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Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often simulcast on both BBC Radio 3 and BBC Television. Another application is the transmission of the original-language soundtrack of movies or TV series over local or Internet radio, with the television broadcast having been dubbed into a local language.

Simulcasting to provide stereo sound for TV broadcasts[link]

Before stereo TV sound transmission was possible, simulcasting on TV and Radio was a method of effectively transmitting "stereo" sound to music TV broadcasts. In 1970 WPIX in Pittsburgh broadcast a live Boz Scaggs performance which had the audio simultaneously broadcast on two FM radio stations to create a quadrophonic sound, the first of its kind. The first such transmission was in 1974, when the BBC broadcast a recording of Van Morrison's London Rainbow Concert simultaneously on BBC2 TV and Radio 2 (see It's Too Late To Stop Now).

Similarly, in the 1980s, before Multichannel Television Sound, or home theater was commonplace in American households, broadcasters would air a high fidelity version of a television program's audio portion over FM stereo simultaneous with the television broadcast. PBS stations were the most likely, especially when airing a live concert. It was also a way of allowing MTV and similar music channels to run stereo sound through the cable-TV network. This method required a stereo FM transmitter modulating MTV's stereo soundtrack through the cable-TV network and customers connecting their FM receiver's antenna input to the cable-TV outlet. Then they would tune the FM receiver to the specified frequency that would be published in documentation supplied by the cable-TV provider.

The first ever concert "simulcast" was Frank Zappa's Halloween shows (October 31, 1981), live from NYC's Palladium and shown on MTV with the audio-only portion simulcast over the FM "Starfleet Radio" network. A later, notable application for simulcasting in this context was the Live Aid telethon concert that was broadcast around the world on July 13, 1985. Most destinations where this concert was broadcast had the concert simulcast by at least one TV network and at least one of the local FM stations.

Most stereo-capable video recorders made through the 1980s and early 1990s had a "simulcast" recording mode where they recorded video signals from the built-in TV tuner and audio signals from the VCR's audio line-in connectors. This was to allow one to connect a stereo FM tuner that is tuned to the simulcast frequency to the VCR's audio input in order to record the stereo sound of a TV program that would otherwise be recorded in mono. The function was primarily necessary with stereo VCRs that didn't have a stereo TV tuner or were operated in areas where stereo TV broadcasting wasn't in place. This was typically selected through the user setting the input selector to "Simulcast" or "Radio" mode or, in the case of some JVC units, the user setting another "audio input" switch from "TV" or "Tuner" to "Line".

In the mid to late 1990s, video game developer Nintendo utilized simulcasting to provide enhanced orchestral scoring and voice-acting for the first ever "integrated radio-games"^[1] – its Satellaview video games. Whereas digital game data was broadcast to the Satellaview unit to provide the basic game and game sounds, Nintendo's partner, satellite radio company St.GIGA, simultaneously broadcast the musical and vocal portion of the game via radio. These two streams were combined at the Satellaview to provide a unified audiotrack analogous to stereo.^[2]

Other uses[link]

In America, simulcast most often refers to the practice of offering the same programming on an FM and AM station owned by the same entity, in order to cut costs. With the advent of solid state AM transmitters and computers, it has become very easy for AM stations to broadcast a different format without additional cost; therefore, simulcast between FM/AM combos is rarely heard today. Normally, AM stations broadcast some type of talk format; depending on the population, the format may be ethnic. During National Party rule in South Africa, many programs were dubbed in Afrikaans. The English soundtrack was available on Radio 2000. This could be selected using a button labeled simulcast on many televisions manufactured before 1995.

Radio programs have been simulcast on television since the invention thereof; however, as of recent, perhaps the most visible example of radio shows on television is The Howard Stern Show, which currently airs on SIRIUS Satellite Radio as well as Howard TV. Another prominent radio show that is simulcast on television is Imus in the Morning, which airs on RFD-TV in addition to Citadel Media. In wrestling the first simulcast happened on March 26, 2001 between WWF Raw is War and WCW Nitro.

In another case, popular programs will be aired simultaneously on different services in adjacent countries, such as The Simpsons, airing Sunday evenings at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern and Pacific times) on both Fox in the United States and Global in Canada. "Simulcast" is often a colloquial term for the related Canadian practice of simultaneous substitution (simsub).

In sports, simulcasts are when a single announcer broadcasts play-by-play coverage both over television and radio. The practice was common in the early years of television, but since the 1980s, most teams have used a separate team for television and for radio.

As all NFL television broadcasts are done by the national networks or via cable, there are no regular TV-to-radio football simulcasts. However, NFL rules require that games airing on cable and satellite networks (ESPN, NFL Network) are simulcast on local over-air TV stations in markets serving the two local teams participating in each game.

Similarly, no current National Basketball Association teams use a simulcast. Al McCoy (Phoenix), Chick Hearn (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Calabro (Seattle) and Rod Hundley (Utah) were the last NBA team broadcasters to simulcast.

