How to Cite a Radio Broadcast in APA

• Tomas Elliott (Ph.D.)
• Published on 04/30/2025

A radio broadcast is cited in APA Style following some rules to ensure accuracy and consistency. How to cite a radio broadcast is explained here step-by-step using a real example.

Key Citation Elements

• Chapter Author(s): Begin the citation with the author(s) of the broadcast, which can be an individual or organization that produced it. In APA Style, the announcer of the broadcast is considered the author. List the last name first, followed by the first initial. For multiple announcers, separate their names with commas and an ampersand (&) before the last name.
• Complete Date of the Radio Broadcast: Provide the complete date of the broadcast in parentheses, starting with the year, followed by the month and day. This enables readers to be aware of the exact version of the broadcast.
• Title of the Story: Write the title of the specific broadcast work in italics._ In sentence case, capitalize only the first word of the title, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns. End the title with “[Radio broadcast]” in square brackets.
• Name of the Publisher: After the title and description, provide the name of the publisher — usually the company that aired the show. Do not italicize the name of the publisher.
• URL of the Broadcast: Provide the direct URL where the radio broadcast can be found. If both the broadcast and transcript can be accessed at the same link, use the link only once. Do not place a period after the URL.

Full Citation Example

Using the real example provided, the complete APA citation would be:

Include Middle Initials if Available: When the announcer’s complete name includes a middle initial, it is meant to be included in the citation. Middle initials simplify distinguishing between individuals with the same name. Use “n.d.” When There Is No Date Provided: When the radio broadcast does not have an evident publication date, put “n.d.” (which stands for “no date”) in the parentheses. Provide Episode Titles for Ongoing Shows: When citing a specific episode of an ongoing show (like a news program or podcast series), cite the title of the single episode, not the title of the entire show. Omit a URL if the Broadcast Is No Longer Available: If the original broadcast is no longer accessible online, omit the URL altogether. In that case, the citation ends after the publisher’s name.