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Cable and Other Pay Television Services

Nature of the Industry  |  Working Conditions  |  Employment  |  Occupations in the Industry
Training and Advancement  |  Job Outlook  |  Earnings

Significant Points

• Administrative support and installation, maintenance, and repair occupations comprise most jobs.
• Most jobs are in establishments with more than 50 workers.
• Opportunities will be best for applicants with technical skills and an understanding of the new telecommunications services provided by this industry.

Nature of the Industry

Establishments in this industry provide television and other services on a subscription or fee basis. These establishments include both cable networks and distributors. Cable networks produce or acquire television programming and deliver it to distributors. The distributors then transmit the programming to customers. 

Cable networks produce some original television programs in their studios. Although the amount of original programming is growing, much of the programming is acquired from the motion picture industry. (See the statement on Motion Picture Production and Distribution elsewhere in the Career Guide.) 

Distributors of pay television services transmit programming through two basic types of systems. Cable systems transmit programs over fiber optic and coaxial cables. Fiber optic cables are made of glass strands and can carry more information than conventional coaxial cables, made of wire. Direct broadcasting satellite (DBS) operators constitute a rapidly growing segment of the pay television industry. DBS operators transmit programming from orbiting satellites to customer receivers, known as mini-dishes. The dishes are about 18 inches in diameter, although newer dishes that provide Internet access are slightly larger. 

Establishments in this industry generate revenue through subscriptions, special service fees, and advertising sales. Pay television systems charge installation and subscription fees to set up and provide service. They also charge fees for special services, such as the transmission of specialty pay-per-view programs; these often are popular movies or sporting events. Some cable networks sell advertising time during selected programs. Rates paid by advertisers depend on the size and characteristics of the program’s audience and the time of day the program is shown. 

Subscription television services are widely used. In 2000, more than 70 percent of households with television sets received pay television services. Most of these customers subscribed to cable service; however, subscriptions to satellite services are growing rapidly. The number of national cable networks has expanded rapidly, from 87 in 1992 to 214 in 1999. 

Changes in technology and regulation are transforming the industry. An important change has been the rapid increase in two-way communications capacity. Conventional pay television services provided communications only from the distributor to the customer. These services could not provide effective communications from the customer back to other points in the system, due to signal interference and the limited capacity of conventional cable systems. Encouraged by the increasing need for communications services, cable operators have implemented new technologies to reduce signal interference. The capacity of distribution systems also has increased, due to the installation of fiber optic cables and improved data compression. As a result, pay television systems now offer two-way telecommunications services, such as telephone service and high-speed Internet access. Cable subscribers can access the Internet by installing cable modems that connect customers’ personal computers to the cable system. 

The upgraded systems also facilitate the transmission of digital television signals. Digital signals consist of simple electronic code that can carry more information than conventional television signals. Digital transmission creates higher resolution television images and improved sound quality. It also allows the transmission of a variety of other information. Another feature of digital television is more channels, thanks to compression technology. Viewers of football games will be able to decide which camera angle they want to watch. Commercials will become interactive, as consumers will be able to find out additional information about a product, and even order it, simply by using buttons on their remote control. 

Another major change is the rapid growth of satellite-based systems, with more than 13 million subscribers in 2000. The growth of the satellite subscription industry stems from several major factors. Prices for mini-dish subscriptions have dropped dramatically, and are now competitive with cable. Regulatory changes allowed satellite services to begin carrying local network channels. The most recent change has been the offering of high-speed Internet access by satellite services. 

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 reduced barriers to competition across all communications industries. As a result, operators of pay television systems are competing with telephone companies and public utilities to provide video, telephone, and high-speed Internet services. Consolidations have increased, as companies acquire facilities that allow them to offer their customers multiple services. Such combined offerings are popular with customers seeking to simplify their purchase of communications services.

Working Conditions

Working conditions in cable and other pay television services vary by occupational group. Most professional, clerical, and sales employees work indoors in comfortable, well lighted surroundings. However, installation, maintenance, and repair workers must travel to various locations to perform their duties. These responsibilities often require outdoor work under a variety of weather conditions. 

Workers who install pay television services travel to the customers’ premises to perform the installation. Cable service installers sometimes must climb telephone poles or access underground cables to connect a customer’s television set to the cable system. Antenna and satellite dish installers must climb ladders and attach the receiving equipment to rooftops or the sides of houses. 

Cable television line installers and repairers travel to locations in the cable system that are malfunctioning. They often travel in vehicles equipped with aerial buckets so that they can do repair work on cables carried on telephone poles. Technicians responsible for monitoring signal quality sometimes work on outdoor equipment, such as transmission towers and satellite dishes. 

Cases of work-related injury and illness in cable and other pay television services in 1999 were approximately 6.4 per 100 full-time workers, slightly higher than the 6.3 per 100 full-time workers throughout private industry. Many installation, maintenance, and repair jobs in the industry pose hazards that can result in injuries—for example, falls or electric shock from contact with high-voltage power lines. 

