Work in radio and television broadcasting broadly involves planning, producing and airing programmes of popular interest. Employment can be in a technical or in non-technical area.

Nature of Work

Radio and television professionals in any capacity, in either medium, function under tremendous pressure. Time is the most important aspect of this work-whether it involves appearing or speaking on the air; producing a programme; transmitting it to radio and television receivers. 

As prime time listening/viewing begins after working hours, radio a television employees are often on duty during other people leisure time, and well into the evening and night.

Major Tasks Performed

Specific duties vary with the individual's specialization and position. Major tasks performed in radio and television broadcasting include:

PRODUCTION

Covers a very wide area of responsibility and includes, among other duties:

Programming

Which involves planning, devising, selecting and acquiring shows for specific time slots.

Monitoring

Of the networks own programme and others, in terms of target audience, viewership and popularity ratings.

Commissioning

The making of programmes to independent producers working for the network.

Directing

In-house productions when necessary. Unlike the area of film making, the roles of producer and director are less clearly defined in radio and television programming.

Budgeting

Includes raising, allocating and controlling finances. Besides these tasks, production duties also involve human resources and materials management and a certain amount of liaison work.

SALES AND MARKETING

In radio and television would involve either selling airtime to advertisers; or-particularly in
television-marketing programme packages to other networks.

RESEARCH AND SCRIPTING

Involves providing the background information on the subject of the programme, and the actual script to be used by the characters, presenter or commentator in the programme.

PRESENTATION

Can be in three areas:

Announcing

Usually live-involves informing listeners/viewers about the programmes to follow; and sometimes presenting special broadcasts.

Newsreading/Newscasting

Always live-covers the presentation of news and weather bulletins. Anchoring: Is personality-based and is basically a device used to link together the various elements of the programme. All presentation jobs demand good voice quality and modulation; and in television also a photogenic appearance and strong camera presence.

TECHNICAL: Areas include:
 

Operation and Maintenance

Of all recording, editing a transmission equipment.

Editing

Involves the incorporation and organizing of the diverse elements of a programme in preparation for its presentation.

Graphics

Only in television-covers illustrations; animation and artwork for titles/credits; as well as improvement of color tones and picture quality for broadcast.

Types of Programmes

Radio and television are both organs of the mass media that cater to audiences of varying tastes and preferences, from diverse social, economic, cultural, and educational backgrounds. Most networks therefore, present a range of programmes that target segments according to age, sex language, occupation, special interest and so on. 

These programmes are broadcast on separate time slots or channels depending on the network's organization. In both areas, it is usual for separate departments or sections to handle the production of these programmes, which in radio are almost always produced in-house, while in television, are often commissioned out to companies that specialize in their making. Broadly, these programmes cover:

ENTERTAINMENT

Which can range from music, drama series, situation comedies and soap operas to telefilms, radio plays and game shows.

EDUCATION

Usually subject-specific and broadcast during school hours, like the UGC programmes on Doordarshan.

CHILDREN

Often aimed at pre-school-going children and combine elements of play and learning in their presentation.

DO-IT-YOURSELF/HOBBIES

Cover a wide area of interests like cooking, gardening, household tips or carpentry.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Can be presented in the form of news coverage, panel discussions, interviews, magazine programmes or even chat shows.

DOCUMENTARIES

Are mainly in the domain of television and make an in-depth study of a variety of topics.

SPORTS

Provides specialized coverage of news and live broadcasts of sporting events within and outside the country.