Broadcasting
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{{redirect|Broadcast}}
'''Broadcasting''' is the [[distribution (business)|distribution]] of [[Sound|audio]] and/or [[video]] [[Signalling (telecommunication)|signal]]s which transmit programs to an audience. The audience may be the general public or a relatively large sub-audience, such as children or young adults.
There are wide variety of broadcasting systems, all of which have different capabilities. The largest broadcasting systems are institutional [[public address]] systems, which transmit nonverbal messages and music within a school or hospital, and low-powered broadcasting systems which transmit radio stations or television stations to a small area. National radio and television broadcasters have nationwide coverage, using retransmitter towers, satellite systems, and cable distribution. Satellite radio and television broadcasters can cover even wider areas, such as entire continents, and [[Internet]] channels can distribute text or streamed music worldwide. Any person can also broadcast sound or video through [[podcast|podcasting]] or live through internet broadcasting services.
The sequencing of content in a broadcast is called a [[scheduling (broadcasting)|schedule]]. As with all technological endeavors, a number of technical terms and slang have developed. A list of these terms can be found at [[list of broadcasting terms]]. [[Television]] and [[radio]] programs are distributed through radio broadcasting or [[cable television|cable]], often both simultaneously. By coding signals and having [[decoding]] equipment in [[home]]s, the latter also enables [[subscription]]-based channels and [[pay-per-view]] services.
The term "broadcast" originally referred to the sowing of seeds by scattering them over a wide field. It was adopted to refer to the analagous dissemenation of signals by early radio engineers from the midwestern United States. Broadcasting forms a very large segment of the [[mass media]]. Broadcasting to a very narrow range of audience is called [[narrowcast]]ing.
Economically there are a few ways in which stations are able to continually broadcast. Each differs in the method by which stations are funded:
* in-kind donations of time and skills by volunteers (common with community broadcasters)
* direct [[government]] payments or operation of public broadcasters
* indirect government payments, such as radio and [[television license]]s
* [[Grant (money)|grants]] from [[foundation (charity)|foundation]]s or [[business]] entities
* selling [[advertising]] or sponsorships
* public [[subscription]] or membership
Broadcasters may rely on a combination of these [[business model]]s. For example, [[National Public Radio]], a non-commercial network within the [[United States]], receives grants from the [[Corporation for Public Broadcasting]] (which in turn receives funding from the U.S. government), by public membership, and by selling "extended credits" to [[corporation]]s.
== Recorded broadcasts and live broadcasts ==
One can record and produce live broadcasts. The former allows correcting errors, and removing superfluous or undesired material, rearranging it, applying [[slow-motion]] and repetitions, and other techniques to enhance the program. However some live events like sports telecasts can include some of the aspects including slow motion clips of important goals/hits etc in between the live telecast.
American radio network broadcasters habitually forbade prerecorded broadcasts in the 1930s and 1940s requiring radio programs played for the Eastern and Central [[time zone]]s to be repeated three hours later for the Pacific time zone. This restriction was dropped for special occasions, as in the case of the [[Germany|German]] [[dirigible]] airship ''[[Hindenburg disaster|Hindenburg]]'' at [[Lakehurst, New Jersey]] in 1937. During [[World War II]], prerecorded broadcasts from war correspondents were allowed on U.S. radio. In addition, American radio programs were recorded for playback by [[Armed Forces Radio]] stations around the world.
A disadvantage of recording first is that the public may know the outcome of an event from another source, which may be a [[spoiler (media)|spoiler]]. In addition, prerecording prevents live [[announcer]]s from deviating from an officially-approved [[screenplay|script]], as occurred with [[propaganda]] broadcasts from Germany in the 1940s and with [[Voice of Russia|Radio Moscow]] in the 1980s.
Many events are advertised as being live, although they are often "recorded live" (sometimes this is referred to as "live-to-tape"). This is particularly true of performances of musical artists on radio when they visit for an in-studio [[concert]] performance. This intentional blurring of the distinction between live and recorded media is viewed with chagrin among many music lovers. Similar situations have sometimes appeared in television ("''[[The Cosby Show]]'' is recorded in front of a live studio audience").
