Becoming a Broadcasting Engineer

Broadcasting engineers are employed in all the various technical aspects of radio and television broadcasting. These engineers provide and maintain the often complex electrical and electronic equipment needed to ensure that broadcasts are transmitted, whether these are live or from previously recorded material.

The Job:

The work of broadcasting engineers covers all the engineering aspects of broadcasting, most of which are electronic or electrical. It includes responsibility for equipment used in the studio and in outside broadcasts, as well as the systems for sending and receiving signals between the studio and reporters on location.

The transmission equipment required to broadcast signals widely on the specified wavelengths are also their responsibility.

For outside broadcasts, engineers usually take a large vehicle full of equipment. It includes lighting equipment, microphones and sound-and-video-recording units.

Acoustics, particularly the means to change them to suit the needs of each particular broadcast, are also a part of their job. An aerial or dish may need to be erected if it is necessary to broadcast signals from the spot instead of merely recording them for future transmission. Communication systems are often set up to link overseas correspondents to the studio so that they can take part in live programs.

Special techniques are often necessary when the sound of speakers is submerged in extraneous noise or to pick up special effects, such as the twang of a tennis racket or the applause of the spectators.

The job of a broadcasting engineer includes making novel devices for unusual circumstances. For new productions, engineers will read through the script and decide which equipment is required to complete the work, how and when it will be used. Yet the central role of these engineers is to keep broadcasting equipment in perfect working order and ready for instant use, as well as the commissioning and installation of new equipment.

Some of these engineers are primarily concerned with the transmission of broadcasts, and not the production of them. They work at the sites of transmitters, maintain transmission equipment, and arrange for international signals to be received via satellite links.

In broadcasting, there has been an increase in recent years in the use of computer technology for animation and the manipulation of images. New backgrounds can be superimposed, colors changed, and computer-generated virtual reality can also be used to simulate different environments. Broadcasting engineers have been involved in developing new skills for this type of work.

Employers of broadcasting engineers include all the national and local television and radio stations, satellite channels, and production companies that produce television and radio programs, advertising and training videos, and films. The work of engineers in the music business - for example, at recording studios and pop concerts- can be very similar.

Training Involved:

These engineers receive training to become professional or technician engineers. During this time, they gain a detailed understanding of the design and use of each piece of broadcasting equipment. They understand how to carry out repairs, often under severe time pressure and in difficult circumstances. Training may take up to two years, during which time engineers undertake responsibility for specific parts of a broadcasting service.

Useful Qualifications to Have:

Useful subjects include: electronics, physics, and mathematics.

Salary Expectations:

The base salary range of a Broadcasting Engineer ranges from $61,500 to $85,500 annually, while the median salary for most Broadcasting Engineers is $73,000 annually. (US Base Pay)

Future Prospects:

During the last ten years there has been a steady decline in the number of broadcasting engineers. This is because of the greatly increased reliability of most electronic equipment. Maintenance at broadcasting studios is now often a matter of replacing printed circuit boards and sending them back to the manufacturers. Now however, a major increase in the number of radio and television channels and programs is gradually taking place, thanks to cable and satellite television and the introduction of special electronic systems using lasers and optical fibers. Local radio stations meeting the needs of small communities have also increased in number.

The contracting out of program production from the broadcasters to specialist production companies has led to a rapid increase in the number of such organizations. All of these need the skills of broadcasting engineers and they may well become the main route into this career. The demand for the services of broadcasting engineers should increase over the next 5 to 10 years.

For further information, contact national professional bodies representing the interests of broadcasting engineers or electronic engineers. Also contact the larger broadcasting organizations.