What is broadcast media?

Broadcast media involves electronically and simultaneously sending information containing

signals, audio or video content to a vast group of recipients using television, radio, and digital
media including the Internet, emails and texts. Even amidst the pop culture dominance of the
internet, broadcast media still commands the largest share of the advertising pie nationwide.

History

The earliest broadcasting consisted of sending telegraph signals over the airwaves, using Morse
code, a system developed in the 1830s by Samuel F. B. Morse, physicist Joseph Henry and
Alfred Vail. They developed an electrical telegraph system which sent pulses of electric current
along wires which controlled an electromagnet that was located at the receiving end of the
telegraph system. A code was needed to transmit natural language using only these pulses, and
the silence between them. This was particularly important for ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore
communication, but it became increasingly important for business and general news reporting.
Audio broadcasting began experimentally in the first decade of the 20th century. By the early
1920s radio broadcasting became a household medium, at first on the AM band and later on FM.
Television broadcasting started experimentally in the 1920s and became widespread after World
War II, using VHF and UHF spectrum. Satellite broadcasting was initiated in the 1960s and
moved into general industry usage in the 1970s, with DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellites) emerging
in the 1980s.

Broadcast Media
 Broadcast television
 Cable television
 On-demand television
 TV/web integration
 Local, network, and national radio
 On-air endorsements
 Long-form programming
 Multi-language programming
The Power of Radio
Radio reaches more Americans than any other advertising media. As an example, let’s look at
Los Angeles, CA. It is the #1 radio revenue market in the world and generates more than $1
billion dollars in sales each year. In that market alone, more than 9 million people listen to radio
each week. People are loyal to radio and love listening to their favorite DJ or talk show host. The
shows become part of their routines as they drive to and from work or run errands or take kids to
school. There is probably at least one conversation in your office every day that starts with, “I
heard on the radio this morning…” The reason is more adults in L.A. listen to radio in a week
than will visit Google+ in a month! Radio offers a unique method to achieve Top-Of-Mind-
Awareness (TOMA)
The Power of Television
We just mentioned a unique power of radio to achieve TOMA. Television advertising -another
part of broadcast media- is the most powerful medium currently available to put your brand at
the forefront of your customers’ minds. The combination of audio and visual messages allows
for a dual delivery of your marketing message.
Television Advertising Choices
There is a huge range of choices when it comes demographic targeting with television
advertising. Advertising on TV continues to be one of the most effective marketing methods
available. Millions of Americans watch TV while also surfing the internet on their desktop ,
laptop, tablet, or Smartphone. These potential customers can see your add on television and surf
immediately over to your website to learn more about your company or product. Conversely, a
potential customer can share reactions on Facebook or Twitter to their favorite shows and see
your mobile or other online ad appear.
How Do Radio and TV Help
Credibility via popular media
Branding to a loyal audience
Association with customer’s favorite show/actor/DJ/host
Top Of Mind Awareness (TOMA)
Unique demographic targeting
Multi-screen engagement
Methods
Historically, there have been several methods used for broadcasting electronic media audio and
video to the general public:

1. Telephone broadcasting (1881–1932): the earliest form of electronic broadcasting (not

counting data services offered by stock telegraph companies from 1867, if ticker-tapes
are excluded from the definition). Telephone broadcasting began with the advent of
Théâtrophone ("Theatre Phone") systems, which were telephone-based distribution
systems allowing subscribers to listen to live opera and theatre performances over
telephone lines, created by French inventor Clément Ader in 1881. Telephone
broadcasting also grew to include telephone newspaper services for news and
entertainment programming which were introduced in the 1890s, primarily located in
large European cities. These telephone based subscription services were the first
examples of electrical/electronic broadcasting and offered a wide variety of
programming.

2. Radio broadcasting (experimentally from 1906, commercially from 1920); audio signals
sent through the air as radio waves from a transmitter, picked up by an antenna and sent
to a receiver. Radio stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast common radio
programs, either in broadcast syndication, simulcast or sub channels.

3. Television broadcasting (telecast), experimentally from 1925, commercially from the

1930s: an extension of radio to include video signals.

4. Cable radio (also called "cable FM", from 1928) and cable television (from 1932): both
via coaxial cable, originally serving principally as transmission media for programming
produced at either radio or television stations, but later expanding into a broad universe
of cable-originated channels.

5. Direct-broadcast satellite (DBS) (from c. 1974) and satellite radio (from 1990): meant for
direct-to-home broadcast programming (as opposed to studio network uplinks and
downlinks), provides a mix of traditional radio or television broadcast programming, or
both, with dedicated satellite radio programming. (See also: Satellite television)

6. Webcasting of video/television (from c. 1993) and audio/radio (from 1994) streams:

offers a mix of traditional radio and television station broadcast programming with
dedicated Internet radio and Internet television.
How broadcast media works

1. It is still relevant

Broadcast media may seem old school in this digital age. But it still has a major part to play
in getting exposure of ideas, products, services, news and information out to a mass
audience. Information travels along a communications network, locally, regionally,
nationally and internationally. In advertising, broadcast or traditional media can give a
company a competitive edge over other businesses because there's an immediacy that makes
an impact. People still watch televisions and listen to terrestrial radios. Consumers continue
to read actual magazines in printed form. Consumers tend to remember the ads they hear or
see on radio or television.

2. Television is still a power player

Despite the omnipresence of the Internet; television provides great reach for businesses.
Almost everyone owns a television. With the reach that television has, especially in
advertising, larger companies with major budgets continue to use this medium as their
primary sales tool. During a highly-rated prime time show on a major network; there's a
captive audience of approximately 10 million people. Some ads like are memorable, giving
maximum exposure and creating powerful brand recognition for those goods and services.
Ads can yield millions of dollars per minute of air time. The ads tend to be creative and
dynamic so consumers remember them. Television is still one of the most creative forms of
broadcast media because there's an ability to tell visually compelling stories infused with
effective emotionality and humor.

3. Radio can make a local impact

Radio may be a minor player among broadcast media but it is still a player all the same.
Radio tends to go local. For advertising and public relations, radio is less expensive to sell.
Radio ads have the advantage of being easier to produce, ensuring a quicker turnaround
than for print or television advertising. Radio is not dependent upon expensive and
complicated equipment for remote broadcasts and activities. This can be ideal for local
businesses who want to show community engagement and still connect with a local
 audience of consumers. Pew Research has reported that in one week approximately 91% of
consumers listened to radio. Any way you cut it, that's still great exposure.

Conclusion:

Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any
electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum
(radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began with AM radio, which came into
popular use around 1920 with the spread of vacuum tube radio transmitters and receivers. Before
this, all forms of electronic communication (early radio, telephone, and telegraph) were one-to-
one, with the message intended for a single recipient. The term broadcasting evolved from its use
as the agricultural method of sowing seeds in a field by casting them broadly about. It was later
adopted for describing the widespread distribution of information by printed materials or by
telegraph. Examples applying it to "one-to-many" radio transmissions of an individual station to
multiple listeners appeared as early as 1898. Over the air broadcasting is usually associated with
radio and television, though in recent years both radio and television transmissions have begun to
be distributed by cable (cable television). The receiving parties may include the general public or
a relatively small subset; the point is that anyone with the appropriate receiving technology and
equipment (e.g., a radio or television set) can receive the signal. The field of broadcasting
includes both government managed services such as public radio, community radio and public
television, and private commercial radio and commercial television.