Radio Broadcast Citation Generator
Enter a broadcast's host, segment title, program, station, and air date and get a complete, formatted citation in seconds. Works with APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and 10,832 styles — including streamed and archived broadcasts. Free, no sign-up.
Language
How to Cite a Radio Broadcast
- 1. Enter the broadcast details. The host or producer goes in the author field, then the segment title, the program name, and the station with its city (e.g. "WNYC, New York"). Use the exact air date — year, month, and day — because the date is what identifies a broadcast. Add the streaming or archive URL if you listened online.
- 2. Pick a style. Choose APA, MLA, Chicago, or any of the 10,832 styles. APA puts the host first with a "(Host)" role label and adds a [Radio broadcast] descriptor; MLA starts with the segment title and credits the station and air date.
- 3. Generate. We build a full broadcast reference with the station and air date in the right slots. Edit any field, then copy or export it to BibTeX, RIS, CSV, or Word.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I generate a citation for a radio broadcast?
- Enter the host or producer, the segment or episode title, the program name, the station and its city, and the full air date, then pick your citation style and click Generate Citation. The source type is already set to 'Radio broadcast', so the fields map to the right CSL broadcast record.
- Who counts as the author of a radio program?
- APA 7th credits the host with a '(Host)' role label — e.g. 'Gross, T. (Host)' — or the executive producer for a whole program. MLA usually starts with the episode title and names the host or narrator as a contributor. If no individual is identifiable, the station or production company can stand in as a corporate author.
- Do I need the [Radio broadcast] descriptor and the station?
- Yes. APA adds a bracketed descriptor after the title — '[Radio broadcast]' for a stand-alone program or '[Radio broadcast episode]' for a segment — and names the station or network as publisher. MLA and Chicago give the station's call letters and city (e.g. 'WNYC, New York') so readers can identify the original broadcaster.
- How precise does the air date have to be?
- Give the exact air date — year, month, and day — not just the year. Broadcasts are ephemeral, so the full date is what identifies the specific program. If you listened to an archived version online, keep the original air date and add the archive or streaming URL at the end of the reference.
- How do I cite a radio segment I streamed or found in an archive?
- Cite the original broadcast — host, title, program, station, air date — and append the URL of the stream or archive page (e.g. an NPR or BBC Sounds link) in the URL field. If the online version is a podcast feed rather than the broadcast itself, consider citing it as a podcast instead.
- Is the radio broadcast citation generator free?
- Yes. It is 100% free with no sign-up, no ads, and no limits. Your citations are saved locally in your browser and can be exported to BibTeX, RIS, CSV, or Word.