Art of joyful Living

Nav Raj Pokharel
Journalist

This world has fallen apart in to two pieces. It is not due to different political ideologies of communism and democracy or geographical distance between the West and the East or by the rich and the poor, or the culture. It is by the people themselves. Some of the people are happy and many unhappy. Everybody seeks happiness in life but only few have achieved it. The quest for happiness was from ancient time and is until now. The happy people are regarded as blessed ones. Sad are cursed. They, however, are not cursed by the Creator, but by their own thoughts. Our thought is what we are. God created us and we have created everything except happiness around us and within us. Human being is the citizen of two worlds-the world within and the world outside. Failure to strike a balance between the two worlds creates sadness. People are unhappy who have amassed wealth and prosperity in the world outside and people are equally unhappy who have renounced the world outside and dwelt in the world inside only. Even the renowned people from of all walks of life- businessmen to monks, writers to educators, and politicians to professionals of all kinds are unhappy. Only one thing missing in them is contentment. The great ancient masters have found out the actuality of human unhappiness. They understood the root cause and handed over the knowledge to us. They argue, human being is neither body nor mind alone. Rather, he is the combination of the both. Thousand years of research and experiments led them to conclude that body, breath and mind belong to the mortal parts of us and the consciousness alone is immortal. When human being realises the truth of his own conscious self, he always becomes happy, as he knows he is immortal. He even goes to the deathbed happily as if he is shifting from old house to the new. However, the path of happiness cannot be achieved overnight as sometimes possible in amassing the wealth and reputation. Adept masters who spent lives finding out the truth and methodologies of internal journey have prescribed systematic approach applicable only to the interested human being.

When Patanjali codified, or compiled the Yoga Sutras, it was not that a new system was created, but rather, the ancient practices were summarized in an extremely organized and terse way. Yoga means union of the parts of us, which were never divided in the first place. Yoga is the control (nirodhah, regulation, channelling, mastery, integration, coordination, stilling, quieting, setting aside) of the modifications (gross and subtle thought patterns) of the mind field. A seeker, after some practice in yoga and meditation will start feeling those gross and subtle thought patterns (vrittis) that fall into five varieties, of which some are colored (klishta) and others are uncolored (aklishta). And when mind is trained to calm down and remain in the state of tranquil, a seeker’s mind loses desire even for objects; it acquires a state of utter (vashikara) desirelessness that is called nonattachment (vairagya). If we like to live a joyful life based on traditional practices, we need to follow the seven steps. First step to mastering the joyful life begins by practising Yama or, self-realisation. Yama means, “Live and let live”. Second step is Niyama or self-discipline, which further consists of five components- cleanliness, contentment, austerity and self-study. The third step is the practice of asana or posture of our sitting. The adept yogis have devised 84 traditional Asan. The physical postures have direct impact on restoring physical health and indirect impact on cultivating a joyful mind. And meditation, or Meditative postures, on the other hand, has direct impact on cultivating a joyful mind and an indirect impact on restoring physical health. The forth step is pranayam. It means exercise of life force that infuses in our body and mind with vital energy- breath. Breathing exercises are more subtle but effective. It needs percussion. Then comes fifth step, which is known as pratyabara. It means to disentangle ourselves wisely and skilfully from unwanted sorts of cravings, desires.
To pull one from undesirable point and unite with desirable. The practice of the fifth step of yoga is a natural evolution in the soul’s journey. The sixth step is Dharana, or concentration. At this point, we learn to gather all the forces and the faculties of the mind, focusing them on one chosen object, image, colour, or anything we like. At this stage, we start realizing qualitative changes in life and thought patterns. The seventh step is higher level of Dharana, which is known as dhyana or meditation, which is simply an advance stage of concentration as it makes the mind one-pointed and steady. At this stage, the practitioner starts seeing glimpses of a higher level of reality and yet he is aware of the lower level of reality. At this divine peace and tranquil stage, we are perfectly established in supreme consciousness, which is the objective of internal journey. This stage gives realisation to our soul by uniting it with supreme source of energy where you and the whole world and space become one. You in the space and space in you. We attain the incredible bliss that cannot be compared with anything on the world. At the stage our all desires and craves are washed away at once, what remains is contentment. Therefore, the happiness is within us. We need to see it and awaken. When we learn to quieten our mind, it gradually unfolds the unlimited potential of our unconscious mind. Mind is a powerhouse. We have body in our mind but there is no mind in our body. Ponder it over.
Quietening our body and mind alone takes us very near to the truth we were restlessly looking for with our clamouring conscious mind. Not only in oriental spiritual philosophy but also in the Bible, the western scholars have succinctly written,” Be still and know that I am God” The modern people have secretly convinced themselves that modern science and technology can change our life. True. It can mesmerise us and convince that it can change our life of the outside world, not the world of inside. Nevertheless, the teaching of Yoga at this time has become a joke to the adept ones although it has been attracting many naïves. It has become something of network business of some cult. Most of the teachers of commercial yoga programs available to every nook and corner in the country teach few copycat poses, some twists in body this way and that way, inhale and exhale of breath as pranayama and mugged up some mantras in Sanskrit. The essence of hatayoga, mudra and mantras along with other important essence of yoga has lost its impact as it has been distorted in the hand of the naïve yoga teachers. No mantras, boon or curse reveals any supernatural effect these days. We hardly find yoga teachers who have true faith in yoga. They have not tested the impact of meditation, yoga, kriya, mudra, mantra on them, instead brag rhetoric on the subject when even they find audiences. I have personally inquired with many of those self-esteemed yoga teachers who claim that they have been practicing it for years. And yet, they are at their wits end when asked for their achievements of spiritual realisations. What ever our arguments about the evolution of life, existence of supreme consciousness and the enlightenment possible with or without God, one thing is untenable that unless we learn to heed the voice of our heart, we can not know who we are. Thus, we cannot be happy not knowing at the first place who we are. All the wisdom in the world becomes useless to us if we fail to heed to the voice of our soul. Our heart is our only true teacher, our mind is the powerhouse for supreme and divine knowledge, our both best friend and enemy is our-selves. Right and wrong are imposed notions taught to us. With long practice on these notions, we feel comfortable to “right” notion and uncomfortable with the “wrong” ones. We are taught everything, black and white, write and wrong, good and bad from the moment we were in the mother’s womb. Human has created this problem. They prefer to see things in black and white. They divide the whole world into good and bad categories and put all actions into two categories- right and wrong. This tendency had led them to judgemental and their labelling becomes the ground for conflict, dispute, differences and war. What we need to realise is that things are not always black and white. There are numberless grades, shapes and sizes, colours, smells and tastes. So is the case of right and wrong, good and bad. As soon as we rise above the narrow confines of our preconceived notions , we begin to see that neither the objects of the world not the people are good or bad , rather it is our understanding that makes them right and wrong and good and bad. However, this much-imposed notion makes our life miserable and we can never live a happy and joyful life. It will get changed the next moment when we dare to change our deep-rooted perspective to look at the things.
Let me give you a real example. As the saying goes, the boss is always right (a preoccupied notion). I used to face crooked eyes of my boss in the office I work that annoyed and saddened me through out the day, weeks and months. The difference germinated due to difference of notions we stuck by. I know he wants to dictate and guide my mind with his preoccupied notions, manoeuvre, glib tongue and punitive departmental actions only to satiate his unquenchable thirst for self-importance (ego) at the first place. His prompt response to questions, query, and average answers to resolve the problems facing the workflow and unmanaged human resources and unmanaged working environment for past many years makes him suspect of hiding the truth, further revealing his ignorance and incompetence on the issues. My heart used to feel uncomfortable and unconvincing to the illogical and contradicting arguments every time he made before his subordinates like me. His ignoring attitudes towards many of us, who pointed out his faulty schemes, are considered and treated as mutiny in his barrack. That used to hurt me, making me sad and unhappy for the wrong notions he holds for many of us. I pondered over the reason behind and realised that why I should feel hurt for his immature decision or criticism. Why should I let my heart feel hurt for his flawed working style and self-centred attitudes? I started fortifying myself against his prejudices towards me. I trained myself in resisting from his perspectives of right and wrong, good, and bad and contaminating my mind and heart from his preoccupied notions. Now I am not sad. I have realised this and telling you that my happiness is my creation. You too can create it. The way my boss wanted to create unhappiness to me, I channeled the energy and redirected it towards him. Now he should take care of it. I feel liberated and happy at the office throughout the day, weeks and months.
Happy life, indeed, is an art of living. This art of joyful living can be created in or outside our homes, in any clime and country and in any adverse situation, with little focus and efforts. Yoga and meditation is only a catalyst agent.
2010-08-03 20:08:42

