Broadcasting
Broadcasting Career Overview
The broadcasting industry consists of smaller independent radio and television stations, which usually broadcast county or state-wide, and much larger radio and television networks, which typically broadcast across the entire country. People who work in broadcasting prepare and broadcast music and television programs, in a wide variety of different jobs.
Broadcasting tends to be a very fast-paced and high-pressure environment, requiring a high degree of confidence and quick-thinking, particularly when working live-to-air. In general, anyone interested in a Broadcasting career should have excellent communication skills, organizational skills, and the ability to both think and react quickly in unexpected situations.
Broadcasting Training & Education
New entrants to careers in Broadcasting can often gain their first jobs in smaller or independent radio and television stations that broadcast to smaller regional or state markets. However, competition for even these jobs is often fierce, and anyone interested in entering the Broadcasting industry in the capacity of Reporter, or as in a supervisory position such as Producer or Director should aim to have some kind of qualification, such as in Journalism or Media Studies.
Technical careers such as Master Control Engineer or Technical Director can often obtain the majority of their training on the job, but again, formal education is increasingly important as new advances in technology make these types of careers more complex. Anyone interested in a technical career in Broadcasting should aim to complete at least an Associate’s degree at a community college, vocational college or other education institution in a subject such as Engineering or Broadcast Technology.
Supervisory positions in larger Broadcasting networks will typically require a four year degree. Certification can also be obtained from the Society of Broadcasting Engineers following the completion of a written examination.
Broadcasting Career Outlook & Salary
The US Department of Labor predicts slightly slower-than-average growth of new employment opportunities for careers in Broadcasting, through to the year 2016. In addition, applicants to Broadcasting positions should expect to face very fierce competition for available jobs, due to the popularity of the industry. Opportunities will be best for applicants with college degrees in Journalism, Broadcasting or a related field.
Salaries for Broadcasting careers depend on a number of factors including experience, qualifications, and level of seniority. However, due to the nature of regional versus network broadcasting, the salary range is more variable than in most other industries.
Typical salary for a Producer ranges from $35,000 to $60,000 or more, with Assistant Producer salaries at the bottom end of that range. Video Editors may expect to earn between $22,000 and $45,000 depending on their qualifications and experience. Program Directors typically earn between $42,000 and $80,000.
For reporters and announcers, their salary is dependent on experience, qualifications, and their level of responsibility within their position. Their salary range is extremely broad, varying from $25,000 to $60,000 or more.
Broadcasting technicians, including Master Control Engineer and Technical director, typically earn between $35,000 and $70,000 or more depending on their qualifications and experience.
Career Fields/Specializations
Producer/Assistant Producer Career
Producers plan the development of programs that are broadcast live, or are pre-taped and broadcast as a finished product. The Producer is responsible for determining the overall look and feel of a television or radio program. Producers are responsible for:
- select and edit scripts
- select actors
- props and sets, lighting
- supervise other members of the team
- other elements that combine to create a finished production
The Producer must also ensure that a given production comes in on time, within budget, and within time limits.
The Assistant Producer is the second-in-command to the Producer, providing clerical support such as distributing schedules and scripts, assistance with production elements such as timing programs, carrying out background research and fact-checking, and may also assist with the preparation of any materials used in creating a program. An Assistant Producer typically works with the aim of eventually becoming a Producer once they have gained sufficient experience.
Producers and Assistant Producers must have considerable experience in the Broadcasting industry, coupled with excellent interpersonal skills, written and verbal communication skills, negotiation skills, and leadership skills. They must be confident and assertive, be able to motivate both themselves and other members of their team, and should also have good financial and budgeting skills. The ability to work well under pressure is also very important.
Video Editor Career
Video Editors work with pre-recorded video to create the finished product that is eventually broadcast over the airwaves. They work with raw video footage, choosing the best shots to include in the finished product, putting each shot and clip in the best order, and adding sound effects and special effects.
A Video Editor may work in sequential order from the beginning to the end of a program, or may take advantage of new techniques in computerized digital editing to work in a less linear fashion by cutting and pasting sections of video footage. They will often work according to specifications from a director, producer or client.
