telecast
C1Formal, technical, journalistic
Definition
Meaning
A television broadcast.
The transmission of a program or event by television; also used as a verb meaning to broadcast by television.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
While synonymous with 'broadcast', 'telecast' specifically connotes transmission via television technology. Its usage has declined somewhat in everyday speech in favour of more general terms like 'broadcast' or 'air'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The word is understood and used in both varieties, though it is somewhat formal/technical in both.
Connotations
Neutral technical term. Slightly dated for younger speakers, who might use 'TV broadcast' or simply 'broadcast'.
Frequency
Marginally more common in American English, particularly in historical or official media contexts (e.g., 'the first live telecast').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to telecast somethingto be telecastsomething is telecast liveto telecast to an audienceVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in media industry reports and contracts regarding broadcasting rights.
Academic
Found in media studies, communication history, and technology papers.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; more likely in news reports or formal announcements about TV schedules.
Technical
Standard term in broadcasting engineering and television production.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The match will be telecast on BBC One this Saturday.
- They decided not to telecast the sensitive footage.
American English
- The network will telecast the presidential debate live.
- The ceremony was telecast across the country.
adjective
British English
- The telecast signal was interrupted by the storm.
- We analysed the telecast quality of the event.
American English
- The telecast version included closed captions.
- Their telecast rights were secured for five years.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The football game was on TV last night.
- They showed the concert on television.
- The awards ceremony will be telecast live to a global audience.
- The first telecast of the moon landing was a historic moment.
- The decision to telecast the parliamentary proceedings marked a shift towards greater transparency.
- Analysts are comparing the viewer ratings of the simultaneous telecasts on rival networks.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: TELEvision + broadCAST = TELECAST.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISPATCHING VISUAL INFORMATION OVER DISTANCE (like a tele-graph).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'телемост' (telemost), which means a live TV link-up between distant locations, not a general broadcast.
- Do not confuse with 'трансляция' (translyatsiya), which is a broader term for any broadcast or stream.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'telecast' as a synonym for any online stream (it is TV-specific).
- Misspelling as 'telcast' or 'telecaste'.
- Incorrect verb form: 'telecasted' (the past is usually 'telecast' or 'telecasted', both are accepted but 'telecast' is more common).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'telecast' correctly as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can refer to any television broadcast, whether live or pre-recorded. However, it is often used in the context of live events.
Both 'telecast' and 'telecasted' are used. 'Telecast' is more common (e.g., 'The event was telecast yesterday').
It is less common in casual speech. Words like 'broadcast', 'show', or 'air' are more frequent. 'Telecast' is typical in formal, journalistic, or technical contexts.
Traditionally, no. It specifically refers to transmission via television broadcasting technology. For online video, terms like 'stream', 'webcast', or 'livestream' are used.