Media Programming Directors
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Work centers on building and running a station's program schedule for radio or television. That includes directing news, sports, and programming staff, checking completed logs against FCC rules, and watching broadcasts so they stay on time and meet quality guidelines. The job also covers preparing copy, editing tape for air, operating production audio equipment, and sometimes reading news or recording announcements. Coordination with other departments is constant, and the work often includes hiring staff and reviewing their work. It suits people who like juggling schedules, applying broadcast rules, and making decisions with a team under time pressure.
Typical education: Bachelor’s Degree (4-year)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$90'360
Median Wage Market Position
$90'360
What you might do
- Direct the people who put programs on air
- Review shows to keep the schedule on track
- Check completed logs against FCC rules
- Coordinate news and programming departments
- Prepare copy and edit tape for broadcast
- Hire staff and review their performance
Skills that matter
- Operating on-air and production audio
- Checking program logs against FCC rules
- Directing news, sports, and programming staff
- Monitoring programming for schedule and quality
- Preparing copy and editing tape
- Hiring staff and judging their work
AI & the future of this role
Scheduling, cataloging, and content-mix decisions increasingly sit in data systems that AI might optimize for ratings or engagement. Human editorial judgment and live-event coordination still matter, but much of the planning work looks vulnerable.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details