Five Jobs in Television for Communications Grads

Updated December 1, 2022 · 2 Min Read

Read about these five communications jobs working in television, for graduates of communications degree programs. Included is a concise description of each.

BestValueSchools.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Are you ready to discover your college program?

Television Jobs

  • News Correspondent
  • Television Producer or Director
  • Broadcast Operations Manager
  • Film and Video Editor
  • TV Promotions Manager

If broadcasting live on the tube is your dream, communications jobs in television are plentiful after you've finished a bachelor's degree. The television industry is one of the leading mediums through which information is shared to audiences in stunning high-definition. According to Nielsen, 99 percent of households have a TV and Americans watch the telly for four hours daily on average. Communications grads can jump onto sets for various shows from soap operas to documentaries and mystery thrillers. Niche recognized communications as the eighth most popular major graduating 81,444 students nationwide, including into the TV industry. Here are five jobs in television that seek applicants with communications backgrounds.

Featured Online Programs

Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.

1. News Correspondent

News correspondents are journalists who could anchor TV shows to report news of current events happening locally, nationally, or around the globe. Most correspondents will research, report, edit, and gather audio or visuals for their own stories before broadcast. Other important duties include covering breaking news live, maintaining social media accounts, interviewing key witnesses or experts, developing contacts for leads, and interpreting news for audiences' grasp. News correspondents will experience a 9 percent job decline of 4,200 jobs, but those hired earn an average wage of $56,680 yearly.

2. Television Producer or Director

Television producers and directors are charged with interpreting writers' scripts to create sitcoms, dramas, commercials, and news broadcasts for thousands of stations. Producers are more concerned with the business side of TV shows to effectively guide the production's crew toward on-time and on-budget completion. Directors are creative artists who give TV cast members the pointers for accurate character portrayal. It's expected that hiring of producers and directors will rise faster than average by 9 percent through 2024 for an average annual salary of $93,840.

3. Broadcast Operations Manager

Another of the communications jobs in television is broadcast operations manager, which is an upper-level title reserved for the traffic department's head. Operations managers will create the ordered list of TV programs and commercials expected to air 24/7 to ensure every spot is sold for maximum station profit. Other logistical tasks include sticking to a bottom line budget, setting seamless schedules, ensuring equipment is working properly, and attending board meetings. Broadcast operations managers reap a high average annual wage of $131,350 and have 10-year job growth at 6 percent.

4. Film and Video Editor

Communications grads with a bachelor's could become film and video editors to work with directors for organizing camera shots into a cohesive, entertaining TV broadcast. Editors have assistants and use cutting-edge software to help choose digital video from the right angles for the final production. Their responsibilities could include adding special effects, selecting an apt camera lens, directing lighting technicians, and nixing unflattering scenes. Film and video editors will see hiring skyrocket by 18 percent for 6,400 new jobs making $62,760 on average by 2024.

5. TV Promotions Manager

TV promotions managers belong to the creative services department to design, develop, and coordinate the on-air advertisements for the station's shows and special events. Promotions managers seek to attract large audiences for great ratings and revenue. Daily duties include initiating market research, hiring marketing staff, negotiating ad contracts, planning billboards or online media, creating station contests for engagement, and building a promotions budget. TV promotions managers can project 5 percent job growth by 2024 for 1,500 positions with median pay at $100,810.

According to the BLS, the United States employs 219,740 people total in radio and television broadcasting. Binge-watchers could get off the couch and put their bachelor's degree to excellent use at their favorite TV stations, such as ABC, ESPN, and HBO. In addition to these communications jobs in television, grads may consider becoming broadcast news analysts, comedy writers, account executives, station managers, art directors, speaker's bureau managers, and programming directors.

Related resource:

Top 14 Cheap Online Communications Degree Programs

Get prepared for your next steps

Use articles and resources to uncover answers to common questions, get guidance on your goals, and learn about applying to schools.

Discover a program that is right for you.

Explore different options for you based on your degree interests.