Find a Job You Really Want In
Yes, broadcasting is a good career path. In short, broadcasting is the industry of producing content, whether it’s visual, audible, or written. The broadcasting industry boasts thousands of exciting jobs worldwide with different types of specialties.
Broadcasting is a good career path because it’s an easy industry to break into, and there are always chances to move forward in the field to make more money. Broadcasting offers practically linear paths to successful and sustainable careers.
Someone who starts as a production assistant can feasibly work their way up to being a broadcast producer, step by step.
Plus, another fun piece of working in the broadcasting industry is that you’re constantly creating something, whether you’re the director, editor, or location scout. You work and actually get to see the fruits of your labor on TV, or the radio, or in a publication.
All in all, there are so many cool things to explore about being a part of the broadcasting industry. It all starts with getting to know the variety of jobs within the field.
The 5 Best-Paying Jobs in Broadcasting
The broadcasting industry boasts some impressively high salaries for their most valuable job positions. Most of the jobs that pay the most in broadcasting require quite a few years of experience, though.
-
Average Annual Salary: $68,000
A broadcast producer is basically the manager of the production operation for a television channel, radio station, or any other type of media source. They watch over everything to make sure it’s all going according to plan.
They do things like leading the broadcasting of episodes that happen live, creating a schedule for the show, and deciding where to shoot specific scenes depending on their context.
Being a broadcast producer requires some experience. Most broadcast producers have a bachelor’s degree minimum in film or television production.
Since broadcast producers have such a large impact on the quality of production, they should have a few years of experience in the industry in an internship or related media job. For these requirements, being a broadcast producer is up there with the highest paid jobs in the broadcasting industry.
-
Average Annual Salary: $61,000
A news director watches over the production and on-air performance of radio newscasts. The news director hands out assignments to employees who will cover particular news stories and gives them instructions on how to prepare their stories for broadcast. They also provide everyone with deadlines for when they need to complete their work.
Throughout the news story preparation phase, the news director has the final say on editorial decisions to ensure that the channel is accurate and adheres to ethics. It’s a very hands-on position in the broadcasting world. Being a news director is best for people who thrive in a leadership position and know how to handle delegation.
-
Average Annual Salary: $49,000
Before you see the crisp and polished version of a news story or television production, it’s always put through the discerning eye of a video editor. A video editor is a person who takes raw footage from production and turns it into the perfect final version.
In a nutshell, video editors take a bunch of different video clips, footage, and sound bites and put them together into a full video.
Video editors need to know how to follow a production’s original script or outline and make that all happen on the screen. They’re really a key element in ensuring that a video production turns out how it’s supposed to. That’s why video editors are very well paid for their services.
-
Average Annual Salary: $82,000
The job of a production manager is basically to make sure that everything goes according to plan with a broadcasting production, whatever it may be. They collaborate with other broadcasting higher-ups to determine goals and understand the requirements of each particular project.
Production managers also estimate costs, prepare budgets for productions and manage workflow to ensure that deadlines are met.
Production managers need to be very organized and on the ball. They need to fully analyze the bandwidth of a project to determine the resources and time needed. Even a small slip-up can create a snowball effect that messes up an entire production.
Since they’re so heavily relied on, production managers can expect to be compensated heavily for their work.
-
Average Annual Salary: $81,000
A broadcast engineer, also sometimes referred to as a Broadcast technician, uses a variety of equipment to make sure that the images and sounds on television are crystal clear. Broadcast engineers work from studios or other types of remote locations to transmit radio or TV broadcasts.
Their job includes installing, maintaining, and using broadcasting equipment like frequency analyzers and media control systems.
If a technical problem arises during a broadcast, it’s the job of a broadcast engineer to get it solved as fast as possible. The reliability of a broadcast engineer makes or breaks a broadcast production. So, it’s important that broadcast engineers have a few years of experience in the field. That’s likely why they bring in the big bucks.
5 Entry-Level Jobs in Broadcasting
There are many paths to enter the industry for people who are interested in a job in broadcasting. Broadcasting is actually one of the most entry-level friendly professional fields out there.
The entry-level broadcasting job you choose should be the first step along the path to an eventual job you’d like to have. For example, if you’re interested in becoming a production manager, start as a production assistant.
Here are some of the four best entry-level jobs in broadcasting.
-
Average Annual Salary: $31,000
Becoming a production assistant is the most common starting point to entering the broadcasting industry. Production assistants, or PAs as they’re typically called, are responsible for a variety of different general tasks that are needed on a production set.
