"narrowcast" - Word of the Day from the OED

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narrowcast, adj. and n.

DRAFT REVISION Dec. 2009

orig. U.S.

Brit. /narkst/, /narkast/, U.S. /nrokæst/  [< NARROW adj. + -cast (in BROADCAST adj.). Compare NARROWCASTING n. and later NARROWCAST v.] 

    A. adj.

    1. Of or relating to a radio transmission: restricted as regards direction of transmission, so as to avoid sending signals to areas where listeners are few in number. Now rare.

1924 Los Angeles Times 6 Jan. II. 9/7, I believe very definitely that broadcasting as constituted today is commercially sound,..although there may be selective methods and narrow-cast methods which will do no harm. 1937 Lincoln (Nebraska) State Jrnl. 26 Aug. 10/7 Truly, broadcasting is becoming less and less broadcast and more and more narrowcast.

    2. Of a television or radio transmission: aimed at a particular segment of the population. Cf. NARROWCASTING n.

1988 Creative Rev. Jan. 45/3 As the pirate stations have shown, narrowcast radio can work just as successfully as narrowcast magazines. 1993 Guardian 6 Sept. II. 14/5 At a time when we are entering a world of dozens..of available narrowcast and broadcast TV channels, the present restrictions are absurd.

    B. n.    A narrowcast television or radio transmission.

1932 N.Y. Times 20 May 3/4 The ‘narrow cast’ was conducted through a beam of light from the control of the dirigible. 1977 Sunday Times 23 Jan. 52/3 Most narrowcasts tend to be a service of the BBC. 1987 Christian Sci. Monitor 22 July 23/3 The so-called ‘narrowcast’where a select group is reached through cable TV, local point-to-point broadcasts, or low-powered television stationshas almost unlimited potential for conveying religion-related messages. 1999 Yahoo! Internet Life Dec. 154/2 What will grow? Micromarkets and narrowcasts.

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