ACRONYMS USED IN THE BROADCAST, CABLE, AUDIO, AND RELATED INDUSTRIES Compiled by John W. Reiser, Washington, DC Revised December 20, 1986 ACRONYM MEANING ----------------------------------------------------------------- AA Average Audience AAAA American Association of Advertising Agencies AAAA Associated Actors and Artists of America AAF American Advertising Federation AAPOR American Association for Public Opinion Research ABES Association for Broadcast Engineering Standards AC Adult Contempoary ACA Advertising Council of America ACBB American Counciil for Better Broadcasting ACC Automatic Chrominance (or Contrast) Control ACE American Cinema Editors ACSB Amplitude Compandored Sideband ACT Action for Children's Television ACTS All-Channel Television Society ACTS Association of Cable Television Suppliers ACTVA American Community TV Association ACU Antenna Coupling Unit ADC Analog-to-digital Converter ADI Area of Dominent Influence ADS Alpha Delta Sigma (Advertising Fraternity) AEA Actors Equity Association AER Alpha Epislon Rho - College Broadcast Fraternity AES Audio Engineering Society AF Audio Frequency AFC Automatic Frequency Control AFCCE Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers AFI American Film Institute AFM American Federation of Musicians AFN Armed Forces Network AFRTS Armed Forces Radio & Television Service AFT Automatic Fine Tuning AFTRA American Federation of Television & Radio Artists AFTRCC Aerospace Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council AGAC American Guild of Actors & Composers AGC Automatic Gain Control AGMA American Guild of Musical Artists AGVA American Guild of Variety Artists AHAAT Antenna Height Above Average Terrain AIAA Association of International Advertising Agencies AID Arbitron Information on Demand AIM Accuracy in Media AITS Association of Independent Television Stations ALC Automatic Level Control ALF American Legal Foundation ALJ Administrative Law Judge ALPTVA American Low Power TV Association AM Amplitude Modulation AMOL Automated Measurement of Lineup AMPAS Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences AMST Association of Maximum Service Telecasters AMVB Association of Music Video Broadcasters ANA Association of National Advertisers ANPA American Newspaper Publishers Association ANSI American National Standards Institute AOR Album Oriented Rock (program format) AOR All Over the Road (Undefined program format) APA Administrative Procedures Act APL Average Picture Level APR American Public Radio ARCH Automatic Remote Cassette Handler ARF Advertisers Research Foundation ARRS Association of Radio Reading Services ASC American Society of Cinematographers ASCAP American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ATFP Alliance of Television & Film Producers ATR Audio Tape Recorder ATS Applications Technology Satellite ATS Automatic Transmission System ATSC Advanced Television Systems Committee ATU Antenna Tuning Unit AWG American Wire Gauge for electrical wiring AWRT American Women in Radio & Television BAPSA Broadcast Advertising Producers Society of America BAR Broadcast Advertisers Reports BBC British Broadcasting Corporation BEA Broadcast Education Association BEDA Broadcast Executive Directors Association BER Bit Error Rate BET Black Entertainment Television BFM Broadcast Financial Management Association BIAC Broadcast Interassociation Council BIB Board for International Broadcasting BICIAP Broadcasting Industry Council to Improve American Productivi BM Beautiful Music-Easy Listening Format BMI Broadcast Music Incorporated BNC Bayonett Connector (for small coaxial cable) BOC Bell Operating Company BPA Broadcast Promotion Association BPME Broadcast Promotion and Marketing Executives BRC Broadcast Rating Council - See EMRC BSC British Society of Cinematographers BSS Broadcast Satellite Service BTA Best Time Available BTSC Broadcast Television Systems Committee C/CS County Coverage Service CAB Canadian Association of Broadcasters CAMS Cable Audience Measurement Study CARS Community Antenna Relay Service CATA Community Antenna Television Association CBA Community Broadcasters Association CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBO Congress of Broadcast Organizations CC Closed-Captioned CCAUS Component Analog Video Signal CCB FCC Common Carrier Bureau CCC Citizens Communication Center CCD Charge Coupled Device Camera CCIR International Radio Consultative Committee CCR Central Control Room CCSB Clear Channel Broadcasting Service CCTA Canadian