Every cable television channel is broadcast from a small room in the office of a television station. A television station’s lifeline is the master control operator. Broadcast signals are operated by one or two people at a time all over the world. Every television station in the United States has one or two positions that require someone to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The broadcast technician or engineers are usually the only other positions that are required all day.
Anyone entering the television industry as a master control operator must have a basic understanding of journalism. This is the only position at a television station that does not necessitate a journalism degree. To be hired as a master control operator, the only educational requirement is a high school diploma. For people fresh out of high school or college, the hours may be assigned to the graveyard shift.
The master control operator will have to deal with a variety of things on a daily basis, including local news programming for television broadcast, breaking news events, and nationally broadcast sporting events. Local operators are also in charge of running commercials in between the shows you’re watching during local programming. Commercials are broadcast from the national office in national programming. Master control operators switch from one commercial to the next during commercial breaks. During a typical commercial break, they usually switch from the show to a set of four commercials before returning to the show.
Every show at the station follows a strict schedule, whether it’s CNN, ESPN, or your local broadcast affiliates. Commercials are sold in specific spots for each show and are supposed to air within seconds of the time they are purchased. For a master control operator, live news telecasts are among the most difficult times. They give the show’s director their time in and out of commercial breaks throughout the entire show. This gives the director the flexibility to cut or shorten parts of the show to stay on schedule.