Today the most common definition of a broadcast is a radio, TV, or digital transmission of information. The term broadcast was first used to refer to transmitted radio programs in the 19th century and popularized in the 1920s when access to radios became more widespread.

New terminology was established for radio transmissions to differentiate them from older forms of communications, especially printed newspapers. In the context of modern media communications, broadcast now refers to a wide variety of transmission types, such as:

● Radio programs, including news, music, advertising, and talk radio
● TV programs, including news, advertising, and scripted or unscripted TV shows
● Online programs, including edited video and/or audio, live streams, and advertisements


As more news is consumed online, digital broadcasts usually include multiple forms of media that allow individuals to choose their own mode of consumption. A modern news article, for example, often includes a written and video version of the same article, allowing individuals to read, listen to,
and watch each story.

While many types of broadcasts are journalistic in nature, a broadcast is not always journalism. Any broadcast intended to inform people about important events, information, or individuals can be considered journalism. On the other hand, a broadcast intended to entertain, advertise, or discuss
specific interests is usually not constitutive of journalism.

What is Broadcast Journalism?

Broadcast journalism is news that reaches consumers via radio, TV, or online broadcast. It is also called broadcast media. Generally, the different types of broadcast media appeal to different audiences and fulfill different roles in informing individuals about the news.

The convergence of journalistic media online has greatly altered the news cycle and perception of the news by individuals. One of the most obvious examples of this is the 24-hour news cycle which is the tendency for news media outlets to constantly produce content, report on events while they
are unfolding, and report on perceptions of previous news coverage. The 24-hour news cycle was primarily prompted by the development of cable news because these news channels could constantly report on events. Historically, news cycles operated on a daily or weekly basis.


Newspapers, for example, were commonly published in daily or weekly issues, and little other reporting could be provided outside of these timeframes. Today, the 24-hour news cycle increases pressure for news outlets to constantly publish new content. This can allow consumers to be more informed, but it can also encourage the production of inaccurate, superficial, or low-quality journalistic content.

Última atualização: quarta-feira, 29 jan. 2025, 14:57