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Nepal: Why should the PM Resign?

Nav Raj Pokharel
Journalist

Many politically conscious people of this region, the international community and the diplomatic missions in the region are befuddled for quite a long time in their quest to rightly understand the political offbeat trend of the Maoists of Nepal and India, the two adjoining countries in the heart of Asia continent.

It is comparatively easier to understand the Indian Maoist as they have been waging insurgencies against the government of India by terrorizing innocent people. Indian Maoists are insurgents, if the word ‘terrorist’ to be avoided for some political raison d'être. However, the insurgents changed into political party – the Maoist of Nepal- are illusive to understand for many, intellectual and conscious political analysts worldwide.

The Maoist of Nepal have transformed into political party, eschewing their 10 years of insurgency. What we understand now is that they have politically changed their heart and path of duress, assimilated themselves into democratic political process in volition, and are enthusiastic to expedite the democratic principles, working hard to restore the prosperity and sovereignty of the country. That is what we assumed when the Maoist signed the Peace Accord in 2006 and surfaced in the society as political party since then.

People were happy to see the chapter of insurgency ended for good. Established political parties, both small and big, welcomed the change; international community including neighboring India who had put a lot of effort to help the Maoist bring in mainstream politics; expressed a sigh of relief. People expected unprecedented positive changes in development sector to take place very soon under the leadership of the Maoist in the Government.

Unfortunately, the Maoist did not like to be in the government for long. They must have good reasons for doing so. Soon after their taking office in the government of about nine months, the Maoists decided to step down the government in their own volition. They, however, cited some apolitical practices liable for their decision to descend, at least on the surface level, which is sometimes acceptable in politics.

Political parties and the international community again presumed that they perhaps needed more time to serve the people and devote whole-heartedly to complete the tremendous and daunting task of writing new constitution through Constituent Assembly that was their the most ambitious political mission. But the people, parties and the international community were disillusioned suddenly when the new constitution was not written and integration of combatants was quagmired after the peaceful passage of two long years elapsed under their feet. We are back to one-square.

Today is just the another day when the Peace Accord was signed between the Maoist and seven parties at the Birendra International Convention Center in capital Kathmandu on November 21, 2006. Why did not the country achieve tangible peace and prosperity even after the Maoist assimilated into democratic political norms and values? Is it because the Maoist does not will so? Remaining political parties of the country have already been tried and tested in the government. Let’s not elaborate their weaknesses and shortcomings as political parties and their pro public democratic vision, for instance. Large chunk of people, although the parliamentary numerology depicts that the Maoist has had support of nearly 40 percent of people, who expected high from the Maoist. But the Maoist, who the people and international community were expecting as capable to be a Key Stone in Nepal’s political Arc, failed to play the role of the Key Stone. Their role-play has befuddled all of the International community and us.

Conscious people and political analysts in the country including the neighbouring countries and international community have started speculating differently about the political nature and motif of the Maoists, now. What does the Maoist want? It disdained the government when it was there, and cries for it at the top of its voice and strength to have it again. The Maoists struggled ten years pledging the people for the betterment of the country, and when they got the chance to actually make it better, they backed off the government. They promised to lead country to the right direction when they were not in the government. When the fight is over, new hope of peace and prosperity has been kindled in the hearts of people, they suddenly behave as if either they are lost or forgotten what they are for. At this moment, their sole demand is “Resignation of the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal”. But why? Is not it high time for the Maoist to furnish tenable answers to the people whose mandate they have had, and the international community who put lots of effort and support to help them recognize in the mainstream politics, to understand better why his should his descendant resign ? Or, why is flaunting of Maoist’s strength and voice for the ‘resignation’ should be honored? If not now when will it be?
2010-06-15 07:47:52

Nepal: Politics is a Long Run Horse

Nav Raj Pokharel
Journalist

Perfect background has been set by the so-called political parties to dodge the public that they are expediting efforts for national interests. In fact, they are setting the right stage where they can display their political shows just before and after the two-year’s tenure of the Constituent Assembly expires on May 28, 2010.

Puny and fragile political parties in Nepal are not working together for the national interests, though they do not hesitate to articulate high-sounding words like nationality, sovereign and consensus, federalism and so on. In fact they are relentlessly working to sustain and ensure their self-appointed tenure at CA. Privileged are those CA members who have prerogative to extend their own employment, but no work, no accountability, no responsibility for their job. Only high paid salary.

In ordinary case, most of the highly paid CA members have no skill, knowledge and ability to earn one thousand rupees a month on their own. Even highly skilled UNMIN chief Karina Landgren recently asked the government to extend her tenure, as 4 months extension is not sufficient for the assigned job of army integration.

