Radio Broadcasting

Jobs overview
A career in broadcasting involves not only programme presenters and news broadcasters, but their many colleagues who make it possible for them to function, e.g. ?the sound engineers, the directors, the researchers, the production secretaries, the scriptwriters, the administrative officers, the journalists and many more.

None can operate without the other since broadcasting is a team effort.

What do people do in these occupations?
Radio Announcer
The announcer's career is one of the most interesting and colourful in the media world.

Announcers are in daily contact with newsmakers such as artists, academics, sports stars, musicians, community leaders and other persons with whom or about whom they make programmes.

Depending upon their aptitude and area of specialisation, radio announcers can conduct interviews, make documentary programmes, read the news, compile their own music programmes, act as leaders of their own youth programmes, present journal programmes, competitions, request or discussion programmes and provide commentary at outside broadcasts like sport meetings, shows etc.

Announcers have to do considerable preparation and research daily to ensure that their programmes are acceptable, factually correct and interesting.

They have to be prepared to travel in order to gather material and conduct interviews.

Operations Assistant
Operations assistants are responsible for the recording and broadcasting of sound and work in close collaboration with announcers, directors and commentators.

They especially work with technical equipment such as control desks, CD-players, tape machines and microphones.

Since it is not always possible to broadcast direct or? "?live?"?, the operations section is also responsible for recording programmes on tape for later broadcasting.

The outside broadcasting section is responsible for all transmissions outside the studio e.g. ?sports meetings, political meetings, concerts and church services.

During such a direct broadcast, operations assistants are responsible for the control of the equipment and the sound.

The operations assistants also get the opportunity to specialise in musicals, dramas, outside productions or whatever may interest them.

Music Production
The activities of persons working in the music department include recording and editing light and classical music programmes, compiling programmes with the help of music recordings, generally planning and implementing musical broadcasts, liaison with visiting artists and directors from abroad and organising public and studio concerts.

Journalist?
News services at a radio station usually make use of two groups of journalists.

The one group is responsible for the collection of news and the other for processing news.

Radio offers opportunities in almost all aspects of journalism.

For the adventurous type who likes to be where the action is, there is a career in gathering news.

He or she usually works alone and irregular hours, whereas the journalist, who processes the news, works in a team in the newsroom.

Administration?
There exist various career possibilities in administration for persons with or without professional qualifications.

These include, amongst others, human resource officers, stock control officers, accounting officers, computer personnel, financial personnel, librarians and secretaries.

What qualifications are needed?
There are no specific qualifications for the non-technical positions which call mainly for a good all-round education, personality and initiative.

For the technical jobs, e.g. ?operations assistant, a background and tertiary training in electronics are required.