Broadcast Technicians
Set up, operate, and maintain the electronic equipment used to acquire, edit, and transmit audio and video for radio or television programs. Control and adjust incoming and outgoing broadcast signals to regulate sound volume, signal strength, and signal clarity. Operate satellite, microwave, or other transmitter equipment to broadcast radio or television programs.
Most important skills
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Operation and Control
- Reading Comprehension
- Quality Control Analysis
- Systems Analysis
Key knowledge
- Computers and Electronics
- Communications and Media
- Telecommunications
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
What the work involves
- Control audio equipment to regulate volume and sound quality during radio and television broadcasts.
- Monitor strength, clarity, and reliability of incoming and outgoing signals, and adjust equipment as necessary to maintain quality broadcasts.
- Regulate the fidelity, brightness, and contrast of video transmissions, using video console control panels.
- Observe monitors and converse with station personnel to determine audio and video levels and to ascertain that programs are airing.
- Preview scheduled programs to ensure that signals are functioning and programs are ready for transmission.
- Select sources from which programming will be received or through which programming will be transmitted.
- Report equipment problems, ensure that repairs are made, and make emergency repairs to equipment when necessary and possible.
- Record sound onto tape or film for radio or television, checking its quality and making adjustments where necessary.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Conventional, Realistic, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree (64.8% of expert ratings)
- Related experience
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (41.5%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (42.3%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Broadcast Technicians is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Moderate | Higher on contact with others than 54% of occupations compared | 68% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Moderate | Lower on dealing with the public than 56% of occupations compared | 42% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly important” |
| Teamwork | Very high | Higher on teamwork than 96% of occupations compared | 92% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | High | Higher on freedom to make decisions than 62% of occupations compared | 69% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom” |
| Time pressure | Moderate | Lower on time pressure than 50% of occupations compared | 45% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Conflict situations | High | Higher on conflict situations than 66% of occupations compared | — |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Moderate | Higher on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 59% of occupations compared | 45% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Consequence of error | Very low | Lower on consequence of error than 90% of occupations compared | 44% of surveyed respondents chose “Not serious at all” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: moderate
- Conflict situations: high
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: moderate
- Consequence of error: very low
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Occasional contact with others: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Contact with others about half the time: 25.88%
- Contact with others most of the time: 5.69%
- Constant contact with others: 68.42%
n = 12, Incumbent 08/2026
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 5.58%
- Fairly important: 42.03%
- Important: 1.56%
- Very important: 21.27%
- Extremely important: 29.57%
n = 12, Incumbent 08/2026
Teamwork
- Not important at all: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Fairly important: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Important: 6.15%
- Very important: 1.56%
- Extremely important: 92.3%
n = 12, Incumbent 08/2026
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Very little freedom: 2.01%
- Limited freedom: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Some freedom: 69.02%
- A lot of freedom: 28.97%
n = 12, Incumbent 08/2026
Time pressure
- Never: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Once a year or more but not every month: 20.17%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 4.13%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 45.14%
- Every day: 30.56%
n = 12, Incumbent 08/2026
Conflict situations
- Never: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Once a year or more but not every month: 9.26%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 21.72%
- Once a week or more but not every day: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Every day: 1.56%
n = 12, Incumbent 08/2026
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Once a year or more but not every month: 30.98%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 45.14%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 23.87%
- Every day: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 12, Incumbent 08/2026
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 43.59%
- Fairly serious: 19.71%
- Serious: 28.01%
- Very serious: 5.58%
- Extremely serious: 3.12%
n = 12, Incumbent 08/2026
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O*NET-SOC 27-4012.00 · SOC 27-4012 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8