Broadcasting

:Note: broadcasting is also the old term for hand sowing. See also broadcasting (networks).

Recorded or live

One can distinguish between recorded and live broadcasts. The former allows correcting errors, and removing superfluous or undesired material, rearranging it, applying slow-motion and repetitions, and other techniques to enhance the program.

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American radio network broadcasters habitually forbade prerecorded broadcasts in the 1930s and 1940s, requiring radio programs played for the Eastern and Central time zones to be repeated three hours later for the Pacific time zone. This restriction was dropped for special occasions, as in the case of the German dirigible airship Hindenburg at Lakehurst, New Jersey in 1937. During World War II, prerecorded broadcasts from war correspondents were allowed on U.S. radio. In addition, American radio programs were recorded for playback by Armed Forces Radio stations around the world.

Related Topics:
1930s - 1940s - Time zone - German - Dirigible - Hindenburg - Lakehurst, New Jersey - 1937 - World War II - Armed Forces Radio

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A disadvantage of recording first is that the public may know the outcome of an event from another source, which may be a spoiler. In addition, prerecording prevents live announcers from deviating from an officially-approved script, as occurred with propaganda broadcasts from Germany in the 1940s and with Radio Moscow in the 1980s.

Related Topics:
Spoiler - Announcer - Script - Propaganda - Radio Moscow - 1980s

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An intermediate form is a delay of a few seconds, to suppress obscenity and technical failures, or even coughing.

Related Topics:
Delay - Cough

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Many events are advertised as being live, although they are often "recorded live" (sometimes this is referred to as "live-to-tape"). This is particularly true of performances of musical artists on radio when they visit for an in-studio concert performance. This intentional blurring of the distinction between live and recorded media is viewed with chagrin among many music lovers. Similar situations have sometimes appeared in television ("The Cosby Show is recorded in front of a live studio audience").

Related Topics:
Concert - The Cosby Show

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