Technology / Television (TV) Glossary

180 Rule: An editing principle of the continuity (or 180) system which dictates that cameras remain on one side of the axis of action in order to preserve the scene's spatial continuity and screen direction.

A-D: Analog to digital conversion (or converter). Used at transmission end of broadcast.

Abstract Animation: An aesthetic tenet of animation which sees animation as consisting of lines, shapes and colors, abstract forms to be manipulated by the animator at will. The opposite of naturalistic animation.

AC-3: The 5.1-channel sound system specified in the Standard for Digital-HDTV. Also known as 'Dolby Digital,' AC-3 delivers CD-quality digital audio and provides five full-bandwidth channels for f . . . View Full Definition

Access Card: Also know as a smart card, is a removable credit card-size plastic card included with each satellite TV receiver. It identifies each receiver within your satellite TV system, stores your pro . . . View Full Definition

Act (Segment): A portion or segment of the narrative presented between commercial breaks. Consists of one or more scenes.

Active Display Area: The area on the face of the CRT that the image is displayed on.

Actor Movement: Typically referred to by the theatrical term, blocking.

Actualities: Events from the historical world used in news and sports programs.

Ad Hoc Network: A group of stations that is formed for a special purpose, such as the showing of a one-time TV program or series. Ad hoc is Latin for 'for this.'

Additional Outlet (A-O): Receivers other than the primary one can be connected to the dish allowing other televisions in the house to be on different programs than the one connected to the primary receiver. Alternat . . . View Full Definition

Additive Color: In video, the combination of red, green and blue phosphors to generate all other colors.

Addressable Resolution: The highest resolution signal that a display device (TV or monitor) can accept. Caution: Consumers should be aware however, that although a particular device (Digital-HDTV) is able to receiv . . . View Full Definition

Adjacency: A commercial or program that immediately follows or precedes another on the same TV station.

Advanced Television (ATV): Advanced Television is an earlier term used to describe the development and advance applications of digital television, now simply referred to as DTV.

Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC): An acronym for Advanced Television Systems Committee, and the name of the DTV system used by broadcasters in the U.S. In European they use the COFDM standard. A digital tuner made for use in . . . View Full Definition

Advertising Weight: A measure of advertising delivery, normally stated in terms of number of commercials, homes reached, target audience impressions, and gross rating points.

Aesthetic: A philosophy of the beautiful: criteria which define art (or television) as good or bad. Also used to refer to determining factors of television that are neither technological or economic.

Affidavit: A notarized statement from a television station that confirms the commercial actually ran at the time shown on the station's invoice.

Affiliate: A TV station, not owned by a network, that grants a network use of specific time periods for network programs and advertising, for compensation. Remainder of broadcast day is programmed locally.

Alternate Delivery Systems (ADS): TV homes with unwired cable access are referred to as having Alternate Delivery Systems. The four components of ADS are. Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS): Satellite service delivered directl . . . View Full Definition

Ambient Sound: Background sounds of a particular room or location.

American Federation Of Television And Radio Artists (AFTRA): An AFL-CIO union of broadcasting workers. Headquartered in N.Y., near the offices of the major networks, it is the primary organization of broadcast talent, with 30 locals. Performers who ap . . . View Full Definition

American Women In Radio And Television (AWRT): An association in Washington D.C., of women who work in all areas of broadcasting.

Amplified Gain: Gain is the ratio of the amount of power you can reach in one direction from the antenna to the amount of power that would be generated if the power radiated equally in all directions from t . . . View Full Definition

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