Cable Television Association CCTV Closed Circuit Television CD Compact Disk (Audio Recordings) CD-ROM Compact Disk Read Only Memory (in computer systems) CE Chief Engineer (Chief Station Operator) CEBA Communications Excellence to Black Americans CEG/EIA Consumer Electronics Group of Electronics Industries Asscn. CFR Can't Find the Road (Undefined Program Format) CFR Code of Federal Regulations CH Critical Hours CHR Contemporary Hit Radio (Format) CHUT Cable Households Using Television CIRT Mexican Association of Broadcasters CLI Cumulative Leakage Index CMOS Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor CONTAM Committee on Nationwide Television Audience Measurement CP Circular Polizariation CP Construction Permit CPB Corporation for Public Broadcasting CPCS Common Program Control Station for EBS CPD Committee for Prudent Deregulation CRT Cathode Ray Tube (Video Monitor) CRT Copyright Royalty Tribunal CRTC Canadian Radio Television & Telecommunications Commission CS Close Shot in Video or Film Production CTAM Cable Television Administration & Marketing Society CTCM Chrominance Time-Compression Luminance Multiplex CTS Communications Technology Satellite CTY Country Music Program Format CU Close up shot in video or film production CUB Council for UHF Broadcasters CUME Cumulative Audience CUT Coordinated Universal Time CV Composite Video CVCC Canadian Videotext Consultative Committee CVSD Continuously Variable Slope Delta Modulation CWA Communications Workers of America DA Directional Antenna DA Distribution Amplifier DAC Digital-to-Audio Converter DAF Demographic Adjustment Factor DAMA Demand Assigned Multiple Access DASH Digital Audio Stationary Head Tape Recorder DATS Digital Audio Transmission Service DATV Digitally Assisted Television DB Delayed Broadcast DBA Daytime Broadcasters Association (disbanded) DBS Direct Broadcast Satellite DBSA Direct Broadcast Satellite Association DCPM Differential Pulse Code Modulation DE Director of Engineering DGA Directors Guild of America DIP Dual Inline Package integrated circuit assembly DJ Disk Jockey (announcer for programs of recorded music) DMA Designated Market Area DMM Digital Multimeter (used for servicing electronic equipment) DMM Direct Metel Master (for LP record manufacturing) DNA Data Not Available DOC Department of Commerce (USA) DOC Department of Communications (Canadian) DRAW Direct Read After Write (Optical Data Disk) DSK Downstream Keyer DTMF Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (telephone tone calling system) DTTR Digital Television Tape Recorder DVE Digital Video Effects DW Deutsche Welle (German International Broadcast Service) DX Long Distance Communications EAN Emergency Action Notification EBR Electron Beam Recording EBS Emergency Broadcast System EBU European Broadcasting Union ECU Extreme close up shot in video or film production EEPA Electromagnetic Energy Policy Alliance EFP Electronic Field Production EIA Electronic Industries Association EIAJ Electronic Industries Association of Japan EIRP Equivilent Isotropic Radiated Power EJ Electronic Journalism (now ENG) EMP Electromagnetic Pulse EMRC Electronic Media Rating Council ENG Electronic News Gathering ENP Electronic News Processing EPA Environmental Protection Agency EPM Equipment Performance Measurements EPROM Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory ERP Effective Radiated Power ET Electrical Transcription ETV Educational Television FAA Federal Aviation Administration FCBA Federal Communications Bar Association FCC Federal Communications Commission FDM Frequency Division Multiplex FEC Federal Election Commission FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FET Field Effect Transistor FIM Fairness in Media (Organization) FIT Foundation to Improve Television FM Frequency Modulation FMX FM Extended Range Transmission System FNG Film News Gathering FOB FCC Field Operations Bureau FOIA Freedom of Information Act FSK Frequency Shift Keying FSS Fixed Satellite Service FTC Federal Trade Commission FWH Fast Weekly Household Audiences Report GAO General Accounting Office GMT Greenwich Mean Time (Obsolete see UTC) GOE Group of Experts (International Radio Conferences) GPO Government Printing Office GRP Gross Rating Points HAAT Height Above Average Terrain HASL Height above Mean Sea Level HBI Horizontal Blanking Interval HDTV High Definition Television HF High Frequency (shortwave broadcasting) HFR Hold for Release HID High Intensity Discharger for lighting lamps HPA High Power Amplifier (used in SNG terminals) HSD Home Satellite Dish HTR Household Tracking Report HUT Household Using Television IAAB Inter-American Association of Broadcasters IATSE International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees IBA Independent Broadcasting Authority IBEW International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers IBS Intercollegiate Broadcasting System ICPM Incidental Carrier Phase Modulation ICR Inter-City Relay Station ICTV Independent Community Television Alliance ID Station identification IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IFB Interuptable fold-back for SNG circuits IFRB International Frequency Registration Board IHF Institute of High Fidelity (merged into EIA) IM Intermodulation IMD Intermodulation Distortion INTELSAT International Telecommunications Satellite Organization INTV Association of Independent Television Stations IPA Intermediate Power Amplifier IPS Inches per Second (linear recording tape speed) IRAC Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Committee IRE Institute of Radio Engineers (now IEEE) IRTS International Radio and Television Society IRTV International Radio & Television Foundation ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network ISL Inter-satellite Link ITFS Instructional Television Fixed Service ITNA Independent Television News Association ITS Institute of Telecommunication Sciences (div. of NTIA) ITS International Transcription Service (FCC Copy Service) ITU International Telecommunication Union IX Interference JCIC Joint Council on Intersocietal Coordination JFET Junction Field Effect Transistor LAPLPS North American Presentation Level Protocol Standard (Vidtex) LCU Line Coupling Unit in transmission systems LED Light Emitting Diode LFCC Local Frequency Coordinating Committee LIDIA Local ID Insertion Automatically LMRS Land Mobile Radio Service LNA Low Noise Amplifier LOP Least Objectionable Program LP Long Play Phonograph Recording (33-1/3 rpm microgroove) LPAS Low Power Auxiliary Service for Broadcast Stations LPTV Low Power Television LS Local Sunset LS Long shot in video or film production LSI Large Scale Integrated Circuit LTU Line Tuning Unit in transmission systems MAC Multiplex Analog Component TV Transmission MAP Media Access Project MCR Master Control Room MCS Multi-channel Sound for TV MCTV Multichannel TV MCU Medium Close Up Shot in Video or Film Production MDS Multipoint Distribution Service MEOV Maximum Expected Operating Value MERPS Multiple Event Record & Playback System MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface MIRF Master International Frequency Register (of ITU) MLS Medium Long Shot in Video or Film Production MM Metered Market Service MMB FCC Mass Media Bureau MMDS Multichannel-Multipoint Distribution Service MNA Multi-Network Area MO&O Memorandum Opinion and Order MOL Maximum Operating Level MOP Minute of Program MOR Middle of the Road Program Format MOSFET Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor MOT Main (Satellite) Operating Terminal MP Modified Permit MP Monitoring Point (for AM directional antenna systems) MPA Multiple Product Advertisement MPAA Motion Picture Association of America MSA Metro Survey Area MSI Market Statistics Inc. MSO Multiple System OPerator (CATV) MSS Mobile Satellite Service MST Association of Maximum Service Telecasters MTBF Mean Time Between Failure(s) MTBR Mean Time Between Repair(s) MTS Multichannel Television Sound MTV Music Television MUF Maximum Usable Frequency (in HF broadcasting) MUSE Multiple Sub-Nyquist Sampling Encoding (for TV) MUX Multiplex communications transmissions MX Mutually Exclusive Condition N/T News-Talk Program Format NAB National Association of Broadcasters NABA North American Broadcast Association NABB National Association of Better Broadcasting NABET National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians NABOB National Association of Black-Owned Broadcasters NABTS North American Broadcast Teletext Standard NAC National Audience Composition NACT National Association of Community TV Broadcasters NAD National Audience Demographics NAEB National Association of Educational Broadcasters (disbanded NAITPD National Association of Independent TV Producers & Distribut NAL Notice of Apparent Liability NAPTE National Association of Television Program Executives NAPTS National Association of Public Television Stations NARAS National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences NARBA North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement