Skip to main content

Broadcast Technician

Creative

Set up, operate, and maintain the electronic equipment used to acquire, edit, and transmit audio and video for radio or television programs. Control and adjust incoming and outgoing broadcast signals to regulate sound volume, signal strength, and signal clarity. Operate satellite, microwave, or other transmitter equipment to broadcast radio or television programs.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Creative Arts & MediaElectrical Engineering

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Report equipment problems, ensure that repairs are made, and make emergency repairs to equipment when necessary and possible.
  2. 2Monitor and log transmitter readings.
  3. 3Maintain programming logs as required by station management and the Federal Communications Commission.
  4. 4Monitor strength, clarity, and reliability of incoming and outgoing signals, and adjust equipment as necessary to maintain quality broadcasts.
  5. 5Observe monitors and converse with station personnel to determine audio and video levels and to ascertain that programs are airing.
  6. 6Preview scheduled programs to ensure that signals are functioning and programs are ready for transmission.
  7. 7Play and record broadcast programs, using automation systems.
  8. 8Set up, operate, and maintain broadcast station computers and networks.
  9. 9Record sound onto tape or film for radio or television, checking its quality and making adjustments where necessary.
  10. 10Schedule programming or read television programming logs to determine which programs are to be recorded or aired.
  11. 11Select sources from which programming will be received or through which programming will be transmitted.
  12. 12Install broadcast equipment, troubleshoot equipment problems, and perform maintenance or minor repairs, using hand tools.
  13. 13Edit broadcast material electronically, using computers.
  14. 14Develop employee work schedules.
  15. 15Substitute programs in cases where signals fail.
  16. 16Control audio equipment to regulate volume and sound quality during radio and television broadcasts.
  17. 17Design and modify equipment to employer specifications.
  18. 18Instruct trainees in use of television production equipment, filming of events, and copying and editing graphics or sound onto videotape.
  19. 19Align antennae with receiving dishes to obtain the clearest signal for transmission of broadcasts from field locations.
  20. 20Regulate the fidelity, brightness, and contrast of video transmissions, using video console control panels.
  21. 21Make commercial dubs.
  22. 22Determine the number, type, and approximate location of microphones needed for best sound recording or transmission quality, and position them appropriately.
  23. 23Organize recording sessions and prepare areas, such as radio booths and television stations, for recording.
  24. 24Set up and operate portable field transmission equipment outside the studio.
  25. 25Give technical directions to other personnel during filming.
  26. 26Prepare reports outlining past and future programs, including content.
  27. 27Discuss production requirements with clients.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • TV Technician
  • Audio Engineer
  • Audio Operator
  • Board Operator
  • Mixer Operator
  • Radio Engineer
  • Video Operator
  • Production Tech
  • Signal Engineer
  • Studio Engineer

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationAssociate's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Computers and Electronics90%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Telecommunications84%

    Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesComputer Science / ICT

  • Engineering and Technology76%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Communications and Media71%

    EnglishBahasa Melayu

  • English Language69%

    English

  • Design56%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherRarely
  • Noisy environmentEvery day
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Develop budgets.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

10%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

TVET

Hands-on trades with strong employability: ILP, ADTEC, kolej vokasional, GiatMARA.

1–3 years

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Broadcast Technicians

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org