Here is a small list of radio terminology
ACTUALITY – The recording made of an event or speech. It can be used as background sound under a voiceover or as an insert into a WRAP.
ATMOS – The ambience of a place – used as background to a voice report or WRAP. It can be used to gloss over awkward edits later.
AUDIO – Recorded sound of any kind.
B
BACK-ANNOUNCEMENT – The Presenter will often read a short piece after the play-out of a report – this is scripted by the reporter and will appear on the CUESHEET.
BACK-TIMING – Working out how long there is to the top of the hour or any other dead set time so that reports or music tracks can be played in to the precise timing required.
BED – Music or sound used as background. Normally only refers to sound used during a live transmission such as a weather or traffic report.
C
CANS – The normal term for headphones.
CART – A small plastic cartridge containing tape on a loop on which reports or BEDS are stored.
CLOCKSTART – A precise timing for an event or occasion – such as joining up with the rest of the network.
CUE (CUE SHEET) – The script for the Presenter to read in order to introduce an item. This is written by the Producer or Journalist. The DURATION and OUTCUE will be written at the bottom so that the Presenter will have a warning of the conclusion of the piece.
F
FADER – The sliding button on a Mixing Desk – used to increase volume or tone. You can use a FADER to gradually reduce sound.
FX – The usual terms for 'Effects'.
I
IRN – The most used news provider in commercial radio. Stands for Independent Radio News.
ISDN – An enhanced digital telephone line down which quality sound can be transmitted back to a studio.
L
LEVELS – The level at which a sound is coming through a mixing desk. Indicated by the 'level' on the display meters.
LINK – The connecting piece of speech between two items.
M
MAGAZINE – A speech based programme made up of a variety of items.
MULTIPLEX – A bundle of digital radio channels on a single frequency.
O
OB – An Outside Broadcast
OFCOM (Office of Communications) – The Government body now responsible for regulating Radio, Television and Telecommunications.
ONE-LEGGED – a recording that only comes out of one side of a stereo playout.
OUT-CUE – The last words or sounds from a recording.
P
POT POINT – A place in a recording where it can be stopped without losing sense. The Pot Points are marked by time and word on the CUESHEET and the Producer and can hit the transmission stop button at this point if he/she so desires.
POPPING – Distortion caused by having the microphone too close to the mouth. Is especially prevalent on the letter 'p'.
PROMO – A promotional TRAILER for a forthcoming event, programme or report.
PACKAGE – A multi-voiced report using interview, ambient sound, vox-pops, recorded speeches and/or music.
P.S.A. (Public Service Announcement) – An advertisement used given away free for a socially useful or charitable cause.
R
RAJAR – The survey that gives listening figures for all radio.
ROT (Recording of Transmission) – All stations have to record their output 24 hours a day for legal purposes. The quality is not normally good enough for re-transmission.
RSL (Restricted Service Licence) - A short term radio licence, usually on FM, available for up to 28 days at a time on low power. Used for specific events, as trials for potential full time stations or for training purposes.
S
SEGUE – The playing of two tracks into each other without speech in between.
SKILLSET – Sector Skills Council for Creative Media, with offices in London, the Nations and Regions.
TTRAILER – A short 'teaser' for an upcoming event or programme.
TX – Abbreviation for TRANSMISSION.
V
VOICE-OVER or V.O. – Talk over a piece of music or another recording.
VOX-POP – Comes from the Latin 'vox populi' – literally 'the voice of the people'. Used by reporters to get an indication of public reaction to a piece of news. A number of people will be interviewed and their replies to the same question will be edited together.
W
WRAP – A short feature or news report where the reporter's voice will appear before and after an interview clip.
