Broadcasting facts for kids

Broadcasting is how we send information, like TV shows or music, to many people at once. Think of it as sending signals through the air using radio waves, or through cables, or even from satellites in space! Your TV or radio then catches these signals.

Long ago, in 1901, Gugliemo Marconi sent the first radio signals across the Atlantic Ocean. This was a big step for wireless communication. A few years later, people started experimenting with sending voices and music. By the 1920s, broadcasting became very popular, and many homes had radios.

How Broadcasting Works

Broadcasters use different types of radio waves and special methods to send their signals. One of the first and most common methods was called amplitude modulation (AM) on medium waves. This is how many early radio stations worked.

Sometimes, even if a television network mainly uses cable TV instead of radio waves, it's still called broadcasting. This is because it sends shows to a large audience, just like traditional broadcasters.

Types of Broadcasters

There are different kinds of groups and companies that broadcast TV and radio programs. They each have their own ways of operating and getting money.

Public Broadcasters

Many countries have public broadcasting. These are TV and radio stations that get money from the government or from donations. Their main goal is to provide educational or cultural programs, not just entertainment.

For example, the BBC in Great Britain, NHK in Japan, and the CBC in Canada are all public broadcasters.

In the United States, most public TV and radio stations are run by schools, colleges, or state education departments. By law, they cannot show regular commercials. Instead, businesses can make donations to support their programs. Many of these stations are part of the Public Broadcasting System.

PBS is a bit different from other public broadcasters like the BBC. It gets a lot of its money from donations made by viewers and listeners. Public broadcasters often create shows that private companies might not be interested in, such as educational programs for kids, documentaries, and shows about important current events.

Private Broadcasters

Private broadcasting companies are businesses that broadcast TV and radio programs. Their main goal is to make money. They do this by selling advertisements, which you probably know as commercials. These commercials play during or between shows.

Community Broadcasters

A third type of broadcaster is community broadcasters. These are usually smaller, local TV and radio stations.

Community television stations are often available on cable networks. They usually focus on local news, events, and issues. Some even film and broadcast local cultural activities, like music concerts or town hall meetings.

Community radio stations play music and have shows about local topics. They are often run by volunteers and are usually small organizations. They might get money from local governments, universities, or donations from listeners. Some community radio stations also feature local poets or musicians.

Images for kids

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  A microphone used for broadcasting.

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  A broadcasting antenna in Stuttgart.

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  A television studio production control room in Olympia, Washington, August 2008.

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  An "On Air" sign lights up when a broadcast is happening.

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  Radio Maria studio in Switzerland.

See also

In Spanish: Radiodifusión para niños