But the majority of hollow CA members and parties are now set to extend their tenure as maximum as possible, without assigned job and accountabilities and without asking the people who mandated them until May 28, 2010. Amendment Bill to this effect has been registered at parliamentary secretariat. Leaders are also actors. Their- inter and intra party meetings and different daily decisions are only to disorient the public, in fact they have already made up their minds of uniformity to extend their JAGIR (pay). They have no ability and faith on themselves and no faith on better future for them the next moment they are fired (if it were possible). An unemployed person is most vulnerable subject to suffer from many kinds of socio-economic and political plights in this country. Presently privileged CA members know their tomorrow, just another vulnerable unemployed public in this impoverished country. Extension of CA member is only the best available option for their temporary better survival. And, they will certainly extend their tenure with more titivating in front of the public.

Formation of Constituent Assembly was never meant to draft new constitution. It was to dole out high paid employment to the unskilled cadres and party workers. 601 membered CA was an unprecedented burden to the people from the beginning. Extension of their tenure is another volition mistake the parties are committed to make, without having the second mandate of the people. Everyone knows a group of 20 skilled and professional people can draft the suitable constitution, if drafting new constitution were the need and end. But it was not made ready in two years’ time by the worthless group of 601 CA members only because neither the constitution nor peace process nor the prosperity of the country was a need to the political parties of this country. Those issues and agenda were never a common ground for them to stand together. But now, the common ground is ready. They will stand together else, they will fall together. Falling down the country and its people is not a serious issue. Their falling down together is. They will not tolerate it. Despite 95 percent of differences among themselves, they will work together on 5 percent of similarities. Dire need of consensus, collaboration peace and stability will be envisaged at this politically technical juncture. Ridiculous behaviours of our leaders, isn’t it? Indian spiritual luminary Vivekananda once said, “Give me few good men and women, and I can shake the world.” Nepal has still few good men and women but it lacks a good leader. The country will suffer for many years for its lacking. The Maoist party is the biggest in the existing CA. but it has a minor mandate of the people. Mandate of the majority of the people opt democracy through coalition government.

Right or wrong, if majority is the basis, let us accept the rule. You cannot change the rule of the game once you start playing it. You could have done it before you accepted the challenge. People had kindled hope from the Maoist party, which has energy to do something. But it lacks rational. And parties without rational is unreliable. No people want unreliable leaders and parties. The politburo of UCPN moist on Sunday titivated in front of the public saying that they would extend the CA tenure if constitutional clause will be changed to concessional system government from that of majority system.

My query, had been the Maoist party in majority in existing CA, would the party accept the proposal hurled from other parties? Certainly not. Then what is its belief and democratic logic for the naïve proposal of amending the constitutional clause favourable to them alone? Is that reliability? Is that called consistency in politics? Politics is long run horse; the defeat is imminent if the horse trained for long run is used for sprint.
( published on telegraphnepal.com, 18 may, 2010)

TECH TALK, TV GLOSSARY AND DEFINITION

SATELLITE
In general, a satellite is anything that orbits something else, as, for example, the moon orbits the earth. In a communications context, a satellite is a specialized wireless receiver/transmitter that is launched by a rocket and placed in orbit around the earth. There are hundreds of satellites currently in operation. They are used for such diverse purposes as weather forecasting, television broadcast, amateur radio communications, Internet communications, and the Global Positioning System, (GPS).
The first artificial satellite, launched by Russia (then known as the Soviet Union) in the late 1950s, was about the size of a basketball. There are three types of communications satellite systems. They are categorized according to the type of orbit they follow.
A geostationary satellite orbits the earth directly over the equator, approximately 22,000 miles up. At this altitude, one complete trip around the earth (relative to the sun) takes 24 hours. Thus, the satellite remains over the same spot on the earth's surface at all times, and stays fixed in the sky from any point on the surface from which it can be "seen." A single geostationary satellite can "see" approximately 40 percent of the earth's surface. Three such satellites spaced at equal intervals (120 angular degrees apart); can provide coverage of the entire civilized world. A geostationary satellite can be accessed using a dish antenna aimed at the spot in the sky where the satellite hovers.
A low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite system employs a large fleet of "birds," each in a circular orbit at a constant altitude of a few hundred miles. The orbits take the satellites over, or nearly over, the geographic poles. Each revolution takes approximately 90 minutes to a few hours. The fleet is arranged in such a way that, from any point on the surface at any time, at least one satellite is on a line of sight. The entire system operates in a manner similar to the way a cellular telephone functions. The main difference is that the transponders, or wireless receiver/transmitters, are moving rather than fixed, and are in space rather than on the earth. A well-designed LEO system makes it possible for anyone to access the Internet via wireless from any point on the planet, using an antenna no more sophisticated than old-fashioned television "rabbit ears."

Some satellites revolve around the earth in elliptical orbits. These satellites move rapidly when they are near perigee, or their lowest altitude; they move slowly when they are near apogee, or their highest altitude. Such "birds" are used by amateur radio operators, and by some commercial and government services. They require directional antennas whose orientation must be constantly adjusted to follow the satellite's path across the sky.



DSNG

Satellite newsgathering (SNG) is the use of mobile communications equipment for worldwide news casting. Mobile units are usually vans equipped with advanced, two-way audio and video transmitters and receivers, using dish antennas that can be aimed at geostationary satellites.
The earliest SNG equipment used analog modulation, similar to conventional television and radio. The technology first demonstrated its capability during the war between England and Argentina over the Falkland Islands in 1982. Analog SNG was used extensively during the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations in the Persian Gulf. During the 1990s, digital modulation supplanted analog modulation, giving rise to the newer technology of digital satellite news gathering (DSNG).
A modern DSNG van is a sophisticated affair, capable of deployment practically anywhere in the civilized world. Signals are beamed between a geostationary satellite and the van, and between the satellite and a control room run by a broadcast station or network. In the most advanced systems, Internet Protocol (IP) is used.
FTP

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to exchange and manipulate files over a TCP/IP based network, such as the Internet. FTP is built on client-server architecture and utilizes separate control and data connections between the client and server applications. Applications were originally interactive command-line tools with standardized command syntax, but graphical user interfaces have been developed for all desktop operating systems in use today. FTP is also often used as an application component to automatically transfer files for program internal functions. FTP can be used with user-based password authentication or with anonymous user access. The Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) is a similar, but simplified, not interoperable, and unauthenticated version of FTP.


OPTICAL FIBER
An optical fiber (or fiber) is a glass or plastic fiber that carries light along its length. Fiber optics is the overlap of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers. Optical fibers are widely used in fiber-optic communications, which permits transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than other forms of communications. Fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less loss, and they are also immune to electromagnetic interference. Fibers are also used for illumination, and are wrapped in bundles so they can be used to carry images, thus allowing viewing in tight spaces. Specially designed fibers are used for a variety of other applications, including sensors and fiber lasers.



