Public affairs (broadcasting)

For other uses of "public affairs", see public affairs (disambiguation).

In broadcasting, public affairs radio or television programs focus on matters of politics and public policy. Among commercial broadcasters, such programs are often only to satisfy Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulatory expectations and are not scheduled in prime time. Public affairs television programs are usually broadcast at times when few listeners or viewers are tuned in (or even awake) in the U.S., in time slots known as graveyard slots; such programs can be frequently encountered at times such as 5-6 a.m. on a Sunday.

Public affairs coverage is carried as digital subchannels of existing state network Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member public television stations.

Government-access television (GATV) is cable channel capacity for local government bodies and other legislative entities to access the cable television systems to televise public affairs meetings.

At some (particularly national) broadcasters, "Public Affairs" may be a special unit, separate from the news department, dedicated to producing long-form public-affairs programming, as at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation prior to 1992. As of 2012, C-SPAN's three networks are the most widely known and widely available public affairs channels in the United States.

Broadcasting

Medium	Radio (Radio program Cable Satellite) Telephone Teletext Television (Television program Cable Satellite) Internet television and radio (Webcast Streaming media Web television Peer-to-peer television BitTorrent television and movies)

Broadcasting niche	Campus radio Commercial broadcasting Community radio News broadcasting Pirate radio / Pirate television Public broadcasting Religious broadcasting Talk radio

Specialty channels	Adult television channels Children's interest channel / Children's television series Documentary channel Men's interest channel Movie television channels Music radio / Music television Quiz channel Shopping channel News broadcasting Business channels Public affairs Sports television channels Women's interest channel

Production and funding	Broadcast designer Broadcast license Broadcast network Broadcast-safe Broadcast television systems Digital on-screen graphic Lower third Network affiliate News ticker Score bug Television news screen layout Television licence Television studio Press box Press pool on-screen display

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Public affairs (broadcasting)

See also