Glossary

DAB – Digital Audio Broadcasting. Broadcasting using a sound signal made up of discrete electronic units, as opposed to an analogue signal which is a continuous wave form. Provides high quality sound

DAT – Digital Audio Tape. Recording or reproducing using the digital system on a small cassette

delay system – electronic device that delays the transmission of a live signal by three to ten seconds, used mainly in phone-ins to override libels or profanities

demographic – The profile of a station’s average listener based on age, gender, profession, race, etc. This is very important to advertisers who want to target a particular audience

desk – the control panel in a studio that mixes different sources for transmission

digital radio – CD sound quality radio that is interference free, delivered over a multiplex that provides a greater choice of stations and can also send data. Requires a digital tuner to be heard

digital recording – sound recorded using a computerised numerical system. Copies can be made of the recording without loss of quality

double-header – item or programme presented by two people

drive – to drive a desk is to operate the studio desk

drive-time – The late-afternoon rush-hour period when a great number of listeners are in their cars going home from work. One of the peak listening times of the radio day

dub – to make a copy of a recording from one source to another, e.g. cassette to disc or disc to cart

duration – length of time to the nearest second of a programme item. The duration of a recorded item should be provided on a label and the cue, along with the ‘out words’. The cue should also give the item’s total duration, i.e. length of cue plus audio

edit – to make audio ready for transmission. At its simplest this involves finding an appropriate start and end point, but it can also involve removing other unwanted material to help the piece make sense or flow better

embargo – request not to release information until a specified date or time

ENPS – Electronic News Provision Service. The computerised newsroom system used by the BBC to manage audio and text

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fader – slide mechanism on a studio desk that opens an audio channel and controls its volume

feature – a prepared item for a radio programme usually consisting of interviews, actuality and links

feed – a supply of audio from an outside source, e.g. IRN feeds news clips to various independent stations every 15 minutes for use in their bulletins

feedback – Also known as ‘howl’ or ‘howlround’. The effect produced when the signal from a microphone is transmitted through a nearby speaker, which is in turn picked up by the microphone producing a highpitched howling sound. It can also be caused if a phone-in contributor has a radio tuned in to the programme that is near to the telephone

fixed spot – an item that features regularly in a programme at a particular time, e.g. travel news at breakfast and drive-time

FM – see frequency

format – the structure and presentation of programmes in an agreed style. The format of a programme will dictate how often time-checks are given or station idents used, and strictly formatted programmes may even dictate the length of links. Formatting provides uniformity of sound across a station’s output

frequency – measurement of radio waves. A station’s frequency denotes its position on the dial. Frequencies on the AM waveband (amplitude modulation) are expressed as kHz (kilohertz) including medium-and longwave transmissions, and on the FM waveband (frequency modulation) as MHz (megahertz)

FX – sound-effects used to bring colour to features or packages

GTS – Greenwich Time Signal. Now no longer from Greenwich but generated by the BBC, this is six pips broadcast at the top of the hour to give an accurate time-check

hard disk – computer disk for the permanent storage of material

heads – headlines. The main stories summarised into a few sentences, usually read on the half hour. Also refers to the parts of a tape recorder that erase, record and playback

IBA – Independent Broadcasting Authority. The body that regulated all non-BBC broadcasting prior to the 1990 Broadcasting Act. Replaced by the Radio Authority

idents – a way of identifying the station to listeners. This can either be in the form of a jingle or a simple announcement by the presenter

ips – inches per second. Refers to the speed of tape going past the recording head of a tape machine. Speech is usually recorded at 7.5ips, music at 15ips

IR – Independent Radio – all non-BBC radio covering national, local and regional stations

ISDN – Integrated Services Digital Network. A system of providing highquality digital audio signals through telephone lines

jack plug – a connecting plug used to route or reroute sources. For example, a ‘mini-jack’ is used to connect a minidisc recorder to a computer to download audio for editing

jingle – a short musical piece used to identify the station or a particular programme or presenter

landline – a cable capable of carrying a high quality signal used for outside broadcasts before the introduction of ISDN

lead – the first and most important story in a news bulletin; also refers to an electrical cable from one piece of equipment to another

leader – leader tape. This is coloured tape used to show the start and end of a piece of audio on reel-to-reel tape. Traditionally green leader was used at the start, red leader at the end, and any bands in between were joined by yellow tape. This tape cannot be recorded on

LED – Light Emitting Diode. A meter that indicates volume through a series of lights

level – the volume of recorded or broadcast sound as registered on a meter; also a pre-recording check on a speaker’s voice, known as a ‘level check’

link – any speech between items that introduces or sets up the item for listeners

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log – a recording of all the station’s output on slow-speed audio or video tape, or on to computer disk. Stations are required to keep this for a minimum period in case of legal disputes; the log also refers to a note of all music played for notification to the Performing Rights Society so that royalties can be paid

Marantz – portable recording machine that uses cassette tapes

meter – device for monitoring audio level. The VU (volume unit) meter gives an average reading of the audio, the PPM (peak programme meter) measures the peaks of the audio

mike rattle – noise caused on tape when the microphone cable is moved during recording

minidisc recorder – digital recording machine that uses a miniature compact disc

mixing – combining two or more audio sources. Used in making packages when interviews and/or links are played over music or special effects

needletime – the amount of time a station may use to play commercially produced music

news agency – an organisation that provides news stories on a commercial basis for use by other news media

news release – also known as a press or media release. Information prepared by an organisation to inform news organisations of their activities. This can be to promote a new venture by the organisation, or provide a statement about an ongoing story like legal or industrial action they are involved in

