Learning Objectives
Learning Objective 1:
To gain experience and understanding in the music and business field, which will help me acquire a job in the industry by the time I graduate Messiah.
Activities/Resources:
- Getting to know each job and skill required for each department within the radio: I plan to do this by talking to people involved in the station, within the promotions, sales, and marketing positions. Also, getting to know the in’s and out’s of how the radio works, not only on the air, but with different record companies and how they communicate with each other.
- How to make myself marketable to other companies: I’ve been learning many ways that you can make yourself marketable. Mainly, that you always want to carry knowledge with you. If you know information about a record label or the person working for the label, they are more likely to hire you based on the fact that you aren’t just looking for an easy way in.
- Learning the ins and outs of the music industry: From being with my boss, I have learned that every part of the music industry involved connections. People in radio are just as important as people in production. Everyone has a key role that they play and without a certain element, it doesn’t flow properly.
- Understanding the ways to get connected with other people within the industry: I have learned that it is very important to stay connected with those you make connections with in the industry. My boss said that he still keeps close to other people working for labels because it keeps the relationship and connection going. I find it really interesting that with the job he has in radio, he is able to speak with people in high places at record labels because it is virtually their decision of what gets played on the radio.
Evaluation/Verification:
- Have
a work log describing some of the experiences I learned from: I am
currently keeping a work log on excel with a detailed description of each day
that I am at Kiss 98.5. This is important for me to have because it is
something I can always refer back to when applying for other positions.
- Discuss different people I worked with and their positions and I how I learned from them: Being at kiss, I have met a number of people involved in the station. Whether its people in promotions, sales, or just media in general, it is important to keep those connections for the future.
- Keep a record of important things I have learned about the music business industry: By doing this, I will have a basic understanding of the field I am about to get involved in. I will have some sort of background knowledge as to how to promote and market myself trying to get a job while also understanding important points to help me excel at my job.
Reflection:
At the start of my internship, I had the desire to know just how each persons job molded with the radio station. Throughout my summer, I was able to see that each department has its own special task assisting the flow of radio. I was able to work with the promotions department on many different tasks, especially for concerts. The concerts were my major projects for the summer and promotions played a major part in that. Promotions was in charge of setting up tents, food, transportation, and many other tasks that needed to be done. Without the promotions team, there would be no one to pick up the artists from their hotels, accommodate the musicians with amenities during show time, and have little to no show to put on. Promotions advertised a majority of the shows from creating radio broadcasts, to designing logos to be labeled on things from t-shirts to banners. Before starting at the station, I had no desire to work in promotions but after this summer, I'm hoping to be working part-time with the department when I come home from school.
I was able to demonstrate how to make myself marketable based on many things. I learned that dressing the part is extremely important because first appearances are detrimental in marketing yourself. I found that having a firm, solid handshake is also impressive and exemplifies confidence. Speaking up and not being afraid to vocalize your opinions is also beneficial. There were times when my opinion was asked and I was clear and confident in my response. I also gained confidence on the phone, which is always something I have struggled with. I gained confidence and clarity without having anxiety of saying the wrong thing on the phone and it eventually became comfortable for me.
While being at a radio station, I was able to grasp so many tips about the ins and outs of the music industry. I learned that many different labels are connected to radio and that without the help of the radio station, many labels would not be as successful. It's considered a "partnership" between the two. I also was able to gain hands on experience with the process of putting on a concert. It is a very long and strenuous process but it is extremely rewarding in the end.
Through my internship, I was able to meet a plethora of people in the industry. Whether it is from working a concert or a special event, I was able to meet executives, record label representatives, managers and more. Since meeting those people and having a good first impression, I was able to successfully make connections.
Learning Objective 2:
To understand what is marketable and understand how radio correlates with labels.
Activities/Resources:
- Paying attention to the music that is played every day: Being at a radio station, I am constantly updated with the top hits. Since I work for kiss fm, that’s all they ever play. Yes, some songs are not exactly my cup of tea, but I’m not working for my own preferences. My job will eventually be helping aspiring artists discover their true potential. So for the time being, I want to learn how to promote music and market the artist.
- Connecting with the fans of the artist: Since we do ticket and contest giveaways often, I have been able to interact with the fans who want or have won prizes before. Through twitter, I was able to interact with each contestant and learn proper communications skills. This will be important when I need to work with an even bigger fan base and when I promote on social media that I am using the right terminology.
- Staying connected with radio stations: It isn’t all about the label or the artist. There are so many people involved in one musician’s success. Radio being one of them. Not every musician is played on the radio, but many times that is his or her right of passage. When that moment happens when they hear their song being played for the first time, it is so awesome. Not having good connections with a radio station is detrimental to success. I wouldn’t have realized how important that is if not working as an intern for a station.
- Promoting yourself as if you are always looking for a job: This is crucial. At the beginning of my internship, I knew I wasn’t looking for a job at a radio station, just experience. But throughout my time here, I have noticed that just because you don’t want a job at this particular company doesn’t mean they wont help you out for another job you want. It is all about how you present yourself, how you fit with others, and how you respond to requests and tasks. Already, I’ve made extremely important connections among the person I work with and that is exactly what you want after an internship.
Evaluation/Verification:
- Make a list of qualities all the music that plays: Most music played on the radio has a certain trait about it that makes the listener want to hear more. Yes, sometimes the radio has a tendency to “over-play” songs, but at the beginning, the song that eventually does get overplayed, was once a song that was requested many times. That song possessed a certain quality that made it worth listening to.
- Make sure to pay attention to who you meet: Remembering everyone’s name is not an easy feat for me. However, keeping a mental note or simply writing down a name or a number after meeting someone important will help in the long run. Even if that person doesn’t remember you, it shows how serious you take your job.
- Dress for success: The way you dress really exemplifies how you want others to see you. At a radio station, most people dress business casual. Most people in the industry tend to dress that way. It makes you look appropriate while not wearing a full on suit to work every day. This helped me to look the part and feel as though I am part of a team.
Reflection:
After starting at Kiss 98.5, I was constantly around the new, popular music that is played daily. At first, I knew it would get on my nerves because some mainstream songs really can get under my skin, but I started to notice what sound was popular. It varied from boy bands to pop stars, but they all had a catchy beat. Even if I didn't particularly like a song, I noticed that it did have some what of a catchy beat to it. After speculating with a few of my friends who listen to the radio, they made comments saying that "when listening to music, they tend to listen to see if that beat is good. They rarely pay attention to the lyrics." That being said, it helped me to understand what exactly the angle of the radio station was. That is to play good music that keeps the listener engaged.
Working concerts or private events has given me interactions with many of the musicians fans. It was interesting to see how creative the fans were when it came to designing t-shirts and posters. I was able to hear how excited many of them are. This was helpful for me to experience because when putting on a show, you get to see why you go through the stressful planning in the first place. It is so rewarding to see how happy everyone is and how much fun they have.
While working concert venues or just by working at Entercom, I always made sure to present myself in an easily approachable, yet professional way. This made it easy for me to connect with others and work well with my fellow interns. I learned more about my work ethic by understanding how I can handle certain situations.
Overall, the experience was quite rewarding and I learned a lot about myself and the music industry.
Job Description:
This internship consists of anything that gives students experience in producing radio broadcasts, editing audio and gaining an understanding of the music business industry. Most of the duties of the intern will be assisting the producer with anything from music ideas, researching topics, answer questions, and be involved in social media.
