Media Technical Directors/Managers
Media Technical Directors/Managers is the O*NET name for people who coordinate activities of technical departments, such as taping, editing, engineering, and maintenance, to produce radio or television programs. The skills rated most useful are speaking, monitoring, and coordination. The job can ask you to switch between video sources in a studio or on multi-camera remotes, using equipment such as switchers, video slide projectors, and video effects generators. With a code of ECR, this is mostly a job for people drawn to leading, persuading and making business decisions. Conventional interests also help, rated 4.5 out of 7. Getting in usually takes a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience, a level O*NET calls considerable preparation. People who want leading, persuading and making business decisions usually fit better here than those who need helping, teaching or caring for people.
What they do
Coordinate activities of technical departments, such as taping, editing, engineering, and maintenance, to produce radio or television programs.
Main tasks
- Switch between video sources in a studio or on multi-camera remotes, using equipment such as switchers, video slide projectors, and video effects generators.
- Observe pictures through monitors and direct camera and video staff concerning shading and composition.
- Supervise and assign duties to workers engaged in technical control and production of radio and television programs.
- Monitor broadcasts to ensure that programs conform to station or network policies and regulations.
- Operate equipment to produce programs or broadcast live programs from remote locations.
- Test equipment to ensure proper operation.
Skills
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Coordination
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
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 monitoring.
May not suit you if
- You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
- 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 ECR 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 Director
- News Technical Director
- Newscast Director
- Operations Director
- Production Director
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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.