NVQs – National Vocational Qualifications, known as SVQs in Scotland. A vocational award to a nationally set standard of skill. Standards for radio broadcasting are set by Skillset

OB – Outside Broadcast

off-mike – noise not fed directly through the microphone but audible in the broadcast

out – the last three words of audio on a tape, written on the cue as a warning that the piece is about to end

output – the sound that is heard by listeners

package – a recorded item combining interviews, links, and/or music and effects, prepared for broadcast with a cue

p as b – programme as broadcast. A written record of everything used in a programme, i.e. music, ads, jingles; also known as the log

popping – distortion caused by the rush of air in ‘p’ and ‘b’ sounds usually caused by the presenter or interviewee being too close to the microphone

PPL – Phonographic Performance Ltd. Represents record companies and licenses the broadcasting of music

ppm – peak programme meter. Measures the peaks of audio. See meter

pre-fade – facility on a studio desk that allows a presenter to listen to an audio source (live or recorded) and adjust the level before it is broadcast

prof – also known as ‘in profanity’. When the station’s output is in delay, for example during a phone-in, to prevent profanities or libels being broadcast

promo – a promotional spot for a forthcoming programme; also known as a ‘trail’

prospects – list of news stories expected to be covered that day

PRS – Performing Rights Society. Represents the interests of musicians, composers and publishers and acts as a clearing-house for the use of their material both live and recorded

psa – public service announcement. Any item that provides information in the public interest, e.g. travel news, notification of charity events, police appeals

Q and A – an item where the presenter asks questions of a specialist correspondent or reporter who has been following a story, and the reporter responds

Radio Authority – the body that licenses and regulates independent radio in Britain

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RAJAR – Radio Joint Audience Research. The body owned by the BBC and the Commercial Radio Companies Association that measures audiences for all radio stations in the country

reach – the percentage of total listeners in the TSA (Total Service Area) who tune in during a specified period. See transmission area

reel-to-reel – a tape recorder that uses quarter-inch magnetic tape

rot – recorded off transmission. The practice of radio stations recording sections of their own transmission for possible use in later programmes

royalities – fee paid to the Performing Rights Society based on the amount of recorded music played by a station

RSL – Restricted Service Licence

running order – the planned order of items in a programme

schedule – the planned sequence of programmes throughout a week

seg or segue – a sequence of two or more pieces of music broadcast without interruption by a presenter

selector – software system that selects music from a pre-entered base of records. The music is categorised in various ways, for example, artist’s name, title, chart position, mood, tempo, etc. and the system provides running orders that take account of the time of day of the programme and the required frequency of play, and makes sure tracks ‘flow’ together in pace and mood

share – the total listening time achieved by a station expressed as a percentage of the total amount of time spent by people listening to all radio services in the same transmission area

simulcasting – the practice of broadcasting the same output on different frequencies, e.g. analogue stations often simulcast their output on a digital frequency

slug – word or words used to identify an item; also known as a catchline

sound bite – brief extract from an interview

soc – standard out cue. An agreed form of words used by a reporter at the end of a story, e.g. ‘John Smith, for IRN at the Old Bailey’

splicing tape – sticky tape used in editing analogue tape

stab – a short jingle or ident

sting – brief burst of music used to punctuate output

stringer – a freelance reporter covering an area where there is no staff reporter available

talkback – off-air communication system linking studios, control rooms, or OB locations

tbu – telephone balancing unit. Device that provides balance between phone calls being broadcast and the studio output

tease – short advert for something coming up later in the programme or news bulletin

tec. op. – technical operator. Someone who drives the programme from outside the studio

tone – a signal sent before an audio feed to allow levels to be set

top and tail – to make the start and end of a piece of audio ‘clean’, so that the item starts with the first syllable of the first word, and ends at the correct point

traffic – the department that decides the placement of adverts

trail – a promotional advert for a forthcoming programme

transmission area – the geographical area served by a station. This may not be the same as the area the station can be heard in, but it is the area used by RAJAR to measure a station’s audience, and the one referenced to in its output. This is also known as the TSA (Total Service Area) in RAJAR terminology

two-way – another name for a Q and A. An interview between a presenter and a reporter to provide information and analysis of an event

voicebank – system used by the emergency services whereby information is recorded for journalists to access

voice piece – a scripted report of a story read by the reporter, used with a cue read by the newsreader

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vox pop – literally ‘voice of the people’. A series of responses from people in the street, edited together in a continuous stream. Used with a cue read by the newsreader

VU – Volume Unit meter. This measures the average volume of sound

waveform – the visual display of sound on a computer in digital editing systems

wild track – the recording of background noise or ambient sound on location, used for editing into a recorded piece to provide atmosphere

windshield – a foam ‘sock’ used over microphones to prevent wind noise on the tape

wire service – national and international news stories sent by news agencies either by teleprinter or computer

wrap – a news item where the reporter links an interview, literally ‘wrapping’ their voice around a soundbite. In some newsrooms a ‘wrap’ is interchangeable with a ‘package’, but it generally tends to be shorter, and often only features one clip