Video Editors must have a good mix of practical and creative skills, with a good sense of visual awareness and of timing. Patience, concentration, and a very high level of attention to detail are also important. However, a Video Editor must be able to focus on the details of a project, and be able to work with footage out of sequence, without losing sight of the overall story line. Good communication and team-work skills are also necessary, as well as the ability to work to deadlines under pressure.
Broadcasting Announcer Career
Television and radio Announces carry out a range of different tasks, both on and off the airwaves. Announces may work in either TV or radio, and tend to have different types of duties depending on the type of station or network in which they are employed. On television, Announcers read scripts that introduce television shows, present daily or evening schedules, and specialized types of Announcers read news and weather reports, or host television shows in special interest areas such as politics or sports
Radio Announcers whose job involves playing music are typically known as disc jockeys (or simply DJs); however their job is rarely limited to simply playing music. They typically provide some type of commentary on the music they play, and may also read the news, schedule and play advertisements, interact with listeners by taking requests or hosting chat segments, interview guests, and provide general interest information such as weather and traffic news.
Due to the nature of the job, the most important attribute for an Announcer is a good speaking voice, with clear pronunciation, good grammar, and a commanding tone that is appealing to listeners. Television Announcers should also be well-presented. Announcer need good interpersonal and communication skills, and in cases where they specialize in a particular topic, should have a thorough knowledge of and interest in their field. Announcers should also have good writing skills, as they will often write their own material.
Broadcasting Program Director Career
Program Directors are responsible for planning and scheduling on-air programs in radio stations and networks. For example, they may decide what genre of music the station will play and develop play-lists for different periods of the day and night, supervise on-air staff, and schedule advertising breaks during programming. They may also be responsible for selecting guests to appear on-air, and determining what type of content is appropriate for the programming they supervise.
Program Directors typically need considerable experience as an Announcer or DJ before they can advance to a Director’s position. A thorough knowledge of music is an important attribute for Program Directors, as well as good organizational skills, interpersonal skills, and communication skills.
Broadcasting Reporter Career
Broadcasting Reporters research, write, and present news stories on television and radio. A Reporting team is typically made up of not only reporters, but also camera operators and technicians, who travel to different locations in search of news stories. In smaller independent stations, a Reporter may work alone or as part of a much smaller team that might include only themselves and a camera operator.
In pursuit of a news story, a Reporter might investigate leads, research background information, interview people, visit the scene of a news story, take written notes, and document their activities with photographs or video footage. This information is then used to write a news story that might be broadcast on radio or television, or printed in a newspaper. Television reporters may also appear on television news programs and present pre-recorded or live news stories.
Reporters must have excellent written and verbal communication skills, good research writing skills, and excellent interpersonal skills, including interview skills. They must also have confidence, be able to think and react quickly in unexpected situations, and be able work well in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
Master Control Engineer Career
The role of a Master Control Engineer is to ensure the smooth transition of all the different elements of a radio or television station’s scheduled programming segments. These include elements such as pre-recorded segments, commercials, on-location news stories and feeds, and other live programming.
The Master Control Engineer must also deal with situations that may require ‘damage control’, such as dead air caused by faulty equipment or problems in coordinating live news stories. Another essential function of a Master Control Engineer is ensuring that all transmissions meet the standards and requirements of the Federal Communications Commission.
Master Control Engineers should have thorough knowledge of the different elements of Broadcasting; typically this requires several years experience in different broadcasting jobs to gain the knowledge and technical skills required. They should have excellent attention to detail, time-management and organizational skills, and good communication and interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to think and react quickly in emergency situations, and to work well under pressure.
Technical Director Career
Technical Directors are responsible for supervising members of technical staff that work in the studio and the control room, during the production of a particular program. They must make sure every staff member is in the proper place and ready to do their jobs at the appropriate time during the production of a pre-recorded television program or live-to-air program, provide training and supervision for less experienced staff members, consult with the director on assignments for staff members, camera shots, and the best way of accomplishing all the different elements that the director wants for the production. They may also be responsible for monitoring the technical quality of the program being recorded or broadcast.
Technical Directors must have exhaustive knowledge of both technical and production aspects of broadcasting pre-recorded and live-to-air programs. This experience is typically gained with several years spent working in the broadcasting industry as a camera operator, lighting director, and other jobs. Technical Directors should also be able to work well under pressure, and have good organizational, communication and interpersonal skills.
