Radio broadcast assistant : Employers and vacancy sources

The BBC broadcasts on 40 local radio stations in England, 6 radio stations in the nations, as well as BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, 2, 3, 4, 5 Live, 5 Live Xtra, 6 Music, the BBC Asian Network and BBC World Service. There are also around 600 commercial radio stations in the UK.

However, this number changes regularly as some of the less-established stations only hold a licence for six months. Some are independent and some form part of larger radio groups. For a list of commercial radio stations, see the RadioCentre .

The country’s regional and national commercial stations are generally owned by a small number of larger media groups, which include Bauer Media , Global Radio  and GMG Radio . 

DAB digital radio has helped to increase the number of BBC and commercial stations available over the past few years and there are now more than 170 different radio brands broadcasting digitally in the UK and Northern Ireland. For a list of digital stations in the UK, visit Get Digital Radio . You can also search for potential employers using the search directories of satellite, cable, FM and AM radio stations on the Office of Communications (Ofcom)  website.

These stations all broadcast a mixture of live and pre-recorded programmes and are likely to need people to perform the duties of a broadcast assistant, although specific job titles may differ between employers. Some commercial and local BBC stations do not usually employ people in a specific broadcast assistant role, with most of the work being done by a programme presenter and producer. Independent production companies specialise in making pre-recorded programmes, which are then sold on to radio broadcasters. They may have similar or related roles available.

Longer term, many people work freelance or on fixed-term contracts and have to be prepared for periods of unemployment. Despite these challenges, those who have made it tend to thrive on the rewards of working in an exciting, dynamic and creative environment.

Sources of vacancies

• Search graduate jobs on this site.
• Guardian Jobs  
• The Radio Academy  
• Media UK  
• Broadcast  
• Radio Talent  
• The Radio Magazine  
• BBC Jobs  
• Commercial radio station or group websites.
• Local press.

Although the BBC advertises vacancies, these are not always made available externally. Vacancies for commercial radio are not always advertised and are often filled by people undertaking voluntary experience on shows.

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