The responsibilities of a Broadcast Engineer can differ with the difference in size of the station. The stations that are small give out numerous responsibilities and the large stations have people for specialized jobs. The job titles like technician, engineer, and operator hold almost similar profiles. The job responsibilities of a radio broadcast engineer usually comprise of fixing up and mending equipment, supervising and sustaining transmission feeds, and controlling the audio components of broadcasts.
Computer software programs are replacing the customary uses of recording and editing equipment. Radio stations have changed their storing systems from analog tapes to computer hard drives. This has made it a necessity to learn these latest skills.
A Broadcast technician controls the equipment that is associated with radio broadcasts, music, etc. There are many in this field who dedicate themselves to a particular area of interest. Broadcast technicians generally have to work within the premises, excepting some special programs that are being broadcasted from outside the location. In addition to that, a broadcast technician might have to establish other equipment.
Using the audio and video equipment, the broadcast professionals monitor smooth functioning in the broadcast signals. The input and timing of the matter that has to be signaled is managed by them. They also control the broadcast feed that has to be signaled, it can be from the camera, studio, live programming, etc.
A radio broadcast engineer generally has to work for 40 hours in a week with overtime. Radio stations broadcast as much as they can during the day. Therefore, the employees at small stations have to work overtime regularly. They also work on call basis.
A degree in electronics, computer networking, or broadcast technology is a must. Technical know-how is considered to be the backbone of broadcast engineering. There are some colleges that give out engineering electives that straightaway deal with broadcasting. Technical school or broadcast training is important for the job of a broadcast technician.
In the job of broadcast engineering you need to stay updated with the latest digital broadcast technologies. The broadcast engineers nowadays are also responsible for the content matter that has to be provided to the internet streams. You need to learn the tricks of the trade on the job from senior technicians and engineers.
The training period starts right from college and one can get involved in the college radio station. There are some stations that recruit a broadcast engineer and you can offer to volunteer. One can also start at these stations as an audio engineer. One has to start working in a small station and after proper experience can move on to a big station. There are many companies that get their employees updated in these technologies regularly.
To build a proper portfolio, join a radio station for an internship. There will be a wide difference in the job responsibilities as an intern than working at a college station. For instance, the broadcast engineer might face difficulties with the signal broadcasting at the larger station. Become a member of the electrical engineering group to make your job search easy after your graduation.
The candidates on the lookout for a job in this field should expect intense competition in the metropolis. The right candidate is one with an appropriate college or technical institute degree. There are roughly one-third of jobs that are in radio and T.V. broadcasting. The growth in the job of a broadcast engineer is steady. When talking about replacements the prospective candidates will have to have a proper experience with high skills for the job. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics growth in this field will be above average through 2016.
The highest paid jobs are those of the television, big market stations, and commercial broadcasting. Radio stations and public broadcasting do pay a smaller salary. The salary range really depends upon the candidate’s skill, experience, and the organization that he is joining. The rough annual salaries of broadcast technicians range from $15,000 to $60,000.
The current arena of the world suggests the growth and demand for broadcast engineers. Therefore, the candidates must keep themselves updated with the latest information on related technology and equipment. However, there are some companies which are particular about their broadcast engineers and technicians updated with the recent developments. A candidate has to initially start off at a small station but after gaining relevant experience, he can easily start his way up the ladder.
