Radio

In the United States, the radio business includes public broadcasters and commercial broadcasters. Public and community radio stations receive all or some of their operating revenue from underwriters and their listeners. Commercial broadcasters, on the other hand, get their funds through advertising and are in the radio business for profit.

Jobs on the content side include desk assistants, writers, producers, assignment editors, news directors and commentators. Once the sound bites, written copy and reporter packages have been gathered, it’s up to the production and technical staff to tie the content together into a seamless broadcast. Some reporters will edit their own packages, but larger stations may still use editors. Broadcast technicians are responsible for operating the transmitters, overall maintenance of the broadcast signal and taking in feeds. The two primary functions on the business side are driving revenue for the broadcasts through the sales of advertisements, and maintaining the overall financial health of the station. This involves identifying sales targets, as well as developing budgets.

The radio industry often holds up fairly well during economic recessions. This is because radio advertising tends to be less expensive than other forms of electronic advertising, such as television commercials. However, radio broadcasters haven’t been immune to the current economic downturn. In December 2008, for example, National Public Radio announced plans to lay off employees and eliminate some programs due to a budget shortfall. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment in radio and television broadcasting to increase approximately 9 percent between 2006 and 2016.