A variety of careers is available for those entertainment professionals who wish to focus on radio and television work. Actors, musicians and dancers have already been covered in previous chapters. In this chapter we will focus on other types of television and radio entertainers and personalities.
THE WORLD OF RADIO AND TELEVISION
Announcers and newscasters are well known to radio and television audiences. Radio announcers, often called disc jockeys, select and introduce recorded music, present news, sports, weather and commercials, interview guests and report on community activities and other matters of interest to their audience. If a written script is required, they may do the research and writing. They often ad-lib much of the commentary. They also may operate the control board, sell commercial time to advertisers, and write commercial and news copy.
Some announcers at large stations specialize in sports, weather, or general news and may be called newscasters or anchors. Others are news analysts. In smaller stations, one announcer may do everything.
News anchors or a pair of co-anchors, present news stories and introduce in-depth videotaped news or live transmissions from on-the-scene reporters.
Broadcast news analysts called commentators, present news stories and also interpret them and discuss how they may affect the nation or listeners.
Show hosts interview guests about their lives, work, or topics of current interest. Announcers frequently participate in community activities.
Radio and television announcers and newscasters number about fifty thousand. Nearly all are staff announcers, but some are freelance announcers who sell their services for individual assignments to networks and stations or to advertising agencies and other independent producers.
ON THE JOB
Announcers and newscasters usually work in well-lighted, air-conditioned, soundproof studios. Since many radio and television stations are on the air twenty-four hours a day, the broadcast day is long. Announcers can expect to work unusual hours. Many present early morning shows, when large numbers of people are getting ready for work or already commuting. Other announcers may do late night newscasts.
Television and radio professionals work within tight schedule constraints, which can be physically and mentally stressful. Still, for many announcers, the intangible rewards, creative work, many personal contacts, and satisfaction of becoming widely known, far outweigh the disadvantages of irregular and often unpredictable hours, work pressures, and disrupted personal lives.
TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS
High school courses in English, public speaking, drama, foreign languages, computers, and electronics are valuable, and hobbies such as sports and music are additional assets. Students may gain valuable experience at campus radio or television facilities and at commercial stations. Some stations and cable systems offer financial assistance and on-the-job training in the form of internships, apprentice programs, co-op work programs, scholarships, or fellowships.
Persons considering enrolling in a broadcasting school should contact personnel managers of radio and television stations as well as broadcasting trade organizations to determine the school's reputation for producing suitably trained candidates.
Announcers who operate transmitters must obtain a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) restricted radio-telephone operator permit.
Entry to this occupation is highly competitive. While formal training in broadcast journalism from a college or technical school (private broadcasting school) is valuable, station officials pay particular attention to taped auditions that show an applicant's delivery and television appearance and style on commercials, news, and interviews.
Desirable Qualities
Announcers must have a pleasant and well-controlled voice, good timing, excellent pronunciation, and correct English usage. Television announcers need a neat, pleasing appearance as well. Knowledge of theater, sports, music, business, politics, and other subjects likely to be covered in broadcasts improves chances for success.
BUILDING A CAREER
Those hired by television stations usually start out as production secretaries, production assistants, researchers, or reporters and are given a chance to move into announcing if they show an aptitude for on-air work. Newcomers to television broadcasting also may begin as news camera operators. A beginner's chance of landing an on-air newscasting job is remote, except possibly at a small radio station. In radio, newcomers generally start out taping interviews and operating equipment.
Announcers usually begin at a station in a small community and, if qualified, may move to a better paying job in a large city. Announcers also may advance by hosting a regular program as a disc jockey, sportscaster, or other specialist. In the national networks, competition for jobs is particularly intense, and employers look for college graduates with at least several years of successful announcing experience.
JOB OUTLOOK
Competition for jobs as announcers will be very keen because the broadcasting field typically attracts many more job seekers than there are jobs. Small radio stations are more inclined to hire beginners, but the pay is low.
Because competition for ratings is so intense in major metropolitan areas, large stations will continue to seek announcers and newscasters who have proven that they can attract and retain a large audience. Newscasters who are knowledgeable in such areas as business, consumer, and health news may have an advantage over others. While specialization is more common at larger stations and the networks, many smaller stations also encourage it. Little change in the employment of announcers is expected through the year 2005, due to the slowing in the growth of new radio and television stations and cable systems. Most openings in this relatively small field will arise from the need to replace those who transfer to other kinds of work or leave the labor force. Many announcers leave the field because they can't advance to better paying jobs. Employment in this occupation is not significantly affected by downturns in the economy. If recessions cause advertising revenues to fall, stations tend to cut behind-the-scenes workers rather than announcers and broadcasters.
SALARIES
Salaries in broadcasting vary widely but, as a rule, they are higher in television than in radio, higher in larger markets than in small ones, and higher in commercial than in public broadcasting.
