Media Programming Directors

What does a professional in this career do?

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

In this job you will...

• 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.
• Coordinate activities between departments, such as news and programming.
• Perform personnel duties, such as hiring staff and evaluating work performance.
• Establish work schedules and assign work to staff members.
• Develop promotions for current programs and specials.
• Plan and schedule programming and event coverage, based on broadcast length, time availability, and other factors, such as community needs, ratings data, and viewer demographics.
• Monitor network transmissions for advisories concerning daily program schedules, program content, special feeds, or program changes.
• Develop ideas for programs and features that a station could produce.
• Select, acquire, and maintain programs, music, films, and other needed materials and obtain legal clearances for their use as necessary.
• Evaluate new and existing programming to assess suitability and the need for changes, using information such as audience surveys and feedback.
• Conduct interviews for broadcasts.
• Confer with directors and production staff to discuss issues, such as production and casting problems, budgets, policies, and news coverage.
• Review information about programs and schedules to ensure accuracy and provide such information to local media outlets.
• Direct setup of remote facilities and install or cancel programs at remote stations.
• Develop budgets for programming and broadcasting activities and monitor expenditures to ensure that they remain within budgetary limits.
• Cue announcers, actors, performers, and guests.
• Act as a liaison between talent and directors, providing information that performers or guests need to prepare for appearances and communicating relevant information from guests, performers, or staff to directors.
• Participate in the planning and execution of fundraising activities.