Introduction to Television Terms

1. Introduction to Television Terms Media/Communication

2. 3D TV • all 3D TVs use a specially designed screen that can display two different versions of a video image by alternating the video frames at very high speed. 3D video is basically two full-resolution 1080p images, one for your left eye and one for your right. • Requires a 3D source (ex. Blu-Ray) and 3D glasses

3. ASPECT RATIO • A numerical expression of the relationship of width to height of a TV screen. 4:3: This numerical sequence refers to the aspect ratio of the National Television Systems Committee (NTSC) TV screen, with "4" unit width corresponding to "3" unit height, proportionally, regardless of the actual size of the screen. • 16:9 = wide screen

4. BREAKING NEWS • Term used for interruptions of regular or planned programming for recently-occurring events as reported by a news organization or agency.

5. BROADCAST SPECTRUM • The entire range of frequencies used for radio and television transmission.

6. BROADCASTING • Using radio waves to distribute radio or TV programs which are available for reception by the general public.

7. CALL LETTERS • The official name of the radio station in the USA. Also known as a station's call sign.

8. CATV Community Antenna TeleVision - Now referred to as ‘Cable Television’

9. CHROMA KEY “Blue” or “green” screen effect used to insert another background (blending two images together)

10. CHROMINANCE • The color component of a video signal that includes information about hue (shade) and saturation (intensity).

11. CLOSED CAPTIONING • Text version of a program's dialogue, overlayed on the screen by an equipped television set for the hearing impaired.

12. COAXIAL CABLE Two-in-one (audio and video) wire used to transfer detailed images or data

13. DEMOGRAPHICS Study of audience make-up for advertising and programming purposes

14. DIGITAL TELEVISION (DTV) • The umbrella term used for the new broadcasting system that uses computer code to transmit pictures and sounds. DTV includes all types of digital broadcasting, including High and Standard Definition television, datacasting and multicasting.

15. DOLBY DIGITAL • This is a digital surround sound technology used in movie theaters and upscale home theater systems that enhances audio. Home theater components with this technology work in conjunction with a "5.1-speaker" system (five speakers plus a low-frequency subwoofer) to produce true-to-life audio that draws the listener into the onscreen action.

16. DRAMEDY Half drama/half comedy usually with no laugh track. Ex. Burn Notice, Desperate Housewives, Psych, Grey’s Anatomy

17. INTERLACED SCANNING • This process divides and presents each video frame as two fields. Imagine a video frame being divided by the odd and even horizontal lines that make up the picture. The first field presents the odd lines; the second field represents the even lines. The fields are aligned and timed so that, with a still image, the human eye blends the two fields together and sees them as one.

19. PROGRESSIVE SCAN • Some digital television broadcast formats (720p, 480p), and most DVD players, use a type of video signal known as progressive scan. Instead of splitting each video frame into two sequential fields like analog interlaced NTSC video, progressive-scan video displays the entire frame in a single sweep. For example, where standard NTSC video displays 30 frames (60 fields) per second, progressive scan displays 60 complete frames per second.

20. FIBER OPTICS Transmission through tiny glass fibers Ex. Verizon Fios

21. FRAME • In moving picture media, whether film or video, a frame is a complete, individual picture.

22. FRAME RATE • The rate at which frames are displayed. The frame rate for movies on film is 24 frames per second (24 fps). Standard NTSC video has a frame rate of 30 fps (actually 60 fields per second). The frame rate of a progressive-scan video format is twice that of an interlaced-scan format. For example, interlaced formats like 480i and 1080i deliver 30 complete frames per second; progressive formats like 480p, 720p and 1080p provide 60.

23. HAPPYTALK The additional and often meaningless commentary interspersed into news programs by news anchors and others on set.

24. HIGH-DEFINITION TELEVISION (HDTV) • One type of digital television signal that is broadcast at a higher resolution than the others, providing a higher-quality picture.

25. LETTERBOX • Letterbox refers to the image of a wide-screen picture on a standard 4:3 aspect ratio television screen, typically with black bars above and below. It is used to maintain the original aspect ratio of the original source (usually a theatrical motion picture of 16:9 aspect ratio or wider).

26. LIVE • Any programming which is broadcast immediately as it is being delivered (a live report); performed (a live concert or show); or captured (live news or sports coverage). Requires an unbroken communications chain without any intervening recording or storage technology. Considered the most exciting form of broadcasting, delivered “as it happens”.

