Tuning out: RJs abandon radio to become influencers as online popularity soars

After all, content creators and influencers have lucrative careers that can bring them brand deals and entertainment opportunities. It can be so enticing that some RJs are even ditching radio, exacerbating the struggles of the audio broadcasting sector.

Karishma Gangwal quit her job as an RJ at Red FM in 2023 to pursue content creation full time, making videos. She has close to 7 million people following her Instagram handle @rjkarishma and currently hosts a spot-the-imposter format game show called ‘Find the Farzi’ on JioHotstar.

“As RJs, we do have an advantage. We’re used to being creative, spontaneous and adding our own flavour to everything we do. These skills naturally help us in content creation too,” Gangwal said.

Content creation also becomes more lucrative for RJs due to its higher earning potential than their radio jobs.

“It really depends on the size of your following. But generally, as a content creator with a strong audience, you can easily earn two to three times more than a radio jockey,” said Princy Parikh, a RJ turned creator who quit her job at Radio Mirchi in 2023.

She now has her own YouTube channel with 3.4 million followers. Her Instagram handle @princymirchilove has over 1.6 million followers.

Analysts said the transition of radio content to social media to catch up with the changing preferences of consumers has fuelled the online popularity of RJs.

“Radio jockeys were the original macro influencers, long before social media. They commanded regional fame through FM radio, building deep audience engagement,” said Amiya Swarup, partner, marketing advisory, at consulting firm EY.

Over time, radio companies have started tapping the rising influencer status of their RJs. Today, brands benefit not just from on-air credibility, but also from the powerful social media reach of RJs, Swarup said.

However, as radio stations build income from advertisements on social media, RJs, who are also promoting their personal brands on social media, are sometimes put in a spot when they have to work with brands they don’t associate with.

Freedom, flexibility

“You have the option to say no to brands and campaigns you may not relate to,” said Supriya Kapoor, a former RJ with Fever FM with over 50,000 followers on Instagram, who now calls herself a creator, voiceover artist and podcast host. “Becoming influencers gives you complete freedom with the kind of content you create as you aren’t bound by a brand’s presence. It also gives the flexibility to collaborate with brands you identify with, having complete ownership and say on the commercials.”

Experts said they have observed a growth in RJs taking over social media, gaining traction on the back of creativity and their masterful storytelling skills that give them an edge over other creators.

“While there’s no official data tracking this group specifically, from what we’ve seen in the ecosystem, ex- or current RJs likely make up around 2-4% of India’s digital creator base. It’s still a niche, but definitely a growing one, especially with the rise of podcasting and audio-first formats that play to their strengths,” said Shravika Behl, head of growth at influencer marketing agency Pocket Aces.

As per a Boston Consulting Group report in May, there are currently 2-2.5 million creators in India influencing over 30% of consumers and $350-400 billion in consumer spending.

In their radio roles, RJs are heard only locally. Seeking national recognition becomes another reason for them to push for social media growth.

Wider reach

“I always aspired to be known. Earlier, people recognised me as a Red FM RJ—but only within Siliguri, which is a relatively small town. Social media changed that. It gave me a platform to build a name and gain recognition far beyond my city. It’s not just local fame anymore, it is reach and impact on a much larger scale,” said Priyanka Sarkar, who quit her job after a decade-long stint in May to pursue fulltime content creation. Her Instagram handle @rjpriyanka has over 1.3 million followers.

Disclaimer: Fever FM is operated by HT Media Ltd, the publisher of Mint.