Glossary

10-watters	Public radio stations that once broadcast with low power and were used mainly to train students, although most have now increased power to at least 100 watts. 1.16
active/passive meter	A ratings meter that automatically determines who is watching without any action, such as pushing a button, on the part of the viewer. 13.2
actual malice	In libel suits, something that was known or should have been known to be harmful and saying or printing it anyway with reckless disregard. 10.7
adjacencies	Commercials that are first to be aired after programming ends or right before programming starts. 12.1
advertising agency	An organization that decides on and implements an advertising strategy for a customer. 2.7, 12.4
affiliates	Stations or systems that receive programming from a broadcast or cable network. P.2
aftermarket	All the income earned by a movie after its run in American theaters such as income from video rentals, overseas theaters, and airplane showings. 4.14
all-channel receiver bill	A law passed by Congress in 1962 that said all sets manufactured from 1964 on had to be able to receive both UHF and VHF. 2.11
alternator	A device for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy in the form of alternating current (AC). 1.3
amplitude modulation (AM)	Changing the height of a transmitting radio wave according to the sound being broadcast; stations that broadcast in the 535 to 1,705 kilohertz range. 1.9, 14.6
analog	A device or circuit in which the output varies as a continuous function of the input. 14.1
anamorphic	A lens that squeezes a wide picture into a frame of film in a camera and then unsqueezes it in the projector. 4.11
annual flight schedule	A plan for running commercials wherein they are aired only near holidays. 12.3
antenna	A wire or set of wires or rods used both to send and to receive radio waves. 14.6
anthology dramas	Plays most commonly associated with the 1950s that probed character and emphasized life's complexities. 9.1a
antitrafficking	An FCC rule that required station owners to keep a station for at least three years before selling it. 10.10c
ARPANET	The original name for what became the Internet. 5.4a
ascertainment	A process stations used to undertake to keep their licenses that involved interviewing community leaders to learn what they believed were the major problems in the community. 10.10b
aspect ratio	The relationship of the length of a TV picture to its width. 14.7
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)	A high-speed telephone distribution system capable of transmitting audio, data, graphics, and video. 6.1b
auction	To sell something, such as frequency spectrum, to the highest bidder. 10.10a
audience flow	The ability to hold an audience from one program to another. 8.4c
audimeter	An electronic device that used to be attached to TV sets by the A. C. Nielsen Company to determine, for audience measurement purposes, when a set was turned on and to what station it was tuned. 13.2
audio board	A mixer used to combine various sound inputs, adjust their volume, and then send them to other pieces of equipment. 14.2
audio cassette recorder	A machine that records and plays sound from tape on encased reels. 5.2a
audion	A three-electrode vacuum tube invented by Lee De Forest that was instrumental in amplifying voice so it could be sent over wireless. 1.1, 4.7
auteur	The French word for author, hence the primary creator of a movie; usually used to refer to the director. 4.12
authoritarian	A media system owned and closely overseen by the government and supported by general government funds. 7.2
Automated Measurement of Lineups (AMOL)	A method that picks up special codes from programs so that Nielsen can determine what programs are on what channels in each market. 13.2
availabilities (avails)	Times in a station or network schedule where it can air commercials. 12.1
average quarter-hour (AQH)	A ratings calculation based on the average number of persons listening to a particular station for at least 5 minutes during a 15-minute period. 13.5
backyard satellite reception	A process through which individual households receive satellite signals by putting a dish on their property. 5.1b
balance sheet	A financial form that lists assets and liabilities. 8.2
bandwidth	The number of frequencies within given limits that are occupied by a particular transmission such as one radio station. 14.6
banner ads	Advertisements that appear at the top of a Web page. 5.4c, 12.2
barriers	In the Bradley model, anything that reduces the effectiveness of the communication process. 11.5
barter	To receive a program for free because much of the advertising time is sold by the seller. 8.4
basic cable	Channels, often supported by advertising, for which the cable subscriber does not pay a large extra fee. 3.7
best-time-available (BTA)	A commercial scheduling procedure wherein the station gives the advertiser the best airing time that it can rather than the advertiser selecting specific times. 12.3
Betamax	The first consumer video tape format. 5.2b
bicycling	A distribution method by which material is mailed, flown, or driven from one place to another. 14.10
Biltmore Agreement	A settlement between newspapers and radio worked out at the Biltmore Hotel in the 1930s that stipulated what radio stations could and could not air in the way of news. 1.11
blacklisting	A phenomenon of the 1950s when many people in the entertainment business were accused of leaning toward communism and, as a result, could not find work. 2.6, 4.11, 11.5
blackouts	Not allowing a particular program, usually sports, to be shown in a particular area because the event is not sold out. 9.6
blanket licensing	Obtaining the right to use a large catalogue of musical selections by paying one set fee. 10.8
blind bidding	When a theater owner selects a movie to show in theaters without actually seeing it but rather depending on publicity and trailers. 8.6
block booking	A movie distribution technique wherein an exhibitor was forced to rent a group of films (some good, some bad) to get any of them. 4.6
block programming	Airing one type of programming, such as comedies, for an entire evening. 8.4c
Blue Book	The nickname given to a 1946 FCC document that gave principles regarding license renewal. 10.10b
B picture	A movie that was inexpensive to produce and was usually the lesser film of a double feature. 4.8, 7.4
bridging	Programming a show so that it runs over the time when a new program is starting on a competing network. 8.4c
broadcasting	The sending of radio and television programs through the airwaves. P.2
broadcast standards	The department (often called the Department of Standards and Practices) at a network or station that decides the general standards of acceptability of program content. 11.1
browser	Computer software that aids in searching the World Wide Web. 5.4a
buffer	An area, usually related to a computer, where streamed material stops temporarily so that all of it can be gathered and played as though it were being played in real time. 5.4c
bump system	When a station or network removes an advertiser from a particular time spot because another advertiser has offered to pay more. 12.3
cable modem	An electronic device provided by a cable TV company that provides a high-speed connection to the Internet that is on whenever the computer is on. 3.12
call letters	A series of assigned letters that identify a transmitting station. 10.1
camcorder	A single unit that consists of both a camera and a videocassette recorder. 6.3a, 9.8a
Canon 35	An American Bar Association policy that banned cameras in the courtrooms. 10.9
Canon 3A	An American Bar Association policy that let individual states and judges decide whether or not cameras should be allowed in their courtrooms. 10.9
capacitance disc	A videodisc system that used a stylus that moved over grooves in a manner similar to a record player. 5.3b
carbon microphones	Early radio microphones that used carbon elements to respond to sound. 1.10
cardioid	A microphone that picks up sound in a heart-shaped pattern. 14.2
