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| CATV (community antenna television) |
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Definition
| an early cable system that originated where mountains or tall buildings blocked TV signals; because of early technical and regulatory limits, CATV contained only twelve channels |
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| The orbit in space, 22,300 miles above the earth, where communication satellites traveling at about 6800 miles per hour can maintain the same position (or "footprint") above the earth as the planet rotates on its axis |
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| The relay points on a communication satellite that receive and transmit telephone and TV signals |
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| A cable TV system's computerized nerve center, where TV signals from local broadcast stations and satellites are received, processed, and distributed to area homes |
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| Rules established by the FCC requiring all cable operators to assign channels to and carry all local TV broadcasts on their systems, thereby ensuring that local network affiliates, independent stations (those not carrying network programs), and public television channels would benefit from cable's clearer reception) |
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| A tier of nonbroadcast channels dedicated to local education, government, and the public |
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| Channels that allow citizens to buy time for producing programs or presenting their own viewpoints |
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| Communication businesses, such as broadcasters or cable TV companies, that are entitled to choose what channels or content to carry |
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| A communication or transportation business, such as a phone company or a taxi service, that is required by law to offer service on a first-come, first-served basis to whoever can pay the rate; such companies do not get involved in content |
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Term
| Telecommunications Act of 1996 |
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Definition
| The sweeping update of telecommunications law that led to a wave of media consolidation |
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| Any specialized electronic programming or media channel aimed at a target audience |
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| A tier of channels composed of local broadcast signals, nonbroadcast access channels (for local government, education, and general public use), a few regional PBS stations, and a variety of popular channels downlinked from communication satellites |
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| Local independent TV stations, such as WTBS in Atlanta or WGN in Chicago, that have uplinked their signals onto a communication satellite to make themselves available nationwide |
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| A tier of channels that subscribers can order at an additional monthly fee over their basic cable service; these may include movie channels and interactive services |
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| The phenomenon of controlling a mass media industry at its three essential levels: production, distribution, and exhibition; the term is most frequently used in reference to the film industry |
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| A cable-television service that allows customers to select a particular movie for a fee, or to pay $25 to $40 for a special onetime event |
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| Cable television technology that enables viewers to instantly order programming such as movies to be digitally delivered to their sets |
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| Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) |
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| A satellite-based service that for a monthly fee downlinks hundreds of satellite channels and services; they began distributing video programming directly to households in 1994 |
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| A communication technology that provides data over long distances in multiple ways, from traditional cell phone connections to services that link mobile phones to traditional mass media |
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| Multiple-system Operators (MSOs) |
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| Large corporations that own numerous cable television systems |
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| An organizational structure in which a few firms control most of an industry's production and distribution resources |
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