I. web ‧ cast 1 /ˈwebkɑːst $ -kæst/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
an event such as a musical performance which you can listen to or watch on the Internet
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THESAURUS
▪ programme British English , program American English /ˈprəʊɡræm/ something that you watch on television, or listen to on the radio:
What’s your favourite television programme?
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I watched an interesting programme about Egypt last night.
▪ show /ʃəʊ/ a programme on television or the radio, especially an informal one in which people talk together, take part in a game etc:
a late-night talk show
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game shows
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She hosts a weekly call-in radio show called ‘Got a question?’
▪ documentary /ˌdɒkjɑˈment ə ri◂ $ ˌdɑːk-/ a programme that gives you facts and information about a serious subject, such as history, science, or social problems:
a documentary about homeless people
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a 50-minute television documentary
▪ soap opera/soap /ˈsəʊp ˌɒp ə rə $ -ˌɑː-, səʊp/ a television or radio programme that tells an imaginary story about a group of people and their lives, and is often broadcast regularly for many years:
the Australian soap opera ‘Neighbours’
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the huge success of television soaps
▪ sitcom /ˈsɪtkɒm $ -kɑːm/ an amusing programme in which there is a different story each week about the same group of people:
the American sitcom ‘Friends’
▪ reality TV television programmes that show real people in funny situations or situations in which they must compete with each other. Often the people are filmed continuously for weeks or months:
the reality TV show ‘Big Brother’
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The trouble with reality TV is that a lot of the time it’s really boring.
▪ webcast a programme, event etc that is broadcast on the Internet:
Universities may record and broadcast some lectures as webcasts.
▪ podcast a file of recorded sound and sometimes pictures that you can ↑ download from the Internet:
The interview is available as a podcast.
II. webcast 2 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle webcast ) [intransitive and transitive]
to broadcast an event on the Internet, at the time the event happens:
Various local news sites plan to webcast each of the mayoral debates.