FM Radio Stations

Guess there are times when we all need to share a little pain
And ironing out the rough spots
Is the hardest part when memories remain
And it's times like these when we all need to hear the radio
`Cause from the lips of some old singer
We can share the troubles we already know

Perhaps even Elton John couldn’t ignore the fact that the radio is just the friend to lean on when you are feeling down and dejected. Remember the times when you had the worst day ever and found solace with a perfect song that just made it all seem okay?

The concept of radio broadcasting might have changed over the years but it has definitely changed for better. The new version of the good old radio is here. The FM Radio is perhaps a very popular form of broadcasting for many people who prefer their music with a pinch of interesting comments and pep talk from the Radio show hosts. In an age that boast of online music sharing portals and funky ipods, the FM radio has definitely brought back the era of radio-lovers.

What is FM Radio?

Edwin Howard Armstrong, who was an American electrical engineer, invented the Frequency Modulation Radio or FM Radio technology in 1930s.

Radio Broadcasting that uses frequency modulation of very high frequency (VHF) airwaves to broadcast sound can be termed as frequency modulation broadcasting or more popularly known as "FM Radio". Frequency Modulation Broadcasting enables high quality sound transmission over broadcast Radio.

The FM Radio stations enhance the experience of radio-listeners by reaching out the audience with innovative show formats. Some of the features of FM Radio that are popular with radio listeners are as follows:

• Call-in-shows: Most of the FM Radio stations have at least one call-in-show where the listeners can call and interact with the Radio show hosts or the Radio jockeys. The hosts often indulge in a short tête-à-tête with the caller and move on to find whether the caller wants to request a particular song to be played. Song requests and dedications to loved ones are till date a very popular concept with many radio-lovers.
• Advice shows: Radio shows that provide advice about love or life in general are a major hit with the audience. Often when people do not have anyone to share their problems, they can turn to their FM stations for advice and comfort as well. Discussing love problems and providing advice about relationships and marriages is a very popular trend on FM Radio stations.
• Public Polls: Many FM Radio stations have regular public polls for listeners where the listeners can participate in the poll either by calling, using the short messaging services or nowadays even through websites. The subjects for these polls are either social issues or some fun topics, which the listeners can talk about.
• Contests and Freebies: FM Radio stations also host a number of contests, which allow listeners to participate and win gifts and prizes. The freebies that are given away include a wide range of items like gift vouchers, music CDs, and so on.
• Celebrities: A lot of FM channels often bank on celebrity guests on their shows to draw increased attention from the listeners. Celebrity quotes aired between the shows are also very common on FM radio stations. At times the celebrities are also invited to promote their movies or music albums on air as a part of marketing campaigns.

The FM Radio has also given rise to a rare breed of funky radio show hosts popularly called the RJs or the Radio Jockeys. Radio jockeys are people who host the radio shows and brew a new flavor of music for their audience everyday…

What does it take to be a Radio Jockey on FM Radio Station?

Being a Radio Jockey is no child’s play. It is a tough job like any other job and you need a lot of things to become a successful radio jockey. Here is a list of some important qualities a Radio Jockey must have:

• Good Voice Quality - A clear and distinct voice is one of the pre-requisites to become a radio Jockey since the job involves a lot of talking on air which should be easy to understand. Any voice that is loud and clear, without any problems in pronunciation and pitch work for the radio.
• Excellent Oratory skills - A Radio jockey has to be good speaker since the job often requires talking without a pre-defined script. Thinking of relevant things to say at the right time is a must. The RJ also has to talk to a number of callers and guests and hence should master the art of effective conversation.
• An Ear for Music - Being a radio jockey is like being in the presence of music and rhythm all the time. What good is a radio jockey who doesn’t know his music? A Radio jockey should know the popular genres and artists which will enable him to create play lists that will match the listener’s taste. In case the radio jockey is working for a niche radio station, for example an FM station that plays only country music or only retro, the jockey should have enough knowledge about that particular genre.
• Timing - A Radio Jockey has to have a perfect sense of timing to add comments, to crack jokes and at times interrupting a caller to move into the commercial break. Since the broadcasting is live for most of the times there is very little time for fumbles on air.
• Presence of Mind - Radio Jockeys must have a good presence of mind to handle impromptu situations. RJs need to come up with appropriate replies to all kinds of callers; as well as relevant questions for guests on the show, which needs tremendous presence of mind.

People love listening to the FM radio stations during any time of the day. When in love, or out of it, when happy with life or feeling dejected, no matter how you feel, you can always use a little music to lighten up your spirits. Some might listen to the FM Radio and hum their way to work, some might wake up with its alarming tunes whereas many just nestle in their cozy beds as they turn on their radio and listen to a soothing piece of music that heralds the end of the day… Good Night Good old Radio!