In Major League Baseball, only Vin Scully continues the practice; however, he simulcasts only the first three innings of Los Angeles Dodgers games at Dodger Stadium and other National League Western Division parks.

The practice is most prevalent in the National Hockey League where three teams simulcast:

• Buffalo, with Rick Jeanneret and Harry Neale (and, on Saturdays, Mike Robitaille),
• Dallas, with Ralph Strangis and Daryl Reaugh (popularly known as "Ralph and Razor"), and
• New York Islanders, with Howie Rose and Billy Jaffe.

Simulcasts via satellite can be a challenge, as there is a significant delay because of the distance - nearly 50,000 miles (80,000 km) round-trip - involved. Anything involving video compression (and to some extent audio data compression) also has an additional significant delay, which is noticeable when watching local TV stations on direct broadcast satellites. Even though the process is not instantaneous, this is still considered a simulcast because it is not intentionally stored anywhere.

(Multiplexing -- also sometimes called "multicasting" -- is something of a reversal of this situation, where multiple program streams are combined into a single broadcast. The two terms are sometimes confused.)

In horse racing, a simulcast is a broadcast of a horse race which allows wagering at two or more sites; the simulcast often involves the transmission of wagering information to a central site, so that all bettors may bet in the same betting pool, as well as the broadcast of the race.

The San Francisco Giants simulcast with the Oakland Athletics while playing each other on their respective stations and commercials with a mix of broadcasters from both teams.

On cable television systems, analog-digital simulcasting (ADS) means that analog channels are duplicated as digital subchannels. Digital tuners are programmed to use the digital subchannel instead of the analog. This allows for smaller, cheaper cable boxes by eliminating the analog tuner and some analog circuitry. On DVRs, it eliminates the need for an MPEG encoder to convert the analog signal to digital for recording. The primary advantage is the elimination of interference, and as analog channels are dropped, the ability to put 10 or more SDTV (or two HDTV, or various other combinations) channels in its place. The primary drawback is the common problem of over-compression (quantity over quality) resulting in fuzzy pictures and pixelation.

In universities with multiple campuses, simulcasting may be used for a single teacher to teach class to students in two or more locations at the same time, using videoconferencing equipment.

In many public safety agencies, simulcast refers to the broadcasting of the same transmission on the same frequency from multiple towers either simultaneously, or offset by a fixed number of microseconds. This allows for a larger coverage area without the need for a large number of channels, resulting in increased spectral efficiency. This comes at the cost of overall poorer voice quality, as multiple sources increase multipath interference significantly, resulting in what is called simulcast distortion.

With some of the latest Simulcast control equipment for FM radio networks, the distortion experienced is almost in-audible to the human ear. With the introduction of Line Equalisation Modules and Tone Generation Modules, the phasing advance and retard is so well calculated that the distortion is almost entirely averted.

The Tone Generation Module (or TGM) generates a pilot tone at 3300 Hz which is then sampled by the Line Equalisation Module (or LEM) which each channel on each radio high site has 2 of located back at the main control site. This then determines the phase shift in the signal and adjusts the transmission accordingly such that all the overlap areas in transmission are in phase with each other.

See also[link]

• Single Channel Simulcast

References[link]

Priscilla Shirer, a speaker and author, has spent more than a decade addressing major corporations, organizations, and Christian audiences across the United States and around the world. Most recently Priscilla has focused on teaching the Bible to women through an expository teaching style.

The daughter of Dr. Tony Evans, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas, Priscilla grew up well acquainted with the Bible. (1) As a freshman at the University of Houston, she interned with a Christian radio station. Soon listeners were calling the station, inviting Priscilla to speak at their Bible study groups and other events. (3) After graduation, Priscilla began her Master’s degree work at Dallas Theological Seminary. Soon she was invited to lead a weekly Bible study at the Zig Ziglar Corporation and then to join its speaker team. (1) Priscilla has worked as an independent contractor for CBS and hosted a local television show, but recently she has focused solely on Christian ministry opportunities. She calls Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of Evangelist, Dr. Billy Graham, her mentor in ministry.

Priscilla is married to Jerry Shirer, former Hilton Hotels executive. Together the Shirers established Going Beyond Ministries, a speakers' bureau of Bible teachers, including Priscilla. Now the parents of three young boys, the Shirers share ministry and family responsibilities. While Priscilla continues to minister full-time, Jerry manages her schedule and other business aspects of Going Beyond Ministries.^[1])

Priscilla speaks around the United States at churches and other events, including the LifeWay Christian Resources-sponsored Going Beyond conference and Deeper Still:^[2] The Event, where she shares the stage with Beth Moore^[3] and Kay Arthur.^[4] She is the author of several books, including He Speaks to Me: Preparing to Hear from God.

