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What They Do
About This Career
Sets up, operates, and maintains the electronic equipment used to acquire, edit, and transmit audio and video for radio or television programs. Controls and adjusts incoming and outgoing broadcast signals to regulate sound volume, signal strength, and signal clarity. Operates satellite, microwave, or other transmitter equipment to broadcast radio or television programs.
This career is part of the Arts, Audio-Video Technology and Communications cluster Journalism and Broadcasting pathway.
A person in this career:
- Reports equipment problems, ensures that repairs are made, and makes emergency repairs to equipment when necessary and possible.
- Monitors and logs transmitter readings.
- Monitors strength, clarity, and reliability of incoming and outgoing signals, and adjusts equipment as necessary to maintain quality broadcasts.
- Maintains programming logs as required by station management and the Federal Communications Commission.
- Observes monitors and converses with station personnel to determine audio and video levels and to ascertain that programs are airing.
- Previews scheduled programs to ensure that signals are functioning and programs are ready for transmission.
- Plays and records broadcast programs, using automation systems.
- Sets up, operates, and maintains broadcast station computers and networks.
- Selects sources from which programming will be received or through which programming will be transmitted.
- Installs broadcast equipment, troubleshoots equipment problems, and performs maintenance or minor repairs, using hand tools.
Working Conditions and Physical Demands
People who do this job report that:
- You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
- Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
- Work in this occupation involves sitting more than one-third of the time
Working in this career involves (physical activities):
- Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
- Seeing clearly up close
- Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
- Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
Work Hours and Travel
Specialty and Similar Careers
Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:
- Audio Engineer — Records, edits and mixes real audio sound in the studio and works with singers, arrangers, musicians, record producers, and artists' management, to try and create the best sound possible.
- Board Operator
- Broadcast Engineer
- Broadcast Maintenance Engineer
- Broadcast Operations Engineer
- Control Operator
- Production Engineer
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts national surveys of wage data by occupation in every state and in all industry divisions. These surveys are conducted through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program.
The statistics collected for one year are published the next fall. For example, 2013 wage information was published in the fall of 2014.
There are over 800 occupations in the surveys, and these occupations cover the entire U.S. labor market. The surveys ask for reports in a scale of ranges for both hourly wages and annual wages.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics for a broad category, be aware that the salary data for a specific career may differ.
For more details about how wage information is collected and calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm.
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts a national survey of over 400,000
employers in every state and in all industry divisions. This survey is conducted
through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program. Every other year the
department publishes outlook information based on these surveys.
Each outlook period covers 10 years. For example, in 2003 the outlook information
was published for 2004-2014. Employers are asked to report the number of employees
in about 770 different occupations that cover the entire U.S. labor market.
From this information, staffing patterns for different industries are established.
Industry growth is projected into the future based on past trends and current economic
conditions. Industry staffing patterns are then applied to the industry projections
to obtain occupational projections.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties
of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational
category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics
for a broad category, be aware that the employment data for a specific field may
differ.
For more details about how employment information is collected and calculated by
the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.
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