carrier wave	A high-frequency wave that can be sent through the air and is modulated by a lower-frequency wave containing information. 14.6
cash	Paying a set amount for a program and then being able to sell all the commercial time. 8.4
cash plus barter	Paying a reduced amount for a program but letting the seller fill some of the advertising time. 8.4
cassettes	Closed containers that hold reels of audio or video tape so that it can be threaded automatically in a recorder. 14.2, 9.1b
catharsis theory	A postulate related to violence research that states it is good for people to watch violence because it gives them vicarious excitement that keeps them from inciting real violence. 11.6a
CATV	An early name for cable television. P.2
cause and effect	A method of research that tries to determine the relationship between two or more modes of behavior. 11.5b
C-band	A satellite frequency band between 4 and 6 gigahertz. 14.8
CD-ROM	A computer storage option that stores large amounts of data in read-only memory. P.2, 6.2a, 9.11, 14.4
cellular phones	Mobile phones that operate by relaying signals from one small area to another through the use of low-powered transmitters. 6.1b, 7.13, 14.2
censorship	Not allowing certain information to be disseminated. 10.5
channels	In the Bradley model, the elements through which messages are transmitted. 11.5b
channel surfing	Using a remote control device to change TV channels frequently. P.2
charge-coupled devices (CCDs)	Solid-state imaging devices that translate an image into an electronic signal within a TV camera. 14.3
charter	A right to operate that is given to a broadcasting corporation (such as the BBC) by the government. 7.2
chat rooms	Computer services that allow many people to write messages that others in the group can see as long as they are online. 5.4c, 6.2c, 7.13, 13.0
chief executive officer (CEO)	The highest ranking person within an organization who actively makes decisions for the organization. 8.1
chief financial officer (CFO)	A high-ranking person within a company who is in charge of monetary matters. 8.2
CinemaScope	A 1950s film experiment that used an anamorphic lens to squeeze a picture so it could be unsqueezed and shown on a large curved screen. 4.11
Cinerama	A 1950s film experiment for which three interlocking projectors showed movies on a wrap-around screen. 4.11
clear and present danger	A threatening of the security of the nation if certain news information is made public. 10.5
clock	A circle that shows all the segments that appear in an hour's worth of radio station programming. 8.4b
closed captioning	Material broadcast on the vertical interval that is intended for the hearing impaired. 14.7
closed-circuit TV (CCTV)	Television signals that are transmitted via a self-contained wire system usually within a business or school. 6.4
clutter	Having a large number of commercials at one time. 12.10
coaxial cable	A transmission line in which one conductor surrounds the other, making a cable that is not susceptible to external interference from other sources. 3.1, 14.9
coincidental telephone technique	A method of audience research that asks people what programs they are watching or listening to at the moment. 13.1
common carrier	A communication distribution system available for use by others. 3.4
Communications Act of 1934	The congressional law that established the FCC and set the guidelines for the regulation of telecommunications. 1.9, 2.19, 10.1
compact disc (CD)	An audio disc on which sound is recorded digitally. 5.3a, 14.2
comparative license renewal	A procedure by which a group could challenge the license of incumbent station owners. 10.10b
competing rights	Different provisions of the Constitution that allow for conflicting actions. 10.9
completion bond	An insurance policy that guarantees a movie will be finished. 8.2
composite week	Seven days over a three-year period that were randomly selected by the FCC so that a station's programming record could be judged for license renewal purposes. 10.10b
compression	A technical system that allows more information to be placed on one video or audio channel or computer disc. 3.12, 5.4c, 14.1
compulsory licenses	Copyright fees that must be paid and that are usually a set fee, such as a percentage of income. 3.3, 10.8
computer graphics generator	A piece of equipment that can be used to create digitally generated pictures, forms, and shapes that can then be manipulated in various ways. 14.3
concept selling	When a station or network uses something unique about itself to sell commercial time to an advertiser, usually because its ratings are so low they are unreliable. 12.1
consent decree	An order, usually from the Justice Department, that lists things some company or companies need to do to not have a monopolistic situation. 6.1a
content analysis	A research method that involves studying something (such as the number of violent acts) within a group of programs to prove a hypothesis. 11.5b
controller	A person who oversees profit and loss and expenditures for a company or other organization. 8.2
convergence	The coming together of various media such as television and computers so that they merge and share characteristics. P.2
co-op advertising	Joint participation in the content and cost of a commercial by two entities, usually a national company that manufactures the product and a local company that sells it. 12.3
copyright	The exclusive right to publication, production, or sale of rights to a literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic work. 5.2b, 6.6, 7.10, 10.8
copyright fees	Money paid for the right to use a literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic work created by someone else. 3.3
corporate TV	The use of video by corporations and similar organizations for purposes such as training and orientation. P.2
cost per point (CCP)	The cost an advertiser pays per ratings point as calculated by dividing the rating points a commercial accumulates during a week by what the advertiser paid. 13.6
cost per thousand (CPM)	The price that an advertiser pays for each thousand households a commercial reaches. 12.1, 13.6
counterprogram	Programming something different from what is being programmed on another network to attract a different audience. 8.4c
Crossleys	An early rating system that used the recall method. 13.1
cross-ownership	A situation in which one company owns various media in one market. 10.10d
cross-promotion	When one network or station promotes something on another network or station, usually because they have the same owner. 12.6
cume	The average number of households or people that tune into a particular station at different times. 12.3, 13.5
daypart	Segments of the day that reflect size and composition of the available audience. 8.4b, 12.1
decoder boxes	Devices that can descramble scrambled television signals. 10.8
decompression	The process of taking audio and video material that has been compressed and getting it back into its original form so that it can be heard and seen through a monitor or TV set. 5.4c
deep focus	Shots that have both the foreground and a far away background in sharp focus. 4.9
defamation	An attack on someone's reputation. 10.7
deintermixture	An attempt to strengthen UHF stations by making some markets all UHF and some all VHF. 2.11
demographics	Information pertaining to vital statistics of a population, such as age, sex, marital status, and geographic location. 13.2
deregulation	The removal of laws and rules that spell out government policies. 1.18, 2.19, 3.10, 10.10c
desensitizing effect	A theory that watching violence makes people think that someone committing an act of violence is common and not worth dealing with. 11.6a
designated market areas (DMAs)	Nielsen's term for the various individual markets it surveys. 13.2
desktop publishing	Using a computer to format a document so that it looks very professional. 6.2b
diary	A booklet used for audience measurement in which people write down the programs they listen to or watch. 13.2
digital	A device or circuit in which the output varies in discrete on-off steps. 14.1
