APPENDIX I
GLOSSARY
AC— Alternating Current. The type of electrical current
available from standard wall outlets.
ACTION— In still photography, movement within a
scene being photographed.
AD LIB— Extemporization of lines not written in the
script; improvised, impromptu or off-the-cuff
remarks.
ADVANCE STORY— A story written to promote a
scheduled special event.
AFRTS— Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
Provides its outlets (including NBS detachments)
with broadcasting materials.
AFRTS-BC— Armed Forces Radio and Television
Service Broadcast Center. Provides radio and
television program materials through the AFRTS
Satellite Network (SATNET), on the Armed Forces
Satellite-Transmitted Radio Service (AFSTRS),
and AFRTS-BC Affiliate Information Network
(AIN) teletype service.
AFSTRS— The tied Forces Satellite-Transmitted
Radio Service.
AGIATION— The process of moving a photographic
film, plate or paper in a processing bath or moving
the bath relative to the photographic material during
processing.
AMPLITUDE— The range or strength of an electrical
signal.
APERTURE— In an optical system, an opening
through which light can pass.
ART— A general term for all newspaper and magazine
illustrations, including the flag.
ASPECT RATIO— In television, the proportional
relationship of the width of the screen to the height
of the screen. The aspect ratio of any television
screen, regardless of its physical size, is 3:4 — three
units high and four units wide.
ASSEMBLE EDITING— In television, an editing
mode where the editing control unit (ECU) adds
control track and program footage (both audio
tracks and the video track) to the edit/record
AI-1
videocassette recorder (VCR) at a predetermined
in-edit point.
ATTRIBUTION— The act of referring to the name of
a person in a news story who makes a statement that
may be challenged.
AUDIO CONSOLE— In radio and television, the main
board to which microphones, cartridge machines,
reel-to-reel tape recorders/reproducers, remote
lines, CD players and other audio equipment are
connected.
AUDITION— In radio, the nonprogram channel on an
audio console.
AUTOWINDER— A mechanical device (used with a
35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera) that
advances the film after each manual exposure.
BACKGROUND BRIEFING— A briefing usually
delivered by the PAO to give reporters background
information about a particular subject. The content
or source of a story written from a background
briefing is usually attributed to a “Navy spokes-
person,” “informed military sources” or some other
truthful, but not specifically identified, individual
imparting the information.
BACKLIGHTING— In still photography and tele-
vision, the type of lighting effect created when the
light source is in front of the photographer and
behind the subject. Backlighting is used to separate
the subject from the background by casting a rim of
light across the head and shoulders of the subject.
BALANCE— (1) In still photography, the process of
placing elements of balance, such as objects, shapes
or tones, in opposing sections of a photographic
composition so that each section appears to have an
equal amount of weight or value. (2) In radio and
television, the process of adjusting the levels of two
or more sound sources in a program so each is heard
at the proper comparative volume.
BARN DOORS— In television and still photography,
metal flaps connected to the body of a lighting
instrument used to control light dispersion.