Light is kept in the core of the optical fiber by total internal reflection. This causes the fiber to act as a waveguide. Fibers which support many propagation paths or transverse modes are called multi-mode fibers (MMF), while those which can only support a single mode are called single-mode fibers (SMF).
Multi-mode fibers generally have a larger core diameter, and are used for short-
Distance communication links are for applications where high power must be transmitted. Single-mode fibers are used for most communication links longer than 550 meters (1,800 ft).
Joining lengths of optical fiber is more complex than joining electrical wire or cable. The ends of the fibers must be carefully cleaved, and then spliced together either mechanically or by fusing them together with an electric arc. Special connectors are used to make removable connections.

Microwave transmission
Microwave transmission refers to the technique of transmitting information over microwave frequencies, using various integrated technologies. The portion of the microwave spectrum called millimeter wave is highly susceptible to attenuation by the atmosphere (especially during wet weather).
Microwave link
A microwave link is a communications system that uses a beam of radio waves in the microwave frequency range to transmit video, audio, or data between two locations, which can be from just a few feet or meters to several miles or kilometers apart. Microwave links are commonly used by television broadcasters to transmit programmes across a country, for instance, or from an outside broadcast back to a studio.

Video Phone
A videophone is a telephone with a video screen, and is capable of full duplex (bi-directional) video and audio transmissions for communication between people in real-time.
At the dawn of the technology, videotelephony also included image phones which would exchange still images between units every few seconds over conventional POTS-type telephone lines, essentially the same as slow scan TV systems.

Direct-broadcast satellite
Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) is a term used to refer to satellite television broadcasts intended for home reception, also referred to more broadly as direct-to-home signals. The expression direct-to-home or DTH was, initially, meant to distinguish the transmissions directly intended for home viewers from cable television distribution services that sometimes carried on the same satellite. The term predates DBS satellites and is often used in reference to services carried by lower power satellites which required larger dishes (1.7m diameter or greater) for reception.
HDTV (High-Definition Television)
Often mistakenly used as a generic description of all digital television, HDTV specifically refers to the highest-resolution formats of the 18 original DTV formats. Although there still is not 100% agreement among manufacturers, retailers, journalists, etc., only 1,080-line interlaced (1080i) or 720-line progressive (720p) broadcasts are generally considered to be true HDTV.
MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group)
The organization charged with developing video and audio encoding standards. On the video front, consumers are most likely to encounter the MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 compression formats, or "codecs." These formats are capable of producing very high quality video by employing an adaptive, variable bit rate process that can allocate more bits for complex scenes involving a lot of motion, while reducing the bits in static scenes.
MPEG-2: Used for over-the-air digital television broadcasts, standard DVDs, some Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD discs, and small-dish satellite TV (DIRECTV and DISH).
MPEG-4: This newer format is more efficient than MPEG-2, meaning it can deliver the same picture quality as MPEG-2 using a lower bit rate. Some Blu-ray Discs and HD DVDs, and newer DIRECTV and DISH satellite gear use MPEG-4.
NTSC (National Television System Committee)
The North American 525-line analog broadcast TV standard, which was established over 50 years ago. Although it is referred to as a "525-line" standard, we are only able to see 480 lines on a TV display. The ATSC digital broadcast standard replaced NTSC as of June 12, 2009. PAL (PHASE ALTERNATING LINE.) and SECAM (sequential couleur Avec Memoire
or Sequential Color with Memory) are used in other parts of the world.
Terrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or via underground cables—typically through the atmosphere from a transmitting antenna.
Terrestrial Television.
Terrestrial television broadcasting dates back to the very beginnings of television as a medium itself with the first long-distance public television broadcast.
There was virtually no other method of television delivery until the 1950s with the beginnings of cable television, or community antenna television (CATV). The first non-terrestrial method of delivering television signals that in no way depended on a signal originating from a traditional terrestrial source began with the use of communications satellites during the 1960s and 1970s.
Network
A computer network allows sharing of resources and information among devices connected to the network. The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) funded the design of the "Advanced Research Projects Agency Network" (ARPANET) for the United States Department of Defense. It was the first operational computer network in the world. Development of the network began in 1969, based on designs developed during the 1960s.
CONNECTION METHOD
Computer networks can be classified according to the hardware and software technology that is used to interconnect the individual devices in the network, such as Optical fiber, Ethernet, Wireless, HomePNA, Power line communication or G.hn. Wireless LAN technology is designed to connect devices without wiring. These devices use radio waves or infrared signals as a transmission medium.
ITU-T G.hn technology uses existing home wiring (coaxial cable, phone lines and power lines) to create a high-speed (up to 1 Gigabit/s) local area network.
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through fixed optical fibers or coaxial cables as opposed to the over-the-air method used in traditional television broadcasting (via radio waves) in which a television antenna is required. FM radio programming, high-speed Internet, telephony, and similar non-television services may also be provided.
The abbreviation CATV is often used to mean "Cable TV". It originally stood for Community Antenna Television, from cable television's origins in 1948: in areas where over-the-air reception was limited by distance from transmitters or mountainous terrain, large "community antennas" were constructed, and cable was run from them to individual homes.
3D TV
3D-ready TV sets are those that can operate in 3D mode (in addition to regular 2D mode), in conjunction with LCD shutter glasses, where the TV tells the glasses which eye should see the image being exhibited at the moment, creating a stereoscopic image. These TV sets usually support HDMI 1.4 and a minimum (input and output) refresh rate of 120Hz; glasses may be sold separately.
Mitsubishi and Samsung utilize DLP technology from Texas Instruments. Many companies are planning to launch the 3D television sets in the market by the end of 2010.

Technological convergence

Technological convergence is the tendency for different technological systems to evolve towards performing similar tasks.
Convergence can refer to previously separate technologies such as voice (and telephony features), data (and productivity applications) and video that now share resources and interact with each other, synergistically creating new efficiencies.
Today, we are surrounded by a multi-level convergent media world where all modes of communication and information are continually reforming to adapt to the enduring demands of technologies, “changing the way we create, consume, learn and interact with each other”.
Convergence in this instance is defined as the interlinking of computing and other information technologies, media content and communication networks that have arisen as the result of the evolution and popularization of the Internet as well as the activities, products and services that have emerged in the digital media space.
Many experts view this as simply being the tip of the iceberg, as all facets of institutional activity and social life such as business, government, art, journalism, health and education are increasingly being carried out in these digital media spaces across a growing network of ICT devices.
Technological Convergence can also refer to the phenomena of a group of technologies developed for one use being utilized in many different contexts. This often happens to military technology as well as most types of machine tools and now silicon chips.
Since technology has evolved faster in the past ten years or so, companies are beginning to converge technologies to create demand for new products. This would include phone companies integrating 3G on their phones. Television in the mid 20th century converged the technologies of movies and radio, and is now being converged with the mobile phone industry. Phone calls are also being made with the use of personal computers. Converging technologies seems to be squashing many types of demanded technologies into one. Mobile phones are becoming manufactured to not only carry out phone calls, text messages, but also hold images, videos, music, television, camera, and multimedia of all types. Manufacturers are now integrating more advanced features such as video recording, gps receivers, data storage and security mechanisms into the traditional cell phone.
These paradigm shifts are ongoing in the media, and often occur from time to time as the technology to create better devices evolves. It was predicted in the 1990s that a digital revolution would take place, and that old media would be pushed to one side by new media. Broadcasting is increasingly being replaced by the Internet, enabling consumers all over the world the freedom to access their preferred media content more easily and at a more available rate than ever before.
New media
New media is a term meant to encompass the emergence of digital, computerized, or networked information and communication technologies in the later part of the 20th century. Most technologies described as "new media" are digital, often having characteristics of being manipulatable, networkable, dense, compressible, interactive and impartial. Some examples may be the Internet, websites, computer multimedia, computer games, CD-ROMS, and DVDs. New media is not television programs, feature films, magazines, books, or paper-based publications.
Basic ‘Grammar’ of Television and Film