digital audio radio service (DARS)	A form of satellite audio transmission that involves pulse code modulation and CD-quality sound. 1.19, 14.8
digital audio tape (DAT)	Tape that records information in numerical data bits that yield high-quality sound. 5.2a, 14.2
digital subscriber line (DSL)	A high-speed telephone-based connection from a computer to the Internet that is always on and that can allow for both data and voice communication simultaneously. 3.12, 6.1b
digital television (DTV)	A technical form of TV that will allow for higher-definition broadcast pictures and/or additional program channels. 2.21, 7.13, 10.10a, 13.8, 14.7
digital versatile disc	Often referred to as a DVD, a round disc that can be used to store and retrieve audio, video, and computer data. 5.3c, 6.2a
digital video disc	The original name for the digital versatile disc or DVD because its first use was to store video. 5.3c
direct broadcast satellite (DBS)	A process of transmission and reception whereby signals sent to a satellite can be received directly by TV sets in homes that have small satellite receiving dishes mounted on them. P.2, 3.10, 5.1, 7.8, 9.1b, 12.2, 14.8
dissolve	The gradual fading in of one picture while another picture is fading out. 14.3
distance learning	Instructional programs, usually offered by a college, that are intended to bring education to people who live fairly far away from an educational institution or who do not want to travel to the college. 6.4a
distant signal importation	The bringing in of stations from other parts of the country by a cable system. 3.1
docudrama	A fictionalized production that is based on fact. 9.1c
Dolby	A noise reduction technique that raises the volume of the movie sound track elements most likely to be affected by inherent noise during production and then lowers them again during projection so that the noise seems lower in relation to the wanted elements of the sound track. 4.13
dramedy	A program that is part drama and part comedy. 9.0
DVD	A disc that can store 133 minutes of audio and video on one side in a high-quality digital form. P.2; 5.3c, 7.13
earphones	Small devices placed over the ears to hear audio signals or radio stations. 1.10
editorial	A short broadcast piece that gives the station's point of view on an issue. 9.12, 10.13
e-lancers	People who work primarily for themselves who do most of their work through computer connections. 6.2g
electromagnetic spectrum	A continuing series of energies that encompasses frequencies that can carry audio and video signals. 14.5
electron gun	The part of the TV tube that shoots a steady stream of electrons that scan from top to bottom. 14.11
electronic mail (e-mail)	Messages sent over a computer from one person to another person or group that the recipients can read when it is convenient for them. P.2, 6.2c 7.13, 13.0, 14.9
electronic media	A variety of dissemination forms based on electrons, such as radio, broadcast TV, cable TV, and wireless cable. P.2
electronic scanning	A method that analyzes the density of areas to be copied and translates this into a moving arrangement of electrons that can later reproduce the density in the form of a picture. 2.1
encoding	Using computer software to translate sound or picture from analog to digital. 5.4
enhanced underwriting	A public broadcasting practice that allows corporate logos and products of companies that contribute to programs to be mentioned on the air. 12.7
episodic serialized dramas	Televised plays that have set characters and problems that are dealt with in each program. 9.1a
equal opportunity	Giving the same treatment to political candidates. See equal time. 10.11
equal time	A rule stemming from Section 315 of the Communications Act stating that TV and radio stations should give the same treatment and opportunity to all political candidates for a specific office. 10.11
exclusive right	The right to program something, such as a movie, without it appearing on the competition. 8.4e
exit polls	Surveys conducted by the media asking people who have just voted how they voted. 10.5
external service	Radio and TV programs that one country produces to influence other countries. 7.4
fade	To go from a picture to black or vice versa. 14.3
fairness doctrine	A policy that evolved from FCC decisions, court cases, and congressional actions stating that radio and TV stations had to present all sides of the controversial issues they discussed. 10.12
fair trial	Making sure someone accused of a crime is treated equitably by the courts. 10.9
fair use	Allowing part of a copyrighted work to be used without copyright clearance or payment. 10.8
family hour	A policy that stated all programs aired between 7:30 P.M. and 9:00 P.M. should be suitable for children as well as adults. 2.15
feedback	In the Bradley model, anything that gives information back to the source. 11.5b
fiber optics	Glass strands through which large amounts of information can be sent. 3.12, 14.9
field research	Study that is conducted in environments where people naturally are, rather than in special controlled environments. 11.5b
financial interest-domestic syndication (fin-syn)	A policy that used to preclude networks from having any monetary remuneration in programs aired on the network or any rights to distribute those programs within the country after they had aired on the network. 2.15, 8.4c
fireside chats	Radio talks given by President Franklin Roosevelt. 1.10
First Amendment	The part of the U.S. Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of the press. 10.5
first-run syndication	Programs produced for distribution to stations and cable TV rather than for the commercial networks. 8.4d
fixed buy	When the advertiser states a specific time that a commercial should air and the station or network abides by that time. 12.3
flight	A list of all the spots an advertiser is supposed to have on a station or network. 8.6
floppy disc	A magnetic storage holder inserted into an external computer drive. 6.2a
focus groups	In-depth discussion sessions to determine what people do and do not like about various aspects of the media. 13.7
footprint	The section of the earth that a satellite's signal covers. 14.8
format	The type of programming a radio station selects, usually described in terms of the music it plays. 8.4b
franchises	Special rights granted by a government or corporation to operate a facility such as a cable TV system; the right to produce a TV program that has the format of another TV program. 3.2, 7.12
free flow	A philosophy that any country or media organization should be able to send information to any other country. 7.7
freelance	To work on a per-project basis rather than as a full-time employee. 8.3, E.2
freeze	Immobilization or cessation of an activity, such as a stop in the assigning of radio or TV station frequencies. 2.3, 3.1
frequencies	The number of recurrences of a periodic phenomenon, such as a carrier wave, during a set time period, such as a second. 10.1, 14.5
frequency	The average number of times a person is exposed to a particular commercial over a period of time, such as a week. 13.5
frequency discount	A lessening of cost to an advertiser that airs commercials often on a station or network. 12.1
frequency modulation (FM)	Placing a sound wave on a carrier wave in such a way that the number of recurrences is varied; stations that broadcast between 88 and 108 megahertz. 1.14, 14.6
full-service agency	An advertising agency that handles all the advertising needs for a particular client. 12.4
gatekeepers	People who make important decisions regarding what will or will not be communicated through the media. 9.8, 11.5b
genre	A categorization of programs such as drama or documentary. 9.0
grazing	Using the remote control of a TV set to change channels frequently. P.2
Great Debates	The televising of presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon opposing each other face to face. 2.12
grid	Metal bars that are suspended from a ceiling and are used to hang lights. 14.3
gridlock	When so many people are trying to access a particular Internet site that it can not handle them all. 5.4c
