Broadcast Distribution

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Introduced in the late 19th century, broadcast media has transformed society and culture. Beginning with radio and followed by television, the advent of long-range, mass communication collectivized our opinions and experience.

"Broadcast" describes methods of simultaneously disseminating a single message to a wide audience. Relying on over-the-air transmission of EM waves, early broadcasts had limited range subject to the topography of a region and strength of signal. The introduction and growth of cable and satellite technologies has enhanced the range, quality and features available, Today, a single signal can be replicated and propogated to a global audience nearly instantaneously.

Broadcast technologies are still limited by their very nature; all viewers must be receiving the same information at the same rate. Many broadcasters have circumvented this limitation to some extent by offering DVR capabilities and narrowcast VOD to their customers. As web broadcasting technologies improve, offering a more TV-like experience, I believe broadcasters will offer different kinds of programming taking advantages of the dispersed communal experience.