Broadcast
The term broadcast originally referred to the use of radio waves to transmit radio content. Later, this was extended to transmit television. Broadcasting frequencies are limited and are carefully regulated by governments. In the 20th century, this resulted in concentrated ownership of media, whereby a handful of media companies reached large scale audiences and dominated communication.Cable
Cable television and radio is content that is delivered to the home over a coaxial cable. In the 1980s, many nations granted licenses for new television networks for distribution over cable. This resulted in a surge in demand for cable as suddenly consumers could access dozens of stations that quickly increased to hundreds. Cable television shifted significant power to telecom companies that often enjoyed a monopoly across large regions due to the costs of building out the last mile.Satellite
Satellite television emerged as early as the mid-1970s as a means of competing with broadcast and cable. Early satellite transmissions required consumers to invest in large systems that included a satellite dish up to 10 feet in diameter. With time, the technology miniaturized and became a viable alternative to cable. Satellite radio was launched in many regions around 2000 resulting in a resurgence in interest in radio broadcasts.Internet
The internet essentially democratized one-to-many communications whereby anyone could publish a blog and reach a large audience. Due to historical associations, streaming media, particularly involving radio and television content is considered broadcast media.| Overview: Broadcast Media | ||
Type | ||
Definition | Any method of one-to-many communication that can reach a very large audience from a single source. | |
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