grid rate card	A list of the prices a station or network charges for ads that include the prices when there is a lot of availability and the prices when the commercial schedule is fairly full. 12.1
gross average audience (GAA)	The average number of people watching a program over several showings in a market. 13.5
hammocking	Programming a new or weak program between two successful programs. 8.4c
hard drive	A magnetic storage space usually internal to a computer, although they do come in portable form. 6.2a
head end	The part of a cable TV system where all the networks' and other programming that is going to be on the system is received. 14.9
hertz	A frequency unit of one cycle per second that is abbreviated as Hz. 14.5
Hi-8	An improvement on the Sony Video-8 format. 5.2b, 6.3a
high-definition television (HDTV)	Television that scans at above 1,000 lines a frame and has a wider aspect ratio than present TV sets. 2.21, 6.3a, 14.3
hoax	A deceptive trick, often done in mischief. 10.13
Hollywood 10	Ten creative people from the movie industry who refused to answer questions of the House Un-American Activities Subcommittee and were sent to jail as a result. 4.11
home shopping	Programs that show products enabling viewers to buy them instantly by calling a particular phone number. 2.20, 9.12
Hooper	An early audience measurement service that used the coincidental telephone technique. 13.1
horizontal programming	A scheduling strategy used by stations and others wherein programs, usually old network shows, air at the same time every day of the week. 8.4d
households using TV (HUT)	The percentage of homes that have a TV set tuned to any channel. 13.5
Hypertext markup language (HTML)	The program language of the World Wide Web that allows for links and graphics. 5.4a
hyping	Trying to increase audience size temporarily to obtain high ratings. 13.8
hypothesis	In research, a supposition that is proposed to draw a conclusion or prove a point. 11.5b
iconoscope	The earliest form of TV camera tube, in which a beam of electrons scanned a photoemissive mosaic screen. 2.1
impressions	The average number of people watching a program over several showings in a market. 13.5
indecency	Something that is offensive in relation to the standards of a particular community. 10.6
independent networks	Organizations that offer specialized programming, such as sports, usually to independent TV stations. 8.4d
independents	TV or radio stations that are not affiliated with one of the major networks; small film and television production companies. P.2, 4.12, 8.4c
industrial TV	The use of video by corporations and similar organizations for purposes such as training and orientation. P.2
infomercials	Program-length material with content that extols the virtues of a particular product. 2.20, 9.12, 12.2
information retrieval	The ability to receive a videotaped picture in a room that is remote from where the tape is being played back. 6.4
infotainment	A program that is part information and part entertainment. 9.0
in-house	Performing some service within a company rather than hiring outside help. 8.4f, 12.4
instructional television fixed service (ITFS)	A form of over-the-air broadcasting that operates in the 2,500 megahertz range and is used primarily by educational institutions. 3.9, 6.4a
integrated circuit	Multiple active electronic components on a single semiconducting chip, most often made of silicon. 6.2a
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)	A worldwide telephone standard that allows voice, data, graphics, and video to be processed, stored, and transported. 6.1b
interactive cable	Two-way capability that allows interaction between the subscriber and sources provided by the cable TV system. 3.7
interlace scanning	A technical method of building a TV picture where odd lines are laid down and then even lines are laid down in order to build a frame. 14.12
Internet	A worldwide computer network that allows people to send and receive e-mail and access a vast amount of information. P.2; 5.4, 9.13, 13.8
Internet service provider (ISP)	A company that facilitates the use of information on the Internet by providing easy ways for customers to access the information. 5.4a, 6.2d
internships	The chance to work and learn within a company without actually being hired. E.1
invasion of privacy	Not leaving someone alone who wishes to be left alone, or divulging facts about a person that he or she does not wish divulged. 10.7
inventory	The amount of commercial time that a station or network has to sell. 12.4
islands	Still pictures at the end of commercials aimed at children to help them differentiate between the commercial and the program. 12.8
key	The laying of one video picture over another so that it looks like one has been cut out and the other inserted. 14.3
kinescope	An early form of poor-quality TV program reproduction that basically involved making a film of what was shown on a TV screen. 2.7
Kinetoscope	An early film viewer that had a peephole for the person to look through in order to see the short movie. 4.1
Ku-band	A satellite frequency band between 11 and 14 gigahertz. 14.8
laboratory research	A form of research conducted in a controlled environment that is not a person's usual environment. 11.5b
laptop	A computer that can easily be carried around and set up on a table. 6.2a
laser disc	A videodisc system that uses a laser to read the information on the disc. 5.3b
leased access	A basic cable channel on which time can be purchased by a business or other organization willing to pay to cablecast a message. 3.7
lens	The part of the camera that gathers the light and focuses the image onto the CCD. 14.3
libel	To broadcast or print something unfavorable and false about a person. 10.7
license fee	The amount a network pays a producing company or sports franchise to air the program the company produces or the game the sports franchise owns; the amount individuals in some countries pay the government to own a radio or TV set. 7.2, 8.4c, 12.3
linear	Recording material on tape in a straight horizontal line and from beginning to end without breaks in the middle. 5.2a
line of sight	Transmission wherein the transmitting agent needs to be lined up with the receiving agent in such a way that there could be visual communi-cation between them. 14.6
link	A highlighted word or concept on a Web page that, when engaged, takes one to a related Web page. 5.4a, 12.2
liquid crystal display (LCD)	Devices that use chemical elements that show black or a particular color when power is applied. 14.11
listserv	Information on computer services, the content of which is specialized, so it only goes to a limited number of people. 6.2c
local area network (LAN)	Computers linked together over a small area, such as an office building. 6.2a
local buying	Purchasing advertising time on stations in a limited geographic area. 12.2
local discount	A reduction in cost given to an advertiser who can't profit from the whole coverage area because its place of business is located too far from some of the areas the station reaches. 12.3
local-into-local	The process wherein direct broadcast satellite transmits local broadcast TV stations into the local areas as part of the DBS service. 5.1c
local marketing agreement (LMA)	An arrangement among several radio or TV stations wherein the same salespeople sell commercials for all of them. 1.18, 12.4
local origination	Programs produced for the local community, particularly as it applies to programming created by cable TV systems. 3.4, 8.4e
lottery	The involvement of chance, prize, and consideration (money) for a game or contest; a random selection method. 10.10a, 10.13
loudspeakers	Devices that amplify sound so that a large group of people can hear it. 1.10
low angle	A camera shot that is taken from below and makes the person in the shot look powerful and dominant. 4.9
lowest unit charge	The amount to be charged for a politician's commercial that equals the lowest rate a regular advertiser would have to pay. 12.9
low-power FM (LPFM)	Radio stations that broadcast to a limited area of several miles or less because their transmitters are not allowed to generate a strong signal; some are 1 to 10 watts and others are 50 to 100 watts. 1.19, 10.10a