Television and film use certain common conventions often referred to as the 'grammar' of these audiovisual media. This list includes some of the most important conventions for conveying meaning through particular camera and editing techniques (as well as some of the specialized vocabulary of film production).
Conventions are not rules: expert practitioners break them for deliberate effect, which is one of the rare occasions that we become aware of what the convention is.






Camera Techniques: Distance and Angle

Long shot (LS). Shot which shows all or most of a large subject and usually much of the surroundings.
Extreme Long Shot (ELS).In this type of shot the camera is at its furthest distance from the subject, emphasizing the background.
Medium Long Shot (MLS). In the case of a standing actor, the lower frame line cuts off his feet and ankles. Some documentaries with social themes favor keeping people in the longer shots, keeping social circumstances rather than the individual as the focus of attention.
Establishing shot. Opening shot or sequence, frequently an exterior 'General View' as an Extreme Long Shot (ELS). Used to set the scene.
Medium shots. Medium Shot or Mid-Shot (MS). In such a shot, the subject or actor and its setting occupy roughly equal areas in the frame. In the case of the standing actor, the lower frame passes through the waist. There is space for hand gestures to be seen.
Medium Close Shot (MCS): The setting can still be seen. The lower frame line passes through the chest of the actor. Medium shots are frequently used for the tight presentation of two actors (the two shot), or with dexterity three (the three shot).
Close-up (CU). A picture, which shows a fairly small part of the scene, such as a character's face, in great detail so that it fills the screen. It abstracts the subject from a context.
MCU (Medium Close-Up). Head and shoulders.
BCU (Big Close-Up). Forehead to chin. Close-ups focus attention on a person's feelings or reactions, and are sometimes used in interviews to show people in a state of emotional excitement, grief or joy. In interviews, the use of BCUs may emphasize the interviewee's tension and suggest lying or guilt.
BCUs are rarely used for important public figures; MCUs are preferred, the camera providing a sense of distance. Note that in western cultures (now penetrating in the eastern), the space within about 24 inches is generally felt to be private space, and BCUs may be invasive.

Angle of shot. The direction and height from which the camera takes the scene. The convention is that in 'factual' programs subjects should be shot from eye-level only. In a high angle, the camera looks down at a character, making the viewer feel more powerful than him or her, or suggesting an air of detachment. A low angle shot places camera below the character, exaggerating his or her importance. An overhead shot is one made from a position directly above the action.
Viewpoint. The apparent distance and angle from which the camera views and records the subject. Not to be confused with point-of-view shots or subjective camera shots.
Point-of-view shot (POV). A shot made from a camera position close to the line of sight of a performer who is to be watching the action shown in the point-of-view shot.
Two-shot. A shot of two people together.
Selective focus. Rendering only part of the action field in sharp focus using a shallow depth of field. A shift of focus from foreground to background or vice versa is called rack focus.
Soft focus. An effect in which the sharpness of an image, or part of it, is reduced by the use of an optical device.
Wide-angle shot. A shot of a broad field of action taken with a wide-angle lens.
Tilted shot. When the camera is tilted on its axis so that normally vertical lines appear slanted to the left or right, ordinary expectations are frustrated. Such shots are often used in mystery and suspense films to create a sense of unease in the viewer.


CAMERA TECHNIQUES: MOVEMENT
Zoom. In zooming in the camera does not move; the lens is focused down from a long shot to a close-up whilst the picture is still being shown. It may be used to surprise the viewer. Zooming out reveals more of the scene (perhaps where a character is, or to whom he or she is speaking) as the shot widens. Zooming in rapidly brings not only the subject but also the background hurtling towards the viewer, which can be disconcerting. Zooming in and then out creates an ugly 'yo-yo' effect.








