DJ Training Program

Introduction

We all have a favorite DJ or talk-show personality that we hear on the air and wish we could be one of those as well. We all love certain forms, styles, bands, etc. and wish that we can have others listen to what we love as well and convey messages to them. We all have opinions that we feel should be heard. We all enjoy being on the air, talking to listeners, and having the (almost) freedom of playing what we want and when we want to, versus playing the same songs day in and day out and "pretending" to sound upbeat on many a vocal break. Otherwise we wouldn't be on the air and just play pre-recorded material instead! Let's face it, being on the radio is fun and exciting!

That being said, having your own show on WMUA is a privilege, not a right. Sure, we may be the voice of UMass and the surrounding communities, and sure we can give a voice to many that normally many other stations wouldn't, but that doesn't mean we don't uphold to any regards or standards. With far more people then slots available, it's impossible to give everyone a voice (otherwise you would literally get your "15 minutes of fame"), therefore those that do manage to get a show should show a level of commitment. This includes our training program and staying as an active member in our station. Most new people who come to WMUA want to get on the air and have a show. Therefore, this page has been created to outline the steps needed to hopefully getting on the air someday and having you be heard by the many thousands of listeners in western Massachusetts.

To alleviate any concerns and help you to decide if you want to pursue a training commitment to becoming air-cleared here at WMUA, if you feel you meet any of the requisites below, we recommend that you do not take part in our training, as your chances of getting a show would be extremely slim:

• You want to play nothing but standard Top 40/pop music that can be heard on basically any other station, figuratively speaking, at any given time. Quite frankly, this is against our programming philosophy. (Please note: Program producers are allowed to play this type of music on their shows; but a show with nothing else than this type of music would not fit at WMUA).
• You want to sound like Howard Stern, Opie & Anthony, or any other shock jock on the air.
• You want to be on the air merely to impress your friends/significant other/family, etc.
• You aren't willing to fulfill the basic requirements of becoming and/or staying an active station member. (Mandatory station meetings & service hours)

Program Overview

The WMUA Training Program is a six week process.

WEEK 1: All trainees meet with the Training Director, Programmer and General Manager for the training lecture. This lecture is an overview of station policies, our leadership structure, a brief history of WMUA and our programming philosophy. This lecture usually happens on a Tuesday at 7PM

WEEKS 2-5: Trainees are then divided into 3-4 smaller groups that will meet for two hours each week (4 times total) in our studios. These labs take place on Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and each group only meets once a week.

WEEK 6: On the 6 th week of training, there is a written test. Trainees are allowed to walk around the studios during the test. A grade of 80 out of 100 is needed to pass, and those who do not pass are allowed to re-take the test.

After the test, the training director needs to meet with the trainees to go over the exam. This usually happens in the form of a couple group meetings. Those who are unable to make it to one of the group meetings must set up a separate time to meet with the training director.

With your completed test you will receive and air-clearance form. This form will contain your test score as well as places for signatures indicating that you have completed the air-clearance process as follows:

5 Sit-Ins: A trainee must sit-in with a veteran DJ while they do their show. This is an opportunity to see a DJ in action and to clear up any areas of confusion. It is up to the trainee to contact DJs to ask to sit-in with them, but the training director can help recommend DJs to ask. It is also helpful to choose a DJ who has a show similar to the type of show you would like do to.

2 Overnights: After attending 5 sit-ins, a trainee needs to produce 2 shows of their own during the 3:30AM to 6AM time slot. This is a good time to practice! You are allowed to do this with a friend, either someone else who is in training, or anyone you would like to keep you company. It is also helpful to record one of your overnight sessions, as you need a recording of yourself for the show application process.

If you complete this process, you are considered air-cleared. This means you can fill-in for other DJs and apply for your own show!

REMEMBER: you need to be a member in good standing in order to get a show. This means that you need to attend 3 General Body (GB) meetings in a row and complete 5 hours of community service each semester.

For those interested in news and sports, there is a slightly different (and quicker) training process for becoming air-cleared. Contact either a news or sports director for more information.

Contact Info

To find out when the next training session will begin and how you may apply please e-mail: training@wmua.org

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