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Dead air is the absence of scheduled content in broadcasting, caused by technical problems or errors. It was first recorded in 1940 during the early days of television. In the 1970s, radio stations broadcasted 24 hours a day, while TV stations saved money by broadcasting late at night. Nowadays, stations try to avoid dead air due to loss of revenue and viewers. In 1987, CBS aired six minutes of dead air when Dan Rather was missing, while in 2011, a Wisconsin TV station intentionally broadcasted several hours of dead air during a football game. The phrase is often used as a title or pun.
Dead air is a broadcast term for the unintentional absence of scheduled content. In television broadcasts, for example, this refers to a blank or frozen screen or silence on the audio track. In radio, where the term originates from, it means a complete lack of sound. It usually results from technical problems, equipment failures, or station personnel errors. Stations sometimes intentionally program dead air, but this is rare, as it is considered something of a cardinal sin among broadcast professionals.
Radio broadcasting began in the early 20th century, followed shortly after by the first television broadcasting. In the 1920s, radio enjoyed worldwide popularity, providing millions of people with entertainment, information and communication. Television was still in its infancy when the phrase dead air was first recorded in 1940. By the 1942s, television had begun to replace radio as the most popular medium of communication. The advertising model for broadcast media was now firmly in place, meaning that any gap in programming represented a loss of revenue for the broadcaster in question.
In the 1970s, many AM and FM radio stations broadcast on a 24-hour cycle. Television stations, however, often broadcast late at night and early in the morning when viewership was low, to save money on staffing and programming. By the 21st century, marketing concerns had taken over and all 24 hours of a TV station’s broadcast day were filled with shows, news or commercials. Most modern stations will try to avoid dead air for whatever reason, due to loss of revenue and potential loss of viewers. Accidents do happen, however; many stations use a banner saying “Please Stand By” or “Technical Difficulties” in the event of a broadcast disruption, so viewers know the situation is temporary.
In one infamous incident in 1987, CBS national anchor Dan Rather left his desk before a telecast, believing his show would be delayed by a televised tennis match. When the match ended early, his show started at the regular time, but Pretty could not be located. The situation was so unexpected that the network aired six minutes of dead air to a nationwide audience, an almost unprecedented occurrence, before Rather returned to his desk. In 2011, by contrast, a Wisconsin television station deliberately broadcast several hours of dead air. The station’s owners were fans of the Green Bay Packers, who were playing in a national football league on another channel, and didn’t want to distract viewers from the game.
The phrase is often used as a title or pun. American broadcaster Bob Larson used the term as the title for his 1991 novel, as did Scottish writer Iain Banks for a book by him in 2002. Several radio shows devoted to legendary rock combo the Grateful Dead have also taken the title . Dead Air is also the title of at least three different low-budget horror films, including a zombie film released in 2009.
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