Arts, Design, Media & Sports
Media Technical Directors/Managers
Also called: Broadcast Director, News Technical Director, Newscast Director, Operations Director
US median pay
$90,360
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+4%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
12,100
181,000 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Coordinate activities of technical departments, such as taping, editing, engineering, and maintenance, to produce radio or television programs.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Train workers in use of equipment, such as switchers, cameras, monitors, microphones, and lights.
- Act as liaisons between engineering and production departments.
- Collaborate with promotions directors to produce on-air station promotions.
- Confer with operations directors to formulate and maintain fair and attainable technical policies for programs.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Coordination4.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6/5
- Time Management3.5/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.5/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.4/5
- Persuasion3.4/5
- Operations Monitoring3.2/5
- Systems Evaluation3.1/5
Knowledge
- Communications and Media4.8/5
- Computers and Electronics4.3/5
- English Language4.1/5
- Telecommunications3.8/5
- Engineering and Technology3.6/5
- Administration and Management3.3/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree, plus less than 5 years of related work experience.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree92%
Who this job suits
Mostly Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.