on air

• on-air (especially attributive)

Broadcasting sense derived from early use of radio, literally sending the transmission on the air waves

on air

1. Broadcasting or transmitting through the medium of radio or television.
   • 2003, Focus on Africa: BBC Magazine - Volumes 14-15, page 43:

     It can get very hectic in the studio, especially when a news story breaks while we are on air.

   • 2009, David Attenborough, Life on Air: Memoirs of a Broadcaster:

     However, he had no contract with my Tongan friends and it was strictly against the rules to put performers on air without one.

   • 2013, Graham Andrews, You're On Air, page 92:

     You should move to a minimal degree while you are on air.

   • 2018, M. Neelamalar, Radio Programme Production, page 174:

     The on-air studio will comprise of the equipment for recording, editing and storage – both in analog and digital formats. A hard disk based system, CDs and cassette players would form a part of the room. There will be an on-air indicator at the entrance of the room, which indicates the person entering the studio to be aware that the studio is on air, and indicates that there should not be any disturbance from the external source.

   • 2020, Mike Carlton, On Air, page 56:

     Taken a bit in drink one evening, and live on air, Davey got into terrible trouble by varying his standard opening words with the memorable line" when roses are red, they're ready to pluck; when girls are sixteen, they're ready to...

   Julie is on air now, presenting the weather forecast.

   Channel 9 will be on air in a few minutes, giving a live broadcast.

   The transmitter remained on air all through the war.

   The microphone was on air, and the whole country heard the outburst.

2. Being, or so as to be, broadcast or transmitted by radio or television.
   • 1997, Solidarity - Volumes 40-42:

     Sack can be contacted directly when his show is on air (2-5 p.m. EST Sundays) at 1-800-TALK-YES, and welcomes brief phone questions about employment concerns at 1 -2 1 2-702-9000, extension 34.

   • 2004, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Energy and Commerce. Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Advancing the DTV Transition, page 25:

     Thus, all ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC affiliates in the top 30 markets, representing 53.5% of all U.S. households, are on air with DTV.

   • 2012, Suzanne Lommers, Europe - On Air: Interwar Projects for Radio Broadcasting, page 93:

     Czechoslovakia, for instance, had already participated actively in the founding meetings of the IBU, whereas the Polish delegate had joined in the Geneva frequency discussions before Poland even had its own broadcasting stations on air.

   • 2019, On Air: Untold Stories from Caldecott Hill:

     Obviously, the Japanese officer was sleeping or drunk with sake, and the Allied broadcast in Japanese was broadcast on air. As the local technicians on duty did not understand Japanese, it went on air for some time.

   Don't interrupt while the program is on air.

   This show isn't on air at the moment — it's only on in the summer.

   The popular television series was on air for ten years before it finally ended.

   Was his interview on air?

   We can't put this material on air.

3. Smoothly; gracefully.
4. Happily.
5. (bridge, of a trick) Won with a high card though capturing only small cards.
6. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see on,‎ air.

• (broadcasting): on the air

• (antonym(s) of “broadcasting”): off air

• → Japanese: オンエア (on'ea)

• “on air”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

• Arion, Irano-, Riano, noria, oiran, raion