Ad
Ad is an abbreviation for advertisement. Usually, it's a recorded piece of audio to promote a business or event.
Ad-Lib
An ad-lib or ad-libbing is when a presenter improvises. Ad-libbing is a common practice when something goes wrong like the show is disturbed or there is a technical difficulty.
AM - Amplitude Modulation
This broadcast signal varies the amplitude of the carrier wave. It is used by AM broadcast stations and requires an AM receiver. The AM frequency range is 530 to 1710 kHz.
Automation
Software or equipment, like mixers and soundboards, loaded with pre-set audio to automate shows. Often these sounds are controlled by a computer to ensure accurate and repeatable audio.
Average Audience
The approximate number of listeners you will reach in any given quarter hour of the station and time zone selected.
Back Announce
Back announcing is when a presenter talks about a song that has just played.
Back Time
Back timing is the technique of working out how much time is left before an event. For example, if a DJ's show is going to end, they work out the right length of a song to ensure they don't finish too early or overrun.
Bandwidth
In terrestrial radio, bandwidth is the range of the broadcasting equipment. In internet radio, bandwidth is the amount of data consumed by listeners.
Bed
Audio that is used to talk over by the DJ. Usually, it's part of a jingle or segment between tracks to keep a flow.
Bumper
A song, music, or another element that signals a transition to or from commercial breaks.
Call sign - call letters
The unique designation of transmitter broadcast stations. In the United States, they generally start with the first letter K west of the Mississippi River and W east of the Mississippi. Older stations may have only a three letter designation while newer ones have four letters. Stations must announce their call sign on the top of each hour and when signing on or off the air for stations that don't broadcast 24 hours per day.
Clean Feed
An audio stream that is free from interference like sounds from external equipment.
Cue
Cue is the beginning of a track. It's often used as a mark to prepare before starting something, for example, a presenter about to do a live show.
Cut
Cuts are small segments in a radio show.
Day Parts
Day parts mean the different times of the day you can run an ad campaign. Two major days parts on the radio are for morning shows (usually 6am-9am) and evening shows (4pm-7pm).
Dead Air
On-air silence when there is an error made by the staff or due to equipment failure.
Delay Unit
A device used to delay a show before it broadcasts, normally used during phone calls as a way to cut offensive language before it transmits.
DJ or Disk Jockey
A radio announcer who plays music on air.
Donut
A jingle that starts with singing, music in the middle, and singing again at the end.
Drive time
The rush hour commuter periods when radio stations usually have their largest audience. Ad rates are highest for drive time.
Fade In
The audio level of a track gradually becomes louder until it reaches its proper level. Fade ins are commonly used for smoother transitions to segue into a new track or DJ segment.
Fade Out
The audio level of a track gradually becomes quieter until it disappears altogether. Fade outs are commonly used for smoother transitions to segue into a new track or DJ segment.
Hit the Post
An expression DJs use to describe talking up to the point when the lyrics begin without "stepping" on the beginning of the vocals.
Jingle
A short audio clip played on a radio show used for promotion. Sponsors or advertisers use jingles between tracks, usually accompanied with voice-overs and sound effects to engage listeners.
Lead
The first sentence of a news story, which should concisely reveal the story's basic events and provide an introduction to the details given in the rest of the story.
Link
Links are sandwiched in between songs, usually featuring info about what's up next, news, or competitions.
Over Running
When a track or DJ exceeds the expected finish time.
Payola
An illegal practice of taking payment or other benefits to play certain songs on the radio and not identifying the sponsorship. Payola scandals have been common in the radio broadcast industry from the 1950s to the early 2000s. As playlists are now rarely chosen by the DJs themselves and are delivered pre-recorded by companies, there is less opportunity for payola.
Playlist
The list of songs that a station has arranged and will play.
Promo
Short for promotion, a promo is a form of advertisement.
Radio Format
The type of music and programming broadcast by a radio station. These can include news, talk, sports, country, contemporary, rock, alternative, urban, classical, religious, or college.
Radio Frequency (RF)
A signal for which an AM/FM radio station is broadcast on.
Script
A written piece for the presenter to read during the show.
Segue
A term used to describe the transition from one track to another. Segues are often presenters introducing the next track or talking about what's to come next during the show.
Splice
To join or edit audio together.
Spot
A commercial.
Sound Effects (SFX)
Noises played during shows to add a layer of creativity, like car horns, lightning, and footsteps.
Sweeper
A branded radio station jingle played between two tracks.
Target Audience Demographic
The age group and make-up of the audience that you target and wish to receive your product or service message. For information on figuring out your target audience demographics, check out our article
here.
Tease
A brief phrase is spoken immediately before playing a spot, songs, etc. to tell the listener about a story coming up later.
.jpg)