low-power TV (LPTV)	Television stations that broadcast to a very limited area because they do not transmit with much power. P.2, 2.18, 10.10a, 14.7
made-fors	Movies that are specially produced for TV. 2.13, 3.12
magazine concept	Placing ads of various companies within a program rather than having the entire program sponsored by one company. 2.7
magazine show	A program divided into short segments. 9.0
mainframe	A large computer or bank of computers, usually owned by a business or other organization, to which all the organization's computers are connected. 6.2a
majors	Large film and television production companies. 8.4c
make-good	An electronic media outlet's need to pay an advertiser some of its money back if a certain audience size is not obtained. 12.3
marketing	Making a product attractive to buyers. 8.6
master antenna TV (MATV)	One broadcast antenna on top of a building that services all the TVs in the building. 3.9
Mayflower Decision	An FCC statement that said broadcasters should not editorialize. 10.13
mean world syndrome	A theory that watching violence makes people afraid to go out because they think the world is a scarier place than it actually is. 11.6a
mechanical scanning	An early form of scanning by which a rotating device, such as a disc, broke up a scene into a rapid succession of narrow lines for conversion into electrical impulses. 2.1
merchandising	Selling the rights to characters or concepts of a TV show so they can be developed into salable products such as toys or clothing. 12.2
message	In the Bradley model, that which is communicated. 11.5b
metro survey area (MSA)	Arbitron's division for radio ratings of areas that receive radio stations clearly. 13.3
microwave	Radio waves, 1,000 megahertz and up, that can travel fairly long distances. 3.5, 14.7
MiniDisc	A 2.5-inch computer-type disc that can record sound. 5.3a, 14.2
minidocs	Short documentaries, often within a newscast. 9.9
miniseries	Plays shown on TV over a number of different nights. 9.0
modem	A device that allows computer-generated data to be sent over phone lines or through a cable TV system. P.2, 6.2a
modular agencies	Advertising agencies that handle only a limited number of tasks for a client. 12.4
modulate	To place information from one wave onto another so that the wave that is carrying represents the signal of the original wave. 14.6
monitors	TV sets that do not receive signals sent over the air but can receive signals from a camera or VCR. 14.3
mouse	A hand-sized device used to open and access material on a computer screen. 6.2a
MP3	A compression system for audio that is part of the video MPEG compression system. 5.4c
MP3 player	A portable unit that can store and play digital music downloaded from the Internet. 5.3a
multichannel multipoint distribution service (MMDS)	An over-the-air service of several channels that operates at higher frequencies than broadcast TV; also called wireless cable. P.2, 3.9, 6.4a, 12.2
multiple-system operator (MSO)	A company that owns and operates several cable systems in different locations. 3.2
multiplex	To place more than one service on an allocated band of frequencies. 14.6
multipoint distribution service (MDS)	A one-channel system that sends a video signal in the 2,500 megahertz range. 3.9
music license	The amount of money that a radio or TV station, network, or Internet site must pay to use music that is under such licensing organizations as ASCAP and BMI. 5.4c
music preference research	Determining what music people would be likely to stay tuned for by playing them samples over the phone or in an auditorium and soliciting their reactions. 13.7
music videos	Songs accompanied by visuals that are heard and seen on TV. 3.7, 9.4
must-carry	A ruling that stated that cable TV systems must put certain broadcast stations on their channels. 3.3
narrowcasting	Playing program material that appeals to a small segment of the population. P.2
national buying	Buying advertising time on individual stations throughout the whole country. 12.2
national identity	A philosophy that each country should decide for itself what information should be allowed to enter its borders. 7.7
near-video-on-demand (NVOD)	A cable TV or satellite service wherein the same movie starts on different channels at frequent intervals, such as every 15 minutes, so that subscribers can tune in at a time that is convenient to each of them. 3.12, 5.1c
network	A group of radio or television stations or cable systems joined electronically to show programs simultaneously. 8.4a
network-affiliate contract	The agreement between a network and a station regarding how much the network will pay the station and how programs are to be aired. 8.4d
network buying	Buying ads that are seen everywhere that the network program is seen. 12.2
news agencies	Organizations that provide news to various media entities. 8.4b, 9.8a
New World Information Order (NWIO)	A United Nations attempt in the 1970s to give developing nations a more predominant role in electronic media. 7.7
nickelodeon	An early movie theater that charged customers a nickel to see a movie. 6.3
Nielsen Station Index (NSI)	A ratings report that covers local areas. 13.2
Nielsen Television Index (NTI)	A ratings report on programs that are shown nationally. 13.2
nonlinear	A method of editing wherein material can be accessed in any order and easily rearranged. 14.4
NTSC (National Television Systems Committee)	The electronic scanning and color system used in the United States and some other parts of the world; the group that set many technical television parameters in the United States. 7.6
O and Os	Stations that are owned and operated by a network. 8.4d
obscenity	Something that depicts sexual acts in an offensive manner, appeals to prurient interests of the average person, and lacks serious artistic, literary, political, or scientific value. 10.6, 11.0
observational theory	In discussions about violence, the idea that people will learn how to be violent by watching it on TV. 11.6a
off-net	Syndicated shows that at one time played on a network. 8.4d
omnidirectional	A microphone that picks up from all directions. 14.2
on-demand	Material, usually video or audio, that subscribers can request and store on discs or a computer so they can access it when they want it. 5.4c
opposing viewpoints	Opposite sides presented in regard to a station editorial. 10.13
orbiting	Placing ads at a slightly different time each day so that more people have a chance to hear or see them. 12.3
organizational TV	The use of video by corporations, nonprofits, educational institutions, government facilities, hospitals, and the like for purposes such as training and orientation. P.2
overbuild	The process by which a company installs a second cable system in an area where another company already has a cable system. 3.10
overnight reports	Ratings reports that are delivered to customers in less than 24 hours. 13.2
packet-switched network	The method of operation of the Internet where information is broken down and sent to its destination in small pieces that are then reassembled. 5.4
PAL (Phase Alternative Line)	The electronic scanning and color system used in Western Europe and some other parts of the world. 7.6
parallel editing	Cutting between two actions or story lines, usually until the two merge. 4.4
pay cable	A method by which people pay to receive TV programming free of commercials. 9.1b
payola	The practice of paying a disc jockey under the table so that he or she will air music that might not otherwise be aired. 1.13, 11.0
pay-per-view	Charging the customer for a particular program watched. 3.11, 5.4d, 13.8
pedestal	A mechanism that holds a camera and allows it to be raised or lowered, usually by hydraulic or pneumatic means. 14.3
PEG	Cable TV channels that are set aside for public access, educational access, and government access. 3.6
peoplemeter	A machine used for audience measurement that includes a keypad to be pushed by each person to indicate when he or she is watching TV. 13.2