Following pan. The camera swivels to follow a moving subject. A space is left in front of the subject: the pan 'leads' rather than 'trails'. A pan usually begins and ends with a few seconds of still picture to give greater impact. The speed of a pan across a subject creates a particular mood as well as establishing the viewer's relationship with the subject.
Surveying pan. The camera slowly searches the scene: may build to a climax or anticlimax.
Tilt. A vertical movement of the camera - up or down- while the camera. Crab. The camera moves (crabs) right or left.
Tracking (dollying). Tracking involves the camera itself being moved smoothly towards or away from the subject (contrast with zooming). Tracking in (like zooming) draws the viewer into a closer, more intense relationship with the subject; moving away tends to create emotional distance. Tracking back tends to divert attention to the edges of the screen. The speed of tracking may affect the viewer's mood. Rapid tracking (especially tracking in) is exciting; tracking back relaxes interest. In a dramatic narrative, we may sometimes be drawn forward towards a subject against our will. Camera movement parallel to a moving subject permits speed without drawing attention to the camera itself.
Hand-held camera. A hand-held camera can produce a jerky, bouncy, unsteady image, which may create a sense of immediacy or chaos. Its use is a form of subjective treatment.
Process shot. A shot made of action in front of a rear projection screen having on it still or moving images as a background.
EDITING TECHNIQUES
Cut. Sudden change of shot from one viewpoint or location to another. On television, cuts occur on average about every 3 to 8 seconds as convention. Cutting may:
1. Change the scene;
2. Compress time;
3. Vary the point of view; or
4. Build up an image or idea.
There is always a reason for a cut, and you should ask yourself what the reason is. Less abrupt transitions are achieved with the fade, dissolve, and wipe
Matched cut. In a 'matched cut' a familiar relationship between the shots may make the change seem smooth:
1. Continuity of direction;
2. Completed action;
3. A similar centre of attention in the frame;
4. A one-step change of shot size (e.g. long to medium);
5. A change of angle (conventionally at least 30 degrees).
The cut is usually made on an action (for example, a person begins to turn towards a door in one shot; the next shot, taken from the doorway, catches him completing the turn). Because the viewer's eye is absorbed by the action, he is unlikely to notice the movement of the cut itself.
Jump cut. Abrupt switch from one scene to another, which may be used deliberately to make a dramatic point. Sometimes boldly used to begin or end action. Alternatively, it may be result of poor pictorial continuity, perhaps from deleting a section.
Motivated cut. Cut made just at the point where what has occurred makes the viewer immediately want to see something, which is not currently visible (causing us, for instance, to accept compression of time). A typical feature is the shot/reverse shot technique (cuts coinciding with changes of speaker). Editing and camera work appear to be determined by the action. It is intimately associated with the 'privileged point of view'.
Cutting rate. Frequent cuts may be used as deliberate interruptions to shock, surprise or emphasize.
Cutting rhythm. A cutting rhythm may be progressively shortened to increase tension. Cutting rhythm may create an exciting, lyrical or staccato effect in the viewer.
Cross-cut. A cut from one line of action to another. Also applied to sequences that use such cuts.
Cutaway/cutaway shot (CA). A bridging intercut shot between two shots of the same subject. It represents a secondary activity occurring at the same time as the main action. It may be preceded by a definite look or glance out of frame by a participant, or it may show something of which those in the preceding shot are unaware. It may be used to avoid the technical ugliness of a 'jump cut' where there would be uncomfortable jumps in time, place or viewpoint. It is often used to shortcut the passing of time.
Reaction shot. Any shot, usually a cutaway, in which a participant reacts to action, which has just occurred.
Insert/insert shot. A bridging close-up shot inserted into the larger context, offering an essential detail of the scene (or a reshooting of the action with a different shot size or angle.)
Buffer shot (neutral shot). A bridging shot (normally taken with a separate camera) to separate two shots which would have reversed the continuity of direction.
Fade, dissolve (mix). Both fades and dissolves are gradual transitions between shots. In a fade the picture gradually appears from (fades in) or disappears to (fades out) a blank screen. A slow fade-in is a quiet introduction to a scene; a slow fade-out is a peaceful ending. Time lapses are often suggested by a slow fade-out and fade-in. A dissolve (or mix) involves fading out one picture while fading up another on top of it. The impression is of an image merging into and then becoming another. A slow mix usually suggests differences in time and place. Defocus or ripple dissolves are sometimes used to indicate flashbacks in time.
Super impositions. Two of more images placed directly over each other (e.g. eye and a camera lens to create a visual metaphor).
Wipe. An optical effect marking a transition between two shots. It appears to supplant an image by wiping it off the screen (as a line or in some complex pattern, such as by appearing to turn a page). The wipe is a technique, which draws attention to itself and acts as a clear marker of change.
Inset. An inset is a special visual effect whereby a reduced shot is superimposed on the main shot. Often used to reveal a close-up detail of the main shot.
Split screen. The division of the screen into parts that can show the viewer several images at the same time (sometimes the same action from slightly different perspectives, sometimes similar actions at different times). This can convey the excitement and frenzy of certain activities, but it can also overload the viewer.
Stock shot. Footage already available and used for another purpose than the one for which it was originally filmed.
INVISIBLE EDITING: CONTINUITY EDITING.
Manipulating time
Screen time: a period of time represented by events within a film (e.g. a day, a week).
Subjective time. The time experienced or felt by a character in a film, as revealed through camera movement and editing (e.g., when a frightened person's flight from danger is prolonged).
Compressed time. The compression of time between sequences or scenes, and within scenes. This is the most frequent manipulation of time in films: it is achieved with cuts or dissolves. In a dramatic narrative, if climbing a staircase is not a significant part of the plot, a shot of a character starting up the stairs may then cut to him entering a room. The logic of the situation and our experience of medium tells us that the room is somewhere at the top of the stairs. Long journeys can be compressed into seconds. Time may also be compressed between cutaways in parallel editing. More subtle compression can occur after reaction shots or close-ups have intervened.
Long take. A single shot (or take, or run of the camera) which lasts for a relatively lengthy period of time. The long take has an 'authentic' feel since it is not inherently dramatic.
Simultaneous time. Events in different places can be presented as occurring at the same moment, by parallel editing or cross-cutting, by multiple images or split-screen. The conventional clue to indicate that events or shots are taking place at the same time is that there is no progression of shots: shots are either inserted into the main action or alternated with each other until the strands are somehow united.
Slow motion. Action, which takes place on the screen at a slower rate than the rate at which the action took place before the camera. This is used: a) to make a fast action visible; b) to make a familiar action strange; c) to emphasize a dramatic moment. It can have a lyric and romantic quality or it can amplify violence.
Accelerated motion (under cranking). This is used: a) to make a slow action visible; b) to make a familiar action funny; c) to increase the thrill of speed.
Reverse motion. Reproducing action backwards, for comic, magical or explanatory effect.
Replay. An action sequence repeated, often in slow motion, commonly featured in the filming of sport to review a significant event.
Freeze-frame. This gives the image the appearance of a still photograph. Clearly not a naturalistic device.
Flashback. A break in the chronology of a narrative in which events from the past are disclosed to the viewer. Formerly indicated conventionally with defocus or ripple dissolves.
Flash-forward. Much less common than the flashback. Not normally associated with a particular character. Associated with objective treatments.
Extended or expanded time/overlapping action. The expansion of time can be accomplished by intercutting a series of shots, or by filming the action from different angles and editing them together. Part of an action may be repeated from another viewpoint, e.g. a character is shown from the inside of a building opening a door and the next shot, from the outside, shows him opening it again. Used nakedly, this device disrupts the audience's sense of real time. The technique may be used unobtrusively to stretch time, perhaps to exaggerate, for dramatic effect, the time taken to walk down a corridor. Sometimes combined with slow motion.
Ambiguous time. Within the context of a well-defined time-scheme sequences may occur which are ambiguous in time. This is most frequently communicated through dissolves and superimpositions.
Universal time. This is deliberately created to suggest universal relevance. Ideas rather than examples are emphasized. Context may be disrupted by frequent cuts and by the extensive use of close-ups and other shots, which do not reveal a specific background.
USE OF SOUND
Direct sound. Live sound. This may have a sense of freshness, spontaneity and 'authentic' atmosphere, but it may not be acoustically ideal.
Studio sound. Sound recorded in the studio to improve the sound quality, eliminating unwanted background noise ('ambient sound'), e.g. dubbed dialogue. This may be then mixed with live environmental sound.
Selective sound. The removal of some sounds and the retention of others to make significant sounds more recognizable, or for dramatic effect - to create atmosphere, meaning and emotional nuance. Selective sound (and amplification) may make us aware of a watch or a bomb ticking. This can sometimes be a subjective device, leading us to identify with a character: to hear what he or she hears. Sound may be so selective that the lack of ambient sound can make it seem artificial or expressionistic.
Sound perspective/aural perspective. The impression of distance in sound usually created through the use of selective sound. Note that even in live television a microphone is deliberately positioned, just as the camera is, and therefore may privilege certain participants.
Sound bridge. Adding to continuity through sound, by running sound (narration, dialogue or music) from one shot across a cut to another shot to make the action seem uninterrupted.
Dubbed dialogue. Post-recording the voice-track in the studio, the actors matching their words to the on-screen lip movements. Not confined to foreign-language dubbing.
Wild track (asynchronous sound). Sound, this was self-evidently recorded separately from the visuals with which it is shown. For example, a studio voice-over added to a visual sequence later.
Parallel (synchronous) sound. Sound 'caused' by some event on screen, and which matches the action.
Commentary/voice-over narration. Commentary spoken off-screen over the shots shown. The voice-over can be used to:
1. Introduce particular parts of a program;
2. To add extra information not evident from the picture;
3. To interpret the images for the audience from a particular point of view;
4. To link parts of a sequence or program together.