A broadcast may be distributed through several physical means. If coming directly from the [[studio]] at a single [[radio station|radio]] or [[television station|tv]] station, it is simply sent through the air chain to the [[transmitter]] and thence from the [[Antenna (radio)|antenna]] on the [[Radio masts and towers|tower]] out to the world. Programming may also come through a [[communications satellite]], played either live or recorded for later transmission. Networks of stations may [[simulcast]] the same programming at the same time, originally via [[microwave]] link, and now mostly by satellite.
Distribution to stations or networks may also be through physical media, such as analogue or digital [[videotape]], [[CD]], [[DVD]], and sometimes other formats. Usually these are included in another broadcast, such as when [[electronic news gathering]] returns a story to the station for inclusion on a [[news program]]me.
The final leg of broadcast distribution is how the signal gets to the listener or viewer. It may come over the air as with a [[radio station]] or [[TV station]] to an [[antenna (radio)|antenna]] and [[receiver (radio)|receiver]], or may come through [[cable TV]] [http://www.diwaxx.ru/] or [[cable radio]] (or "[[wireless cable]]") via the station or directly from a network. The [[Internet]] may also bring either radio or TV to the recipient, especially with [[multicast]]ing allowing the signal and [[Bandwidth (computing)|bandwidth]] to be shared.
The term "broadcast network" is often used to distinguish networks that broadcast an over-the-air television signal that can be received using a television antenna from so-called networks that are broadcast only via cable or satellite television. The term "broadcast television" can refer to the programming of such networks.
==Legal status==
===UK===
Since 1956, sound and television broadcasts were included as copyright works. ''[[Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988]]'' defines a broadcast as ''a transmission by wireless telegraphy of visual images, sounds, or other information which is capable of lawful reception by the public or which is made for presentation to the public''. It thus covers radio, television, teletext ''et al''.
==See also==
{{commonscat|Radio}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* [[Broadcast safe]]
* [[Broadcast license]]
* [[Broadcasting network]]
* [[Cablecast]]
* [[Dead air]]
* [[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU)
* [[History of broadcasting]]
* [[Internet radio]]
* [[Internet television]]
* [[List of broadcast satellites]]
* [[NaSTA]]
* [[Nonbroadcast Multiple Access Network]] (NBMA)
* [[North American broadcast television frequencies]]
* [[Outside broadcast]]
* [[Radio Act of 1927]]
* [[Streaming media]]
* [[Television studio]]
* [[Broadcast quality]]
==References==
<references/>
* Kahn Frank J., ed. ''Documents of American Broadcasting,'' fourth edition (Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1984).
* Lichty Lawrence W., and Topping Malachi C., eds. ''American Broadcasting: A Source Book on the History of Radio and Television'' (Hastings House, 1975).
==External links==
* [http://www.radio-locator.com Radio Locator], for American radio station with format, power, and coverage information.
* [http://www.arbitron.com Arbitron] Offers studies on American radio listening habits and basic station information.
* [http://www.scribd.com/doc/1028/Radio-and-Television/ Answers to several questions about radio and television]
*[http://www.eradiovibes.com/ Webcaster Portal] Promotions, news and listing
* [http://www.tvnewsday.com TVNewsday], Current news about the U.S. TV broadcasting industry
* [http://www.waveguide.co.uk/news.htm Waveguide] Broadcasting News
* [http://dxradio.50webs.com/ SWDXER] ¨The SWDXER¨ - with general SWL information and radio antenna tips.
* [http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0151956.html Broadcasting Timeline]
* [http://www.scribd2.com/doc/1768/Some-stories-about-popular-inventions-and-discoveries/ Stories about the inventions of Radio and television]
*[http://www.arabianbusiness.com/broadcast/ Middle East Broadcast News] — ''ArabianBusiness.com''
* [http://www.c21media.net C21 Media] - daily news about TV broadcasting and production
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