Selected bibliography[link]

• He Speaks to Me: Preparing to Hear from God, ISBN 978-0-8024-5007-4
• Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God Speaks, ISBN 978-0-8024-5009-8
• And We Are Changed: Encounters with a Transforming God, ISBN 978-0-8024-3311-4
• A Jewel in His Crown: Rediscovering Your Value as a Woman of Excellence, ISBN 978-0-8024-4083-9

Notes[link]

1. ^ Going Beyond
2. ^ Lifeway
3. ^ L Proof
4. ^ Precept

External links[link]

• Going Beyond Ministries

Wanda Elizabeth "Beth" Moore (born Wanda Elizabeth Green on June 16, 1957) is an American evangelist, author, and teacher. Moore founded Living Proof Ministries, a biblically-based organization for women, in 1994. It is based in Houston, Texas, and it primarily focuses on aiding women who desire to model their lives on evangelical Christian principles.^[1] Women from around the world sit under Moore’s teaching at Living Proof Live conferences, sponsored by LifeWay Christian Resources. Travis Cottrell leads worship at these conferences.^[2] Moore also teaches through her radio show, Living Proof with Beth Moore, and appears as a regular on the television program LIFE Today, where she hosts Wednesdays with Beth.^[1] In 2007 and 2008, Moore, along with Kay Arthur and Priscilla Shirer,^[3] founded Deeper Still: The Event,^[4] a LifeWay weekend conference featuring the three women.^[5]

Moore writes books based on the regular Bible studies that she conducts at the Living Proof Live conferences and at her local church, Bayou City Fellowship, Houston, Texas.^[6] Moore’s books include Breaking Free, Believing God, and When Godly People Do Ungodly Things. Through her books, the Internet, DVD, video, and audiotape, women from every denomination around the world have participated in her Bible studies, while many others have listened to her on the radio or heard her speak in person.^[7]

Through the years American missionaries and expatriates have taken the Bible studies overseas, resulting in Beth Moore Bible study groups all over the world.^{[citation needed]} Moore's Living Proof Live conferences have taken her to thirty-nine states since 1994 and have been attended by more than 421,000 women.^[8] She has also taught conferences for women in numerous countries, including Ireland, England, Singapore, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and India.^[1]

Living Proof Ministries vision[link]

Living Proof is devoted to investing in the Spiritual lives of people of every color and denomination through sound Biblical teaching and uplifting praise and worship.^[9]

Early life[link]

Born on an army base in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and raised in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where her father owned a cinema house, Beth is the fourth of five children, all of whom worked at the cinema from a young age.

Education[link]

Moore holds a degree in political science from Southwest Texas State University, where she pledged and was initiated into Chi Omega, and an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Howard Payne University.

Family[link]

She married Keith Moore in 1978.^[1] They have two grown daughters, Amanda and Melissa.^[10] Both daughters, along with son-in-law Curtis Jones, work with their mother at Living Proof Ministries.^[11]

Ministry[link]

Moore committed her life to vocational Christian ministry at the age of 18. But years later, when she was volunteering as a Sunday school teacher, Moore realized she needed to learn more about the Bible. She went to a biblical doctrine class that gave her a deep yearning to know the Bible, and she began sharing her expanding knowledge through a weekly Bible study class. By the mid-1990s that class had grown to 2,000 women and she was speaking at churches throughout South Texas. It was then that LifeWay Christian Resources' publishing arm Broadman & Holman (later B&H) began publishing her Bible studies, leading to a national speaking ministry for Moore. With the help of a worship band she assembled, she began holding weekend conferences around the country. As a base for her national speaking ministry, she founded Living Proof Ministries.^[12]

Works[link]

• Who Will You Trust? - audio/video series (2007)
• Get Out Of That Pit - book (2007), ISBN 978-1-59145-552-3
• Songs of Deliverance - CD (2006)
• Fully Alive: Audio/video series with Beth Moore, James and Betty Robison (2006)
• So Long Insecurity: You've been a bad friend to us - book (2010), ISBN 978-1-4143-3472-1

Bible studies[link]

• "Here and Now - There and Then" (Study of Revelation)
• Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman (2008), ISBN 1-4158-5289-8
• When Godly People Do Ungodly Things: Arming Yourself in the Age of Seduction (2002), ISBN 0-8054-2465-2
• Jesus: The One and Only (2002), ISBN 0-8054-2489-X
• The Beloved Disciple: Following John to the Heart of Jesus (2003), ISBN 0-8054-2753-8
• Believing God (2004), ISBN 0-8054-3189-6
• The Patriarchs: Encountering the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (2005), ISBN 0-633-09906-6
• Daniel: Lives of Integrity, words of prophecy (2006), ISBN 978-1-4158-2588-4
• Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit
• Stepping Up
• To Live is Christ: The Life & Ministry of Paul
• Stepping Up: Psalms of Ascent
• A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place
• Loving Well
• Breaking Free
• "James: Mercy Triumphs"

References[link]