27. Famous Incidents on ‘Live’ TV • Lee Harvey Oswald (shot JFK) was shot dead while being transported to jail. • Ken Tynan became the first person to say ‘F*%$’ while commenting on censorship. • The moon landing. • Christine Chubbock (TV news reporter) shoots herself • OJ Simpson car chase • September 11th plane crash • Justin Timberlake/Janet Jackson - exposed

28. LOWER THIRD • Portion of screen of regular broadcast reserved for textual and static visual content; i.e., news ticker, time, title of segment, title of program, channel bug, etc. Upper third has sometimes been used alongside lower third, as in the case of MSNBC since 2010. THIS IS A LOWER THIRD

29. LUMINANCE • The brightness or black-and-white component of a color video signal. Determines the level of picture detail.

30. NIELSON RATINGS • Survey of US viewers by the AC Nielsen Company to establish the audiences for individual programs and their demographics.

31. NTSC • NTSC is the acronym that stands for National Television Systems Committee" and the name of the current analog transmission standard used in the U.S., which the committee created in 1953.

32. PILOT - First show of a potential series which is sent to test screenings and network executives. Test episode of an intended television series. Networks use pilots to discover whether an entertaining concept can be successfully realized. After seeing this sample of the proposed product, networks will then determine whether the expense of additional episodes is justified.

33. PILOT • A one-off episode of a proposed series, usually in extended form, to gauge audience reaction. If successful, the rest of the series is made and the pilot becomes the first episode.

34. PSA (PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT) • A PSA is intended to change the public interest, by raising awareness of an issue, affecting public attitudes, and potentially stimulating action.

35. PRIME TIME Monday-Saturday 8p to 11p Eastern and Pacific (7p to 10p Central) Sunday 7p to 11p. Time when most people watch TV and advertisers pay the most (determined by Nielson Ratings)

36. PUBLIC ACCESS TV Cable channel devoted to community programming Public Education Government

37. RESOLUTION • Amount of detail that can be seen in a broadcast image.

38. SERIAL Continuing dramatic story with several characters and various subplots from episode to episode.

39. SITCOM Half hour comedy program with continuing static characters and individual story lines. Ex. The Office, Seinfeld, Two and Half Men, etc.

40. SPINOFF New program consisting of characters from a pre-existing program Ex. Beverly Hills 90210 > Melrose Place, Beavis and Butthead > Daria, CSI > CSI:NY/CSI: Miami/Cold Case, Law & Order, Oprah > Dr. Phil, etc.

41. SWEEPS • A period, usually in February, May, September, and November, where the AC Nielsen Company undertakes audience measurement to record the Nielsen ratings of all shows in all markets with all demographics for intensive market research. This allows networks and local stations to spot surprise hits and unexpected failures. It is also a time when a successful network will try pilot episodes of new shows, whilst a failing network will often put existing successful programs in place of poorly performing shows to boost average ratings.

42. TELEVISION • The transmission of pictures and sound by radio frequency or cable for public reception.

43. UHF (ULTRA HIGH FREQUENCY) • Frequencies between 300 MHz (wavelength 1 meter) and 3.0 GHz (wavelength 10 centimetres), used for television broadcasting. Channels 14 – 83.

44. VHF (VERY HIGH FREQUENCY) • Frequencies from 30 MHz (wavelength 10 m) to 300 MHz (wavelength 1m), used for radio and television broadcasting. Channels 2 – 13.

45. V-CHIP • Broadcasters are required to encode an electronic signal in TV programs indicating the level of violence, language, and sexual content. Parents can program the TV with a rating so that when the the V-Chip reads a show's signal, it will prevent it from displaying if it is above the rating.

46. WIDE-SCREEN • A term given to picture displays with a wider aspect ratio than NTSC 4:3. Digital HDTV or SDTV is referred to as "16:9 wide screen." Most motion pictures also have a 16:9 wide screen aspect ratio. Most Digital TVs have a screen that is wider than it is tall (if a Digital TV screen is nine inches high, it's 16 inches wide.) When watching a show recorded in the wide screen format on a Digital TV, viewers see more of the movie, while when viewing wide screen format on an analog TV, cropped edges are evident.