| Most employees in this industry work in clean, | | | | CDs are used only as backups in case of a |
| comfortable surroundings in broadcast stations | | | | computer failure. Announcers and disc jockeys |
| and studios. Some employees work in the | | | | need a good speaking voice; the latter also need |
| production of shows and broadcasting while other | | | | a significant knowledge of music. |
| employees work in advertising, sales, promotions, | | | | Program directors are in charge of on-air |
| and marketing. | | | | programming in radio stations. Program directors |
| Television news teams made up of reporters, | | | | decide what type of music will be played, |
| camera operators, and technicians travel in | | | | supervise on-air personnel, and often select the |
| electronic news-gathering vehicles to various | | | | specific songs and the order in which they will be |
| locations to cover news stories. Although such | | | | played. Considerable experience, usually as a disc |
| location work is exciting, some assignments, such | | | | jockey, is required, as well as a thorough |
| as reporting on military conflicts or natural | | | | knowledge of music. |
| disasters, may be dangerous. These assignments | | | | News-related occupations. News, weather, and |
| may also require outdoor work under adverse | | | | sports reports are important to many television |
| weather conditions. | | | | stations because these reports attract a large |
| Camera operators working on such news teams | | | | audience and account for a large proportion of |
| must have the physical stamina to carry and set | | | | revenue. Many radio stations depend on |
| up their equipment. Broadcast technicians on | | | | up-to-the-minute news for a major share of their |
| electronic news-gathering trucks must ensure that | | | | programming. Program production staff, such as |
| the mobile unit's antenna is correctly positioned for | | | | producers and announcers, also work on the |
| optimal transmission quality and to prevent | | | | production of news programs. |
| electrocution from power lines. Field service | | | | Reporters gather information from various |
| engineers work on outdoor transmitting | | | | sources, analyze and prepare news stories, and |
| equipment and may have to climb poles or | | | | present information on the air. Correspondents |
| antenna towers; their work can take place under | | | | report on news occurring in U.S. and foreign cities |
| a variety of weather conditions. Broadcast | | | | in which they are stationed. Newswriters write |
| technicians who maintain and set up equipment | | | | and edit news stories from information collected |
| may have to do heavy lifting. Technological | | | | by reporters. Newswriters may advance to |
| changes have enabled camera operators also to | | | | positions as reporters or correspondents. |
| fulfill the tasks of broadcast technicians, operating | | | | Broadcast news analysts, also known as news |
| the transmission and editing equipment on a | | | | anchors, analyze, interpret, and broadcast news |
| remote broadcasting truck. News operations, | | | | received from various sources. News anchors |
| programming, and engineering employees work | | | | present news stories and introduce videotaped |
| under a great deal of pressure in order to meet | | | | news or live transmissions from on-the-scene |
| deadlines. As a result, these workers are likely to | | | | reporters. Newscasters at large stations may |
| experience varied or erratic work schedules, | | | | specialize in a particular field. Weathercasters, also |
| often working on early morning or late evening | | | | called weather reporters, report current and |
| news programs. | | | | forecasted weather conditions. They gather |
| Sales workers may face stress meeting sales | | | | information from national satellite weather |
| goals. Aside from sometimes erratic work | | | | services, wire services, and local and regional |
| schedules, management and administrative | | | | weather bureaus. Some weathercasters are |
| workers typically find themselves in an | | | | trained atmospheric scientists and can develop |
| environment similar to any other office. | | | | their own weather forecasts. Sportscasters, who |
| For many people, the excitement of working in | | | | are responsible for reporting sporting events, |
| broadcasting compensates for the demanding | | | | usually select, write, and deliver the sports news |
| nature of the work. Although this industry is | | | | for each newscast. |
| noted for its high pressure and long hours, the | | | | Assistant news directors supervise the |
| work is generally not hazardous. | | | | newsroom; they coordinate wire service reports, |
| Occupations at large broadcast stations and | | | | tape or film inserts, and stories from individual |
| networks fall into five general categories: Program | | | | newswriters and reporters. Assignment editors |
| production, news-related, technical, sales, and | | | | assign stories to news teams, sending the teams |
| general administration. At small stations, jobs are | | | | on location if necessary. |
| less specialized, and employees often perform | | | | News directors have overall responsibility for the |
| several functions. Although on-camera or on-air | | | | news team made up of reporters, writers, |
| positions are the most familiar occupations in | | | | editors, and newscasters as well as studio and |
| broadcasting, the majority of employment | | | | mobile unit production crews. This senior |
| opportunities are behind the scenes (table 1). | | | | administrative position entails responsibilities that |
