Advertising and Public Relations Managers

Advertising managers oversee account services, creative services, and media services departments. The account services department is managed by account executives, who assess the need for advertising and, in advertising agencies, maintain the accounts of clients. The creative services department develops the subject matter and presentation of an advertisement. Public relations managers supervise public relations specialists (see below). These managers direct publicity programs to a targeted public. They use any necessary communication media in their effort to maintain the support of the specific group upon whom their organization`s success depends, such as consumers, stockholders, or the general public. Public relations managers serve as the eyes and ears of top management. They observe trends that might have an effect upon the firm, and make recommendations to enhance the firm`s public image in view of those trends.

Announcers and Newscasters

Announcers and newscasters are a well-known feature of radio and TV stations. For announcers and newscasters on air delivery, appearance, and style are just as important as formal training and education. With stations on the air 24 hours a day, announcers and newscasters work long and unusual hours. Most people in this profession begin at a small market station where they are called upon to perform many jobs, such as disk jockey, present news, sports and weather, record commercials, interview guests and do public service programs. If qualified you can move to larger stations in major markets where the work is higher paying and more specialized.

Broadcast Technicians

Broadcast technicians install, test, repair, set up, and operate the electronic equipment used to record and transmit radio and television programs. They work with television cameras, microphones, light and sound effects, transmitters, antennas, and other equipment. In small stations, broadcast technicians perform a variety of duties, while in larger stations in the major markets technicians become more specialized. A broadcast technician is sometimes referred to as "operator", "engineer", or "technician". Some of the more specialized broadcast technician roles are transmitter operator, maintenance technicians , audio control engineers, video control engineers, recording engineers and field technicians.

Newswriters and Editors

Newswriters prepare news items for newspapers and news broadcasts, based on information supplied by reporters and correspondents (see below), or wire services. Editors review, rewrite, and edit the work of newswriters. Their primary duties are to plan the content of magazines, or newspapers and supervise their preparation.

Public Relations Specialists

Public relations specialists serve as advocates for business, governments, hospitals, schools, non profit organizations and even universities. They strive to build and maintain positive relationships with the public. Understanding the attitudes and concerns of consumers, employees, and other groups is a vital part of the job. To improve communications, public relations specialists establish and maintain cooperative relationships with the community, consumers, news media, employees, and public interest groups.

Reporters and Correspondents

Reporters and correspondents gather information and prepare news stories that inform the public about local, state, national, and international events. Reporters take notes and may also take photographs, shoot video, or record sound at the scene of an event. Back at the newsroom they organize the material into a news or feature story. Radio and television reporters often report "live" from the scene of an event. At small publication and stations reporters cover all aspects of the news. At larger media outlets reporters specialize in fields such as health, politics, foreign affairs, sports, entertainment, or business.

The above job descriptions came from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, which can be found on the web at http://stats.bls.gov. For more information on jobs and careers in journalism and mass communication consult your faculty advisor.