View source for Broadcast engineering

{{Short description|Field of engineering dealing with radio and television broadcasting}}
{{Prose|date=October 2025}}
{{redirect distinguish|Radio engineering|Radio-frequency engineering}}
{{Infobox Occupation
| name= Broadcast engineering
| image=Broadcast engineering Lecture, Saudi Arabia 03.png
| caption=
| type= [[profession]]
| official_names= Broadcast engineer
Broadcast [[design engineer]]<br />
Broadcast [[systems engineering|systems engineer]]<br />
Broadcast [[information technology|IT]] engineer<br />
Broadcast [[information technology|IT]] [[systems engineering|systems engineer]]<br />
Broadcast [[network engineer]]<br />
Broadcast [[maintenance engineering|maintenance engineer]]<br />
[[Video]] broadcast engineer<br />
[[Television studio|TV studio]] broadcast engineer<br />
[[Outside broadcasting|Outside broadcast]] engineer<br />
[[Remote broadcast]] engineer
<!------------Details------------------->
| activity_sector=
| competencies= Technical knowledge, Management skills, Professionalism
| formation= see [[#Qualifications|professional requirements]]
| employment_field= [[Radio]], [[television]], [[military]]
| related_occupation= [[Engineering technologist|Technologist]], [[RF engineer]], [[engineering technician]], [[Technical operator]]
| average_salary=
}}

'''Broadcast engineering''' or '''radio engineering''' is the field of [[electrical engineering]], and now to some extent [[computer engineering]] and [[information technology]], which deals with [[radio]] and [[television]] [[broadcasting]]. [[Audio engineering]] and [[RF engineering]] are also essential parts of broadcast engineering, being their own [[subset]]s of electrical engineering.

Broadcast engineering involves both the [[Television studio|studio]] and [[transmitter]] aspects (the entire [[airchain]]), as well as [[remote broadcast]]s. Every [[Broadcast network|station]] has a broadcast [[engineer]], though one may now serve an entire station group in a city. In small [[media market]]s the engineer may work on a [[contract]] basis for one or more stations as needed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/occupations/p/broadcst_sound.htm |title=about.com - Broadcast Technician or Sound Engineering Technician: Career Information |publisher=Careerplanning.about.com |date=2010-11-08 |access-date=2013-08-03 |archive-date=2009-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126204416/http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/occupations/p/broadcst_sound.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Duties==

Modern duties of a broadcast engineer include maintaining [[broadcast automation]] systems for the studio and [[automatic transmission system]]s for the transmitter [[physical plant|plant]]. There are also important duties regarding [[Radio masts and towers|radio tower]]s, which must be [[Preventive maintenance|maintain]]ed with proper [[lighting]] and [[painting]]. Occasionally a station's engineer must deal with [[complaint]]s of [[RF interference]], particularly after a station has made changes to its transmission facilities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos109.htm |title=U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics - Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technicians and Radio Operators |publisher=Bls.gov |date=2012-03-29 |access-date=2013-08-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.skillset.org/tv/jobs/Studio_Broadcast/article_5477_1.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070508172948/http://www.skillset.org/tv/jobs/Studio_Broadcast/article_5477_1.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-05-08 |title=Transmission Engineer - TV |publisher=skillset |date=2012-07-25 |access-date=2013-08-03 }}</ref>

==Titles==

Broadcast engineers may have varying titles depending on their level of [[expert]]ise and field specialty. Some widely used titles include:
* Broadcast [[design engineer]]
* Broadcast Integration Engineer
* Broadcast [[systems engineering|systems engineer]]
* Broadcast [[information technology|IT]] engineer
* Broadcast [[information technology|IT]] [[systems engineering|systems engineer]]
* Broadcast [[network engineer]]
* Broadcast [[maintenance engineering|maintenance engineer]]
* [[Broadcast technician]]
* [[Video]] broadcast engineer
* [[Television studio|TV studio]] broadcast engineer
* [[Outside broadcasting|Outside broadcast]] engineer
* [[Remote broadcast]] engineer

==Qualifications==

Broadcast engineers may need to possess some or all of the following [[degree (education)|degree]]s, depending on the broadcast technical environment. If one of the formal qualifications is not present, a related degree or equivalent professional experience is desirable.
* Degree in [[electrical engineering]]
* Degree in [[electronic engineering]]
* Degree in [[telecommunications engineering]]
* Degree in [[computer engineering]]
* Degree in [[management information system]]
* Degree in broadcast technology

