Should i go into broadcasting

If you've gained some experience either through school, an internship or in a job you have during college, make sure to review your work. The goal in doing this is to study how you are in front of the camera or behind a radio microphone. Any experience you have that you've been able to record, watch it back so you can give yourself constructive criticism and see where you can improve.

You may not be aware of your speech or body language until you're able to see how you perform from an outsider's perspective. Just like an aspiring teacher may pick up on various teaching styles by watching other, more seasoned teachers, you can learn from other broadcasters too. Watch or listen to as many broadcasters at work as you can because it's likely that you can learn from them and further perfect your own work.

See how they conduct interviews, give play-by-play calls during a game or recap a certain athlete's signature move. As a sports broadcaster, you may need to review and comment on various sports, so it's a good idea to become familiar with the rules of many different games. Keep up to date on the players each season, study their gameplay and consider writing notes for yourself so you can study the nuances of each sport.

As you gain experience on television or radio, start creating a demo tape that you can share with hiring managers during your interviews. The demo tape should be a compilation of your most impressive work, and it's a good idea to continue refining it until you feel it accurately represents you and your abilities.

Before sharing your demo tape with an employer, ask a professional in the field to review it and provide feedback. While you may have big dreams of working for a major news network, first start your career applying at smaller, more local stations for either television or radio where you can gain a lot of experience. Reach out to your contacts at the same place where you completed your internship to see if there are any open job opportunities.

If there are and you've left an impression from your internship period, then they should be more than happy to consider you for a position. You may need to take on positions that are more behind the scenes at first while you learn even more about the industry and earn your place as a cohost for either a television or radio show.

The sports industry is vast, but it's a good idea to get to know as many people as possible. You never know when someone can connect you with a job or mentor you on your career path. You can get to know others by signing up for networking events, going to conferences specifically for broadcasters or those in sports careers and attending games. Remember, too, that each position you hold, from a college internship to your first full-time role after graduation, puts you in contact with even more people.

In the case where you don't have many opportunities for career advancement at your current place of employment, you could still call on those contacts when you need a reference for a new position. After you've earned a degree in the field and worked for a time at your local station, explore the option of signing with an agent who can help you secure a position at a larger network.

An agent can work with you to figure out what your employment preferences are, share your demo with potential employers and facilitate the connection between yourself and a hiring manager. Here are some frequently asked questions about becoming a sports broadcaster:. Whether or not you have to travel as a sports broadcaster depends on your specific role. Some broadcasters remain at their assigned station and report on sports news or give play-by-play moves during a game while in the studio.

Some sports broadcasters travel with their assigned team so they can give reports from right on the sideline. Most sports commentators don't use teleprompters in their role because part of what they report on is in-game action that is unpredictable and not something you can plan a script around. When they are not announcing during a game, sports broadcasters may use bullet points to guide them in their coverage. Sports broadcasting is a fairly competitive field, so it can be more difficult to get into a position than some others in sports or general broadcasting.

That's why it's important to get a relevant degree, intern and study the field so you can make an impression on a network when you're applying for positions. Most sports broadcasters who work for television and radio stations work a hour workweek, but they may also need to work outside of the standard work hours, instead working some nights and weekends to make sure they cover games that take place during these times.

However, it's also common for broadcasters to work longer hours during more hectic times of the year in sports, like during the playoffs. Broadcasters who work for a specific sports team may work varied hours depending on the needs of the team, more than 40 hours per week and extra-long days.

Find jobs. Company reviews. Find salaries. We all know in this day and age that technology changes faster than the blink of an eye. The newest gadget of today will be replaced by an even faster, better one of tomorrow. In broadcast, you will need to know how to use all kinds of technology. A typical newsroom contains dozens of computers, news production systems, editing software, many kinds of digital tapes, converters, recording devices, cameras and screens.

Broadcast journalism is essentially a technology-based field, so you need to be gadget-friendly. If you are not comfortable dealing with technology, this might answer the question is broadcasting right for you. On screen, reporters must maintain a professional attitude even in the most stressful of situations.

In the studio, producers must keep their cool even in the midst of a newsroom crisis. All aspects of broadcast journalism require the need to keep calm. In order to best communicate your message to your viewers, you must be able to sound confident and informed. So, what do you think…is broadcasting right for you? Find the best broadcasting degree programs abroad to prepare for your career.

Discover the best places to study abroad in journalism by checking out the rest of our study broadcasting guide. Over time we will be updating this section and including more information for those who want to study broadcasting in the USA and for other countries, but please feel free to post your thoughts and comments on our Facebook fan page , and also follow us and post questions through Twitter.

News, weather, and sports reports are important to many television stations because these reports attract a large audience and account for a large proportion of revenue. Many radio stations depend on up-to-the-minute news for a major share of their programming. Program production staffs, such as producers and announcers, also work on the production of news programs. Reporters gather information from various sources, analyze and prepare news stories, and present information on the air.

Correspondents report on news occurring in U. Newswriters write and edit news stories from information collected by reporters and correspondents. Newswriters may advance to positions as reporters or correspondents. Broadcast news analysts , also known as news anchors and newscasters, analyze, interpret, and broadcast news received from various sources. News anchors present news stories and introduce videotaped news or live transmissions from on-the-scene reporters.

Newscasters at large stations may specialize in a particular field. Weathercasters , also called weather reporters , report current and forecasted weather conditions.

