Radio and Television Announcers

High School

Although there are no formal educational requirements for entering the field of radio and television announcing, most large stations prefer college-educated applicants. The general reason for this preference is that announcers with broad educational and cultural backgrounds are better prepared to successfully meet a variety of unexpected or emergency situations. The greater the knowledge of geography, history, literature, the arts, political science, music, science, and of the sound and structure of the English language, the greater the announcer's value.

In high school, therefore, you should focus on a college preparatory curriculum. In that curriculum, you should learn how to write and use the English language in literature and communication classes, including speech. Subjects such as history, government, economics, and a foreign language are also important.

It's a good idea to take as many computer science and multimedia classes as possible since announcers at some stations may be asked to update Web sites, develop an active presence on social media, and use databases to manage information. 

Postsecondary Training

A strong liberal arts background with an emphasis in journalism, English, political science, or economics is advised, as well as a telecommunications or communications major. Participation in internships and work on your college's radio or television station is also highly recommended. 

Once hired, announcers also participate in on-the-job training in which they learn how to operate the station's equipment.