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Media Programming Directors

The occupation Media Programming Directors covers people who direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in preparation of radio or television station program schedules and programs, such as sports or news. O*NET rates it as considerable preparation, which usually means a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience. It leans on speaking, reading comprehension, and judgment and decision making. You may also need to operate and maintain on-air and production audio equipment. The strongest interest signal is Enterprising (6.6 of 7), then Conventional (4.6) and Artistic, which gives it the code ECA. It tends to suit people who want leading, persuading and making business decisions, and it offers little for anyone seeking hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world.

What they do

Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in preparation of radio or television station program schedules and programs, such as sports or news.

Main tasks

  • Operate and maintain on-air and production audio equipment.
  • Check completed program logs for accuracy and conformance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules and regulations and resolve program log inaccuracies.
  • Read news, read or record public service and promotional announcements, or perform other on-air duties.
  • Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in broadcast news, sports, or programming.
  • Monitor and review programming to ensure that schedules are met, guidelines are adhered to, and performances are of adequate quality.
  • Prepare copy and edit tape so that material is ready for broadcasting.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Critical Thinking
  • Time Management
  • Coordination

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and reading comprehension.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
  • You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 1.4 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECA takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Broadcast Content Manager
  • News Director
  • Newscast Director
  • Production Director
  • Program Coordinator

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.