Job Description - Broadcast Technician:
A broadcast technician is responsible for the strength and clarity of the images we see on television and the sounds we hear on radio. He or she uses special equipment to regulate broadcast signals.
Employment Facts - Broadcast Technician:
There were 39,000 broadcast technicians employed in 2008.
Educational Requirements - Broadcast Technician:
To work as a broadcast technician one should have an associate degree in broadcast technology, electronics, or computer networking.
Other Requirements - Broadcast Technician:
A broadcast technician can become certified by the Society of Broadcast Engineers.
Advancement Opportunities - Broadcast Technician:
With experience, a broadcast technician can move into a supervisory position.
Job Outlook - Broadcast Technician:
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that broadcast technicians will experience little or no change in employment throught 2018.
Earnings - Broadcast Technician:
Median annual earnings of broadcast technicians were $32,960 in 2009.
Use the Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much a broadcast technician currently earns in your city.
A Day in a Broadcast Technician's Life:
On a typical day a broadcast technician's tasks may include:
- Maintaining programming logs, as required by station management and the Federal Communications Commission.
- Controlling audio equipment to regulate the volume and sound quality during radio and television broadcasts.
- Monitoring strength, clarity, and reliability of incoming and outgoing signals, and adjusting equipment as necessary to maintain quality broadcasts.
- Regulating the fidelity, brightness, and contrast of video transmissions, using video console control panels.
- Observing monitors and communicating with station personnel to determine audio and video levels and to ascertain that programs are airing.
- Selecting sources from which programming will be received, or through which programming will be transmitted.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Broadcasting and Sound Engineering Technicians and Radio Operators, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos109.htm (visited November 8, 2010).
Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET Online, Broadcast Technicians, on the Internet at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/details/27-4012.00 (visited November 8, 2010).
Should You Become a Broadcast Technician? Take a Quiz to Find Out.
