ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Rimshot (broadcasting)

A rimshot in broadcasting is when a radio or television station broadcasts their programming from a location that is just outside of a big city, so that they cover both the city and the surrounding area. It's like when you throw a ball and it bounces off the rim of a basket - it doesn't go right in, but it's still pretty close.

The reason stations do this is because the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates how many radio and TV stations can be in one area. This is to help prevent interference between stations and make sure everyone can get good reception. So if a station wants to reach an area that already has a lot of other stations, they might have to broadcast from just outside the city, where there's more space.

The term "rimshot" specifically refers to the fact that the station is broadcasting from a location that's just barely within range of the city they're trying to reach, but not quite in it. It's like shooting a basketball and just barely hitting the rim instead of going right in the basket.

Overall, the goal of a rimshot is to expand a station's potential audience while still complying with FCC regulations. It's a clever way to reach more people without causing interference with other stations in the area.