The commentary confers authority on a particular interpretation, particularly if the tone is moderate, assured and reasoned. In dramatic films, it may be the voice of one of the characters, unheard by the others.
Sound effects (SFX). Any sound from any source other than synchronized dialogue, narration or music. Dubbed-in sound effects can add to the illusion of reality: a stage- set door may gain from the addition of the sound of a heavy door slamming or creaking.
Music. Music helps to establish a sense of the pace of the accompanying scene. The rhythm of music usually dictates the rhythm of the cuts. The emotional coloring of the music also reinforces the mood of the scene. Background music is asynchronous music that accompanies a film. It is not normally intended to be noticeable. Conventionally, background music accelerates for a chase sequence, becomes louder to underscore a dramatically important action. Through repetition, it can also link shots, scenes and sequences. Foreground music is often synchronous music which finds its source within the screen events (e.g. from a radio, TV, stereo or musicians in the scene). It may be a more credible and dramatically plausible way of bringing music into a program than background music (a string orchestra sometimes seems bizarre in a Western).
Silence. The juxtaposition of an image and silence can frustrate expectations, provoke odd, self-conscious responses, intensify our attention, make us apprehensive, or make us feel dissociated from reality.
GRAPHICS
Text. Titles appear at or near the start of the program. Their style - typeface, size, color, background and pace - (together with music) can establish expectations about the atmosphere and style of the program. Credits listing the main actors, the director, and so on, are normally shown at or near the beginning, whilst those listing the rest of the actors and program makers are normally shown at the end. Some American narrative series begin with a lengthy pre-credit sequence. Captions are commonly used in news and documentaries to identify speakers, in documentaries, documentary dramas and dramatic narratives to indicate dates or locations. Subtitles at the bottom of the screen are usually used for translation or for the benefit of the hearing-impaired.
Graphics. Maps, graphs and diagrams are associated primarily with news, documentary and educational programs.
Animation. Creating an illusion of movement, by inter-cutting stills, using graphics with movable sections, using step-by-step changes, or control wire activation.
NARRATIVE STYLE
Subjective treatment. The camera treatment is called 'subjective' when the viewer is treated as a participant (e.g. when the camera is addressed directly or when it imitates the viewpoint or movement of a character). We may be shown not only what a character sees, but also how he or she sees it. A temporary 'first-person' use of camera as the character can be effective in conveying unusual states of mind or powerful experiences, such as dreaming, remembering, or moving very fast. If overused, it can draw too much attention to the camera. Moving the camera (or zooming) is a subjective camera effect, especially if the movement is not gradual or smooth.
Objective treatment. The 'objective point of view' involves treating the viewer as an observer. A major example is the 'privileged point of view’, which involves watching from omniscient vantage points. Keeping the camera still whilst the subject moves towards or away from it is an objective camera effect.
Parallel development/parallel editing/cross-cutting. An intercut sequence of shots in which the camera shifts back and forth between one scene and another. Two distinct but related events seem to be happening at approximately the same time. A chase is a good example. Each scene serves as a cutaway for the other. Adds tension and excitement to dramatic action.
'Invisible editing'. This is the omniscient style of the realist feature films developed in Hollywood. The vast majority of narrative films are now edited in this way. The cuts are intended to be unobtrusive except for special dramatic shots. It supports rather than dominates the narrative: the story and the behavior of its characters are the centre of attention. The technique gives the impression that the edits always required are motivated by the events in the 'reality' that the camera is recording rather than the result of a desire to tell a story in a particular way. The 'seamlessness' convinces us of its 'realism', but its devices include:
The use of matched cuts (rather than jump cuts);
1. Motivated cuts;
2. Changes of shot through camera movement;
3. Long takes;
4. The use of the sound bridge;
5. Parallel development.
The editing is not really 'invisible', but the conventions have become so familiar to visual literates that they no longer consciously notice them.
Talk to camera. The sight of a person looking ('full face') and talking directly at the camera establishes their authority or 'expert' status with the audience. Only certain people are normally allowed to do this, such as announcers, presenters, newsreaders, weather forecasters, interviewers, anchorpersons, and, on special occasions. The words of 'ordinary' people are normally mediated by an interviewer. A short sequence of this kind in a 'factual' program is called a 'piece to camera'.
Tone. The mood or atmosphere of a program (e.g. ironic, comic, nostalgic, romantic).
Shot. A single run of the camera or the piece of film resulting from such a run.
Sequence. A dramatic unit composed of several scenes, all linked together by their emotional and narrative momentum.
Series. A succession of programmes with a standard format.
Serial. An ongoing story in which each episode takes up where the last one left off. Soap operas are serials.
Vox pop. Short for 'vox populi', Latin for 'voice of the people'. The same question is put to a range of people to give a flavor of 'what ordinary people think' about some issue. Answers are selected and edited together to achieve a rapid-fire stream of opinions.
TRP: TRP is often talked term in broadcast industry. TRP stands for (special) Targeted Research Project
TV, NEWS AND NON-LINEAR EDITING GLOSSARY
.B-roll : This term is a leftover from film days. Refers to pictures (often generic) used to cover a reporter’s voiceover.
Bagger: slang for a piece that will play anytime, usually during a slow season or at the last minute. Other terms: on the shelf, in the can.
Bars: color bars are used to test video signal, to make sure the colors are true and/or match the bars generated from other sources (cameras, control room, video feeds).
Bin: in non-linear editing..one of the (imaginary) file folders you dump your digitized images and clips before you start to edit.
Bins: metaphorical drawers, holding files of digitized tape. In non-linear editing, sections of field tape are digitized (captured) and stored in bins. This sounds confusing but it will become clear with your first edit.
Bird: slang for satellite. “Book the bird” means to make a satellite booking.( because satellites ‘dwell’ in the sky)
bridge: standup in the middle of an item…bridging from one chapter to another.
