The Make or Break Factor for Breaking In to Radio in New Jersey.

Many people see radio as a dream job. After all, who wouldn’t want to get paid for spinning their favorite music or talking on their favorite subject? So there is likely to be a big crowd of applicants for any opening. How does a hiring manager make a choice?

Often it’s on the recommendation of an insider contact already in the industry. That’s why breaking in depends not only on what you know, but who you know, and more importantly, who knows you.

Apprenticeships Build Contacts Automatically

You build contacts because you’re training side-by-side with working professionals, in an actual radio station. Over time, they get to know you and watch your skills develop. Do a good job in your training and they become more and more willing to recommend you when they hear of an opening, or they may even hire you themselves.

How often does this lead to a job? Industry studies show that more than six of every 10 new broadcasting hires happen through contacts.

No wonder California radio host Jona Denz Hamilton recommends going the apprenticeship route. “Mentoring will put you on the fast track into radio,” she says. She could have added that it’s also the inside track.

Separated from day-to-day working radio, brick and mortar schools cannot hope to build current contacts in the same way.

Best Program , Most Affordable

Apprenticeships also offer another big advantage: Because BMG programs don’t pay for the buildings and staff of brick and mortar schools, we can pass big savings to you. BMG training costs up to 20 times less than a traditional broadcasting school, when part of a college degree program.

So what’s likely the most effective program is also the most affordable.

Decision Help at No Cost

Knowing all this, the next decision is yours. Decide if you want to be trained as a radio DJ, sportscaster, newscaster or talk show host, in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, or anywhere else. If yes, then decide the kind of training that fits you best.

If it’s a radio apprenticeship, read the rest of this website, and especially the FAQ page. Or even easier, click on the radio specialty that interests you below or fill out the contact form on this page. Or simply call BMG at (818) 879-0858.

One of our counselors will get back to you to supply more information and answer all your questions. There’s never a cost or obligation to learn more.

New Jersey listeners are looking forward to hearing from you. So are we.

Contact BMG today!