Job market information
Finding out about radio
The radio industry is part of the creative industries, which is represented by Creative Skillset. This includes: advertising; animation; computer games; corporate and commercial production; fashion and textiles; film; interactive media; photo imaging; publishing; radio; and television.
Defining what is meant by the ‘radio industry’ is becoming challenging as audio content can be distributed through a range of platforms as media and telecommunications are converging across the board.
Independent stations and other companies are shared broadly among four sub‐sectors, including: BBC Radio (which is publicly funded); around 120 commercial radio groups and independent stations; around 180 community radio stations; and up to 50 independent radio production companies. The industry is characterised by a small number of large radio groups and a large number of smaller groups and independent stations. The BBC, Global Radio and Bauer dominate the landscape of larger businesses and between them account for a high proportion of the radio workforce.
Key facts:
- 22,800 people are employed in the radio industry, which is estimated to be 5% of the entire Creative industries workforce.
- The industry comprises around 350 organisations, of which 23% employ between 2 and 4 people, 35% between 5 and 10, and 17% between 11 and 20 people.
- 25% of companies have more than 20 people working for them, which includes just 2% with a workforce of 250 or more.
- Radio has a highly skilled and well qualified workforce of which almost two thirds are graduates.
- About a quarter of the workforce is freelance or employed on contracts of less than a year.
- 58% of freelancers working in the industry hold a graduate qualification, compared with 66% of employees in the industry.
Jobs in the industry include: Presenter/DJ, Producer, Broadcast Assistant, Station Manager, Programme Controller, Editor, Journalist, Sales Executive, Marketing Manager, Broadcast Engineer, Support roles: finance, HR, training & development and administration.
Entry and progression
There is no simple direct route into the radio industry. However, for broadcast journalism there are specific courses available and for other jobs in radio school, access, further and higher education courses are available. Undertaking work experience is considered essential for those wishing to enter the industry and move into the industry from another career. Volunteer work for student radio, hospital radio and/or community radio stations is recognised by the mainstream industry as a good starting point to develop the skills needed to get a paid job in the industry.
BBC and commercial radio offer some new entrant training options and bursaries according to business needs. Community radio stations are expected to provide training as part of their remit.
Employers in the radio industry tend to rate post‐entry qualifications higher than those taken pre‐entry. Post entry continuing professional development (CPD) was the most popular type of provision amongst large radio employers, and around eight in ten rated other types of post entry training as important including management, technical and business training.
For job specific entry requirements, take a look at our job profiles.
Workforce statistics
| Number of UK employees: |
22,800 |
|---|
| Number of UK employers: |
350 |
|---|
| Gender: |
52% male |
48% female |
|---|
| Age: |
42% of the workforce is under 35 years |
|---|
| Ethnicity: |
7% of the workforce is from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background |
|---|
| 6.1% of the workforce considers themselves to be disabled |
| 64% of the workforce has a degree, of which 34% are media related. |
| 22% of the workforce does not hold any qualifications. |
| 25% of the workforce is freelance. |
Employment trends and future prospects
Radio is undergoing a digital revolution which is having a rapid and profound impact on the industry and future prospects. It is seen as an exciting period of development. Job vacancies in the industry are not generally hard‐to‐fill, as there is no shortage of people wishing to work in radio. However, there is a particular concern regarding the shortage of radio engineers with the breadth of skills and versatility required to meet the demands of a changing industry.
Skill requirements and shortages
The most common skill gaps reported by employers in the industry are: engineering; production; radio broadcasting; and commercial awareness. Future skill gaps are anticipated by half of large radio employers, with specific skill areas relating to technical equipment, communication and project management.
The common skills shortages identified within particular occupational groups range from radio specific skills to general management, business and IT skills.
Occupational trends
The radio industry workforce is divided into the following occupational roles:
- 29% work in radio broadcasting specific roles
- 25% work in finance, HR, IT, marketing and general management roles
- 21% work in journalism and sport roles
- 10% work in production
- 8% work in producing
Certain occupational groups within the radio industry have a greater reliance on freelancers than others. Those working in radio broadcasting and production are the most likely to be working as freelancers, whilst those working in producing broadcast engineering and sound are the least likely to be freelance.