They gather information from national satellite weather services, wire services, and local and regional weather bureaus. Some weathercasters are trained atmospheric scientists and can develop their own weather forecasts.

Sportscasters , who are responsible for reporting sporting events, usually select, write, and deliver the sports news for each newscast. Assistant news directors supervise the newsroom. They coordinate wire service reports, tape or film inserts, and stories from individual newswriters and reporters. Assignment editors assign stories to news teams, sending the teams on location if necessary.

News directors have overall responsibility for the news team, made up of reporters, writers, editors, and newscasters, as well as responsibility for studio and mobile unit production crews. This senior administrative position carries with it duties that include determining what events to cover and how and when they will be presented in a news broadcast. Technical occupations. Employees in these occupations operate and maintain the electronic equipment that records and transmits radio or television programs.

The titles of some of these occupations use the terms "engineer," "technician," and "operator" interchangeably. Radio operators manage equipment that regulates the strength and clarity of signals and the range of sounds of broadcasts. They also monitor and log the outgoing signals and operate transmitters.

Audio and video equipment technicians operate equipment that regulates the volume, sound quality, brightness, contrast, and visual quality of a broadcast. Broadcast technicians set up and maintain electronic broadcasting equipment.

Their work can extend outside the studio, as when they set up portable transmitting equipment or maintain stationary towers. Television and video camera operators set up and operate studio cameras, which are used in the television studio, and electronic news-gathering cameras, which are mobile and used outside the studio when a news team is pursuing a story at another location. In both cases, cameras are evolving from tape to disc-based formats.

Camera operators need training in video production, as well as some experience in television production. Master control engineers ensure that all of the radio or television station's scheduled program elements, such as on-location feeds, prerecorded segments, and commercials, are transmitted smoothly. They also are responsible for ensuring that transmissions meet FCC requirements. Technical directors direct the studio and control room technical staff during the production of a program.

They need a thorough understanding of both the production and technical aspects of broadcasting. This knowledge often is acquired by working as a lighting director or camera operator or as another type of broadcast worker. Network and computer systems administrators and network systems and data communications analysts design, set up, and maintain systems of computer servers.

These servers store recorded programs, advertisements, and news clips. Assistant chief engineers oversee the day-to-day technical operations of the station.

Chief engineers , or directors of engineering , are responsible for all of the station's technical facilities and services. These workers need a bachelors' degree in electrical engineering, technical training in broadcast engineering, and years of broadcast engineering experience.

Sales and related occupations. Most workers in this category are advertising sales agents , sometimes known as account executives. They sell advertising time to sponsors, advertising agencies, and other buyers. Sales representatives must have a thorough knowledge of the size and characteristics of their network's or station's audience, including income levels, gender distribution, age, and consumption patterns.

Sales work has expanded beyond the traditional role of simply selling advertising through a wide range of marketing efforts. For instance, stations earn additional revenue by broadcasting from a business, such as a dance club. Businesses also sponsor concerts or other promotions that are organized by a station. In return for sponsorship, the businesses usually are allowed to set up a booth or post large signs at the event. Continuity directors schedule and produce commercials.

In doing so, they take into account the timeslot in which a commercial is to be played, as well as competing advertisements. For example, two car dealership advertisements should not be played during the same commercial break. Continuity directors also create and produce advertisements for clients who do not produce their own.

Large stations and networks generally have several workers who spend all of their time handling sales. Sales worker supervisors , who may handle a few large accounts personally, supervise these workers. In small stations, part-time sales personnel or announcers often handle sales responsibilities during hours when they are not on the air. Management occupations. General managers , or station managers , coordinate all radio and television station activities.

In very small stations, the manager and a bookkeeper may handle all of the accounting, purchasing, hiring, and other routine office work. In larger stations, the general administrative staff includes business managers, accountants, lawyers, personnel workers, public relations workers, and others.

These professionals are assisted by office and administrative support workers, such as secretaries, word processors, typists, and financial clerks. Professional, management, and sales occupations generally require a college degree; technical occupations often do not.

It is easier to obtain employment and gain promotions with a degree, especially in larger, more competitive markets. Advanced schooling usually is required for supervisory positions—including technical occupations—having greater responsibility and higher salaries. Employees in the radio and television broadcasting industry often find their first job in broadcast stations that serve smaller markets. Competition for positions in large metropolitan areas is stronger, and stations in these areas usually seek highly experienced personnel.

Because many radio and television stations are small, workers in this industry often must change employers to advance. Relocation to other parts of the country frequently is necessary for advancement.

News-related and program production occupations. Entry-level jobs in news or program production increasingly are requiring a college degree and some broadcast experience. About 1, institutions offer programs in communication, journalism, and related occupations. As of , more than schools were accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

Some community colleges offer 2-year programs in broadcasting. Broadcast trade schools offer courses that last 6 months to a year and teach radio and television announcing, writing, and production. Individuals pursuing a career in broadcasting often gain their initial experience through work at college radio and television stations or through internships at professional stations. Although these positions usually are unpaid, they sometimes provide college credit or tuition.

More importantly, they provide hands-on experience and a competitive edge for a candidate who is applying for a job. In this highly competitive industry, broadcasters are less willing to provide on-the-job training and instead seek candidates who can perform the job immediately. Some technical positions require only a high school diploma or brief postsecondary training.