Employment

Cable and other pay television services provided about 216,000 wage and salary jobs in 2000. Most jobs were in establishments that employed more than 50 workers (chart 1). However, more than half of the establishments in the industry employed fewer than 10 workers. Pay television establishments are found throughout the country, but jobs with large employers are concentrated in large cities. 

Occupations in the Industry

Administrative support and installation, maintenance, and repair occupations account for most jobs. The remaining employees are found in variety of occupations (table 1). In small cable establishments, employees are less specialized and may have a wide range of responsibilities. 

Office and administrative support occupations. About 35 percent of all jobs in this industry are in office and administrative support occupations. Customer service representatives talk with customers by phone or in person and receive orders for installation, turn-on, discontinuance, or change in services. They often work at a computer, so they can quickly access customer records and authorize the provision of new services. As the industry begins to offer new services—such as telephone and high-speed Internet access—customer service representatives also must respond to technical questions about the operation of these services. Some customer service representatives are expected to sell services and may work on a commission basis. They also investigate customer questions about pay television services, including billing questions. They determine responsibility for a customer complaint and notify customers of any adjustments, such as refunds or other changes to customers’ bills. Dispatchers schedule work crews and service vehicles for installation of pay television service. Duties can include transmitting assignments via radio or telephone, and compiling statistics and reports on work progress. 

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations. Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations include 30 percent of the workers in the industry. The largest occupation in this group, telecommunications line installers and repairers, lay fiber optic and coaxial cable and install equipment, such as repeaters and amplifiers, which maintain signal strength. Maintenance and repair duties include periodic monitoring of the cable system to identify malfunctions. When a problem is detected, the technicians travel to the location of the malfunction and repair or replace the defective cable or equipment. Construction duties related to line installation, such as erecting supports and digging underground trenches, are often contracted to employees working in other industries. 

Installers travel to customers’ premises to set up pay television service so that customers can receive programming. Cable service installers connect a customer’s television set to the cable serving the entire neighborhood. Satellite service installers attach antennas or satellite dishes to the sides of customers’ houses. These devices must be positioned to provide clear lines of sight with satellite locations. (Satellite installation may be handled by employees of electronic retail stores that sell satellite dishes.) 

Installers check the strength and clarity of the television signal before completing the installation. They may need to explain to the subscriber how pay television services operate. As these services expand to include telephone and high-speed Internet access, an understanding of the basic technology and an ability to communicate that knowledge are increasingly important. 

A new occupation employed by cable operators is cable modem installer. These workers install cable modems, which allow customers to connect their personal computers to the cable line. Cable modem installers connect the modem to the cable line and configure the modem so that it is compatible with the customer’s personal computer. 

Other occupations. The remaining employees, who make up 35 percent of employment in this industry, work in a variety of occupations. Many are employed by cable networks that produce television programs, such as news or talk shows. Television camera operators set up and operate television cameras to photograph scenes for cable television broadcasts. Producers plan and develop live or taped productions, determining how the show will look and sound. (The motion picture industry produces many programs seen on cable television. Actors and directors working on these prerecorded programs are not employed by cable or other pay television services.) 

Electrical and electronics engineers design cable and wireless distribution systems for pay television services. Engineers determine the physical layout and requirements of the system, test equipment, solve operating problems, and estimate the time and cost of engineering projects. In wireless cable systems, engineers determine where operators need to install repeaters and towers in the distribution systems. 

Network and computer systems administrators and network systems and data communications analysts design, set up, and maintain systems of computer servers. These servers store customer data for billing and authorization purposes. Network administrators set up connections between servers, so that customer service agents and other employees can efficiently access customer data for billing and authorization purposes. Other computer specialists include computer hardware and software engineers, who work with the hardware and software aspects of systems design and development, and computer support specialists, who provide assistance and advice to users. 

Broadcast technicians, also known as cable technicians, set up, operate, and maintain the electronic equipment used to transmit television programming. In cable services, they insure that incoming signals from satellites are clearly received and transmitted along cable lines to the customer. Engineering technicians assist engineers by designing, building, and testing electrical equipment. In cable networks that produce television programming, master control engineers ensure that the scheduled program elements—such as on-location feeds, prerecorded segments, and commercials—are smoothly transmitted. 

Training & Advancement

Customer service representatives require a high school degree and good communication skills. Familiarity with personal computers and a clear speaking voice are helpful. These workers receive on-the-job training to familiarize them with company services.

Installers require a high school degree, mechanical ability, and some technical knowledge. Newly hired installers receive on-the-job training and, after several years, may advance to line technician positions and work on complex maintenance and installation tasks. Cable modem installers should have experience working with computers or an associate degree in computer information systems.

