Broadcast Technicians

What do they do?

Broadcast technicians install, operate, and maintain electronic equipment used to record or transmit radio and television programs or communicate with aircraft, ships, or other ground stations. They work with microphones, sound recorders, light and sound effects, television cameras, video recorders, and other equipment.

Work Activities

Operate transmitting equipment and perform adjustments.
Maintain and repair electronic equipment.
Maintain the tone, quality, and volume of sound.
Adjust brightness, contrast, and other characteristics of the picture portion of television programs.
Regulate sound pick-up, transmission, and switching.
Set up and operate broadcasting equipment.

Skills & Abilities

Knowledge of broadcasting equipment and electronics principles.
Knowledge of Federal Communications Commission regulations and practices.
Skills in operating and repairing equipment.

Have ability to learn the basics of radio and broadcast equipment operation and maintenance.
Have good numerical and verbal abilities.
Be able to visualize objects from drawings and pictures, see detail, and see differences in colors.
Have good hand and finger dexterity and eye-hand coordination.
Be able to make decisions based on data and observation, work within precise standards and time limits, and work under pressure.

Work settings

Environment: Work indoors or outdoors in the field.
Hours: Work 40 hours a week with possible weekend, evening, or night hours; may work longer hours to meet deadlines.
Employers: Radio and television stations, motion picture companies, and airline companies.

Employment & wages

By 2000, it's estimated that 360 broadcast technicians will be employed in Nebraska. Growth and/or turnover create approximately 9 annual job openings.
It's estimated that 40,000 broadcast technicians will be employed in the U.S. by 2005.

Projected growth
Nebraska - Little change or more slowly than average, 6%
National - Decline, -4%
Nebraska annual beginning wage: $14,000 to $16,000
Nebraska annual experienced wage:$18,000 to $26,000
National annual average wage: $11,000 to $33,000

Licensing / certification & Training

All broadcast technicians working radio or television transmitters are required to hold a restricted radiotelephone operators permit for which no exam in required. People who work with microwave or other internal radio communications equipment must have a general radiotelephone operators license from the Federal Communications Commission that is issued after they pass a series of written exams.

Most employers prefer people with one or two years of training in electronics or broadcast technology.
Some employers hire applicants who are high school graduates and then provide on-the-job training.
Apprenticeship training is available in some areas.

Helpful high school subjects

High school subjects that may help prepare individuals for this occupation include journalism, photography, business and consumer law, chemistry, electricity, physics, algebra I, geometry, English, speech, composition, sociology, and computer applications.

Bibliography

Nebraska Career Information System: Occupations (1996-97 ed.), pp. 266-268.
Complete Guide for Occupational Exploration (1993 ed.), pp. 172-178, 219-231, 370-374.
Dictionary of Occupational Titles (4th ed. Revised, 1991), p.157-159.
Occupational Outlook Handbook (1996-97 ed.), p. 220

Back to Industrial and Engineering Technology