Organisational Structure of a Television Studio

A television broadcast station is the place where all the production and transmission process takes place. It requires an army of managers, producers and other technicians to keep the station running. The television stations are organized into five basic departments under the guidance of a company president and a general manager. These departments are news, programming, engineering, sales and advertising, and business administration.

• News Department

The news department is the busiest division of any television station. News department consists of a news desk and news bureau. Bureau chief leads the news bureau. News readers, reporters and editors are the people involved in news production. There are also several other people who facilitate news coverage, including the news director, makeup artists and a variety of producers and content writers. The news bulletins and interviews are conducted in a news studio. It is also called a news floor.

• Programming Department

Programming department consist of program studios, production control room and editing rooms. Programming department is headed by program manager who control many other staffs like program producers, video editors, camera persons, artists and production managers. The final preparation and finalisation of a program is conducted here.

• Engineering Department

This department handles the technical aspects of broadcasting and on-air time. It is headed by a chief engineer. There are a team of managers, engineers and studio crew members, including audio board operators, teleprompter operators, tape room editors and engineering technicians. They monitor transmitter readings, align satellite receiver equipment and make sure video airs in proper sequence.

• Sales and Advertising

This is the department of the television station that generates revenue. The director of sales heads the department; Sales managers and representative functions under him. The sales executives focus on the local market, making contacts with businesses and other organisations in the community to sell advertising.

• Business Administration

The business administration department handles the day-to-day business of a TV station. Office managers or station managers work under the general manager and oversee clerks, receptionists and other help staff. Controllers are responsible overseeing the station’s financial transactions, reports and budgets. The human resources or personnel manager hires employees and ensures a safe workplace in all departments. Business administration might also house building maintenance workers who take care of the facility, from the studio to the restrooms.