 

Table 1. Employment of wage and salary workers in cable and other pay television services by occupation, 2000 and projected change, 2000-10 (Employment in thousands)
Occupation	Employment, 2000		Percent change, 2000-10
	Number	Percent
All occupations	216	100.0	50.6
Management, business, and financial occupations	21	9.7	52.4
Marketing and sales managers	2	0.9	69.9
General and operations managers	4	2.0	45.9
Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists	2	0.7	47.1
Accountants and auditors	2	0.8	54.4
Professional and related occupations	24	11.1	73.8
Computer support specialists	4	1.8	131.7
Network systems and data communications analysts	2	0.8	108.5
Electrical and electronic engineering technicians	2	0.7	39.0
Producers and directors	2	1.0	54.4
Media and communication occupations	2	0.9	52.0
Broadcast technicians	3	1.2	54.4
Sales and related occupations	25	11.4	52.4
Advertising sales agents	3	1.2	69.9
Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers	3	1.3	42.6
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products	2	1.1	39.0
Supervisors, sales workers	2	0.7	46.2
Telemarketers	12	5.5	54.4
Office and administrative support occupations	75	34.6	50.2
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	4	2.0	54.4
Bill and account collectors	2	0.8	46.0
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks	3	1.4	33.0
Customer service representatives	41	18.9	59.4
Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance	5	2.1	50.7
Office clerks, general	4	1.8	36.1
Executive secretaries and administrative assistants	3	1.2	39.0
Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive	3	1.2	23.6
Construction and extraction occupations	2	0.9	56.7
Construction trades and related workers	2	0.8	57.1
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	66	30.4	41.5
First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers	6	2.6	54.4
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment	3	1.4	49.2
Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers	11	5.1	23.6
Telecommunications line installers and repairers	39	18.2	43.0
Maintenance and repair workers, general	2	0.8	37.1
Transportation and material moving occupations	2	0.9	42.6
NOTE: May not add to totals due to omission of occupations with small employment.

Telecommunications line installers and repairers working on large feeder and trunk lines require several years’ experience with cable technology. A 2-year associate degree is helpful, as is knowledge of basic electronics and good mathematical aptitude. Experienced line technicians may advance to broadcast technicians, operating and maintaining electronic equipment used to transmit cable programming.

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) offers certification programs for a variety of technician positions. Applicants for certification must be employed in the industry and attend training sessions at local SCTE chapters. Applicants must pass both written and hands-on exams to receive certification. Similar training for cable technicians is available from private trade schools and organizations.

Professional positions in pay television services normally require a college degree. Employees in program production, such as producers and news analysts, often receive degrees in communications or broadcast journalism. Camera operator positions may require only a vocational school degree or equivalent experience. Competition for program production positions is strongest in large metropolitan areas. As a result, entry-level applicants often must look for work in small markets. Internships while in school are recommended for employment in program production; experience gained at college television stations also is helpful.

Engineering positions require a college degree, usually in electrical and electronic engineering. Useful specializations include communications, radio frequency systems, and signal processing. Positions as computer specialists, such as network and computer systems administrators, also require a college degree. These employees generally need knowledge of the Internet and familiarity with different computer operating systems. Positions as market researchers and advertising sales representatives usually require a degree in business, communications, or related fields. Experience gained through college internships is also useful.

Job Outlook

Employment in cable and other pay television services is expected to increase 51 percent between 2000 and 2010, much faster than the 15 percent projected for all industries combined. Job growth will be driven by advances in technology that allow the industry to expand beyond pay television services. The delivery of new telecommunications services—such as high-speed Internet access, telephone communications, and digital television programming—will increase demand for subscriptions to pay television services. Industry employment will grow, as companies expand and upgrade their equipment to efficiently provide these new services, and as they add to their marketing capacity to compete for increased customer demand. The need for employees in a variety of occupations should create openings for both high school and college graduates. Opportunities will be best for those with technical skills and an understanding of the new telecommunications services offered in this industry. Some jobs will be lost as a result of consolidation in this industry; however, these losses will be more than offset by employment gains stemming from increased customer demand for additional or improved services. 

A variety of occupations will experience employment growth. Operators of cable systems will need workers to lay fiber optic cable, deploy new technologies to increase line capacity, and maintain the growing networks of cable lines. As cable systems become more competitive, there may be more overbuilding—new companies laying cables adjacent to existing cables in an attempt to compete for service. These trends should contribute to an increase in the employment of line installers. 

Employment of installers who set up service also will increase, as residential and business customers are drawn to high-speed Internet access and telephone services. The increasing complexity of home installations will make each individual installation a more involved and longer process, stimulating demand for installers. More DBS installers will be need to setup and maintain home mini-satellite dishes, as self-installation will become nearly impossible with broadcasters using multiple satellites and providing broadband Internet access. 

All distributors of pay television services will need more customer service representatives. Customers are unfamiliar with the new services offered in this industry and need help understanding their operation. In this increasingly competitive industry, providing easily accessible customer service representatives will be a priority for all distributors. 

Finally, the introduction of digital technology, resulting in an increase in the number of cable networks and pay television service providers, will create opportunities in program production occupations, such as producers, newscasters, and camera operators. As distributors of pay television services install networks of computer servers, employment of computer specialists, such as network and computer systems administrators, will increase. Computer servers not only will track customer information for authorization and billing, but will also house digital information, such as movies that customers can access on demand. With additional networks attempting to sell advertising, the demand for market researchers and advertising sales staff should increase as well.  

Earnings

Source: Career Guide to Industries, Bureau of Labor Statistics

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