Media Technical Directors or Managers
Media technical directors/managers coordinate activities of technical departments, such as taping, editing, engineering, and maintenance, to produce radio or television programs.
Media directors' jobs are to conduct productions or performances and handle control consoles for sound, lighting or video. They establish technical requirements of productions or projects and lead content of broadcasts or presentations. Besides, they coordinate the activities of production personnel.
Technical directors, alongside production managers, ensure the overall functioning of the technical production process. The technical director must ensure the functioning, safety and maintenance of technical equipment for production.
Technical directors should hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology or a related field. Prospects of these degrees study the essentials of computer hardware and software, learn how to write programs and optimize customer experience with technology.
For great media management career options, one must build personal relationships, a network made up of all members of a district and beyond. They should be visionaries who have the potential to take risks, communicate well and listen to others. One should be a curious motivational leader skilled at problem-solving.
The media manager’s salary is commensurate with the experience and nature of the job.
In order to succeed in the role of a technical director/manager, one should delegate and manage things, such as projects or groups of tasks and be effective at decision-making, especially when faced with too many options or insufficient information.
Qualifications
Every career requires an element of study and academic qualification, and there can be several study routes and pathways you can take. In following any academic pathway you will study subjects that contribute to the specialised knowledge required to achieve your career goals. These qualifications provide a future employer with the evidence that you have the desired knowledge, understanding and experience of their industry, so it’s important to consider the various types of qualifications available to you and to understand how they can boost your career and create opportunities for you.
- MBA Marketing
- M.A. Journalism and Mass Communication
- B.A. Journalism
- Bachelor's Mass Media
Tasks
- Direct technical aspects of newscasts and other productions, checking and switching between video sources and taking responsibility for the on-air product, including camera shots and graphics.
- Test equipment to ensure proper operation.
- Monitor broadcasts to ensure that programs conform to station or network policies and regulations.
- Observe pictures through monitors and direct camera and video staff concerning shading and composition.
- Act as liaisons between engineering and production departments.
- Supervise and assign duties to workers engaged in technical control and production of radio and television programs.
- Schedule use of studio and editing facilities for producers and engineering and maintenance staff.
- Confer with operations directors to formulate and maintain fair and attainable technical policies for programs.
- Operate equipment to produce programs or broadcast live programs from remote locations.
- Train workers in use of equipment, such as switchers, cameras, monitors, microphones, and lights.
Progression Routes
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