A person or organization that transmits radio or television programs to the public. Someone who disseminates information or entertainment through electronic media.
Originally from agriculture - 'broadcast' meant scattering seeds widely by hand. The metaphor transferred to radio in the 1920s, describing the wide scattering of signals through the airwaves.
The agricultural metaphor is perfect - just as farmers broadcast seeds hoping they'll take root everywhere, broadcasters send out programs hoping to reach and influence audiences far and wide. The term predates television by centuries!
Occupational noun; broadcasting was male-dominated in institutional roles (news anchors, producers) through mid-20th century, though women were systematically excluded from on-air and editorial authority despite technical competence.
The word itself is neutral; use it for any broadcaster regardless of gender. Ensure actual diversity in broadcast institutions rather than linguistic correction alone.
Women radio engineers and early TV producers (like Phyllis Geller, Rya Skaggs) built infrastructure but were erased from broadcast history; centering their contributions corrects institutional erasure more than terminology.
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