How employable are sports broadcasters?

CareerExplorer rates sports broadcasters with a D employability rating, meaning this career should provide weak employment opportunities for the foreseeable future.

Are sports broadcasters in demand?

Competition for on-air and writing positions in sports broadcasting is consistently very strong. Adding to the challenge for aspiring entrants are statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor, which indicate that only approximately eight hundred jobs will be created in this sector before 2022, due largely to consolidation of many television and radio stations. The growth of satellite radio, syndicated content, and other alternative media sources is narrowing employment options in the field. Digital technology is also exerting a negative impact on the number of available positions, as it reduces the time and manpower required to produce and edit broadcast material. In addition, radio stations are using voice tracking or ‘cyber jockeying,’ which allows announcers to prerecord their segments for use at a later date or even on another station or multiple stations. A demand from listeners and viewers for more localized programming may create some employment opportunities with local broadcasters and internet radio stations. However, even very qualified sports broadcasters are susceptible to potential periods of layoff or unemployment caused by changes in station ownership, format, and ratings. Because of the limited number of opportunities expected, job seekers with baccalaureate education in sports journalism or mass communications, completed internships, and considerable on-air experience will be best equipped to compete for openings. Those who also bring multimedia and computer skills, providing the capacity to update and maintain station websites, will further enhance their employability. Willingness to first occupy non-broadcasting positions, such as production assistants or reporters, can sometimes be another path to sports announcing positions. Experience calling non-professional games at the college or high-school level is also seen as valuable.