people using radio (PUR)	The percentage of people who have a radio tuned to any station. 13.5
people using television (PUT)	The percentage of people who have a TV set tuned to any channel. 13.5
performer Q	A measurement that indicates the degree to which people are aware of and like a particular radio or TV personality. 13.7
per-inquiry	When a media company gets paid by an advertiser based on the number of people who inquire about a product because of the ad placed at the particular media outlet. 12.3
per-program fee	A right to use music that is obtained by paying a fee for each program that utilizes the music. 10.8
persistence of vision	A phenomenon wherein the eye retains images for a short period of time enabling fast-moving still pictures to look like constant movement. 4.1
personal communication service (PCS)	A low-powered multifunctional telephone system that allows people to use portable phones everywhere. 6.1b
personal video recorder (PVR)	A hard-disc drive that can record and compress video from off-air, cable TV, or DBS; it can pause recording and pick up where it left off and can eliminate commercials. 5.3d, 13.8
petition to deny	A process by which citizen groups expressed the desire for a license to be taken away from a station. 10.10b
phonograph	A device for playing records that includes a turntable on which the record spins and a tone arm with a needle at the end that picks up the sound by vibrating in the grooves of the record. 5.3a
phosphor screen	A layer of material on the inner face of the TV tube that fluoresces when bombarded by electrons. 14.11
pilot	A tape of a single program of a proposed series that is prepared to obtain acceptance and commercial support. 8.4
piracy	Obtaining electronic signals or programs by illegal means and gaining financially from them. 1.10, 10.8
pirate ships	Boats that broadcast rock music off the coast of Great Britain during the 1960s. 7.6
pitch	To try to sell a program idea. 8.4c
plain old ordinary television (POOT)	Standard definition TV that has a 3 by 4 aspect ratio and 525 lines rather than the parameters of high-definition television. 14.7
plain old telephone service (POTS)	Predivestiture voice services provided by phone companies. 6.1b
portable peoplemeter	A pager-size audience measurement device that people will be able to take with them everywhere to determine radio listening and TV viewing wherever they are. 13.2
potted-palm music	Soft music played on early radio that derived its name because this type of music was usually played at teatime by orchestras in restaurants that had many potted palm trees. 1.6
preempt	To take a regularly scheduled program off the air to play something else. 8.4d
press-radio war	A dispute of the 1930s between radio and newspapers over news that could be broadcast on radio. 1.11
pretesting	Determining ahead of time what programs or commercials people are likely to respond to in a positive manner. 13.7
pretty amazing new service (PANS)	Postdivestiture telephone services such as call waiting and voice mail. 6.1b
prime-time access rule (PTAR)	A former FCC ruling declaring that stations should program their own material or syndicated material rather than network fare during one hour of prime time. 2.15, 9.12
prior restraint	When some entity (such as the government) tries to censor material before it is disseminated. 10.5
private	A media system wherein businesses own the media and finance them primarily by advertising and where the government has only minimal oversight. 7.2
privatization	A movement of the 1980s wherein countries that had public or authoritarian media systems added or changed to privately owned electronic media. 7.9
production company	An organization that produces programs for some other media group, such as a network or syndicator, to distribute. 8.4c
product placement	Charging a company to have something that it sells included in a movie, television program, or video game. 12.2
profanity	Irreverent use of the name of God. 10.6
profit and loss statement	A financial form that shows what a company received and spent over a period of time. 8.2
program buying	When one company pays the costs of an entire program and has its ads inserted within that program. 12.2
progressive scanning	A technical method of building a TV picture wherein information is laid down one line at a time from top to bottom to create a frame. 14.12
projection TV	A television screen that is very large with the signal coming from the rear or front. 14.11
promise versus performance	A procedure whereby broadcasters promised what they would do during a license period and then were judged on the fulfillment of their promises when their license came up for renewal. 10.10b
promotion	Methods of enhancing an image that a station or an organization must pay for. 8.7
promotional spots (promos)	Advertisements for a station's or network's own programs that are shown on its own channel. 8.7, 12.6
psychographics	Information pertaining to lifestyle characteristics of a group of people, such as their desire to be involved with new technologies. 13.7
public	A media system that is closely aligned with the government and is usually supported, at least in part, by license fees. 7.2
public access	Programming conceived and produced by members of the public for cable TV channels. 3.4, 8.4e, 10.6
public convenience, interest, or necessity	A phrase in the Communi-cations Act of 1934 that the FCC used as a basis for much of its regulatory power. 10.10a
public domain	Works that are not copyrighted, such as very old material or publications from the government. 10.8
public figures	Well-known people who have to prove actual malice to win libel suits. 10.7
publicity	Free articles or other forms of enhancement that will garner public attention. 8.7
public relations	The attempt to build goodwill for a particular organization. 8.7
public service announcements (PSAs)	Advertisements for nonprofit organizations. 12.6
pulse code modulation (PCM)	An audio recording and transmitting pattern that records sound helically and digitally. 14.8
qualitative	Research that is not statistical in nature but is based on other forms of analysis such as anecdotal, historical, or biographical. 11.5b
quantitative	Research that can be analyzed through numerical and statistical methodology. 11.5b
quiz scandals	The discovery during the 1950s that some of the contestants on quiz shows were given the answers to questions ahead of time. 2.10, 9.5
quotas	Set limits on something, such as the amount of foreign programming a country will allow on its broadcasting systems. 7.6
rådionovelas	A form of radio scap opera developed in Latin America, where stories are serialized for a period of time. 7.2
Radio Act of 1927	The congressional law that established the Federal Radio Commission. 1.9, 10.1
radio waves	The waves of the radio frequency band of the electromagnetic spectrum. 1.1, 14.5
random access	Being able to get to any particular portion of material on a storage medium such as a videodisc or computer disc. 5.3
random sampling	A method of selection whereby each unit has the same chance of being selected as any other unit. 13.2
rate card	A chartlike listing of what a station, cable system, or network charges for different types of ads or other services. 12.1
rate protection	Guaranteeing a customer a certain advertising fee, even if the rate card increases. 12.3
rating	The percentage of households watching or listening to a particular program. 13.5
reach	The number of different people or households exposed to a particular commercial over a time period, usually a week. 13.5
reality shows	Programs that report on or reenact something (usually sensational) that actually happened or record ordinary people, as opposed to actors, in various circumstances. 2.20, 9.3
recall method	An audience research method that asks people what they saw or heard on radio or TV at some time in the past. 13.1
receiver	In the Bradley model, the person or group that hears or sees a message; the part of a radio or TV set that reproduces the sound and/or displays the picture. 11.5b
