Tuning signal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Tuning Signal is the equivalent for a radio station of a station ident, used by television broadcasters to indicate what station the viewer is watching.
A tuning signal is normally a piece of music, a sound effect, or a spoken announcement, played before commencement of transmission, which indicates to the listener that they are tuned to the correct frequency to receive the station mentioned.
Shortwave stations, such as Radio Netherlands, Radio Moscow and China Radio International all use pieces of music to indicate that their listeners that they have found the station.
Some examples of tuning signals:
Radio New Zealand uses the call of a New Zealand Bellbird, repeated every 3 minutes.
Radio Netherlands uses a piece of music played on a Carillon or Beiaard.
Vatican Radio uses the chimes of the clock in St. Peter's Square, Rome, followed by the Papal Fanfare played by the Vatican Guard.
Tuning Signals are also known as interval signals for the fact that they sometimes get played during breaks in transmission.
[edit] Sources Used
Sennitt, Andrew G.; David Bobbitt (December 2005). World Radio and Television Handbook 2006. Billboard Books, 608. 0823077985.