===Knowledge===

Broadcast engineers are generally required to know the following areas, from conventional video broadcast systems to modern Information Technology:
* Conventional broadcast
** Audio/Video [[instrumentation]] [[measurement]]
** [[Baseband]] [[video]] – standard / [[high-definition video|high-definition]]
** Broadcast studio [[acoustics]]
** [[Television studio]]s - broadcast [[video camera]]s and [[camera lens]]es
** [[Vision mixer|Production switcher]] (Video mixer)
** [[Mixing console|Audio mixer]]
** [[Mixing console|Recording engineer]]
* Broadcast IT
** [[Video compression]] - [[DV25]], [[MPEG]], [[Digital Video Broadcasting|DVB]] or [[ATSC Standards|ATSC]] (or [[ISDB]])
** Digital server [[playout]] technologies. - [[VDCP]], Louth, [[Harris Corporation|Harris]], control protocols
** [[Broadcast automation]]
** [[Disk storage]] – [[RAID]] / [[Network-attached storage|NAS]] / [[Storage area network|SAN]] technologies.
** Archives – [[Tape archive]]s or [[grid storage]] technologies.
** [[Computer networking]]
** [[Operating system]]s – [[Microsoft Windows]] / [[macOS]] / [[Linux]] / [[real-time operating system|RTOS]]
** [[Post production]] – [[video capture]] and [[non-linear editing system]]s (NLEs).
* RF
** RF [[satellite uplink]]ing – High-powered amplifiers (HPA)
** RF [[communications satellite]] [[downlink]]ing – Band detection, [[carrier wave|carrier]] detection and [[integrated receiver/decoder|IRD]] tuning, etc.
** RF transmitter maintenance - IOT UHF transmitters, solid-state VHF transmitters, solid-state MF transmitters (AM radio), tube type VHF, and MF transmitters. Antennas, transmission lines, high power filters, digital modulators, towers, tower lighting systems, and backup generators.
* Health and safety
** [[Occupational safety and health]]
** [[Firefighting|Fire suppression]] systems like [[1,1,1,2,3,3,3-Heptafluoropropane|FM 200]].
** Basic [[structural engineering]]
** [[Radio frequency|RF]] hazard mitigation

Above mentioned requirements vary from station to station.

==Digital engineering==
The conversion to [[Digital data|digital]] broadcasting means broadcast engineers must now be well-versed in [[digital television]] and [[digital radio]], in addition to [[analog signal|analogue]] principles. New equipment from the transmitter to the [[radio antenna]] to the receiver may be encountered by engineers new to the field. Furthermore, modern techniques place a greater demand on an engineer's expertise, such as [[sharing]] [[broadcast tower]]s or [[radio antenna]]s among different stations ([[diplexing]]).

[[Digital audio]] and [[digital video]] have revolutionized broadcast engineering in many respects.<ref>[http://mhp-interactive.org/tutorial/dtv-intro/dtv-transmission.shtml Interactive TV Web. ''Broadcast Engineering Basics''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070505004655/http://mhp-interactive.org/tutorial/dtv-intro/dtv-transmission.shtml |date=May 5, 2007}}</ref> Broadcast [[studio]]s and [[control room]]s are now already digital in large part, using [[non-linear editing]] and [[digital signal processing]] for what used to take a great deal of time or money, if it was even possible at all. [[Mixing console]]s for both [[Sound recording and reproduction|audio]] and [[video]] are continuing to become more digital in the 2000s, as is the [[computer storage]] used to keep digital media [[libraries]]. [[Insert (effects processing)|Effects processing]] and TV graphics can now be realized much more easily and professionally as well.

With the broadcast industry's shift to IP-based production and content delivery technology not only the production technology and workflows are changing, but also the requirements for broadcast engineers, which now include [[Information technology|IT]] and [[Internet Protocol|IP-networking]] know-how.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tony|first1=Orme|title=Understanding IP Networks|url=https://www.thebroadcastbridge.com/content/entry/6303/understanding-ip-networks-introduction|website=thebroadcastbridge.com|date=15 July 2016|access-date=5 May 2017}}</ref>

Other devices used in broadcast engineering are [[telephone hybrid]]s, [[broadcast delay]]s, and [[dead air]] [[alarm]]s. See the [[Glossary of electrical and electronics engineering]] for further explanations.

==Organizations==

===Brazil===
* SET – Sociedade Brasileira de Engenharia de Televisão e Telecomunicações, Brazilian Society of Television and Telecommunications Engineering, [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Brazil]].

===Canada===
* Central Canada Broadcast Engineers (CCBE), [[Paris]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ccbe.ca/ |title=Central Canada Broadcast Engineers (CCBE) |publisher=Ccbe.ca |access-date=2013-08-03}}</ref>
* Western Association of Broadcast Engineers (WABE), [[Calgary, Alberta]], Canada <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wabe.ca/ |title=WABE - The Western Association of Broadcast Engineers |publisher=Wabe.ca |access-date=2013-08-03}}</ref>
* IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS) – Ottawa Section, Canada <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ieee.org/bts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080707014645/http://www.ieee.org/bts |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 7, 2008 |title=IEEE Broadcast Technology Society |publisher=Ieee.org |access-date=2013-08-03}}</ref>

===Germany===
* FKTG – Fernseh- und Kinotechnische Gesellschaft e.V., [[Germany]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fktg.de/ |title=FKTG – Fernseh- und Kinotechnische Gesellschaft e.V. (Germany) |publisher=Fktg.de |access-date=2013-08-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729053531/http://www.fktg.de/ |archive-date=2013-07-29 }}</ref>

===Belgium===
Studiotech, audiovisual engineering company specialized on broadcast equipements, [[Brussels]].

