In a broadcast, who is responsible for the final countdown?

• A. AD (Associate Director)
• B. Director
• C. Technical Director
• D. Producer

Answer: (A)

The final countdown to air is run by the person who manages the rundown and coordinates everyone in the control room. The associate director sits in the control room and calls out the last cues, guiding talent, graphics, audio, and camera operators to be ready and then to go live. This role is the one that synchronizes timing across departments, so when the moment to go on air arrives, everyone knows exactly when to switch to the program and start the broadcast.

The director focuses on creative timing and which shots to use, but the actual countdown and air cue come from the person handling the rundown in the control room. The technical director carries out the switches and graphics changes as directed, not as the primary countdown issuer. The producer oversees the overall show but doesn’t typically issue the final air countdown.