Broadcast Technician how-to

How to Respond to an On-Air Outage

Every second counts.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
Quick answer

Every second counts. In short: switch; identify; notify, then complete the remaining steps below.

Step by step

  1. Switch to backup.

  2. Identify the failure.

  3. Notify the team.

  4. Fix or bypass.

  5. Restore normal.

  6. Log it.

Safety reminders for broadcast technicians

  • Follow RF safety at transmitters
  • Follow electrical safety
  • Use fall protection on towers
  • Follow FCC rules

Studio · Live broadcast · FCC · Rundown · On air · Master control: see the full broadcast technician glossary.

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