Sports Radio Jobs and News Jobs in Radio

News people are less likely to be fired than jocks. Then again, they usually do not make as much as top air talent. They seldom are the cause of a station's ratings going up or down. Now, if the stations is ALL NEWS, then that is something else. If you're not the best, there's no way that an all news station is waiting for you as you search for jobs in radio. But, for those who master the art, for those who have the voice, the style and the desire, there are some great jobs out there. Every major market has at least one News station.

A smooth read is crucial You have to learn how to read without blowing every other word, and for some people that is something that never happens.

I learned many years ago that you, the newscaster, can't let a mistake in reading get to you. If you tense up, the mistakes will flow like water. So, when I read, if I make a mistake, I say to myself, "that's the last one I'll make today." You have to get 'your head out of your head.'

Some people just have a 'nose for news' They can sense where the story is in an event. Sometimes the story is inside another story. Then once you know where you are going, you have to be part detective. Which way is the truth? You can hone your skills, but the really good news people I have known seem to have a 'knack for news"

SPORTSCASTING

So you want jobs in radio as a sportscaster to open up for you. Knowing every statistic in the world is not enough. Yeah, it counts, but it is not the end-all. If you plan to do play-by-play, your ability to paint a mental picture of a ball game is crucial. Mastery of the language is important, Every play can't be 'great' or 'sensational'. Every ball hit can't be 'hard hit'. If you do not have a great command of the English language, find another job.

Radio sports in not like TV. In TV, the announcer who talks least is best. The audience can see what is happening. The secret in TV is to shut-up. The secret in radio is knowing what to say. Newcomers see every catch as being 'fantastic'. Well, that is not true. Newcomers get excited when the home team does well. Their voice pitch becomes higher as their emotions get in the way. Pretty soon they are screaming.Jobs in Sports radio is not for those who can't control their emotions.

Knowing the history of the game is important. That's particularly true in baseball. Baseball is an intellectual game. Recalling what Ted Williams used to do on a 2-2 pitch can add to your play-by-play. But, what separates the good sportscaster from the average is the ability to remain impartial, while showing emotion for the home team. People get tired of hearing that 'the umps are gainst us'. Sure, play-by-play guys are 'homers', meaning they root for the home team. But if someone on the other team makes a sensational play, I want to hear about it.

So where do you start in you quest to do sportscasting? There are high school games, then next comes college games, and of course, the ultimate are the professional games. Now, great sportscasters are not just dropping out of the sky. True, athletes are more and more going into sports. But, they do have qualifications. Howie Long knows his stuff, but also has the ability to communicate. The same holds true for other ex jocks.

In the Broadway play Gypsy, one of the songs is "You got to have a gimmick." The same thing holds true for sportscasters. When I was just starting out, I found out real fast that I would make a lousy sportscaster. Not only did I not have a gimmick, I had no clue. Oh, sure, I know all about sports, but that didn't qualify me to do play-by-play. I did a high school game all alone, and had no idea what was going on. It was raining, and everyone and everything was covered by mud. I couldn't remember the players names, didn't know where the ball was, and even lost count of the score. I decided then and there that there had to be something else I could do.

It's like anything else. Jobs in radio, whether it's sports or newscasting, go to those who have mastered their craft. Practice, practice and then practice some more. Put down the iPod, turn off the TV and go out to a ballpark and do some play-by-play. Marv Albert told me how he started. He took a tape recorder to Yankee Stadium, sat in the bleachers, and broadcast the game. Other fans might have thought he was nuts. He didn't care.

Sportscasting and/or newscasting jobs are out there. We are a sports nation. There is football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, there is something all year round. News happens every day on the local, state and national scene. Good radio newscasters and sportscasters aren't found everywhere.

You could do worse in your choice of professions than choosing sports jobs or jobs in radio news.