Fake “request hours” on the radio

[Takumi]

There's also Bob FM.

[_Simon]

Ok,  so what's happening here is not so much "Actors" as it is Radio management automation,  also called "Voice tracking" or "Autopilot".  Most times a radio station is operating it's being done by a single person using the station's automation software.   This software not only makes sure that advertisements/commercials get played at the right time (and tracks when they get paid so the station can bill advertisers),  but it also allows a single "personality"  (which on anything besides major shows is usually also the producer/phone answerer) to record parts of the show minutes, hours, or even days before hand.   This is why it sounds "too perfect" when a caller gets done at just the right spot for the song to come on,  or why you only hear them answer the "perfect caller 102".   You don't hear the bad ones because those are discarded and re-done before anything is presented to listeners. 

What's actually happening is the host gave the phone number out during the last show or early on in the show (or not at all,  and enough callers are on the lines from whatever was going on before),  and the host (off the air,  while other music or commercials is playing),  will answer the phone and get the person's request/recommendation on tape.  If the person is there,  AND they request a song that's actually in the station's library AND they sound OK AND it doesn't run on too long,  the host will trim up the clip and add it into the timeline.   It's quite easy for them to take the callers live if they wanted,  most stations have a dump button and run on a delay anyway,  but its just not good for timing  -- people's requests can usually be trimmed significantly and people winning a prize need to hear all sorts of stipulations they don't feel like reading on the air.   Modern stations are on very strict schedules and you either need a team of people with a call screener and someone on the dump button (i.e. your typical morning show),  or some guy is using automation and pre-recording callers seconds, minutes, or hours ahead of time.

It's very very unlikely that what you hear are "actors" however.  Unless the station is being extra douchy and is caching clips of previous callers requesting the song they intend on playing / clips of people winning existing prizes (slightly more dubious than faking call-in song requests due to laws regarding contests).   Most of the songs being "requested" are in the playlist to be played anyway,  and in a contest any caller could be a "winner" if the real "caller 102" didn't work out.   If someone calls in and requests a song the station either doesn't want to play or doesn't have,  the host can simply say "we don't have that song,  do you want to try again with a different song?" and cut that whole conversation out of the audio that goes on air.   Callers are always told to turn down  their radio so they typically don't draw the comparison that they're not hearing themselves on the radio right away -- they're too busy listening to the host (especially if they won something).

Example:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3cel9PlzrU

TL;DR just watch the video.

[inkyatari]

In my radio career, we used a software called "Audio Vault."

Again, if anyone is interested, as a pre- Christmas bonus episode of my video game podcast, my co-host and I did a show dedicated to discussing our radio careers...

http://fab4it.com/piefactory/audio/PFP_BonusEpisode2017.mp3