Broadcast technician

Broadcast technicians set up, operate and maintain electronic equipment used to transmit radio and television programmes.

Also known as

Broadcast engineer, broadcast transmitter operator, broadcasting engineering technician, broadcasting operator, radio station operator, television station operator, broadcasting transmitting and studio equipment operator

Work environment

  • Usually work shifts, including evenings and weekends
  • Usually work in broadcast studios or outdoors
  • May work in all weather conditions
  • Need to be organised, solve problems and communicate well

Salary information

MOST COMMON
UPPER
LOWER
$50K-$131K 50000

Typical tasks

  • Maintain recording or broadcasting equipment
  • Notify others of equipment problems
  • Maintain logs of production activities
  • Monitor broadcasting operations to ensure proper functioning
  • Operate communications, transmissions, or broadcasting equipment
  • Operate audio recording equipment
  • Edit audio or video recordings
  • Coordinate activities of production personnel
  • Operate control consoles for sound, lighting or video
  • Train others on work processes

Outlook

The broadcast and media sector in New Zealand is stable overall, with most job openings coming from replacing workers rather than strong growth. Globally, the industry is changing quickly due to streaming services, cloud-based production, and AI tools that support content creation and delivery. These trends are shifting how content is produced and shared, creating ongoing demand for technicians who can work with new digital systems.

What employers and industry want in graduates

  • Strong technical skills with audio, video, and broadcasting equipment
  • Confidence working with digital systems and new media technologies
  • Problem-solving skills to troubleshoot equipment issues
  • Attention to detail to maintain high-quality output
  • Ability to work under pressure, especially during live broadcasts
  • Good teamwork and communication skills

AUT programmes

The above is a suggestion only and a starting point. You may need to meet other criteria or take additional steps to work in this career.

Back to search

Content is reviewed by our experts, but information can change over time. Some content is created with AI support.

This data is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahtu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Some of the information has been modified by AUT. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this data.