Salary

Trainee broadcast assistants will earn in the region of £13,000 a year, with salaries potentially rising to £17,000 with a year or two of experience. Experienced BAs can earn up to £25,000 a year, though it's usual for BAs with potential and ambition to be promoted to assistant producers rather than remaining in the job. Some broadcast assistants work on a freelance basis, in which case they are paid a fee for each contract.

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Responsibilities

The role of a broadcast assistant depends on the type of radio station and size of the production team, but they are usually responsible for some or all of the following:

• Researching topics and gathering information for programmes
• Finding, booking and liaising with guests and contributors
• Acting as the first point of contact for studio guests
• Maintaining databases of contacts and freelance staff
• Preparing and typing scripts
• Managing phones for phone-ins (and keeping records)
• Devising competitions, contacting winners, and arranging and sending out prizes
• Procuring resources and equipment at competitive rates
• Booking studio time
• Keeping track of programme budgets
• Putting together programme logs and running orders
• Updating the station's website (if it has an online presence)
• Recording and editing trailers using digital editing software
• Helping the producer with time-keeping
• “Driving the desk” (operating technical studio equipment to play pre-recorded items, music and jingles at the right time)
• Assisting with the writing of links, cues, competitions and quiz questions.
• Choosing music

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Qualifications

It's not necessary to have a formal qualification to start a career in broadcasting. Most radio stations provide comprehensive training, but a degree or postgraduate qualification in media studies or broadcast journalism will provide a good grounding in the theory and practical skills you will need as a BA as well as demonstrating a commitment to broadcasting.

There are over a dozen higher-education institutions offering degree courses in broadcasting (and related media courses which include radio broadcasting in their syllabus), varying in length from one to four years. Although these courses develop useful skills and can open up opportunities for work placements, bear in mind that many radio stations have their own entry requirements and training programmes.

There is no 'industry standard' qualification in radio, so even with a degree in broadcasting you are likely to start your career as a trainee BA. When choosing a degree, make sure the course includes plenty of practical experience or opportunities to get hands-on experience either in a real studio or a 'simulation' radio station. This experience will give you an edge when applying for jobs.

The Broadcast Journalism Training Council has details of bursaries and sponsorship available to broadcasting students.

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Skills

The following skills are essential for broadcast assistants:

• Enthusiasm and energy
• Creativity and ideas
• A flexible attitude
• A genuine interest in radio, current affairs and/or music (in particular a passion for whatever the radio station majors in)
• Good administrative and organisational skills
• Good written and spoken communication skills
• The ability to work as part of a team as well as on your own initiative
• Diplomacy when facing provocation
• The ability to prioritise and work to tight deadlines
• The ability to inspire and persuade others
• Technical competence in broadcasting/production
• Computer skills and a familiarity with wordprocessing, spreadsheet and database packages
• Knowledge of and an interest in the audience (especially important for local radio)
• Good analytical and interpretive skills

Language skills are also useful as some UK radio stations don't just broadcast in English (eg. BBC Radio Cymru for Welsh audiences).

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Working Conditions

BAs do a lot of work 'off-air', such as carrying out research, booking guests and maintaining the station's website. However, radio stations are on-air most of the time so BAs will be expected to work some unsociable hours depending on when the programme they are working on is broadcast.

Broadcasting is a fast-moving working environment so BAs need to be able to cope with change and to work well under pressure. Also, although the job is not physically demanding, it may involve long hours and stress.

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Experience

Broadcasting is a very competitive field, and to land your first job in radio you should take every opportunity to gain work experience. To get started you could attend one of the Radio Academy Masterclasses organised by The Radio Academy, which are one-day conference providing an introduction to broadcasting through a mixture of seminars, hands-on skills sessions and lectures.

The next step is to get some work experience with a local or community station – the latest opportunities are available online in the RadioCentre Work Placement Digest. Placements last anything from a couple of days to a month. If you build on this during your degree or postgraduate course, you should have enough experience to apply for BA jobs on graduation.

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Employers

The BBC is the major employer in the UK, but there are many opportunities with commercial and community radio stations as well. Freelance BA work is also a possibility and many independent production companies, who produce programmes on behalf of radio stations, also employ broadcast assistants.

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Career Progression

To progress as a broadcast assistant it is important to keep up-to-date with technological developments and to take every opportunity for professional development and training. Within the BBC it's possible to go on an 'attachment' which allows an individual to work in a related role for a period of up to 12 months. Attachments become available when colleagues take career breaks, maternity/paternity leave or when new projects or busy periods arise. This is a great way to gain new experience and skills, and to move sideways to another role or gain promotion to become a producer or presenter.

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