NARTE National Association of Radio & Television Engineers NARUC National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASB National Association of Spanish Broadcasters NATAS National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences NATO National Association of Theater Owners NBI Nielsen Broadcast Index NBMC National Black Media Coalition NBN National Black Network NCCB National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting NCFM Noncommercial FM NCPAC National Conservative Political Action Committee NCTA National Cable Television Association NCTV National Coalition on Television Violence NEH National Endowment for the Humanities NEMO Not Emanating from Main Office (A Remote Broadcast) NHI Nielson Home Video Index NHK Japanese National Broadcast System NIAC National Industry Advisory Committee (EBS) NILPTV National Institute for Lower Power TV NNA National Newspaper Association NOI Notice of Inquiry NPACT National Public Affairs Center for Television NPBS Nielson Post-Buy Service NPR National Public Radio NPRM Notice of Proposed Rule Making NRB National Religious Broadcasters NRBA National Radio Broadcasters Association (merged with NAB) NSA National Security Agency NSEP National Security & Emergency Procedures NSI Nielsen Station Index NTA National Translator Association NTI Nielson Television Index NTIA National Telecommunications and Information Administration NTIS National Technical Information Service (Dept. of Commerce) NTSC National Television System Committee O&O Owned and Operated OCPA FCC Office of Congressional and Public Affairs OET FCC Office of Engineering & Technology (formerly OST) OFS Operational Fixed Service OIRT International Radio and Television Organization OMB Office of Management and Budget OMD FCC Office of Managing Director OPP FCC Office of Plans and Policy OROM Optical Read Only Memory (for data storage) ORTF French National Broadcasting Organization OS Off Screen OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration OST FCC Office of Science & Technology (renamed OET) OSTP Office of Science & Telecommunications Policy OTO One Time Only OTP Office of Telecommunications Polity (now NTIA) PA Power Amplifier PA Public Address System PA Public Affairs PAC Political Action Committee PACCT Political Action Committee for Cable Television PACT Private Access Communications Terminals (Satellite Service) PAL European Color Television System PBS Public Broadcasting Service PBX Private Branch (Telephone) Exchange PC Personal Computer PCB Polyychlorinated Biphenyl (fluid used in electrical equip.) PCM Pulse Code Modulation PD Program Director - Production Director PD Public Domain Material PDM Pulse Duration Modulation PDT Published Data Tapes PE Professional Engineer Registered or Licensed PGA Producers Guild of America PI Per Inquiry PLL Phase Lock(ed) Loop PLP Presentation Level Protocol PLT Private Line Telecommunications Circuit PM Permanent Magnet PMRC Parents Music Resource Center POE Panel of Experts POM Professional Owners & Managers POV Point of View Shot in Video or Film Production PPI Peak Program (level) Indicator PPM Peak Program Meter PPV Pay per View PRB FCC Private Radio Bureau PRS Program Rating Summary Report PSA Presunrise Service Authorization PSA Public Service Announcement PSK Phase Shift Keying PSRA PreSunrise Authority PSSA Post Sunset Authority PSSC Public Service Satellite Consortium PTAR Prime Time Access Rule PTT Postal Telephone & Telegraph Administration PTT Push to Talk (microphone) PTV Public Television PVC Polyvinyl Chloride (common plastic) QM Quadrature Modulation QPSK Quadrature Phase Shift Keying R&F Reach & Frequency R&O FCC Report & Order in Rulemaking Proceeding RAB Radio Advertising Bureau RADAR Radio All Dimension Audio Research RADAR Radio Detection and Ranging RADET Rapid Deployment Earth Terminal for SNG RAM Random Access Memory (in computer systems) RARC Regional Administrative Radio Conference RASO Radio Allocations Study Organization RCA Radio Club of America RCC Radio Common Carrier RCI Radio Canada International RCL Remote Control Location RDD Random Digital Dialing (for audience surveys) RFA Regulatory Flexibility Act RFE Radio Free Europe RFI Radio Frequency Interference RFR Radio Frequency Radiation RGB Red-Green-Blue Color Monitor Signal RIAA Recording Industry Association of America RIAS Radio in American Sector (Berlin) RL Radio Liberty RMS Root Mean Square RN Radio Nederland (Dutch International Broadcast