Editing Dead air (section)

==Prevention==
Many broadcasters install a silence detector independently operating from their broadcasting headquarters.
In the event of dead air lasting more than an acceptable duration, e.g. ≤ −70 dB and (if applicable) static/no picture for 30 seconds, an emergency program is cued.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

The emergency program contains at least some generic audio (and video) with a [[station identification]].
Radio stations usually play a loop of music.
The playlist is fixed so staff listening in to their own station can recognize the pattern of titles, infer how long the outage has already (at least) lasted and take action to fix the problem.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

Apart from providing a safeguard in the event of ''unscheduled'' interruption (like a fire in the building or technical issues), this mechanism may be used ''deliberately'' during programmed blackouts caused by strikes of technicians, journalists, and producers.
When staff of the French public broadcasting network [[Radio France]] went on strike in September 2020, a pretaped message informing listeners that no service is available due to industrial action was inserted into the loop.<ref name="Parisien2019">{{cite web|title=Mouvement social à Radio France : les secrets de la playlist de grève de France Inter |website=Le Parisien |date=15 December 2019 |access-date=22 September 2020 |url=https://www.leparisien.fr/culture-loisirs/tv/mouvement-social-a-radio-france-les-secrets-de-la-playlist-de-greve-de-france-inter-15-12-2019-8217822.php}}</ref>