Q. What are some of the options I have with a BA degree in Communication?
A. Advertising; Broadcast Communication (Broadcast Management, Broadcast News); Journalism (News-Editorial, Photojournalism); Public Relations; Speech Communication (Oral Communication, Organizational Communication; Teacher Certification (Elementary Speech, Secondary Journalism, Secondary Speech).

Q. What are some of the career opportunities in the field of communications?
A. Advertising (account management, creative, media, marketing, research, advertising manager, sales representative); Broadcast Management (continuity writer, promotion director, sales representative/account executive, sales manager, general manager); Broadcast News (radio reporter, television reporter, anchor, talk show host, news editor/director, continuity writer); Journalism News-Editorial (beat reporter, general assignment reporter, layout editor, copy editor, free-lance writer, magazine or newspaper editor for corporations and trade associations); Photojournalism (news photographer, photo editor; also serve as editors and writers); Public Relations (director of public relations, newsletter editor, media relations, community relations, events coordinator, fundraiser, publicist, marketing manager); Oral Communication (attorney, public relations, communication specialist, training, telephone representative, salesperson); Organizational Communication (sales, public relations, training/development, administrative assistant, human resources management, customer relations, employee relations.

Q. What is the yearly advertising revenue for the television industry?
A. $50 to $60 billion a year.

Q. What are the top ten radio formats?
A. Top 40 radio, also called contemporary hits radio (CHR); News/Talk; Middle of the Road (MOR) also called Adult Contemporary (AC); Urban; Spanish-Language; Country; Album-Oriented Rock (AOR); Classic Rock; Jazz; Blues.

All told, more than 40 different radio formats, plus variations, serve diverse groups of listeners. In the last 10 years, according to the Center of Radio Information, more than 1,000 radio stations a year switched formats in an effort to find the formula that would generate more advertising money.

Q. What is the yearly advertising revenue for the television industry?
A. $20 billion in 2000; up from $10 billion in 1995. The industry is economically healthy and employs more than a 150,000 people.

Q. How can I get information on careers in radio and television?
A. Electronic Media magazine; Texas Association of Broadcasters (TAB) Bulletin; your college or city library; the Internet.

Q. Where can I learn about national internship programs?
A. Log on to the Newspaper Association of America website: www.naa.org
Also check out national minority media associations:

Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) www.aaja.org
National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) www.nabj.org
National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) www.nahj.org
Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) www.naja.org

Q. How does a Co-op position in speech communication, or journalism differ from an Internship?

A.  The former provides "one-on, one-off alternating semesters of courswork and employment. It allows a student to work at a company a semester without taking courses, followed by taking courses the subsequent semester but without working. The latter offers paid or unpaid job experience while a student is currently completing coursework.

Q.  Would taking one course in speech communication prepare me to become an effective speaker?

A.  Enrolling in a given speech course could certainly improve one's skills, however, fluent practice and review of information provided in the class would be essential. Aside from this, a student's innate ability to communicate effectively and her or his seriousness about communication would also play important roles in skill development.