Radio Glossary

 

Ad

a sound advertisement, usually promotes business, events or a particular thing  

Ad-Lib

A live read ad done in a conversational style by the announcer or set of announcers during their show.

AM - Amplitude Modulation

Amplitude modulation is a process by which the wave signal is transmitted by modulating the amplitude of the signal. It is often called AM and is commonly used in transmitting a piece of information through a radio carrier wave.

Automation

Radio automation software, or playout software, allows broadcasters to store all of their pre-recorded audio content (songs & Jingles)

Average Audience

the average size of the audience on a minute-by-minute basis (average size at minute 1, minute 2, minute 3, and so on) throughout the length of a program.

Back Announce

(broadcasting) To briefly identify the music or story that has just aired.

Back Timing

Calculating the intro time on a song before its vocal begins and starting the audio source or CD along with that song so when the preceding audio ends, the vocal on the song that has been back timed begins right at the end of the previous audio.

Band Width

the range of frequencies occupied by a modulated radio-frequency signal, usually given in hertz (cycles per second) or as a percentage of the radio frequency.

Bed

Refers to a production element, such as instrumental music and/or a continuous sound effect such as the ocean or wind, used as a background element for a promotional announcement.

Bumper

Bumper music, or a bump, is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to refer to short clips of signature songs or theme music used to buffer transitions between programming elements, typically lasting no longer than fifteen seconds.

Call sign - Call Letters

In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station.

Clean Feed

'Clean Feed' or 'Mix-minus' refers to an output from a studio mixing desk which includes everything that the listener hears except for the equipment you are sending it to.

Cue

The cue is the introduction spoken by the presenter or news-reader before your package is played.

Cut

a local announcement inserted into a network program. insert · disruption, interruption, gap, break - an act of delaying

Day Parts 

daypart (plural dayparts) (television, radio) A part of the day in which a type of radio or television program apropos for that time period is aired.

Dead Air

a period of silence especially during a broadcast.

Donut

A radio donut is not a jam filled delight but, in radio terms, it's a piece of production with singers or voice over at the start, a place for you to talk over, followed by a similar ending to the start of the donut.

Drive time

Drive time is the daypart in which radio broadcasters can reach the most people who listen to car radios while driving, usually to and from work, or on public transportation.

Fade in 

a gradual increase in the volume in a radio or television broadcast.

Fade Out

a gradual decrease in the volume in a radio or television broadcast.

Hit the post

This radio art form, where the DJ's timing is so perfect that they never step on the vocals, is referred to as hitting the post. Here's a look at what's involved with intros and outros when DJs seem to magically hit the post perfectly every time.

Jingle

A jingle is a short song or tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. Jingles are a form of sound branding. A jingle contains one or more hooks and meaning that explicitly promote the product or service being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans.

Lead

A lead-in, preview, or introduction (also known as an intro) introduces the listeners to the broadcast item they are about to hear - whether this is a news report, interview, bulletin, or longer report. A lead-in avoids too many facts and figures.

Link

a two-way radio communication system (usually microwave); part of a more extensive telecommunication network. link.

Payola

Payola, in the music industry, is the illegal practice of paying a commercial radio station to play a song without the station disclosing the payment.

Playlist 

A playlist is a list of songs, albums, and artists that a radio station broadcasts.

Promo

A promo is a form of commercial advertising used in broadcast media, either television or radio, which promotes a program airing on a television or radio

Radio Format

A radio format aims to reach a more or less specific audience according to a certain type of programming, which can be thematic or general, more informative

Radio Frequency

a frequency or band of frequencies in the range 10^4 to 10^11 or 10^12Hz, suitable for use in telecommunications.

Script 

A radio play script follows a distinctive format that allows the playwright to convey how sound and music will be used in the performance. For instance: one page of dialogue is approximately one minute of air time. each scene should be numbered. lines are usually double spaced.

Segue

moving from one musical selection to another without any announcing or interruption. Share – The number of persons who listened to a station during a given time period, expressed as a percent of all persons who listened to radio during that time period.

Splice 

a matter of rearranging sounds. You physically cut out unwanted words, phrases or sounds and rejoin the remaining pieces

Spot

Generally speaking, radio advertisements are produced in 30-second or 60-second spots, though you'll sometimes hear 15-second spots as well (usually on digital).

Sound Effect (SFX)

Sound effects, sounds that are artificially created or enhanced.

Sweeper

A radio sweeper is a short, pre-recorded sample used by radio stations as segues between songs that give listeners a brief station identifier or promo, generally 20 seconds or less: "You're listening to the soft sounds of [NAME] radio.

Target Audience Demographic

Audience targeting in radio can be defined as the method of categorising listeners into segments based on different variables such as demographic data. These targeting parameters include but are not limited to age, gender, language, location, preferences, hobbies, lifestyles, race, ethnicity, education, and more.

Tease 

Teases are what the TV news anchors say to convince viewers to watch the newscast or to continue watching. They typically come in some sort of headline format before the newscast begins and at the end of each block of news, just before the commercial break.

Source : Google