He worked various jobs, including play-by-play on a local radio station in Monmouth (WRAM), sports reports, and operations manager.

From 1966 to 1968 he was the official voice of the Ohio Bobcats, served as sports director for WOUB, and taught sportscasting at the Athens institution.

[6] The following year, he switched to television, calling play-by-play Chicago Bulls games on SportsVision, the team's cable-TV station.

[7] When new owners Gordon and George Gund III bought the team, Tait returned to the Cavaliers for the 1983-1984 season, and remained until his retirement in 2011.

[2][8] On March 26, 2008, Tait announced his 3000th game for the Cavaliers, against the New Orleans Hornets, where he sat at half court.

The radio broadcast location at The Q, at section C126,[9] was renamed "The Joe Tait Perch" in honor of this achievement.

[10] In November 2008, Tait signed a two-year contract extension, ensuring that he would be the team's radio voice until at least the 2010–11 season.

[10] In May 2010, the Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Tait would receive the 2010 Curt Gowdy Media Award, which was presented on August 12–13, 2010.

Mike Snyder and Jim Chones were announced as the interim radio team during Tait's recovery.

[16] For fifteen seasons (during the basketball off-season), Tait was also a play-by-play voice for the Cleveland Indians (on the radio from 1973 to 1979, then switching to television from 1980 to 1987).

[18] From 1997 to 2004, Tait also served as the radio play-by-play voice of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Cleveland Rockers.