record	An analog-based disc that holds sound impulses in its grooves and is played on a phonograph. 5.3a
recordimeter	An audience measurement device that has been used in conjunction with diaries to validate what was recorded in the diaries. 13.2
Red Lion	A legal case that upheld the constitutionality of the concept of fairness. 10.12
reel-to-reel recorders	Audio tape recorders that have two open reels, a source reel and a take-up reel, and need to have the tape threaded from one reel to the other. 5.2a
regional Bell operating companies (RBOCs)	The local telephone companies created as a result of the breakup of AT&T. 6.1a
regional buying	Buying advertising time on stations in a particular part of the country. 12.2
remote control	A stand-alone device that allows TV set functions such as channel switching and volume changing to be achieved from a distance. P.2
renewal expectancy	An FCC state-ment that said that if a station provided favorable service, its license was not likely to be in jeopardy. 10.10b
reregulation	Imposing new rules on some group after rules were eliminated. 3.10
reruns	Programs that are shown on TV again after their initial airing. 2.7, 8.4c
residuals	Payments made to those involved in a production when the program is rerun. 9.1b
retransmission consent	The ability of TV stations to ask cable systems to pay for the right to carry the TV station. 3.10
ribbon microphones	Microphones that create representations of sound through the use of a metallic ribbon, a magnet, and a coil. 1.10
rights fees	Money paid to broadcast something, such as a sports contest. 9.6
roster-recall method	An audience research methodology that helps people remember what they saw or listened to by supplying them with a list of call letters, station slogans, and the like. 13.1
run-of-schedule (ROS)	When a station, rather than the advertiser, decides on the time that a particular commercial will air. 12.3
safe harbor	A period of time when indecent material can be aired because children are not likely to be in the audience. 10.6
satellite	A human-made object that orbits the earth and can pick up and transmit radio signals. 3.5, 6.4b
satellite master antenna TV (SMATV)	A system that incorporates signals received by satellite dish with broadcast signals received by a master antenna and distributes them, usually to apartments within large complexes. P.2, 3.9, 12.2, 14.9
satellite news gathering (SNG)	News gathered with trucks equipped with satellite uplinks that can then send that news almost anywhere. 9.8b, 14.8
satellite news vehicle (SNV)	Trucks that have satellite uplinks that can transmit news stories great distances. 9.8b
scanners	Radio devices that can be used to listen in on police and fire communications; also equipment used to copy printed words and pictures into a computer. 6.2a, 9.8a
scarcity theory	Reasoning that broadcasters should be regulated because there are not enough station frequencies for everyone to have one. 10.3
scrambling	Changing transmitted electronic signals so they cannot be received properly without some sort of decoding system. 5.1b, 10.8
search engine	A type of index to the Internet. 5.4a, 6.2d
season	The period between when new network programs used to begin (usually September) and when they finished their run (usually June). 8.4c
SECAM (Sequence Couleur a Memoire)	The electronic scanning and color system used in Eastern Europe and some other parts of the world. 7.6
second window	When a program airs on one channel and then, within a very short time, airs on another channel. 8.4
Section 315	The portion of the Communications Act that states that political candidates running for the same office must be given equal treatment. 10.11
self-regulation	Rules that people within the telecommunications industry set up for themselves. 11.1
server	A large capacity computer used to store and place information on the Internet, a TV station or some other entity. 3.12, 5.4a, 6.2a, 14.3
share	The percentage of households or people watching a particular program in relation to all programs available at that time. P.2, 13.5
shield laws	State laws that have the effect of allowing reporters to keep sources of information secret. 10.5
shortwaves	Radio waves can travel long distances. 7.3
siphoning	A process whereby pay TV systems might drain programming from networks by paying a higher price for it initially. 3.5
slander	To say something false that is harmful to a person's character or reputation. 10.7
sound bite	A short audio statement about something in the news. 9.8a
source	In the Bradley model, the total number of people needed to communicate a message. 11.5b
spam	Largely unwanted and unsolicited e-mail messages, usually sent to large number of people. 6.2c
spin-offs	Series that are created out of characters that have appeared on other series. 2.15
spot buying	When a company purchases advertising time within or between programs in such a way that the company is not specifically identified with the program. 12.2
spreadsheet	A computer-generated form that automatically calculates numbers and can be used to place things in categories and columns. 6.2b
standard definition (SD)	Television signals with a 3 by 4 aspect ratio and 525 lines of resolution. 14.7
stand-upper	A story delivered by a reporter live from a remote location. 9.8b
station representative	A company that sells advertising time for a number of stations. 12.4
stereo	Sound reproduction using two channels through two speakers to give a feeling of reality. 1.14, 14.6
stereotype	A fixed notion about a group of people that is often not true, especially for individuals within the group. 11.6d
storyboard	A chart that contains step-by-step pictorialization of a commercial or program. 11.1, 12.5
streaming audio	Sound that comes over the Internet to a computer in real time without being stored on the computer. 5.4c, 6.2a
streaming video	Moving pictures that come over the Internet to a computer in real time without being stored on the computer. 5.4d, 6.2a
stringers	People who are paid for the stories or footage they gather if that material is used by some news-gathering organization. 1.11, 9.8a
strip	To air programs, usually old network shows, at the same time every day of the week. 8.4d
studio years	The period during the 1930s and 1940s when Hollywood movie studios dominated the movie business by having stars under contract and engaging in all phases of production, distribution, and exhibition. 4.8
stunt broadcasts	Radio broadcasts of the 1930s that involved unusual locations such as gliders and balloons. 1.10
subscription TV (STV)	Scrambled programs that were broadcast over the air and could be descrambled when a subscriber paid a fee for the service. P.2, 3.5, 9.1b
superstation	A broadcast station that is put on satellite and shown by cable systems. 3.5
Super-VHS (S-VHS)	A half-inch videocassette format that is an improvement on VHS. 5.2b, 6.3a
supplemental audio program (SAP)	A track of television sound that is in addition to the regular program sound and can be used for foreign languages and other audio purposes. 14.11
survey research	Study that involves questionnaires that are administered, tabulated, and analyzed. 11.5b
sweeps	Ratings reports for local areas. 13.2
switcher	A piece of equipment used to select the video input that will be taped or shown live. 14.3
synchronous satellite	A satellite that appears to hang motionless in space. 14.8
syndicated exclusivity	A cable TV rule stating that if a local station was carrying a particular program, the cable system could not show that same program on a service imported from a distant location. 3.3
syndicators	Companies that produce or acquire programming and sell it to stations, cable networks, and other electronic media. 8.4
tabloid TV	Programs, such as talk shows, that discuss exploitative subjects that are often sexually oriented. 2.20
take	A quick cut from one shot to another. 14.3
telecommunications	An umbrella term that covers broadcasting, electronic media, telephone, and computer technologies. P.2
