WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A RADIO SHOW? - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The main elements of a radio program are the presenter, the radio script, the producer, the audio technician, the advertisers, and the sales team. With more than 100 years in operation, radio is a medium that remains alive despite the arrival of more advanced technologies.

Neither television nor the internet have managed to displace it, but on the contrary, to strengthen it: the television format of Late Night Show and those of interviews are adapted from their counterpart in traditional radio, and the arrival of the internet has only opened spaces for broadcasts over the air extend your reach through online radio.

In fact, today not only can we find tens of thousands of radio stations from around the world on the internet, but several countries are migrating to a digital format over the air that guarantees, in the worst case, a signal similar to FM but without interference.

Norway was the first country to completely switch off its analog radio in favor of digital, while the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and others maintain a dual analog / digital system.

Elements of radio programs

Regardless of how the audio reaches our ears, the elements that make up a radio program remain, although flexible, relatively constant. We can divide them into a human team and a radio team.

- Human team

Presenter

The ever-present voice that guides programming. In talk shows he acts as an interviewer, as a moderator in cases of debates with several guests or as a narrator.

Depending on the type of program, the presenter can be the guide of the current programming, as in the case of radio soap operas, give voice to the news script in case of informative programs or be the one who indicates us the songs that sounded or are about to be played in music programs.

Script

Most programs have a specific theme in the assigned time slot. Be it narrating the news or a sporting event, there is always an agenda to follow, which was prepared in advance for the broadcast together with the producer of the program.

Even in exclusively musical programs, the script is key in the production and in this case includes the list of songs that are going to sound.

Screenwriters

The scriptwriters are in charge of developing the script. They are usually journalists or communicators with writing skills applied to radio language, although this depends on the capacity of the medium. They are in charge of collecting information, synthesizing it so that it fits in a limited space of time.

Producer

The producer is the mastermind behind each show. In news programs he is the one who is in charge of coordinating the writing, in talk shows he is the one who contacts the interviewees and has a plan B in case they fail, in music programs he is the one who prepares the music that is going to sound, new material, etc.

Sometimes it is also the bridge between the station and the presenter and it would not even be unusual for the producer to be the presenter at the same time and vice versa.

Production Assistant

As production is the most sacrificed task, in some media the producer may have an assistant who can help him or her locate the interviewees, make cuts or communicate to the rest of the team the improvements and changes to be made in each program.

It is usually also the one who receives the guest at the reception if he or she goes to the station, takes photos of each program or takes care of supplying water or food to the rest of the team.

Audio technicians

He is the person who is in charge of the controls, of playing jingles and sound effects, commercials, music and leveling the audio of the microphones.

It is not surprising that the role of the audio technician falls into the hands of the presenter and / or producer who, depending on the program and budget, could end up doing all three tasks.

In programs with more resources, there can be three sound professionals: director, sound technician and radio operators.

The director is in charge of coordinating the other two and being the one who is synchronized with production and script. The radio operator is in charge of the technical part regarding the emission signals, as well as ensuring that the equipment is in perfect order so that the technician can operate.

Advertisers

In the case of non-profit stations and programs, advertisers are non-existent, as is the case with state, community or other stations with some other type of income, but in general, advertisers are the main source of income for programs and stations..

After an agreement, they pay an amount of money weekly, monthly or per minute on the air so that their products and services are announced at one or more moments of the program.

Sales team

In large stations or programs there is an entire sales team that is responsible for selling and programming paid ads.

director

He is the maximum responsible for all of the above. In most cases this figure coincides with that of the presenter or main speaker. He is in charge of coordinating the human team and deciding what is going to be broadcast on the program. It also has legal responsibility.

- Radio equipment

Audio room

Space in which the radio program will be made and recorded. In it are all the basic elements of reproduction and recording, as well as the components to emit the signal. Within it are usually the presenter, the sound technician and the producer.

Mixer

It is the main recording element. Every detail of everything related to the realization passes through it (sound source, connections with speakers, microphones and headphones, music player, amplifiers, etc.).

Tuner

It is in charge of capturing the audio signal that is being produced in the studio. It is responsible for converting the frequency and its associated bandwidth into a fixed frequency. The latter will be the one processed for issuance.

Microphones

In charge of converting sound waves into electrical waves. These then go to the tuner for processing. They are the main tool of the announcer next to the headphones.

Headphones

Sound is reproduced through them. It is used by both the announcer and his collaborators as well as the sound technicians. They are used to find out if what is being broadcast is correct and if there is interference of any kind.

Others

Amplifier, intercom, monitor, CD player, tape recorder, junction box, turntables, turntables, telephone, speakers, etc.

Conclusions

The elements of a radio program can vary widely depending on the program, station, schedule, and audience.

Big-budget shows at major broadcasters may include several production assistants, a dedicated musician tasked with selecting songs, and a full team of news writers, leaving a team of a dozen or more people.

Nor would it be strange to have a program where the same person acts as producer, presenter, musician, audio technician, editor, musician and seller of their own advertising spaces.

References

1. Wikipedia - Radio Producer. Taken from en.wikipedia.org
2. Digital Radio Mondiale. Taken from drm.org
3. NPR Training - How to hook your podcast audience. Taken from training.npr.org
4. HD Radio - How it Works. Taken from hdradio.com

NPR Training - Audio production FAQ: Headphones, levels, mics and more. Taken from training.npr.org.