Radio Broadcasting Glossary – S
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Sales Manager – A radio station employee who is responsible for the department which sells radio commercials and other radio products.
SDARS or Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service – XM and SIRIUS Satellite Radio.
Segue (Pronounced seg-way) – moving from one musical selection to another without any announcing or interruption.
Share – The number of persons who listened to a station during a given time period, expressed as a percent of all persons who listened to radio during that time period.
Shell transmitter – The source or generator of any signal on a transmission medium.
Shock jock – a radio personality who typically uses controversial and/or what could be considered obscene contest by some, in order to attract more attention in the pursuit of higher ratings.
Shortwave – The band of frequencies approximately between 3 MHz and 30 MHz, shortwave is also known as radio wave deflection and it permits a broadcast to travel thousands of miles without interference from mountains or other obstacles.
Sideline Reporter – Used to describe a sports reporter who roams the sidelines of a sporting events. The sideline reporter often conducts interviews with coaches, players and fans during breaks in the action as well as providing injury updates.
Sign-on – The time in which a radio or TV station begins its broadcast day.
Simulcast – The broadcast of the same or simultaneous show or telecast on different stations.
Skype – A free Internet telephony used by many podcasters to conduct interviews and other business.
Small Market Station – A radio or TV station located in a small city or town.
Sound byte – A snippet of audio usually culled from an interview and used in conjunction with a news story. Its length may vary anywhere from: 05 to :15 seconds.
Spot – Another word for a radio commercial.
Sports Broadcasting – The broadcast, usually live, of a sporting event or occassion. Also used to describe the portion of a newscast devoted to sports news.
Stager – a musical effect that establishes and holds; good for dramatic emphasis.
Station IDs – Legal announcement broadcast at the top of the hour identifying the radio station by its legal call letters.
Station log – A journal listing every song and commercial played and the time they were played.
Stinger – A technique often used by radio DJs that is a sound or musical effect punctuating or emphasizing a thought.
Stop set – This refers to the place where commercials are played during a typical broadcast hour. There may be several scattered throughout a typical 60 minute period.
Streaming – The act of turning audio into digital data and transmitting it over the Internet.
Stream jockey – What a DJ is called on satellite radio or a DJ on a webcast.
Syndicated – a radio program offered by a network or an independent organization that is for sale or on a barter basis to radio stations.
Sweeper – A recorded element, such as a voice, voice over music or sound effects, that bridges two songs together or creates a transition from commercials back to music.
