More to a radio DJ than cheesy jokes

SOME may think that radio presenters just sit and talk to themselves for a few hours.

And while that may be true, there is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes.

Chris Beattie has been with Wave FM since March last year, starting work on the digital aspects of radio before sweet talking himself into a presenter’s role.

Now Chris handles Dundee and Perth’s drive time show as well as managing the digital content.

Chris said: “I’ve been a lover of radio since my university days, when a friend and I hosted a show on student radio.

“It was an awkward mish-mash of bad jokes, awful impressions and questionable music choices.

“We thought we were radio superstars with our three listeners a week. From then, I made the move to commercial radio nearly four years ago.

“It was nerve-wracking. Knowing that thousands of people could be listening to you is very exciting and utterly terrifying.”

While Chris comes up with the cheesy jokes, he also comes up with the rest of the show’s content.

He added: “A lot of people don’t realise that many presenters are also their own producers.

“We don’t have a guy in the studio with a clipboard making sure everything is running smoothly – we do it all ourselves.

“It’s up to me to plan the content of every show, as well as take phone calls from listeners, edit audio and keep an eye on the news and the travel updates.

“All while making sure I’m running on time. You never know what any one day is going to be like, but the busiest and most stressful shows are always the most fun.”

If you see a video on Wave FM’s social media pages it will be more than likely that Chris is behind the camera.

“On an average day, managing the digital content means keeping the website updated, creating graphics and making social media posts about what we’re doing on air.

“But often, I’m out and about in Dundee and Perth with the other presenters, recording footage and then coming back to the offices to edit it together.

“It’s always good to let the listeners see what’s happening when the microphones are off, and these days, digital content is nearly as important as the radio itself.

“Nobody knows what the future holds, but nothing makes me happier than radio.”

Chris Beattie