Public Address System and Other Announcers

Career Description: Make announcements over loud speaker at sporting or other public events. May act as master of ceremonies or disc jockey at weddings, parties, clubs, or other gathering places.

Industry: Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Other Job Titles for Public Address System and Other Announcers:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Greet attendees and serve as masters of ceremonies at banquets, store openings, and other events.
• Preview any music intended to be broadcast over the public address system.
• Inform patrons of coming events at a specific venue.
• Meet with event directors in order to review schedules and exchange information about details, such as national anthem performers and starting lineups.
• Announce programs and player substitutions or other changes to patrons.
• Read prepared scripts describing acts or tricks presented during performances.
• Improvise commentary on items of interest, such as background and history of an event or past records of participants.
• Instruct and calm crowds during emergencies.
• Learn to pronounce the names of players, coaches, institutional personnel, officials, and other individuals involved in an event.
• Study the layout of an event venue in order to be able to give accurate directions in the event of an emergency.
• Review and announce crowd control procedures before the beginning of each event.
• Provide running commentaries of event activities, such as play-by-play descriptions, or explanations of official decisions.
• Organize team information, such as statistics and tournament records, in order to ensure accessibility for use during events.
• Furnish information concerning plays to scoreboard operators.
• Develop ideas for programs and features that a station could produce.
• Participate in the planning and execution of fundraising activities.
• Review information about programs and schedules to ensure accuracy and provide such information to local media outlets.
• Read news, read or record public service and promotional announcements, or perform other on-air duties.
• Operate and maintain on-air and production audio equipment.
• Direct setup of remote facilities and install or cancel programs at remote stations.
• Cue announcers, actors, performers, and guests.
• Conduct interviews for broadcasts.
• Act as a liaison between talent and directors, providing information that performers or guests need to prepare for appearances and communicating relevant information from guests, performers, or staff to directors.
• Obtain rights to scripts or to such items as existing video footage.
• License the use of photographs through stock photo agencies.
• Mount, frame, laminate, or lacquer finished photographs.
• Photograph legal evidence at crime scenes, in hospitals, or in forensic laboratories.

Emerging Tasks

• Select and play appropriate music for the crowd.
• Set up and test various equipment, including sound equipment, before each event.
• Practice musical instrument performances and listen to recordings, individually or in rehearsal with other musicians, to master individual pieces of music and to maintain and improve skills.
• Store, pack, and maintain inventory records of props, products, and display items.
• Supervise and train staff members on daily tasks such as visual merchandising.
• Teach artistic techniques to children and adults.
• Monitor the academic eligibility of student athletes.
• Oversee the development and management of the sports program budget and fundraising activities.
• Perform activities that support a team or a specific sport, such as participating in community outreach activities, meeting with media representatives, and appearing at fundraising events.
• Provide training direction, encouragement, motivation, and nutritional advice to prepare athletes for games, competitive events, and/or tours.
• Teach instructional courses and advise students.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• communicate visually or verbally
• make presentations
• observe actions of participants at athletic events
• page or announce information to patrons, passengers or others
• present commentary or news in broadcast medium
• rehearse role from script
• supply guests with information or services
• use public speaking techniques
• examine expenditures to ensure activities are within budget
• hire, discharge, transfer, or promote workers
• interpret information to formulate story ideas
• monitor operational budget
• monitor or review news or programming copy or film
• operate audio-visual equipment
• oversee execution of organizational or program policies
• plan or organize work
• research broadcast copy
• research information for news programs
• review assembled film or video tape on monitor
• review film, recordings, or rehearsals
• schedule activities, classes, or events
• schedule employee work hours
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• write business correspondence
• write news analysis commentary, column, or script
• write news stories for publication
• tell stories through musical, visual, or dramatic arts
• use film production techniques
• use negotiation techniques
• write story copy
• use film production techniques
• use graphic arts techniques
• use knowledge of multi-media technology
• use object-oriented computer programming techniques
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use project management techniques
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• write story copy
• weld together metal parts, components, or structures
• use computer graphics design software
• use creativity in graphics
• use graphic arts techniques
• use knowledge of multi-media technology
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• use stage lighting controls or instruments

Overall Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$12.43
• Average annual wage (2007) - $25,860.00

• Employment (2006): 11,960

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