narrowcast
NAR-oh-kast
/ˈnærəʊkɑːst/
To transmit media content targeted specifically at a niche demographic or interest group rather than the general public; or a program so transmitted.
Emphasizes targeted audience segmentation over wide mass appeal.
The story behind the word. Coined in the mid-20th century and popularized by media theorist Alvin Toffler in his 1980 book 'The Third Wave'. It combined 'narrow' with '-cast' as an antonym to 'broadcast', predicting cable TV and the internet would fragment mass audiences into specialized subcultures.
Word relationships
- target: Target is a general verb for aiming effort, whereas narrowcast specifically refers to broadcasting media to a specialized niche.
- broadcast: Broadcast aims to reach the widest possible general public.
Commonly confused with
- broadcast: Broadcast spreads widely to everyone; narrowcast focuses tightly on a defined niche.
Word family
- narrowcasting (noun): The media strategy of targeting specialized audiences.
Collocations
- narrowcast media
- narrowcast strategy
- narrowcast programming
Example sentences
- "Specialty cable channels were designed to narrowcast directly to passionate interest groups like gourmet cooks or golf fans." Cable television history
- "Financial podcasts narrowcast specialized investment insights to highly focused professional groups." Digital publishing
Memory hook
NARROW scope + CASTing signals = targeting a NARROW, specific audience. Spearfishing audience niches.
When not to use
Do not use for major network prime-time television programs aimed at mass audiences.
Fun facts
- Alvin Toffler accurately predicted in 1980 that narrowcasting would end the dominance of major television networks by creating thousands of specialized channels.
Explore more words
segment, disseminate, Transmit, audience, slant, demographic
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