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Broadcast Technician

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The job

The operation and maintenance of the electronic equipment used to record and transmit radio and television programs is the responsibility of broadcast technicians, also called broadcast engineers.

In small stations, broadcast technicians perform a variety of duties. In large stations and in networks, technicians are more specialized. They may perform any or all of the following functions.



Transmitter technicians monitor outgoing signals, keep records, and are responsible for transmitter operation. Maintenance technicians set up, maintain, and repair the broadcasting equipment. Audio control technicians regulate sound; video control technicians regulate the quality of television pictures; and lighting technicians direct the lighting. Recording technicians operate and maintain sound recording equipment, while video recording technicians operate and maintain video tape recording equipment. When programs originate outside of a radio or television station, field technicians set up and operate the broadcasting equipment.

Radio stations usually employ only a few broadcast technicians, three to ten, depending on the size and broadcasting schedule of the station. Television broadcasting is more complex, and television stations usually employ between 10 and 30 technicians in addition to supervisory personnel.

Related jobs are drafters, engineering and science technicians, and surveyors.

Places of employment and working conditions

Broadcast technicians are employed in all areas of the United States, especially in large metropolitan areas. The highest paid and most specialized jobs are in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., where most network programs originate.

In large stations, broadcast technicians work a 40-hour week. In smaller stations, the workweek is usually longer. In stations that broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week, some weekend, evening, and holiday work is necessary. Network technicians covering an important event often have to work continuously and under great pressure until the event is over.

Qualifications, education, and training

Manual dexterity, good eyesight and hearing, reliability, and the ability to work as part of a team are all requisites for anyone interested in this field.

High school should include algebra, trigonometry, physics, and electrical shop. Electronics courses can also provide valuable background.

Many technical schools and colleges offer special courses for broadcast technicians.

Anyone who operates a transmitter in a television station must have a restricted radiotelephone operator permit, according to federal law. No examination is required to obtain one. While some states require anyone working with a microwave to have a general radiotelephone operator license, there is no Federal Communications Commission requirement.

A college degree in engineering is becoming necessary for many supervisory and executive positions in broadcasting.

Potential and advancement

There will be strong competition for broadcast technician jobs in major metropolitan areas, where the number of broadcast technicians exceeds the number of openings. There is better potential for entry-level positions in small cities and towns.

Employment of broadcast technicians is expected to decline. Any job openings that are likely to occur will be to replace technicians who retire or transfer to other occupations. The increasing use of automated equipment will eliminate the need for broadcast technicians in some jobs.

One potential area of growth is in non-broadcast organizations that use video for employee communications, training, and marketing and promotion.

Income

In general, television stations pay higher salaries than radio stations. Commercial broadcasting pays more than educational broadcasting. Stations in large cities pay more than stations in smaller cities and towns.

Average earnings for technicians at radio stations are $21,600 a year. At television stations, chief technicians earn between $12,000 and $44,800 a year; maintenance technicians earn between $21,500 and $36,000; and chief engineers earn between $34,800 and $61,500.

Additional sources of information

Corporation for Public Broadcasting, NW Washington, DC 20036

Federal Communications Commission, NW Washington, DC 20554

National Association of Broadcasters, NW Washington, DC 20036
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