Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by GABaker (talk | contribs) at 16:40, 21 October 2002 (added new information, spell and grammar check, corrected heading styles). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Broadcasting is a business model of transmitting radio and television programming to a number of receivers that belong to a large group. This group may be the public in general or a relatively large audience within the public in general.

Business Models of Broadcasting

There are several dominant business models of broadcasting. Each differs in the method by which stations are funded:

• By direct government payments
• By indirect government payments, such as radio and television licenses
• By grants from foundations or business entities
• By selling advertisements
• By public subscription

Broadcasters may rely on a combination of these four dominant business models. For example, National Public Radio, a non-commercial network within the United States, receives grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which in turn receives funding from the U.S. government; by public subscription; and by selling "extended credits" to corporations.

History of Broadcasting

Beginning to the Second World War

United States

In the United States, the first broadcast station, KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, began in 1920. The technology became very popular, and many cities, churches, schools, and businesses started their own broadcast stations.

The National Broadcasting Company began regular broadcasting in 1922, with telephone links between New York and other Eastern cities. NBC became the dominant radio network, splitting into Red and Blue networks.

The Columbia Broadcasting System began in 1927 under the guidance of William Paley.

Several independent stations formed the Mutual Broadcasting System to exchange syndicated programming, including The Lone Ranger and Amos 'n' Andy.

The Second World War and Afterwards

A Federal antitrust decision in 1943 required NBC to divest itself of its Blue network. This network became the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The 1950s and 1960s

Television began to replace radio as the chief source of revenue for broadcasting networks. Although many radio programs continued through this decade, including Gunsmoke and The Guiding Light, by 1960 networks had ceased producing entertainment programs.

As radio stopped producing formal fifteen-minute to hourly programs, a new format developed. "Top 40" was based on a continuous rotation of short pop songs presented by a "disk jockey." Famous disk jockeys in the era included Alan Freed, Dick Clark, Don Imus and Wolfman Jack. Top 40 playlists were theoretically based on record sales; however, record companies began to bribe disk jockeys to play selected artists, in what was called payola.

In the 1960s, American television networks introduced broadcasts in color.

The 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s

The introduction of FM changed the listening habits of younger Americans. Many stations such as WNEW in New York City began to play whole sides of record albums, as opposed to the "Top 40" model of two decades earlier.

In the 1980s, the Federal Communications Commission, under Reagan Administration and Congressional pressure, changed the rules limiting the number of radio and television stations a business entity could own in one metropolitan area. This deregulation led to several groups, such as Infiniti Broadcasting and Clear Channel to buy many stations in major cities. The cost of these stations' purchases led to a conservative approach to broadcasting, including limited playlists and avoiding controversial subjects to not offend listeners, and increased commercials to increase revenue.

In 1987, stations in the European Broadcasting Union began offering Radio Data System (RDS), which provides written text information about programs that were being broadcast, as well as traffic alerts, accurate time, and other teletext services.

The 2000s

The 2000’s saw the introduction of digital radio, which improved the quality of sound, and direct broadcasting by satellite (DBS).

Digital radio services, except in the United States, were allocated a new frequency band in the range of 1,400 MHz. In the United States, this band was deemed to be vital to national defense, so an alternate band in the range of 2,300 MHz was introduced for satellite broadcasting. Two American companies,XM and Sirius, introduced DBS systems, which are funded by direct subscription, as in cable television. The XM and Sirius systems provide approximately 100 channels each.

In addition, a consortium of companies received FCC approval for In-Band On-Channel digital broadcasts in the United States, which use the existing mediumwave and FM bands to provide CD-quality sound.

In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission plans to move all Canadian broadcasting to the digital band and close all mediumwave and FM stations.

European and Australian stations have begun digital broadcasting. Digital radios began to be sold in the United Kingdom in 1998.

NOTE: Please see Talk:Broadcasting to discuss how we should approach this subject --GABaker