| Program production occupations. Most television | | | | include determining what events to cover, and |
| programs are produced by the motion picture and | | | | how and when they will be presented in a news |
| video industry; actors, directors, and producers | | | | broadcast. |
| working on these prerecorded programs are not | | | | Technical occupations. Employees in these |
| employed by the broadcasting industry. | | | | occupations operate and maintain the electronic |
| Employees in program production occupations at | | | | equipment that records and transmits radio or |
| television and radio stations create programs such | | | | television programs. The titles of some of these |
| as news, talk, and music shows. | | | | occupations use the terms "engineer," "technician," |
| Assistant producers provide clerical support and | | | | and "operator" interchangeably. |
| background research; assist with the preparation | | | | Radio operators manage equipment that regulates |
| of musical, written, and visual materials; and time | | | | the signal strength, clarity, and range of sounds |
| productions to make sure that they do not run | | | | and colors of broadcasts. They also monitor and |
| over schedule. Assistant producers also may | | | | log outgoing signals and operate transmitters. |
| operate cameras and other audio and video | | | | Audio and video equipment technicians operate |
| equipment. | | | | equipment to regulate the volume, sound quality, |
| Video editors select and assemble pretaped video | | | | brightness, contrast, and visual quality of a |
| to create a finished program, applying sound and | | | | broadcast. Broadcast technicians set up and |
| special effects as necessary. Conventional editing | | | | maintain electronic broadcasting equipment. Their |
| requires assembling pieces of videotape in a linear | | | | work can extend outside the studio, as when |
| fashion to create a finished product. The editor | | | | they set up portable transmitting equipment or |
| first assembles the beginning of the program, and | | | | maintain stationary towers. |
| then, works sequentially towards the end. Newer | | | | Television and video camera operators set up and |
| computerized editing allows an editor to | | | | operate studio cameras, which are used in the |
| electronically cut and paste video segments. This | | | | television studio, and electronic news gathering |
| electronic technique is known as nonlinear editing | | | | cameras, which are mobile and used outside the |
| because the editor is no longer restricted to | | | | studio when a news team is pursuing a story at |
| working sequentially; a segment may be moved | | | | another location. Camera operators need training |
| at any time to any location in the program. | | | | in video production as well as some experience in |
| Producers plan and develop live or taped | | | | television production. |
| productions, determining how the show will look | | | | Master control engineers ensure that all of the |
| and sound. They select the script, talent, sets, | | | | radio or television station's scheduled program |
| props, lighting, and other production elements. | | | | elements, such as on-location feeds, prerecorded |
| Producers also coordinate the activities of on-air | | | | segments, and commercials, are smoothly |
| personalities, production staff, and other personnel. | | | | transmitted. They also are responsible for |
| Web site or Internet producers, a relatively new | | | | ensuring that transmissions meet FCC |
| occupation in the broadcasting industry, plan and | | | | requirements. |
| develop Internet sites that provide news updates, | | | | Technical directors direct the studio and control |
| program schedules, and information about popular | | | | room technical staff during the production of a |
| shows. These producers decide what will appear | | | | program. They need a thorough understanding of |
| on the Internet sites, and design and maintain | | | | both the production and technical aspects of |
| them. | | | | broadcasting; this knowledge often is acquired by |
| Announcers read news items and provide other | | | | working as a lighting director or camera operator, |
| information, such as program schedules and | | | | or as another type of broadcast worker. |
| station breaks for commercials or public service | | | | Network and computer systems administrators |
| information. Many radio announcers are referred | | | | and network systems and data communications |
| to as disc jockeys; they play recorded music on | | | | analysts design, set up, and maintain systems of |
| radio stations. Disc jockeys may take requests | | | | computer servers. These servers store recorded |
| from listeners; interview guests; and comment on | | | | programs, advertisements, and news clips. |
| the music, weather, or traffic. Most stations now | | | | Assistant chief engineers oversee the day-to-day |
| have placed all of their advertisements, sound | | | | technical operations of the station. Chief engineers |
| bites, and music on a computer, which is used to | | | | or directors of engineering are responsible for all |
| select and play or edit the items. Technological | | | | of the station's technical facilities and services. |
| advances have simplified the monitoring and | | | | These workers need a bachelors' degree in |
| adjusting of the transmitter, leaving disc jockeys | | | | electrical engineering, technical training in broadcast |
| responsible for most of the tasks associated with | | | | engineering, and years of broadcast engineering |
| keeping a station on the air. Traditional tapes and | | | | experience. |