Radio Host should sound GenuineA livewire on air, Kaushi connects with Chennai every morning through her show 'Eepeeko 106.4'. According to her, offering something different to listeners is vital. She loves travelling, is adventurous and believes in the mantra 'Be happy and keep others happy too'.
What made you choose Radio Hosting?
I didn't choose radio… radio chose me!
Basically I'm a student of electronic media. I was in my college final year when me and a few of my college friends happened to attend an audition for radio jockeys, more out of curiosity than anything else! Surprisingly it clicked! Few weeks of rigorous training followed and as I liked the team I was working with, I took up radio hosting as part-time assignment.
Everyday, after college, I used to host the evening drive-time show called 'Cummercut'. The fun part was that my friends at college were as excited as me about this and it was one of my friends who suggested the name for my show.
Though I never thought I'd be a radio host myself, I've enjoyed listening to radio since my childhood days.
What are the pros & cons of the job?
Radio hosting is so much fun! Enjoying good music, playing it to whole city, talking your heart out and making people like you for what you are doing…Could there be a better job that one could ask for?
Cons…? Yes, of course! Sometimes we have to shy away from ice creams and cold drinks to maintain our voice. Giving in to temptations can sometimes result in some undesired special effects.
If not radio hosting, then what?
If not radio hosting then maybe one could've caught me on some news channel reporting a story or fighting for a cause.
Describe your most memorable radio moment?
It would be my first show and my first-ever live jock link. I was thrilled, nervous, excited, fervent, passionate, ecstatic and scared, all at the same time! I knew the expectations were high…and I didn't want to let them down. I even had a few RJ's with me in the studio for support! My friends were also glued to the radio sets to hear me on air for the first time. I was fast, energetic and breathless, they said. I had put all my life in to it! I finished my first jock link and came out of the studio eager to get some feedback, and was surprised to see my teammates waiting. They cheered and hugged me! Have never felt so special ever in my life.
Was there anyone or anything that inspired you to take up this profession?
Yup! It was during an inter-college cultural event, where my friend and I performed together in an on-stage competition. The judge for the event was so impressed that he went ahead to say that I would have a brilliant future if I chose radio as a career. The judge for the event was one of the prominent names in the radio industry! He later happened to be the person who trained me and shaped me as a radio host! If not for him I would've never been here.
Another inspiring event was when my most favorite radio jockey chose me as his favorite student radio jockey among many others, in a college cultural event.
What is your USP?
Being myself. Eventhough I haven't figured out what kind of a person I am. I bet the listeners are as confused as I am, pleasantly though.
What are the essential requirements for being a radio host?
Flair for language and expression of thoughts, a healthy and friendly personality. Clarity in speech is also important. But, honesty is the key virtue.
How do you prepare yourself for every show?
I connect with Chennai every morning from 7 to 10, with my take on the day's news and views. This warrants me to go through newspapers and magazines every morning. News channels and the Internet help me stay updated. Before every show of mine I make it a point to go through the songs scheduled for the show and think of interesting ways to present them to the listeners. I also listen to any of my favorite songs in full volume in the studio before starting with the show! It helps increase my energy level.
Does hosting a particular prime slot matter to you?
Not at all! I would rather like to experiment with different time bands and show formats. At anytime of the day I want to make sure the listener's enjoy what they listen to! I would want my show time, no matter when, to be known as primetime.
What is that one most important factor that makes listeners connect to an RJ?
Radio hosts should sound genuine. Trying to fake, putting on an accent, trying to be hip might put off listeners. When we have this 'I mean what I say' attitude in our voice, listeners might just like us for what we are.
A radio station is known by its RJs, particularly in these times when all stations sound alike. Would you agree?
Apart from radio hosts, there are other things that set a radio station apart from others, like the music they play, the overall soundscape of the channel, the content, the creative quotients and the show formats! But there could be nothing better than people tuning into your station to listen to you!
Where do you see yourself a decade from now?
Two years back I couldn't have told you I would be a radio host today! Whenever I plan something in life, the cosmos conspires to make sure that things don't work out the way I want them to! But at the end of it all, things turn out to be good for me… better than I could have planned for! So, I'm not complaining! The moral of the story is to give your best to whatever you are doing currently and have fun. That's exactly what I've been doing! A decade is too long a period to foresee! At best, I see myself ten years wiser and ten years younger.
A radio jockey is "born" or "made"?
Born. Or may be made too. Or born to be made an RJ could also be a possibility. Thank God, they can't be cloned.
What would be your message to the budding radio hosts?
Be genuine and honest with the medium, be passionate about what you do and make sure you have something different to offer your listeners. That's when we'll stand out from the rest. Most importantly Khush raho aur sabko khush rakho! (Be happy and keep others happy too).
Snapshot Queries
The 5 most important things in life-
1) Parents 2) People
3) Experimenting and learning 4) Travel and adventure
5) Solitude for self-introspection
When not on-air-
I am off-air! ha ha !
I live by the mantra-
To be good on air, have no airs.
Will never forget-
My first live jock link on air.
Can't stand-
People spitting on roads.
Love listening to-
Any music depending upon my mood.
Love watching-
With butter popcorns and cold drink any kind of movie should seem good.
(Source; radioduniya.in)
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