Disc Jockeys

Employers

Approximately 26,500 radio disc jockeys and broadcast announcers and 21,000 non-radio disc jockeys are employed in the United States.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, there were 15,389 radio stations in the United States as of June 30, 2024.

Radio is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week medium, so there are many slots to fill. Most of these stations are small stations where disc jockeys are required to perform many other duties for a lower salary than at larger stations in bigger metropolitan areas.

Since the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, companies can own an unlimited number of radio stations nationwide. The number of radio stations that a company can own in a a single market area is based on a sliding scale that varies by the size of the market. When this legislation took effect, mergers and acquisitions changed the face of the radio industry. So, while the pool of employers is smaller, the number of stations continues to rise. There are also opportunities in satellite and Internet radio.

Starting Out

One way to enter this field is to apply for an entry-level job rather than a job as a disc jockey. It is also advisable to start at a small local station. As opportunities arise, DJs commonly move from one station to another.

An announcer is employed only after an audition. Audition material should be selected carefully to show the prospective employer the range of the applicant's abilities. A prospective DJ should practice talking aloud, alone, then make a recording of him- or herself with five to seven minutes of material to send to radio stations. The recording should include a news story, two 60-second commercials, and a sample of the applicant introducing and coming out of a record. (Recordings should not include the whole song, just the first and final few seconds, with the aspiring DJ introducing and finishing the music.) In addition to presenting prepared materials, applicants may also be asked to read material that they have not seen previously. This may be a commercial, news release, dramatic selection, or poem.