Radio and Television Announcers

Employment of radio and television announcers is projected to decline 7 percent through 2028, according to the U.S. Department (DOL). Openings will result mainly from those who leave the industry or the labor force. Industry consolidation, advances in technology that allow fewer announcers to do more work, and the increasing use of voice-tracking, which allows announcers to pre-record content and distribute it for use at multiple stations, are limiting employment opportunities for announcers. Competition for entry-level employment in announcing during the coming years is expected to be keen, as the broadcasting industry always attracts more applicants than are needed to fill available openings. There is a better chance of working in radio than in television because there are more radio stations. Local television stations usually carry a high percentage of network programs and need only a very small staff to carry out local operations.

The DOL reports that "Internet radio and podcasts may positively influence employment growth. Startup costs for these mediums are relatively lower than the costs for land-based radio. These stations can be used to create niche programming or target a specific demographic or listening audience and provide new opportunities for announcers."

The trend among major networks, and to some extent among many smaller radio and TV stations, is toward specialization in such fields as sportscasting or weather forecasting. Newscasters who specialize in such areas as business, consumer, and health news should have an advantage over other job applicants.