There are certain basic skills that are required to become a successful radio anchor. One has to master the art of being a personality that doesn't have a face to recognize, only a voice. Thus, the voice is the key factor to develop the on air personality of the radio anchor. The voice of the anchor must be pleasing and clear. Spontaneity must be maintained during the show so that listeners never have a dull moment or feel the lack of visionless entertainment. The anchor should also possess sound knowledge of music so that he/she can smoothly bridge the gap between the talk and the song. Enthusiasm must be felt with the voice of the radio anchor. He/she must be able to involve the listeners through the radio and hence immaculate communication skills are very important.
Having a sense of humor is crucial for a radio anchor job. People want to get entertained, enlightened, informed and enjoyed. You can achieve this with your sense of humor and presence of mind. You have to know your audience. Your conversation, jokes and topics must be in line with the theme of the show.
There are specific timings of shows for the anchors. Some get the morning slot, some get the afternoon and some get the evening. For example, a morning show host in a radio station must be there at least an hour before the show goes on air. Suppose the show will start at 5:30 am then the radio anchor must reach the radio station by 4:30 am and prepare for the show. There cannot be any blank air during the commencement of the show. Thus, the radio anchor must possess a great presence of mind to deal with different live situations.
If you are planning to get a job as a radio anchor you need to prepare for it properly. You should possess good knowledge about current affairs and news related to politics, sports, entertainment, national and world affairs. You must be ready to work in any shift whether it is morning, day or night. Working odd hours cannot be a problem with a radio anchor. Another vital thing is that a radio anchor must be prepared to work on holidays. The common weekend off or holiday leaves are not a part of radio anchor's job. A radio anchor gets leave on any day during the week.
The job of radio anchor is glamorous and entertaining. It gives fame and recognition though your voice, which is definitely a brilliant achievement. Moreover, the salary a radio anchor can expect to make should be around $20,000 to $25,000.
