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Career Details
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Career Details

27-3011.00 - Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys


Speak or read from scripted materials, such as news reports or commercial messages, on radio, television, or other communications media. May play and queue music, announce artist or title of performance, identify station, or interview guests.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
42,300
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
36,300
Estimate
Change in Employment
-6,100
Estimate
Change in Employment %
-14.3%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Prepare and deliver news, sports, or weather reports, gathering and rewriting material so that it will convey required information and fit specific time slots.
  • Read news flashes to inform audiences of important events.
  • Select program content, in conjunction with producers and assistants, based on factors such as program specialties, audience tastes, or requests from the public.
  • Study background information to prepare for programs or interviews.
  • Comment on music and other matters, such as weather or traffic conditions.
  • Interview show guests about their lives, their work, or topics of current interest.
  • Discuss various topics over the telephone with viewers or listeners.
  • Host civic, charitable, or promotional events broadcast over television or radio.
  • Make promotional appearances at public or private events to represent their employers.
  • Operate control consoles.
  • Announce musical selections, station breaks, commercials, or public service information, and accept requests from listening audience.
  • Record commercials for later broadcast.
  • Attend press conferences to gather information for broadcast.
  • Provide commentary and conduct interviews during sporting events, parades, conventions, or other events.
  • Identify stations, and introduce or close shows, ad-libbing or using memorized or read scripts.
  • Develop story lines for broadcasts.
Supplemental
  • Keep daily program logs to provide information on all elements aired during broadcast, such as musical selections and station promotions.
  • Locate guests to appear on talk or interview shows.
  • Describe or demonstrate products that viewers may purchase through specific shows or in stores.
  • Coordinate games, contests, or other on-air competitions, performing such duties as asking questions and awarding prizes.
  • Give network cues permitting selected stations to receive programs.
  • Moderate panels or discussion shows on topics such as current affairs, art, or education.
  • Write and edit video and scripts for broadcasts.
  • Maintain organization of the music library.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Communications and Media
  • 97%
    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
 English Language
  • 93%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 78%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 76%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Telecommunications
  • 74%
    Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
 Geography
  • 62%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
 Sales and Marketing
  • 60%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
 Fine Arts
  • 59%
    Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
 Administration and Management
  • 59%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Law and Government
  • 58%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Mathematics
  • 55%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Sociology and Anthropology
  • 54%
    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
 Clerical
  • 51%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Psychology
  • 50%
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Audio and visual equipment
  • Compact disk CD players
  • Digital audio recorders
  • Earpieces
  • Headset microphones
  • Headsets
  • Record turntables
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
  • Tablet computers
 Personal communication devices
  • Multi-line telephone systems
  • Smart phones
 Computer displays
  • Touch screen computer monitors
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Computer game or entertainment software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Audition
  • Audion Laboratories VoxPro
  • Avid Technology Pro Tools
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Burli Software Burli Newsroom System
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
 Finance accounting and enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Dalet Digital Media Systems Dalet Media LifeHOT
 Data management and query software
  • Database software
  • Program logging software
 Industry specific software
  • Statistical processing software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Advanced
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Laurel Ridge Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Wytheville Community College