Capture: another term for digitize or ingest. After you have captured your tape on the computer, you can start your edit.
Control track: A track of electronic pulses, laid down on videotape while shooting or before editing, which maintains continuous time code and enables more complex edits.
Countdown (Academy leader, leader, beeps, d-cue, digital): the "5, 4, 3, 2.." that goes before the start of a taped item.
Double-ender: interview in which the interviewer and guest are in two places, connected by phone. Each phone is connected to an earpiece and a mike.
Cameras in each location roll at once and afterwards the two tapes are cut together. In a true double-ender, the host and guest cannot actually see each other. A satellite or other remote interview, where the host in the studio sees the guest (but guest does not usually see host).
Dropout: When a tape has been used several times (and occasionally when it is new), it may start shedding the particles that record the information. The irregularities on the tape show on screen as dropouts.
EDL: Edit Decision List. In non-linear editing, the EDL is the record of every sound, visual and effects decision made during an edit session. The EDL will guide the machines to res up the final product
EFP, EJ and ENG : Electronic field production, electronic journalism, electronic news gathering. Video recording on the field for news gathering purpose is in short called ENG.
EFX: EFFECT/S (AS IN SPECIAL EFFECTS). ALSO CALLED FX
Executive producer: Senior editorial person on a program or programming unit.
Eyeline: The line from a camera lens (the camera’s eye) to the subject’s eyes. Generally speaking, the eyeline should be neutral, i.e., parallel to the ground.
Feed: When tape or images are fed to another source or location by fiber optic, landlines, microwave, satellite and/or internal computer servers such as CTV’s Gateway. All networks have regularly scheduled news feeds for domestic affiliates, and partners in other countries.
Field tape: tape shot in the field. Usually used to denote original source tape, as opposed to the master or edit pack, containing edited items.
International sound: an unmixed audio track without announcer/reporter voiceover or translation.
Jump cut: a jarring edit, so that the image seems to “jump”. Forbidden for many years, they are now used frequently in various contexts.
Kicker: a light, often funny (or we hope it is) item at the end of the newscast.
News hole: the amount of time available for news in a program. Take away the opening animation, headlines, commercials, sports, weather, promos, stings and credits, and you have the news hole. Same as in print.
Non-linear editing: Tape editing used to be a linear process of dubbing source, or field tape to an edit master. Linear editing is gradually disappearing from television. In non-linear editing, the video and audio information on the field tape is loaded (digitized) into bins in an edit suite’s computer drive, where the (human) editor can put them together without going back and forth through the source tapes.
O/C –Usually this means on-camera.
Reader - a story that is read by an anchor without video.
VO - A story, read by an anchor, with video shown over the anchor's voice.
SOT or Sound (on tape)Byte (or Byte, Sound-on-tape) - A short clip of an interview. Usually between 8-15 seconds long (as standard practice).
VO/SOT or VOSB or VOB - a story that includes an anchor reading with vo over his voice, and includes a sound byte.
Package –(In NTV, a 100% story) A story voiced by a reporter, with that reporter's voice on tape, including both video and sound bytes.
Rundown - The order and timing of a newscast, indicating which stories, segments and commercials will run when, and how long they will run.
Live Shot - A story by a reporter, done live, not on tape, from a different location than the studio.
Tease - A preview of a story, which runs most of the time, just before a commercial.
Cold Open - Beginning a show or a segment with vo and or a sound byte.
Toss - When on anchor or reporter turns over a portion of the show to another anchor or reporter.
Assignment Sheet - The list of stories to be covered for the day.
Wire - Stories sent to different news outlets from around the state and country, via computer.
OTS - Over the shoulder graphic, usually seen over one of the anchor's shoulders as he reads the story. Also called a box.
Lower third graphic - Graphic shown on the bottom of the screen, usually identifying a person or place.
Full Screen Graphic - Graphic taking up the full screen, usually giving information related to the story being told.
Res, res up: In non-linear editing, you will sometimes use low-resolution (low-res) video in your rough cut, to use less space in the computer’s memory. When you re-edit your EDL for a final product, you “res up” to broadcast quality.
Rough-cut: a first-draft edit. Editorial types screen a rough cut and suggest changes. You rarely get a chance to do rough cuts in daily news.
Slug: as in print, the one- or two-word name used to refer to a report.
"Soviet newscast" – snarky description of a long stretch where the newsreader just…reads…. without changing the shot or going to tape, graphics, etc.
Spear: CBC jargon. To “do a spear” is to collect tape, especially interview clips, for another reporter’s piece. When you do spears, you are contributing to a greater cause.
Standup: reporter speaking to camera, usually in the body of a field report.
Sticks: slang for camera tripod.
Stings: production elements in a program, usually promoting an item coming up later. A sting may also be used to smooth out a difficult segue…e.g., from a report on a fatal fire to what’s on downtown this weekend.
Streeters: non-gender-specific version of what used to be called the man-in-the-street interview. Also known as voxpops (Latin: vox populi, voice of the people).
Sweeps – surveying viewers to find out who is watching what.
Teleprompter: autocue
Time code: electronically generated code marking every frame in video. A gift from the gods for shot listing.
Timeline: in non-linear editing, the timeline is the on-screen map of your report. You click-and-drag clips from the bins, into the timeline. The timeline stretches and contracts when you insert or remove a piece of captured/digitized tape.

REFERENCES:
1. MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY: THEORIES OF MEDIA EVOLUTION
Author: W Russell Neuman
2. COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY: THE NEW MEDIA IN SOCIETY
Author: Everett M Rogers
3. GRAMMAR OF THE SHOT
AUTHOR: ROY THOMPSON, CHRISTOPHER J BOWEN
4. DOMESTICATION OF MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY BOOK DESCRIPTION
Author: THOMAS BERKER, MAREN HARTMANN, YVES PUNIE

5. SHOOTING THE STICKBOW
AUTHOR: ANTHONY CAMERA
6. SHOOT TO THRILL
AUTHOR: P J TRACY

7. NONLINEAR EDITING: STORYTELLING, AESTHETICS, & CRAFT
Author: Bryce Button
8. SPECIAL EFFECTS: THE HISTORY AND TECHNIQUE
Author: Richard Rickitt , Ray Harryhausen
9. THE CHANGING FACES OF JOURNALISM
TABLOIDIZATION, TECHNOLOGY AND TRUTHINESS
Author: Barbie Zelizer
10. THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEWS
Author: Martin Conboy
11. INTERNET WEBS
12. CYBNERCOLLEGE.COM