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Dancers, actors, directors and performers

How to become a Broadcast Director

Also called: Film and Broadcast Director, Programme Maker (Broadcasting)

Directs the performers and the camera, lighting, sound and other crew on set to make all kinds of television and radio programmes.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university or vocational college (senmon gakko) is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start, but most directors are university graduates. You need broad knowledge and general education, basic language skills, writing skills and an artistic sense. After joining a broadcaster, you are assigned to a production section depending on your aptitude and wishes, and learn the basics of making programmes on the job as an assistant director. As well as directors employed by broadcasters, there are directors who work for programme production companies. These days much television production is outsourced to production companies, so they too need capable people. Some go independent as freelance directors. Making programmes needs strong powers of expression, so depending on your field, a grounding in art, history, science or other subjects is needed. You also need the vision to understand social and economic trends and what viewers want, and link them to programmes, and the leadership and cooperation to lead dozens of staff.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Broadcast Director?

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start, but most directors are university graduates. You need broad knowledge and general education, basic language skills, writing skills and an artistic sense. After joining a broadcaster, you are assigned to a production section depending on your aptitude and wishes, and learn the basics of making programmes on the job as an assistant director. As well as directors employed by broadcasters, there are directors who work for programme production companies. These days much television production is outsourced to production companies, so they too need capable people. Some go independent as freelance directors. Making programmes needs strong powers of expression, so depending on your field, a grounding in art, history, science or other subjects is needed. You also need the vision to understand social and economic trends and what viewers want, and link them to programmes, and the leadership and cooperation to lead dozens of staff.

How much does a Broadcast Director earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,439,800 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Musicians, stage designers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Broadcast Director?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 54% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Creative Arts & Design degrees; Communications & Media degrees; Vocational college (専門学校) course: Theatre and film.

Will AI change the work of a Broadcast Director?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026