Telecommunications Act of 1996	A Congressional law that allows many electronic media companies into each other's businesses, deregulates media, and has provisions related to violence and pornography. 1.18, 2.19, 3.10, 6.1c, 9.13, 10.1
telecommuting	Working at home but interacting with an office through phone and computer links. 6.2g
teleconferencing	Transmitting material over satellite from one or various points to other points, usually instead of having a meeting or conference. 6.4b
telemedicine	The transfer of medically relevant information in audiovisual, graphic, or other forms across distance for diagnostic, treatment, or other purposes. 6.2c
telenovela	A form of soap opera developed in Latin America, wherein stories are serialized for several months. 7.6, 9.1d
teletext	Words, numbers, and graphics placed in the vertical blanking interval of a broadcast television signal. 5.4b, 14.7
televangelism	Using TV to promote religion. 9.10
teleworking	Working in an office part of the time and working at home through a computer network or phone the rest of the time. 6.2g
tentpoling	Programming a successful program between two weak or new programs. 8.4c
testimonials	Positive statements about a commercial product usually given by a well-known person. 12.9
three-dimensional (3-D)	Material that is produced in such a way that it approximates the way the eyes see two images and can then be projected back so that it appears to have multidimensions. 4.11
tiering	Charging cable subscribers different rates for different services. 8.6, 11.0
toll station	A name for the type of radio programming WEAF initiated in 1922 that allowed anyone to broadcast a public message by paying a fee, similar to the way that one pays a toll to communicate a private message by telephone. 1.7
total audience plan (TAP)	A commercial selling technique wherein an advertiser buys commercial time for various dayparts and the prices are averaged. 12.3
total survey area (TSA)	Arbitron's division for radio ratings of geograph-ically large areas that may not receive all stations equally clearly. 13.3
toy-based programming	Children's programming that was designed around having toys as the main characters. 9.11, 12.8
trade-out	To give goods or services (such as advertising time) in exchange for other goods or services. 12.3
trades	Journals and magazines that deal with the industry. E.1
traffic	A department that keeps track of programs and commercials that are on the air. 8.6
trailers	Advertisements for movies that include scenes from the movie. 8.6, 12.6
transistor	A solid-state electronic device that controls current flow without the use of a vacuum. 6.2a
transmitter	A piece of equipment that generates and amplifies a carrier wave and modulates it with information that can be radiated into space. 14.2
transponder	The part of a satellite that carries a particular signal. 3.6, 14.8
treasurer	A person who handles cash for a company or other organization. 8.2
treatment	Written paragraphs that tell the general idea for a series or a particular movie or program. 8.4c
TVQ	A measurement that indicates the degree to which people are aware of and like a particular program. 13.7
TV receive-only (TVRO)	A satellite dish that can receive but not send signals. 3.9, 5.1
twisted-pair	Copper wires used primarily to carry phone conversations. 14.9
ultra-high frequency (UHF)	The area in the spectrum between 300 and 3,000 megahertz; TV stations above Channel 13. 2.5, 14.5
U-matic	A videotape format that used 3/4-inch tape. 6.3a
underwrite	To help pay for public broadcasting in return for a brief mention of your contribution. 12.7
uniform resource locator (URL)	A specific address for a page on the World Wide Web. 5.4a
United States vs Paramount	The test case that abolished vertical integration in the movie business. 4.11
upfront	Ads for programs that are sold before the fall season begins. 12.4
uses and gratification	A method of research that tries to determine the perceived value people feel by becoming involved with certain actions. 11.5b
vacuum tube	An electron tube evacuated of air to the extent that its electrical characteristics are unaffected by the remaining air. 1.1, 6.2a
vast wasteland	A term coined by FCC Chairman Newton Minow to refer to the lack of quality TV programming. 2.13
V-chips	Circuitry in TV sets that allows people to block out programs with violent or sexual content. 2.19, 9.11
vertical blanking interval	The retrace of the electron beam from the bottom to the top of the TV screen. 5.4b
vertical integration	A process by which one company produces, distributes, and exhibits its products without decision making from any other sources. 3.8, 4.6
very high frequency (VHF)	The area in the spectrum between 30 and 300 megahertz; TV stations that broadcast on Channels 2 to 13. 2.1, 14.5
very large scale integration (VLSI)	A multiplication of the number of elements that could be placed on a chip. 6.2a
very small aperture terminal (VSAT)	Small receiving dishes linked to low-power satellites. 6.4b
VHS	The consumer-grade half-inch videocassette format developed by Matsushita. 5.2b
Video-8	A consumer videocassette format introduced by Sony that uses tape that is 8 mm wide. 5.2b, 5.3b
videocassette recorder (VCR)	Tape machines that use magnetic tape enclosed in a container that is automatically threaded when the machine is engaged. P.2, 5.2b, 6.3b, 7.10, 14.3
videoconference	Several people interacting through their computers to work on one project or idea all at the same time. 6.2c
videodiscs	Round, flat devices that contain video and audio information and can display this information on a TV or computer screen. 5.3, 9.1b, 14.4
video games	A form of play that involves interaction between the person or people playing and a TV or computer screen. 6.5, 9.5
video news release (VNR)	A tape given to the media that has information a company, politician, or other person or group wants to have publicized. 6.3a
video-on-demand	The ability for subscribers to request a program or other material and then store it so they can access it when they want it. 3.12, 5.4d, 9.1b, 13.8, 14.9
videotext	A proprietary system to deliver information to a consumer's home through the use of computers and phone lines. 5.4b
viewfinder	A monitor on a TV camera that allows the camera operator to see the picture that the camera is taking. 14.3
virtual ad	An advertisement, usually in the form of a billboard, that isn't part of the real scene but is inserted electronically. 12.2
virtual private network (VPN)	A computer interconnection that organizations install to connect their employees' home computers with the company computer. 6.2g
virtual reality	A computer-generated environment that human beings can interact with. 6.2f
virus	An intentionally destructive program that can attack computers, erasing files and in other ways damaging them. 6.2a
voice tracking	Making a radio program sound local even though the person doing the talking is in another city. 8.4b
volume power index (VPI)	What is used when an advertiser pays only for the consumers watching or listening who fit into the advertiser's target audience. 12.3
Web page	A screen of information on the World Wide Web. 1.19, 13.0
website	A number of Web pages that deal with the same organization, person, or subject. 5.4a, 6.2d
wide area network (WAN)	Several local area networks (LANs) of computers linked. 6.2a
window	The period between the time a movie is shown in a theater and the time it is released for showing on other media such as pay cable or network TV. 9.1b
wireless cable	Cable TV-like programming that is sent through the airwaves at about 2,500 megahertz; also called MMDS. P.2, 3.9, 10.10a
wire recording	A form of audio recording that predated tape and used wire that had to be cut and tied in order to edit. 1.12
wire services	Organizations that supply news to various media. 1.11, 9.8a
word processing	Using a computer to type, format, and edit documents. 6.2b
World Wide Web	Computerized information that is made available from organizations and people to other organizations and people. 4.4a
zip disc	A computer storage device that can hold up to 250 megabytes of material. 6.2a