Radio and television announcers work within the field of broadcasting. Their main goals are to capture the public’s interest, build a large audience, and provide accurate information on a variety of topics. Radio announcers may have a wide range of duties, depending on where they work. Some announcers read preprinted scripts into a microphone; headphones enable them to hear the way their voices sound to the listeners. Announcers generally work with a broadcasting technician, who operates broadcasting equipment, and an engineer, who starts and stops the tapes on which music, commercials, and programs are recorded and tells the announcer when to start and stop talking.
Most radio stations play recorded music. Announcers who play programs of popular or classical music are called disc jockeys. They are expected to know a lot about the music they play. They must also be able to speak intelligently or amusingly about various performers and about popular culture in general. Disc jockeys often spend as much time talking as they spend playing music. Announcers frequently appear at community events, such as fundraising activities or the opening of an advertiser’s store.
