Journalism 162 Introduction to Broadcast Technology

Broadcast Services

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Broadcast
Jons General Definitions:
Sending information from a single source such that it can be directly received at many locations. Radio Broadcast utilizes electromagnetic (radio) signals without physical connection. Specific identification of the receiver is not possible. A Broadcast is transmitted broadly in real-time, though the program material might not be live.

Broadcast Facilities
Broadcast stations are usually composed of two facility types.
Studio site
Program origination Operational control

Transmitter site
Radio Frequency equipment
Exciter, Power Amp(s), Control System, Antenna

Can be co-located with Studio

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Analog Radio - AM
AM Amplitude Modulation
The amplitude (volts) of an RF carrier is varied by a relatively low frequency signal. First experimental broadcasts of voice during 1906. First licensed AM station in USA - KDKA, Pittsburgh (1920)
XWA/CFCF, Montreal 1920 WWJ, Detroit 1920 reported 1920 presidential election results.

Also used for many non-broadcast systems

Analog Radio - FM
FM Frequency Modulation
The frequency (hertz) of an RF carrier is varied by a relatively low frequency signal. Invented by Edwin Armstrong (1890-1954)
Several patents leading to 1936 publication describing FM Radio
"A Method of Reducing Disturbances in Radio Signaling by a System of Frequency Modulation First commercial broadcast in 1939 by WRVE, Schenectady, NY.

The beginning of High Fidelity audio broadcast. Stereo FM broadcast approved by FCC in 1961 In 1978, FM listenership exceeded AM. FM also used by wireless microphones, etc.

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Digital Radio
IBOC In-Band On-Channel
HD Radio technology is licensed from iBiquity Selected by FCC for United States in 2003 Usable by both AM & FM stations HD1, HD2 & HD3 digital audio streams on FM Allows full compatibility with analog radio
Digital modulation co-exists with analog FM

Unlike DTV, no current FCC plan to obsolete analog radio no spectrum to re-claim.

Satellite Radio
Transmits from earth-orbiting satellites versus terrestrial (land-based) antennas. XM Geostationary satellites Sirius non-stationary satellites Merged in 2008, but differing encoding methods still require service-specific receivers. Dual-mode receivers are available. Internet service for PCs & smart phones

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Analog Television
NTSC National Television System Committee
North America, Japan and a few other countries. Defines 1) the video signal characteristics and 2) the video (AM) and audio (FM) modulation methods. Standard B&W in 1941, color in 1953 US Broadcast ended 2009, but video format still used.

PAL & SECAM

Different video characteristics and modulation. Important for international production. Be aware when buying videos outside of the USA!

Analog TV standards

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Digital Television
ATSC Advanced Television Systems Committee.
Like NTSC, defines video data format and transmission/modulation method. Many audio and video formats available
Standard Definition (SD) and various High Definition (HD) formats for video. Stereo, Surround 5.1 AC3 (Dolby Digital). NTSC has only one resolution available (480i).

Allows for other, non-program, data streams.

Digital TV Standards

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Other Television Services

Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS)
Dish Network & DirecTv Geostationary orbit transmitters

Cable network
Requires physical connection (not over-the-air). Uses NTSC/ATSC video formats, but QAM modulation. Analog and digital signals on different channels Bi-directional data paths allow receiver interaction.

Cable and DBS channels are not FCC regulated in the same way as conventional broadcast channels.
Service Providers have technical regulations