Media Programming Directors
Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in preparation of radio or television station program schedules and programs, such as sports or news.
Also known as: Broadcast Content Manager, Broadcast Director, Broadcast Operations Director, Cable TV Program Director (Cable Television Program Director), Digital Media Director, Educational Programming Director, Entertainment Director, Media Coordinator, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Faster than average)
What You'd Do
- 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 and review programming to ensure that schedules are met, guidelines are adhered to, and performances are of adequate quality.
- Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in broadcast news, sports, or programming.
- Check completed program logs for accuracy and conformance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules and regulations and resolve program log inaccuracies.
- Establish work schedules and assign work to staff members.
- Coordinate activities between departments, such as news and programming.
- Perform personnel duties, such as hiring staff and evaluating work performance.
- Evaluate new and existing programming to assess suitability and the need for changes, using information such as audience surveys and feedback.
- Confer with directors and production staff to discuss issues, such as production and casting problems, budgets, policies, and news coverage.
- Select, acquire, and maintain programs, music, films, and other needed materials and obtain legal clearances for their use as necessary.
- Monitor network transmissions for advisories concerning daily program schedules, program content, special feeds, or program changes.
- Develop promotions for current programs and specials.
- Prepare copy and edit tape so that material is ready for broadcasting.
- Develop ideas for programs and features that a station could produce.
- Review information about programs and schedules to ensure accuracy and provide such information to local media outlets.
- Read news, read or record public service and promotional announcements, or perform other on-air duties.
- Operate and maintain on-air and production audio equipment.
- Direct setup of remote facilities and install or cancel programs at remote stations.
- Conduct interviews for broadcasts.
- Develop budgets for programming and broadcasting activities and monitor expenditures to ensure that they remain within budgetary limits.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.