{{unreferenced, date=June 2016
The term panel operator generally relates to any person who is employed to operate a broadcast console. This term is more often used in the radio industry. In the U.S., insiders refer to a broadcast console as a 'board', and in turn, refer to those operating it as a board operator.
Panel operators usually do not have on-air speaking roles, and focus only on presenting the program to air technically. People who operate the panel as well as having a speaking role on a show are often known as
anchors. Most music announcers these days operate the panel as well as presenting their shift to air.
Panel operators are usually responsible for (but not limited to) the following duties:
* Keeping talent informed of the show's progress
* Keeping the show on time, and timing out to news and other programming elements
* Playing music,
commercial
Commercial may refer to:
* a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television)
** Radio advertisement
** Television advertisement
* (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...
s and programming elements at appropriate times
* Operating the on-air telephone system
* Co-ordinating and inserting elements such as
traffic report
Traffic reporting is the near real-time distribution of information about road conditions such as traffic congestion, detours, and traffic collisions. The reports help drivers anticipate and avoid traffic problems. Traffic reports, especially in ...
s
* Ensuring that talent
microphone
A microphone, colloquially called a mic or mike (), is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and publ ...
levels are acceptable, and switching microphones on and off
Panel operators need to be technically able, good at working under pressure and dealing with talent egos, conscious of time constraints and able to think quickly when something goes wrong. The entire on-air presentation of the show is reliant upon their ability.
Mass media occupations