-
A
ABC - Australian Broadcasting Corporation, American
Broadcasting Company
AVID - Apple Mac non-linear computer video editing
system
ANI - ANImate; command for graphics to change to the next image
Animation - A BBC name for a shorter identifier that runs before trails rather
than programmes.
ARC - Aspect Ratio Converter; changes 16:9 widescreen to 4:3 ratio
and back
Aspect Ratio - ratio of width to height
Aston - Name caption or "super" (superimposition) or
CG
Audio Description - A special sound channel which is used by
certain programmes to include the addition of a narrative voice for
those with sight difficulties
-
B
BASYS - Old News scripting tool
BBC - BBC
BETA - Videotape format
BETACART - Multiple tape storage/automation system used to
transmit Beta tapes
BIGTED - Gallery device which creates and display Astons or
name captions
BLACK & SILENCE - (B&B;Black & Burst) A source
which provides pure black video, correct Burst and no audio
BNCS - Broadcast Network Control System; routes sources from one
place to another. Can also control equipment at a basic level.
Designed by the BBC to integrate the control of any broadcast
equipment. Now used by other broadcasters worldwide
BSB - British Satellite Broadcasting - UK's only official
government approved DTH satellite service. Concived in the mid-80s, it
launched with five television channels in April 1990. It later merged
with Sky Television on 31st October 1990 to become BSkyB
BSkyB - British Satellite Broadcasting - formed on October 31st
1990 as a result of a merger between BSB and Sky Television LTD.
Operates digital DTH services for UK viewers via the Astra 2 group of
satellites, and provider of channels for cable and digital terrestrial
services
BUG - DINGO
-
C
CAP - Caption Graphic (old
terminology); a picture or still
CAM - Conditional Access Module - hardware used to decrypt
encrypted channels, when authorised to do so with a valid smartcard.
CCTV - Closed Circuit Television
CG - Caption Graphic = Aston = Super
CI - Common Interface - a socket used for adding additional
hardware, usally adding a CAM to a STB.
Clean Feed - Feed of programme sound less the source it is
being fed to. Also known as IFB
CODDED 2-WAY - Recording a 2-way (DTL) non-sequentially;
answers recorded in vision with presenter questions recorded and added
later
COLUMBUS - Command processor that runs the transmission
automation system
CNN - Cable News Network (weblink)
CSO - Chroma Separation Overlay; ChromaKey. Removing a
particular colour electronically from an image and replacing with
another image
CTA - Central Technical Area. Area which routes sources and
destinations
-
D
DCART - Digital audio recording and
storage device
DIGIGRADE - Same as TARIF but settings stored and remembered
for later retrieval
Digital 3&4 - Service operating digital terrestrial
multiplex 2. Consist a joint ownership of ITV and Channel 4.
DINGO - Digitally originated In News Graphics On screen. Full
colour version of DOG. Also known as BUG
DNC1 - Digital Network Control 1
DOG - Digitally Originated Graphic. Monochrome video signal.
Used for Insets and channel idents
DONUT - Sequence in which reporter at OS introduces a package
and ends with a 2-way
DSK - Down Stream Keyer. Part of vision chain, normally on
vision mixer, where Astons, DOGs and DINGOs are inserted
DST - DSat - Digital Satellite Television
DTL - Down The Line (2-way) An interview with a contributor at
an Outside Source
DTH - Direct To Home - satellite broadcasts intened for home
viewing
DTT - Digital Terrestrial Television. "ITV Digital" in
the UK (weblink)
DTV - Digital Television
DVC - Tape format (Digital Video Cassette)
DVB - Digital Video Broadcasting
DVR - Digital Video Recorder
-
E
ENG - Electronic News Gathering;
Same as FRV
ENPS - Electronic News Production System - the News computer
system developed jointly by BBC and AP
EPG - Electronic Program Guide
-
F
FEEDS - Pictures sent by
circuits from News Organisations
FRV - Fast Response Vehicle; Vehicle equipped to record and
transmit from any location
FTA - Free To Air - television channel broadcasting that is
viewable to any person with suitable equipment
FTV - Free To View - a channel broadcasting with encryption,
but without any fee payable to view it
FX - Audio effects
-
G
GFX - Graphics
GLITS - Grahams Line Identifier Test Signal. Standard test used
to check stereo audio chain. Left and Right legs at -3db. When
combined into mono equal 0db (PPM 4)
GMG - Granada Media Group.
GSB - Granada Sky Broadcasting - provider of Granada branded
channels; Granada Plus, Granada Breeze and Granada Men & Motors.
Ownership consists of 51% GMG and 49% BSkyB
-
H
HAL - Graphics moving image processor produced by Quantel
HD - High Definition
HDTV - High Definition Television
-
I
IBA
- The Independent Broadcasting Authority, created in 1973 to take
in regulation of independent radio as well as television
Ident -
An identification symbol (ident or symbol) is the name given to
that which identifies a channel, traditionally the bit shown before a
programme starts.
INSET - Background graphic alongside presenter
iDSTV - Integrated Digital Satellite Television - similar to an
iDTV, but with a built-in digital satellite tuner
iDTV - Integrated Digital Television - television set capable of
receiving digital terrestrial services, without the need for any
additional equipment, such as a STB
ITA - The Independent Television Authority - forerunner to the
IBA
ITC - Independant Television Commission - regulator of UK-based
television channels, UK cable and the UK's DTT platform
iTV - interactive Television
ITV - Independent Television, broadcast on Channel 3 and is
made up of 15 regional contractors.
