Desta (right) and Gina host of Desta & Gina Morning Show on Prambors FM
Before achieving celebrity status in the entertainment industry, many famous names start out in radio.
Veronica Felicia Kumala, better known as Cici Panda, is probably one of the most popular hosts on our televisions today.
With a fresh sense of humor, Panda can give you a good laugh with her comedy â including satire â in Indonesia Lawak Klub (ILK) on Trans7 and in her newest talk show, Basa Basi, on TransTV.
But, she did not start in television. She honed her public-speaking ability during her nine years of experience hosting various programs at Jakarta-based Prambors radio.
For her, Prambors was the best school for polishing her skills and style.
âPrambors is definitely a great school [for public speaking]. It taught me everything, from basic communication skills, vocal techniques and generating ideas [for presenting] to shaping up mentally,â Panda told The Jakarta Post.
Panda â who gained popularity hosting Katakan Cinta (Saying Love), Termehek-mehek (Sobbing) and Ceriwis (Chatty) reality shows â said that radio had a special power that television lacked.
âRadio is a personal medium, compared to television. Hosts greet their audience in a very personal way. Plus, radio hosts are trained to do ad lib,â she said, referring to improvisation, the difficult task of speaking off the cuff.
Panda claimed that Prambors had very talented trainers who shaped up the ad lib skills of new hosts.
Looking back, Panda said that she never dreamed of becoming a radio DJ. She got into the broadcasting world following on the advice of a friend who thought the profession would be perfect for chatty Panda.
âI didnât expect much [when I applied], but then Prambors let me in,â said Panda, who often burst into tears when she got negative feedback from her audience in her early years, back when she was earning about Rp 400,000 (US$30) per month as a radio host.
Currently, Panda focuses on her TV work.
âFor now, I find that working for TV shows is more flexible in terms of time, especially for a mother of one like me,â said Panda, adding that sheâd be challenged by the working hours if she took a morning show, for example.
When sheâs in her car, Panda said that she turns on the radio. âMaybe because Iâm a radio person so I feel the need to listen to it anyway. Iâm more into listening to good music on the radio these days.â
Having a more verbal personality at heart, Panda admitted that she would get back to the land of radio one day. âYou can be very relaxed while working in radio. You can be yourself. I will definitely be back there some day.â
Desta (right)<)
Desta (right) and Gina host of Desta & Gina Morning Show on Prambors FM.(Courtesy of pramborsfm.com)
Before achieving celebrity status in the entertainment industry, many famous names start out in radio.
Veronica Felicia Kumala, better known as Cici Panda, is probably one of the most popular hosts on our televisions today.
With a fresh sense of humor, Panda can give you a good laugh with her comedy ' including satire ' in Indonesia Lawak Klub (ILK) on Trans7 and in her newest talk show, Basa Basi, on TransTV.
But, she did not start in television. She honed her public-speaking ability during her nine years of experience hosting various programs at Jakarta-based Prambors radio.
For her, Prambors was the best school for polishing her skills and style.
'Prambors is definitely a great school [for public speaking]. It taught me everything, from basic communication skills, vocal techniques and generating ideas [for presenting] to shaping up mentally,' Panda told The Jakarta Post.
Panda ' who gained popularity hosting Katakan Cinta (Saying Love), Termehek-mehek (Sobbing) and Ceriwis (Chatty) reality shows ' said that radio had a special power that television lacked.
'Radio is a personal medium, compared to television. Hosts greet their audience in a very personal way. Plus, radio hosts are trained to do ad lib,' she said, referring to improvisation, the difficult task of speaking off the cuff.
Panda claimed that Prambors had very talented trainers who shaped up the ad lib skills of new hosts.
Looking back, Panda said that she never dreamed of becoming a radio DJ. She got into the broadcasting world following on the advice of a friend who thought the profession would be perfect for chatty Panda.
'I didn't expect much [when I applied], but then Prambors let me in,' said Panda, who often burst into tears when she got negative feedback from her audience in her early years, back when she was earning about Rp 400,000 (US$30) per month as a radio host.
Currently, Panda focuses on her TV work.
'For now, I find that working for TV shows is more flexible in terms of time, especially for a mother of one like me,' said Panda, adding that she'd be challenged by the working hours if she took a morning show, for example.
When she's in her car, Panda said that she turns on the radio. 'Maybe because I'm a radio person so I feel the need to listen to it anyway. I'm more into listening to good music on the radio these days.'
Having a more verbal personality at heart, Panda admitted that she would get back to the land of radio one day. 'You can be very relaxed while working in radio. You can be yourself. I will definitely be back there some day.'
Addry Danuatmadja, general manager of Oz Radio Jakarta, said that working as a host in radio is simply the best way to learn public speaking.
He said that when someone started their career in radio, they would be trained as a radio DJ as well as a master of ceremonies so they could fully handle presenting radio shows.
'As a radio host, you have to stay alert. You also have to be able to visualize things that you talk about so that your audience gets your point,' said the former host of Oz Radio Bandung in West Java.
On the bright side, when a person with a radio background enters the TV world, they will usually stand out from the crowd.
'You just need to build up your miming skills,' said Addry, who hosts Insert gossip show on TransTV.
Addry started his career as a radio host at Oz Radio Bandung in 1997.
'It was like a dream came true. I was in my early years as a law student and I fell in love with the radio world as it accommodated my creativity and gave me the opportunity to network,' said Addry, who joined the station's management in 1998 and earned the chance to cover the MTV Awards in New York in 1999.
From that US trip, Addry learned more about the broadcasting world and promised himself he would help make radio hosting as respected a profession in Indonesia as it was in the US.
'At end of 1990s, a radio host got about Rp 8,500 per hour of show. Today, there are some radio hosts who pocket up to Rp 50 million a month for hosting prime time shows,' he added.
Thanks to the internet, radio is no longer an analog thing. Through internet streaming, any radio station can be reached from anywhere on earth.
Addry has learned that a radio station needs to work with other parties to stay alive.
'A station can keep on doing off-air shows, which complement its on-air shows ' the classic way; yet, it can also work on a streaming channel, which is a good challenge.'
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