===India===
* Broadcast Engineering Society – BES (India), [[New Delhi]], India <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.besindia.com/ |title=BES - Broadcast Engineering Society (India) |publisher=Besindia.com |access-date=2013-08-03}}</ref>

===Iran===
* Iran Broadcasting University [[Iran]], Tehran (plus two campuses in [[Qom]] and [[Dubai]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irib.ac.ir/persian/index.aspx?portalid=27 |title=IRIBU - Iran Broadcasting University (Iran) |publisher=IRIBU.ir |access-date=2013-08-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523083122/http://www.irib.ac.ir/persian/index.aspx?portalid=27 |archive-date=2011-05-23 }}</ref>

===Japan===
* Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - [[Japan]] Council

===Mexico===
* Asociación Mexicana de Ingenieros y Técnicos en Radiodifusión A.C. (AMITRA), Delegación [[Benito Juárez]], [[Mexico]]

===China===
* China Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, China<ref>[http://www.csmpte.com.cn/ China Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, China(CSMPTE)]</ref>
* IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS)  – [[Beijing]] Section, China<ref>[http://www.cie-china.org/ieee-beijing/ IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS) - Beijing Section )] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029092126/http://www.cie-china.org/ieee-beijing/ |date=October 29, 2008 }}</ref>
* IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS)  – [[Shanghai]] Section, China

===China – Hong Kong===
* Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers-(Hong Kong) Section, 電影電視工程師協會香港分會  [[Hong Kong]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smpte.org.hk/ |title=Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers-(Hong Kong) Section (SMPTE-HKG) |publisher=Smpte.org.hk |access-date=2013-08-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219045708/http://www.smpte.org.hk/ |archive-date=2012-02-19 }}</ref>
* Society of Broadcast Engineers Hong Kong Chapter, 廣播工程師協會香港分會 [[Hong Kong]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sbe.org.hk/ |title=Society of Broadcast Engineers Hong Kong Chapter(SBE HK Chapter) |publisher=Sbe.org.hk |access-date=2013-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815234513/http://www.sbe.org.hk/ |archive-date=2013-08-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Hong Kong Televisioners Association (HKTVA), 香港電視專業人員協會 Hong Kong<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hktva.org/ |title=Hong Kong Televisioners Association (HKTVA), Hong Kong |publisher=HKTVA |access-date=2013-08-03}}</ref>

===Philippines===
* Society of Broadcast Engineers and Technicians of the Philippines, Inc. (SBETP), [[Quezon City]], [[Philippines]]

===Republic of China – Taiwan===
* IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS) – [[Taipei]] Section

===South Africa===
* The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sabc.co.za/sabc/|title = SABC – Official Website – South African Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> [[Auckland Park]], Johannesburg, South Africa,

===South Korea===
* Korean Broadcast Engineers & Technicians Association (KOBETA), [[Seoul]], South Korea (ROK)

===Turkey===
* [[Chamber of Electrical Engineers of Turkey|Chamber of Electrical Engineers]] (EMO)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emo.org.tr/ |title=Hoş Geldiniz |publisher=EMO |access-date=2013-08-03}}</ref> (Joint chamber of electrical, electronics and biomedical engineers)

===United States===
In the [[United States]], many broadcast engineers belong to the [[Society of Broadcast Engineers]] (SBE).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sbe.org/ |title=Society of Broadcast Engineers |publisher=Sbe.org |access-date=2013-08-03}}</ref> Some may also belong to the [[Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers]] (SMPTE),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smpte.org/home |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070324042446/http://www.smpte.org/home |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-03-24 |title=Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers |publisher=Smpte.org |access-date=2013-08-03 }}</ref> or to organizations of related fields, such as the [[Audio Engineering Society]] or [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]] (IEEE) <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ieee.org/portal/site |title=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers  |website=[[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]] (IEEE) |access-date=2008-12-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207005835/http://www.ieee.org/portal/site |archive-date=2008-12-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref> - [[IEEE Broadcast Technology Society]] (BTS).

For [[public radio]], the [[Association of Public Radio Engineers]] was created in late May 2006.<ref>[http://www.apre.us/ Association of Public Radio Engineers] home page</ref>

===Uruguay===
* [[ANDEBU]] – Asociación Nacional de Broadcasters Uruguayos, [[Montevideo]], [[Uruguay]]

{{Expand list|date=May 2010}}

==Notable publications==
* ''[[Radio (magazine)|Radio]]'' (formerly ''[[BE Radio]]'')
* ''[[Radio World]]''
* ''[[TV Technology]]''

==See also==
{{Portal|Television|Electronics|Engineering|Technology and applied sciences}}
* [[Engineering technician]]
* [[Technical operator]]
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Broadcast Engineering}}
[[Category:Broadcast engineering| ]]
[[Category:Computer engineering]]
[[Category:Broadcasting occupations]]
[[Category:Television terminology]]
[[Category:Engineering disciplines]]