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Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
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.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $19K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $25K
Median Salary: $36K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $59K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $114K
Demand
Core Tasks
Operate control consoles.
Announce musical selections, station breaks, commercials, or public service information, and accept requests from listening audience.
Record commercials for later broadcast.
Read news flashes to inform audiences of important events.
Study background information to prepare for programs or interviews.
Identify stations, and introduce or close shows, ad-libbing or using memorized or read scripts.
Prepare and deliver news, sports, or weather reports, gathering and rewriting material so that it will convey required information and fit specific time slots.
Select program content, in conjunction with producers and assistants, based on factors such as program specialties, audience tastes, or requests from the public.
Comment on music and other matters, such as weather or traffic conditions.
Develop story lines for broadcasts.
Write and edit video and scripts for broadcasts.
Maintain organization of the music library.
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.
Discuss various topics over the telephone with viewers or listeners.
Give network cues permitting selected stations to receive programs.
Coordinate games, contests, or other on-air competitions, performing such duties as asking questions and awarding prizes.
Interview show guests about their lives, their work, or topics of current interest.
Make promotional appearances at public or private events to represent their employers.
Provide commentary and conduct interviews during sporting events, parades, conventions, or other events.
Attend press conferences to gather information for broadcast.
Host civic, charitable, or promotional events broadcast over television or radio.
Moderate panels or discussion shows on topics such as current affairs, art, or education.
Describe or demonstrate products that viewers may purchase through specific shows or in stores.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Communications and Media
98%
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.
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.
Fine Arts
59%
Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Law and Government
59%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Top 10 Skills
Speaking
93%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
80%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
80%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking
75%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness
70%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management
68%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Learning
65%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making
65%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring
65%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Writing
65%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Expression
98%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Clarity
93%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension
80%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Speech Recognition
78%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Expression
78%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Originality
73%
The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Fluency of Ideas
70%
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Deductive Reasoning
68%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
68%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Top 10 Work Activities
Interacting With Computers
96%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
94%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Getting Information
93%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
91%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Documenting/Recording Information
89%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
89%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Processing Information
89%
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
88%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Thinking Creatively
88%
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
86%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Detailed Work Activities
Inform viewers, listeners, or audiences.
Determine presentation subjects or content.
Write material for artistic or entertainment purposes.
Organize informational materials.
Gather information for news stories.
Edit written materials.
Report news to the public.
Interview others for news or entertainment purposes.
Host events.
Promote products, activities, or organizations.
Operate control consoles for sound, lighting or video.
Maintain logs of production activities.
Perform for recordings.
Coordinate logistics for productions or events.
Operate communications, transmissions, or broadcasting equipment.
Work Context
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Education
Majors
Major
Interests
Artistic
81%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising
77%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social
67%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Conventional
29%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative
29%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Realistic
15%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
98%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity
90%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Adaptability/Flexibility
89%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
89%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Stress Tolerance
89%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Initiative
85%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Persistence
84%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Self Control
84%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Achievement/Effort
83%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Cooperation
83%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Work Values
Achievement
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Relationships
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Working Conditions
55%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
