Technology / Television (TV) Glossary

Point-Of-View Shot: A shot in which the camera is physically situated very close to a character's position: thus the resulting shot approximates the character's point-of-view.

Polysemy: Literally, many meanings. Refers to television's ability to communicate contradictory or ambivalent meanings simultaneously.

Post Buy Analysis: An analysis of schedule performance after it runs: offers a means of measuring a media buy as run versus goal or original estimate of achievement.

Post-Production: Everything (e.g., editing, sound effects) that transpires after the program itself has been shot.

Pre-Emption: An omission of an announcement from a previously confirmed broadcast schedule: the advertiser is either offered a make-good or takes a credit.

Pre-Production: The written planning stages of the program (script preparation, budgeting, etc.).

Preferred Reading: In cultural studies, the interpretation of the text that is stressed by the text itself. Marxists presume this reading to align with the dominant ideology.

Problematic Fit: In the study of television stars, a complete mismatch of a particular role's characteristics with a star's polysemy.

Product Placement: The appearance of a trademarked product (e.g., Budweiser beer or Apple computers) in a program-when the sponsor pays for such placement.

Production: The shooting of the program itself.

Progressive Scan: The way a television decodes an image – also known as non-interlaced, the odd and even fields are scanned sequentially (1, 2, 3, 4…) every 1/60 of a second. 60 frames are produced every seco . . . View Full Definition

Projection: Often referred to as big screens, projection tvs come in two different styles: front and rear. Front and rear TV’s operate in the same manner by forming a small image and reflecting it onto . . . View Full Definition

Proletariat: In Marxist terms, the working class: this least powerful group works to survive, selling its labor to the bourgeoisie.

Promotion: A type of media text (e.g., an appearance on a talk show) generated by the star and his or her representatives in a deliberate attempt to shape viewer perception of the star.

Protocol: Set of syntax rules defining exchange of data including items such as timing, format, sequencing, error checking, etc.

Pseudomonologue: Type of interview in which the interviewer and his or her questions are not evident in the text: only the interviewee's answers are included.

PSIP: Program and System Information Protocol. A part of the ATSC digital television specification that enables a DTV receiver to identify program information from the station and use it to create . . . View Full Definition

Psychographics: Audience analysis on the basis of psychological factors such as lifestyles, values, and interests and how they affect purchase behavior.

Public Domain: Material (e.g., a piece of music) that is not copyrighted, which may be used in TV programs without paying a fee or royalty.

Publicity: A type of media text (e.g., an unauthorized biography) that presents information outside the control of the star and his or her representatives.

PVR: A Personal Video Recorder PVR satellite receiver) has a built in hard drive for digital recording of satellite television programs: these come with a typical 35-hour recording capability and . . . View Full Definition

Quad Lnbf: A combination LNBF and multi-sat switch component for DISH 500 systems can accommodate up to 4 DISH Network receivers.

Quarter Hour Audience: Individuals viewing a station at least five minutes in a specific 15-minute period.

R-F Connectors: An RF coaxial cable type output on a satellite TV set-top box to connect with old TV sets that do not include separate audio and video connectors. This type of connection do not support ster . . . View Full Definition

Racking Focus (Pulling Focus): Shifting the focus from foreground to background, or vice versa.

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