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Broadcast Technicians
Overview » Industry Pathways » Audio and Video Technologies 
Broadcast technicians set-up, operate, and maintain equipment that regulates the signal strength, clarity, and range of sounds and colors of radio or television broadcasts. Their expertise is very important for today’s multi-site broadcasts from locations all over the world that we see on CNN, Fox News, and the other major news stations. They also operate control panels to select the source of the material. Technicians may switch from one camera or studio to another, from film to live programming, or from network to local programming.
Broadcast technicians perform a variety of duties in small stations. In large stations and at the networks, technicians are more specialized, although job assignments may change from day to day. They may monitor and log outgoing signals and operate transmitters; set-up, adjust, service, and repair electronic broadcasting equipment; and regulate brightness, contrast, volume, and sound quality of television broadcasts.
The transition to digital recording, editing, and broadcasting has greatly changed the work of broadcast technicians. Software on desktop computers has replaced specialized electronic equipment in many recording and editing functions.
Most radio and television stations have replaced video and audio tapes with computer hard drives to store data. This transition has forced technicians to learn computer networking and software skills.
Broadcast technicians held about 38,000 jobs in 2006. On average, television stations employ many more technicians than radio stations.
Some technicians are employed in other industries, producing employee communications, sales, and training programs. Technician jobs in television are located in virtually all cities, whereas jobs in radio also are found in many small towns.
The highest paying and most specialized jobs are concentrated in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.; the originating centers for most network or news programs.
Lots of people get excited about the possibility of working in these fields, especially in television or the film industry. People seeking entry-level jobs as technicians in broadcasting are expected to face strong competition in major metropolitan areas, where pay is generally higher and the number of qualified jobseekers is typically greater than the number of openings. It is probably easier to find entry-level positions in small cities and towns.
Overall employment of broadcast technicians is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2016.
Employment of broadcast technicians in the cable and pay television portion of the broadcasting industry should grow as the range of services is expanded to provide, such products as cable Internet access and video-on-demand.
The best way to prepare for a broadcast technician job is to obtain technical school, community college, or college training in electronics, computer networking, or broadcast technology. Broadcast technicians need the electronics training necessary to operate technical equipment, and they generally complete specialized postsecondary programs. Be prepared to do some hard work and put in some very long hours, but this can provide a big pay-off with the important networking that is necessary to break into this industry.
Television stations usually pay higher salaries than do radio stations; commercial broadcasting usually pays more than public broadcasting; and stations in large markets pay more than those in small markets.
Typical annual earnings of broadcast technicians in 2007 were $32,230.
If you are interested in this occupation or are wondering about related occupations, use the links below to continue your exploration. Always remember, the more effort you put into exploring possible careers, the easier it will be for you to discover the best career choices for you!
For career information and links to employment resources contact:
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/oco/
Occupational Information Network, O*NET Online: >http://online.onetcenter.org/
National Association of Broadcasters: >http://www.nab.org
Society of Broadcast Engineers: >http://www.sbe.org
For information about planning and paying for college, visit Junior Achievement’s >Financial Aid Center.
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