50 basic broadcasting terms you must know

Published by Emil Abraham,


List of 50 important terms in the domain of television broadcasting along with their definitions. Also find the names of important authorities and regulations related to television broadcasting in India at the end of this list.

1. ABC: The American Broadcasting Company, a major television network in the United States.
2. Ad: A commercial advertising a program, station, or network.
3. Audience: The number of people watching a program or channel.
4. Bitrate: The amount of data transmitted per second.
5. Broadcast: The simultaneous transmission of messages to multiple recipients.
6. Cable TV: A television distribution system that uses cables to transmit TV signals to subscribers.
7. Channel: A specific frequency or band of frequencies used for broadcasting.
8. Commercial: An advertisement aired during a program.
9. Content: The material that is broadcasted on television.
10. Digital TV: A television broadcasting system that uses digital signals instead of analog signals.
11. Distribution: The process of delivering content to viewers.
12. DVR: Digital Video Recorder, a device that records television programs for later viewing.
13. EPG: Electronic Program Guide, a digital guide that displays information about television programs.
14. Frequency: The number of times a wave oscillates per second.
15. HD: High Definition, a television broadcasting system that provides a higher resolution than standard definition.
16. IPTV: Internet Protocol Television, a television broadcasting system that uses the internet to transmit TV signals.
17. Local news: News that covers events and stories in a specific geographic area.
18. Network: A group of television stations that share programming.
19. News: Information about current events.
20. On-demand: A service that allows viewers to watch content whenever they want.
21. Over-the-air: A television broadcasting system that uses radio waves to transmit TV signals.
22. Pay-per-view: A service that allows viewers to watch content for a fee.
23. Program: A specific television show or series.
24. Rating: The size of TV audience expressed as a percentage of the total potential audience.
25. Region: An area or territory that has variations in programming.
26. Reel: A spool of tape or film.
27. ROS: Run-of-station, an instruction to broadcast a commercial anytime during a station's schedule.
28. Satellite TV: A television distribution system whereby TV signals are transmitted via satellite to TV sets of subscribers in a community or locality.
29. Schedule: A list of consecutive programs.
30. Season: A period of time during which a television program is broadcasted.
31. Signal: The transmission of information through a medium such as airwaves or cables.
32. Sponsorship: The practice of paying for a program or event in exchange for advertising.
33. Station: A television or radio broadcasting facility.
34. Streaming: The process of transmitting video or audio content over the internet.
35. Subtitle: Text that appears on the screen to translate dialogue or provide additional information.
36. Syndication: The practice of selling the rights to broadcast a program to multiple stations.
37. Telecast: The broadcast of a program on television.
38. Time slot: A specific time during which a program is broadcasted.
39. Transmission: The process of sending a signal from a broadcasting station to a receiver.
40. TV: Television, a system for transmitting and receiving visual images and sound.
41. VOD: Video on Demand, a service that allows viewers to watch content whenever they want.
42. Viewer: A person who watches television.
43. Virtual reality: A technology that creates a simulated environment for viewers.
44. Weather report: Information about current and future weather conditions.
45. Webcast: A live or recorded broadcast that is transmitted over the internet.
46. Web series: A series of episodes that are released online.
47. Zoom: A camera technique that changes the focal length of the lens to make the subject appear closer or further away.
48. Aspect ratio: The ratio of the width to the height of a television screen.
49. Closed captioning: Text that appears on the screen to provide a transcription of dialogue for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
50. Commercial break: A pause in programming during which commercials are aired.

For more, check out Television Broadcasting: Glossary

Important authorities and regulations related to television broadcasting in India
  1. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB): The ministry responsible for regulating and governing the media and entertainment sector in India. It oversees the implementation of broadcasting regulations and policies.
  2. Prasar Bharati: An autonomous public service broadcaster that operates Doordarshan (Indian public service broadcaster) and All India Radio. It is governed by the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990.
  3. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): The regulatory body that oversees the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors in India. TRAI regulates tariffs payable to subscribers of television channels and service providers.
  4. Cable Networks Act, 1995: Legislation that governs the operation and regulation of cable television networks in India. It provides guidelines for the distribution and transmission of television channels through cable networks.
  5. Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995: An act that regulates the operation and content of cable television networks in India. It sets guidelines for the carriage and transmission of television channels and includes provisions for program and advertisement codes.
  6. Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, 2007: A bill that aimed to regulate broadcasting services in India. It addressed issues related to entry of certain entities into broadcasting and distribution activities.
  7. Programme and Advertisement Code: Prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Rules framed thereunder, this code mandates broadcasters to follow guidelines regarding program content and advertisements.
  8. NTO 2020 (New Tariff Order 2020) refers to the regulatory framework introduced by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in 2020 to govern the pricing and packaging of television channels in India. The implementation of NTO 2020 brought significant changes and disruptions to the broadcast industry. It aimed to provide more transparency and choice to consumers by allowing them to select and pay for individual channels or bouquets of channels. However, it also led to challenges and debates within the industry regarding pricing, packaging, and the impact on broadcasters, distributors, and consumers. The introduction of NTO 2020 has been a significant development in the Indian broadcasting industry and has had a lasting impact on the way television channels are priced and distributed.
  9. BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) is an industry body in India that is responsible for providing television audience measurement. It is the world's largest television measurement science industry body. BARC collects data from households and analyzes it to rate various channels and shows based on their TRP (Television Rating Points). They use audio watermarking before broadcast and install BAR-O meters in households to record viewing details. These BAR-O meters are periodically inspected to ensure proper functioning. BARC India was founded in 2010 as a joint industry body by organizations representing Indian broadcasters, advertisers, and advertising and media agencies. It currently measures TV viewing habits of 210 million TV households in India using a sample panel of over 50,000 homes. BARC India's Broadcast India Survey is an annual research study that collects specific details of households and individuals to estimate TV audience characteristics. The data and insights generated by BARC India assist in making efficient media spends and content decisions in the television sector.

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