Wireless broadcasting in Illuminatia
Wireless (radio) broadcasting is among the most long-established electronic mass mediums in Illuminatia, thanks to a confluence of factors including the Illuminatian populace's vast thirst for information and the existence of Lucidus mission technology that enabled radio communication at the outset of Illuminatian settlement.
Wireless broadcasting is dominated by a continent-wide networks operated by one public broadcaster, TI as well as three commercial broadcasters, VB, GWB, and ABN. These four prevailing broadcast networks also operate telekinephotocast networks continent-wide.
Radio broadcasting in Illuminatia is referred to as "wireless" broadcasting in the native Glossa Communi language to differentiate it from its predecessor, radio, which was distributed by cable briefly in early Illuminatian history.
Wireless broadcast stations occupy two frequency bands in Illuminatia—the Ultra Long Wave (ULW) band and the Medium Wave (MW) band. The earliest broadcasts began utilizing lower of the two—the UWL band—and many broadcasts remain in the UWL band today. Later, a larger number of frequencies were opened in the higher-frequency MW band, making use of a different modulation scheme which afforded MW broadcasters better audio fidelity at the expense of a generally smaller service area per station.
The Bureau of Spectrum Management (BSM) manages the allotment of the electromagnetic spectrum to wireless broadcasters, provisioning broadcast licenses based on interference consideration and in the case of the MW band also taking into account prioritization afforded to continent-wide networks. Wireless broadcasting in Illuminatia exclusively uses entirely analogue modulation schemes.
Historical context
Wireless broadcasting in Illuminatia began as an official communication mechanism among key central command and leadership personnel from the Lucidus mission. Wired communication was most prevalent aboard the Lucidus spacecraft, however limited wireless two-way radio communication did take place. A constricted supply of two-way communication devices was available after the mission reached the ground, and the expansive nature of the geography of Illuminatia created a demand for wireless communication and information dissemination among the populace that outstripped supply.
Wired public address radio systems within Illuminatia's earliest camps and settlements quickly gave way to wireless radio broadcasts as the industrial means to mass-produce wireless transmitters and receivers reached a critical mass. While the development of this technology in Earthly antiquity easily predated Illuminatian civilization, Illuminatians were left to reinvent and newly-produce the machinery due to the minimal technical details supplied to the Lucidus mission compounded by a limit in raw resources obtained from the Neonisi planet.
Publicly-operated wireless broadcast systems were originally the only transmission devices officially recognized. These extremely low-powered, highly-local official stations operated in the UWL band and were called Local Information (LIS) Stations. As uncoordinated, non-governmental, and not-necessarily-authorized broadcasters emerged to satisfy public demand for independent information, variety, and entertainment, the Bureau of Spectrum Management (BSM) began to recognize a second class of stations in the ULW band—the Registered Civilian (RCS) Station.
It was not long before the Department of Public Service Media Investment (DPSMI) and the Department of Public Information (DPI) intentionally advanced wireless broadcasting by building higher-powered ULW broadcast stations as the backbone of what became Illuminatia's first broadcast network, VB. This network, a public-private partnership, eventually split into two halves—the non-commercial TI network and the commercially-operated VB network.
A proliferation of high-powered ULW stations serving both regional and local audiences created competition for a place within the UWL spectrum. The wider acceptance of wireless broadcasting as a medium for musical programming led to a demand for a higher-fidelity aural broadcast medium. These needs were met by the opening of MW broadcasting, which provided for stereophonic audio and the licensing of a much greater number of local stations. The major networks, TI, VB, GWB, and ABN, each further divided into multiple networks offering genres of programming with greater specificity, such as all-news, drama, and distinct genres of contemporary music.
Information freedom
Wireless broadcasting facilitates the exchange of viewpoints and the highly-valued marketplace of ideas through two primary regulatorily-protected mechanisms: a legislative requirement that all licensed broadcast stations provide airtime to open-access speech, and the provisioning of a portion of the ULW band for registered but non-licensed amateur broadcasters.
Open-access time on licensed ULW and MW broadcast stations most frequently takes the form of call-in programming during which local community members may call the station and be allowed to speak on the air. These programs are required to exercise minimal facilitation or censorship, and the government holds stations unaccountable for any speech by the invited public. Another popular format for allowing open-access is the providing of public-access time, similar to public access television. Stations in lieu of hosting public access time may instead contribute to the provisions necessary to run a full-time public access station.
The right to receive a wireless broadcast is considered unalienable. The government is forbidden to restrict the right of a citizen to receive broadcasts. This right is taken so seriously that many people opt to be fitted with an internal radiofrequency resonant implant (IRFRI), which allows the wearer to freely receive ULW broadcasts anywhere without the need for a wireless receiver or electrical power. Prisoners of the Bureau of Punishment and Castigation (BPC) enjoy a right to receive broadcasts and do so freely if they are fitted with an IRFRI, regardless of their disposition within the justice system or the severity of the alleged crimes. Residents of Supplicium Island are presumed to be potentially able to receive UWL broadcasts to the extent that the BPC erected low-power ULW stations to rebroadcast the major wireless networks to the island, in part to jam any potential long-distance reception of outside UWL stations which may risk divulging to the prisoner the general location of Supplicium Island, which is kept secret.
Technical background
ULW broadcasting provides for 135 distinct channels on the wireless dial, located between 390 KRU and 2400 KRU in the ULW band using channels spaced 15 KRU apart. All UWL broadcasts are monophonic.
Additionally, provisions for unlicensed amateur and experimental broadcasting exist adjacent to the licensed ULW band. Such stations may operate between 2415 KRU and 3000 KRU on the dial. These 29 additional channels are also spaced with 15 KRU increments and are available for non-licensed but registered operation, allowing amateur and experimental operators to also broadcast to the general public. These additional channels are generally also available on the standard consumer wireless receiver set.
Meanwhile, MW broadcasting provides for up to 200 distinct primary channels on the wireless dial, located between 70 MRU and 130 MRU in the MW band using channels spaced 300 KRU apart. MW broadcasting may be stereophonic or quadraphonic and provides for the transmission of static images.
ULW broadcasts allow for a frequency response up to 12 KRU, which takes sufficient advantage of the audible frequency range of the average Illuminatian human. This is bested by MW broadcasts, which can produce audio at frequencies up to 20 KRU, taking complete advantage of the audible frequency spectrum and producing a noticeable improvement upon perceived audio quality.
ULW signals are carried using the single-sideband (SSB) refinement of amplitude modulation (AM), which allows for maximum spectrum efficiency. MW signals utilize frequency modulation (FM) which provides for improved signal-to-noise performance.
UWL signals generally broadcast to a wide regional geography and regulation allows for very high-powered stations that can be received over the majority of the Illuminatian continent. UWL broadcasts of this nature are best-suited for national network programming with minimal local interest. MW signals are limited to line-of-sight reception, and so are necessarily intended for stations reaching a local audience with programming of a local interest.