-
L
Lambie-Nairn - Design company. They have produced the current BBC
logo as well as idents for BBC One, BBC Two and the original C4
'Bricks' ident amongst others. (weblink)
Letterbox - Often happens when a 16:9 image shown on a 4:3 tv set
Live Link - An outside source to be available live on air
LNB - Low Noise Block - box on the end of a satellite dish's
arm used in the process of satellite reception
LWT - London Weekend Television - franchise holder of weekend
ITV programming for the London area.
-
N
NAGRA - small audio recorder
NBC - The National Broadcasting Company of America, the first
broadcaster to air in the United States
NON-LINEAR - Digital information allowing easy re-ordering of
material usually video and audio
-
M
Mediahighway - Operating system used by digital terrestrial
STBs and iDTVs
MPEG - Moving Pictures Expert Group
-
O
OB - Outside Broadcast
OMNIBUS - Digital system for picture processing. Columbus being
a sub-system
OOV - Out Of Vision - Presenter voice is heard underneath still
or moving pictures
OpenTV - Operating system used by Sky digital satellite boxes
OS - Outside Source; incoming live event
OSD - On Screen Display
OSG - On-screen graphic (usually a menu of some sort)
-
P
PasB - Programme as Broadcast. Recording of live transmitted
programme. Usually recorded clean without Astons.
PHONO - Telephone interview
PHONO COMP - Composite graphic showing contributor and location
PIDLE - Programme Interruption Device Live Event. Visual device
to come out of a current transmitted programme and go to a News Event
Piece to camera - (PTC) Reporter in vision during a report; a
"stand-upper"
Pillarbox - Often happens when a 4:3 image shown on a 16:9 set
PIX - Pictures
PPM - Peak Programme Meter. Audio level indicator used by Sound
Engineers. PPM 6 being the maximum allowed for audio distribution
PPV - Pay Per View - programme, event or film purchasable on a
'one-off' basis
PRES - Presenter or Presentation
PROFILE - Omnibus Hard Disk video recorder/player
Promo - Pictures (and FX) to trail ahead to a feature
PVR - Personal Video Recorder - device with in-built EPG and
hard disc drive used for digitally recording programmes.
-
Q
Q&A - Question and Answer; a
2-way; a DTL
-
R
RANT - Reporter piece to camera lasting approx one minute
RC - Remote Control
RTE - Radio Telef�s �ireann, the national broadcaster for the
Republic of Ireland
RUSHES - Raw material straight out of the camera; unedited
pictures
RVTB - Reverse Talkback. Same as SWTB but in reverse - others
speak to Director
-
S
SATVAN - Vehicle equipped to transmit to Satellite for the
purposes of News Gathering
SD
- Standard Definition
SDN - S4C Digital Networks - Operator of digital terrestrial
multiplex A
SES Astra - Society of European Satellites - Astra. Luxembourg
based satellite operator.
SHF -
Super High Frequency - band of frequencies used for
Satellite reception
SIS - Satellite Information Service - a group of channels intended
for non-DTH use. Used mainly by betting shops to display latest
betting odds, results etc
SMG
- Scottish Media Group. (see "ITV") (weblink)
SNG
- Satellite News Gathering. Same as ENG but transmitting to a
satellite
SOF - Sound on Film (very old terminology)
SOT - Sound on tape (old terminology)
SOVT - Sound on video tape (old terminology)
Sting - Any short piece of audio or video which accompanies an
event, eg news headlines whose intention is to grab your attention.
STB - Set Top Box
STU - Set Top Unit
SWTB - Switched Talkback. Same as Talkback but activated by a
switch
SYNC - A clip from an interview; Also an engineering term which
identifies the start of a video signal
-
T
TALKBACK - TB. Audio Communications tool for various locations to
talk to one another to co-ordinate events. Primarily used by Director
to Presenter and all ancillary staff. Always switched on so everything
the Director says is heard at all times
TARIF - Technical Apparatus for the Rectification of Inferior
Film. Adjusts the colour, hue, blacks and gain of film for suitable transmission
on TV
T-Mail - E-Mail via Television Set
TRACK - Correspondents voice piece
TRUCK - Vehicle pictures are recorded or transmitted from
TX - Transmission; Instruction to transmit something for
Directors
TX OOV - Instruction to transmit pictures narrated live out of
vision
-
U
UHF - Ultra
High Frequency - band of frequencies used for both analogue and
digital terrestrial television
UNDERLAY - OOV
UPSOVT - A clip of audio during a VT OOV (also known as UPSOT,
UPSOF)
UPSUM - Summary (of breaking news) for Presenter to use to
recap
-
V
VHF - Very High Frequency -
band of frequencies once used in the UK for black and white
television, now used for FM and digital radio.
VITC - Vertical Interval Time Code. Used by VT machines to
identify specific frames. Appears as moving white blocks in the top 28
lines of a TV signal
VITS - Virtical Interval Time Signal. The top 28 lines of a TV
signal used by Teletext. Also contains test signals
VT - Video tape
VT OOV - old terminology of TX OOV
-
W
Widescreen - Images displayed in a 16:9 format
-
Z
Zero Level - Level for test signals. PPM 4 or 0db
-
Num
1+1 - A studio interview involving a presenter and 1 other
1+2 - A studio interview involving a presenter and 2 others
2-way - DTL; An interview with a guest at another location