Service) RNA Radio Network Association RO Receive-Only Earth Terminal ROM Read Only Memory (in computer systems) ROS Run of Schedule ROSP Report on Syndicated Programs RP Rear Projection RP Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit RPU Remote Pickup Unit RSS Root Sum Square RTCA Radio-Television Correspondents Association RTES Radio & Television Executives Society RTNDA Radio & Television News Directors Association RTRC Radio & Television Research Council S/I Signal to Interference Ratio S/N Signal to Noise Ratio SAC Sales Advisory Committee of TBA SAG Screen Actors Guild SAP Second Audio Program on TV subcarrier SAR Specific Absorption Rate of Radio Frequency Radiation SAW Surface Acoustic Wave (type of electronic filter) SAWA Screen Advertising World Association SBA Small Business Administration SBC Standard Broadcast Calendar SBE Society of Broadcast Engineers SBS Sound Broadcast Satellite SCA Subsidiary Communications Authority SCG Screen Cartoonists Guild SCPC Single Channel per Carrier SCTE Society of Cable Television Engineers SDX Sigma Delta Chi (Journalism Society) SE Sound Effects SECAM French and Russian Color Television System SECC State Emergency Communications Committee (for EBS) SEG Screen Extras Guild SESAC Society of European Songwriters Artists and Composers SFX Sound Effects SH Specified Hours (Licensed hours of operation) SIA Storage Instantaneous Audimeter SID Source Identification Signal (in TV VBI) SIU Sets in Use SMA Special Market Area SMATV Subscription Master Antenna Television SMPTE Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers SMSA Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area SNG Satellite News Gathering SOF Sound on Film SOT Sound on Tape SPACE Society for Private & Commercial Earth Stations SPARS Society of Professional Audio Recording Studios SPL Sound Pressure Level SRA Station Representative Association Inc. STA Special Temporary Authority STC Satellite Television Corp. STL Studio Transmitter Link STV Subscription Television STVA Subscription Television Association SVI Standard Volume Indicator (VU Meter) SVRC Satellite Viewing Rights Coalition SWARC Satellite World Radio Conference T&A Tits and Ass T/R Transmit - Receive Earth Terminal TARPAC Television & Radio Political Action Committee TARPEC Television and Radio Political Education Committee TASO Television Allocations Study Organization TBA To Be Announced TBC Time Base Corrector TBD To be Determined TBR To be Recorded TD Technical Director TDMA Time Division Multiple Access (Satellite system) TF Till Forbid (open ended advertising schedule) TFN Till Further Notice (scheduled for broadcast) THD Total Harmonic Distortion TI Terrestrial Interference to space communications TIM Transient Intermodulation Distortion TIO Television Information Office TMC Time Multiplex Component Video TMP Test Market Profile TNC Threaded Connector (for small coaxial cable) TOC Television Operator Council TPO Transmitter Power Output TRF Tuned Radio Frequency (type of receiver) TRL Telemetry Return Link TSA Total Survey Area TSL Transmitter to Studio Link TVB Television Bureau of Advertising TVI Television reception interference TVRO TV Receive-only Satellite Earth Terminal TWTA Travelling Wave Tube Amplifier UC Urban Contemporary (Program format) UHF Ultra High Frequency UL Underwriters Laboratory USIA United States Information Agency UT Universal Coordinated Time (formerly GMT) VAC Voltage - Alternating Current VAR Video to Audio Carrier Ratio VBI Vertical Blanking Interval VBIC Vertical Blanking Interval Code VCO Voltage Controlled Oscillator VCR Video Cassette Recorder VDP Video Disk Player VHF Very High Frequency VHS Video Home System (a video cassettee recording format) VIMCAS Vertical Interval Multi-channel Audio System VIRS Vertical Interval Reference Signal VITC Vertical Interval Time Code VITS Vertical Interval Television Signal VOA Voice of America VOM Volt Ohm Meter (used in electronic service work) VPS Viewers per Set VPVH Viewer per Viewing Household VSWR Voltage Standing Wave Ratio VTR Video Tape Recorder VTVM Vacuum Tume Volt Meter (used in electronic service work) VU Volume Unit (measurement of program level) WARC World Administrative Radio Conference WATCH Washington Association of Television & Children WATS Wide Area Telephone Service WGA Writers Guild of America WHCA White House Communications Agency WIC Women in Cable WPFC World Press Freedom Committee WST World System Teletext WW Working Women ZI Zoom In ZO Zoom Out