National and regional data
Although the majority of the workforce is based in London, the nature of local and community radio services means that the radio workforce is more widely dispersed throughout the UK than other creative industries. The largest number of employees in the radio industry is located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
- Scotland
In the East Midlands, Nottingham has the highest number of stations including Heart 106, Classic Gold, Saga and Trent FM owned by GCap/Global. The Lincoln‐based, Lincs FM Group, owns a number of stations in the region and across the country. Sabras Sound in Leicester caters for a predominantly Asian audience, whilst Ofcom have granted community licenses to seven stations. BBC Radio has stations in Lincoln, Nottingham, Leicester, Derby and Northampton and the BBC's Asian Network is also based in Leicester. Around 800 people work in the industry in the region.
In the East of England, there are over 1,200 individuals working in the industry. BBC Radio has stations across the region and over 27 commercial stations broadcast across AM, FM and DAB. A further 10 stations have community licences.
In London, there are approximately 8,800 individuals working in publicly funded, commercial, community and voluntary radio, which is 38% of the industry.
There are eight commercial radio stations in the North East, including four owned by Emap and two by Radio Investments. The BBC has two local radio stations (Newcastle and Cleveland). Radio Tyneside is run by volunteers and provides hospital broadcasting for Newcastle and Gateshead. There are two Restricted Service Licences in the region. Around 500 people work in the industry.
There is a large radio industry in the North West, with a workforce of 2,600. The region has four BBC local stations and approximately 30 broadcast commercial radio companies.
The South East accounts for a significant proportion of the radio industry with a workforce of 2,400. There are 43 commercial radio franchises in the region, including 10 community radio stations (e.g. Unity 101FM, Radio Reverb), plus 28 Restricted Service Licences radio operators, whose services include hospital radio, sports information and campus radio. The BBC is represented by five local radio stations. The region accounts for one of the greatest concentrations of commercial radio employees.
There are approximately 1,300 people working in the industry in the South West.
There is a good geographic spread of radio stations across the West Midlands, but the largest concentration of stations is in Birmingham. There are 30 commercial stations, dominated by the larger radio groups, such as G‐Cap plc, Global and GMG. However, there are some strong performing specialist stations including rock station Kerrang! and Radio XL providing music and news for the West Midlands Asian community. The BBC has five local stations and there are a growing number of community radio stations. Around 1,000 people work in the industry.
In Yorkshire and the Humber, there are five BBC local radio stations in the region and approximately 20 commercial radio stations of which Galaxy is the largest. Community broadcasting is also present in the region including Bradford Community Broadcasting (BCB), one of only 15 radio stations throughout the UK broadcasting a full‐time ‘access radio' station licensed by the Radio Authority. There are around 700 people working in the industry in the region.
In Northern Ireland, the radio workforce is around 600.
In Scotland, 1,780 individuals work in radio. Scotland's radio enterprises range from very large corporations such as the BBC to small, not‐for‐profit community radio stations.
Wales has the highest levels of radio listening in the UK, with radio audiences in Wales averaging 24.4 hours of listening per week. The radio industry employs around 1,000 people across Wales in enterprises which range from very large corporations (such as the BBC) to small, not‐for‐profit community radio stations.
Salary levels
The average income received by the radio workforce is low at £29,200, compared with the creative industries workforce as a whole, £32,200. Permanent employees in the radio industry have a much higher average income than those working as freelancers (averages of £31,800 and £20,500 respectively).
Incidence of unpaid working (excluding an occasional charitable contribution) is higher within the radio workforce than within the wider creative industries workforce (43% and 38% respectively). The extent of unpaid work varies by contract type, with 58% of radio freelancers having worked unpaid, compared with 39% of radio employees.
BECTU 
, the industry trade union, can advise on rates for freelancers working in the industry.
Career paths
Further sources
Produced Sept 2010, using Skillet AACS LMI report (Jun 2010)
