"Put on the air" is a colloquial expression used primarily in the field of broadcasting, referring to the act of starting or initiating the transmission of a radio or television program. In this context, it signifies the moment when the program becomes available to the public audience through the airwaves.
From a technical standpoint, "putting on the air" involves a series of steps that need to be executed before a program can be broadcasted. These steps typically include the preparation of equipment, such as microphones, cameras, or transmission devices, to facilitate the recording or live transmission of the program. The content, whether pre-recorded or produced live, is then processed, edited, and encoded according to the broadcasting standards and requirements. Once all the technical aspects of the program are appropriately set up and tested, it is deemed ready to be put on the air.
The phrase can also be used metaphorically, outside the broadcasting context, to mean making something publicly available or accessible. In this sense, it refers to the act of releasing or announcing something to a wider audience or making it known to the public. For instance, one could say, "The company put the new product launch on the air," meaning they made an official announcement or started advertising it widely.
Overall, "put on the air" conveys the concept of making a radio or television program available for transmission, while also extending to other areas where making something public or accessible is involved.
