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The Broadcast Television Engineering Technology program was established at Napa Valley College in 1971 as “Telecommunications Technology” and has graduated some 13 video engineers per year since that time.

Introduction to Production
A full curriculum for award of an Associate Degree can be found at http://www.smpte11.org/program/Curriculum.

Studies are conducted in the television studio of the college where students are first exposed to the various functions of the production team. Here they will produce their own video segment enlisting the help of fellow students filling the various jobs and following established procedure required to complete their production. At the same time, technical theory is presented in lecture class.

Technical Theory
First semester theory covers the principles of light and the television system from camera to transmission medium. Experiments with light and television equipment are performed in the lab classes as part of each student’s production. Succeeding theory classes add to the student’s knowledge of the broadcast media system and the practical labs continue the learning experience.

Practical Application
As the student prepares his or her script for production, attention to procedure and the use of proper language conveying direction to the production crew is stressed.

We study broadcast media from the camera to the transmitter with attention paid to IPTV and MPEG2 along with digital processing and storage of video signals. Upon graduation, most students are ready to work in the professional video field such as a television station, production company or field television work as a video engineer.

Clubs on Campus
The BTV program offers two clubs to further enhance your study; The SBE (Society of Broadcast Engineers) and the SATv (Student Access Television). The SBE club is affiliated with the SBE, a professional organization to enhance your professional career. The SBE Club organizes field trips to television stations and other places of interest to the video engineer. Once a year, the SBE club attends the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas.

The SATv club is open to the college community to produce television documentaries for streaming and broadcast. The BTV students mentor those student members that may not be knowledgeable of broadcast equipment or protocol.

For additional information on broadcast technician, please click on the U.S. Department of Labor.