Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
On-air work means reading news flashes, introducing songs and commercials, identifying the station, and talking with guests. Between those moments come console work, queuing tracks, recording spots for later, and logging what aired. News, sports, or weather reports are gathered and rewritten to fit a fixed time slot, and interviews need background study first. The work happens on radio, television, or similar media, where each break and report has to hit a set length. People who want spoken delivery, short prep windows, and a firm clock tend to fit.
Typical education: Bachelor’s Degree (4-year)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$47'340
Median Wage Market Position
$47'340
What you might do
- Read news reports live on air
- Announce songs, ads, and station breaks
- Introduce and close shows from a script
- Prepare news, sports, or weather reports
- Operate the studio control console
- Interview guests after studying their background
Skills that matter
- On-air reading of news and commercials
- Announcing songs, ads, and station IDs
- Operating the broadcast control console
- Rewriting reports to fit the time slot
- Background study before interviewing guests
- Logging every song and promo that aired
AI & the future of this role
Scripted delivery, music selection, and on-air fills are heavily screen- and voice-based, so synthetic voices and automated playlists may take over large shares of routine shifts. Local rapport and live interview judgment still count, yet overall employment pressure looks severe.
Does Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys fit your values?
Take the free LostInCareer assessment to see personalized matches based on your core values—not just a personality label.
Related careers
Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details