These are things like printing and giving out scripts, going on errands when required, and helping with props. They also escort actors and other broadcasting professionals around the set and do administrative work. Production assistants are really the backbone of the production.
Luckily, there’s not much experience required for this broadcasting position. Usually, a passion for the industry and a willingness to learn are all you need to get a foot in the door. Plus, there are so many different productions that all need PAs. There are lots of opportunities for work.
-
Average Annual Salary: $46,000
When imagining broadcasting, most people only think about the people who appear on the screen. But there’s an entire crew behind the scenes making it happen. A crucial member of that behind-the-scenes crew is the camera operator.
A camera operator works directly with directors to determine the requirements of each shot. They need to know how to assemble and use the camera equipment and all its accessories like stands and cranes.
Before officially shooting, camera operators test out their equipment. If a technical issue comes up with the shooting equipment, camera operators are usually the ones to resolve it.
Being a camera operator is an excellent stepping stone toward a future career as a director or something similar. Additionally, camera operators are usually only required to have a high school diploma.
-
Location Scout
Average Annual Salary: N/A
Before shooting a production even starts, there are weeks of work to do. It’s called pre-production. One of the biggest undertakings of any broadcast is finding the best location for the production. That’s where a location scout comes in.
A location scout, also known as a location manager, is in charge of finding a location to shoot a production based on the project’s specific needs. Beyond finding the perfect spot to shoot, location scouts are in charge of negotiating costs and getting all the permits needed to follow through with shooting.
In order to be a successful location scout, you need exceptional communication and networking skills. They also need a little more business savvy than other broadcasting jobs. However, you don’t necessarily need a bunch of years of schooling to get a job as a location scout.
-
Television Production Coordinator
Average Annual Salary: N/A
A television production coordinator works directly on film or television sets to organize and adhere to production schedules.
They do things like organize catering for production, letting the cast know about their schedule or any changes, answering emails, and overseeing production assistants. It’s kind of like the next step after being a production assistant.
The role of a television production coordinator is extremely crucial to a production sticking to its schedule and finishing on time. It carries a little more responsibility than some of the other entry-level broadcasting jobs, but the role compensates for that fact.
-
Average Annual Salary: $45,000
News reporters are the people who identify, develop, and verify stories that are important or moving enough to be on the news. After being given a lead, a news reporter is expected to take that nugget and turn it into a fully fleshed-out story that will capture the viewer’s attention.
After researching and writing a news story, news reporters publish their stories either on television, the radio or through writing.
News reporters need to be meticulous about their accuracy and always stay knowledgeable about the latest current events. They also need to work effectively with many other professionals in the broadcasting world. Being a news reporter is a good entry-level broadcasting job for sociable people with a knack for storytelling.
Why Choose a Career in Broadcasting?
Broadcasting is an exciting and creatively-driven career with a multitude of opportunities for growth. It’s a field that attracts many hardworking contributors who are eager to make their mark on the broadcasting world. Some of the main reasons why you should choose a career in broadcasting are:
-
Lots of different types of careers in the industry depending on your job preferences
-
Flexes the creative muscle on a daily basis
-
Excellent for people with strong communication and public speaking skills
-
Being a part of broadcasting and media history
-
Getting to meet stars and go to cool places
-
Impact on the world/communities
-
The opportunity to work with big companies like the NBA and Paramount
Education and Certification Requirements for a Career in Broadcasting
There is a decent amount of education and requirements for building a career in broadcasting, depending on what job you’re going for. Most people who work in the field have at least a four-year degree. But, compared to other professional occupations, there’s a lot of room to forge your own path in broadcasting:
-
Bachelor’s degree in broadcasting, communications, journalism, or a related field
-
Certificate in radio/video broadcasting and broadcasting communication
-
Experience with writing, video editing, production, and broadcasting software
-
Internship in broadcasting and communications
What Do People Working In Broadcasting Do?
People in the broadcasting industry work on the radio, television, internet, and other types of media productions to create original content. They do things like report the breaking news to the public or just cover relevant current topics like sports and entertainment.
Many people think of jobs like being a news broadcaster or journalist when they imagine the realm of broadcasting. However, there are varying types of jobs that all work together to create influential media for the public to digest. Some people who work in the broadcasting industry are directly on the screen or on the radio.
At the same time, others work completely behind the scenes. Broadcasting productions need a cooperative network for everything to go as planned.
Author
Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.
