off the air

off (the) air

No longer broadcasting live, or not during a live broadcast, as on television or radio. We were discussing the issue off air during the break, and my guest raised some very good points. Please wait until we're off the air before you answer your phone.
See also: air, off
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

off the air

not broadcasting (a radio or television program). The radio audience won't hear what you say when you're off the air. When the performers were off the air, the director told them how well they had done.
See also: air, off
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

off the air

Not being broadcast, as in Once they knew they were off the air, the panelists burst out laughing. This idiom, along with the antonym on the air ("being broadcast"), dates from the 1920s, air being considered a medium for radio-wave transmission.
See also: air, off
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

ˌon/ˌoff the ˈair

(being) broadcast/not (being) broadcast on radio or television: ‘Going Live’ will go off the air for the summer, returning for a new series in the autumn.
See also: air, off, on
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • off (the) air
  • on/off the air
  • during
  • during the course of
  • rough time
  • a rough time
  • tin hat
  • dead air
  • crack the code, to
  • a baby boomer
References in periodicals archive
According to Sabq, the decision to take the programme off the air and take legal action against the two men was "a clear indication that the kingdom was moving ahead steadily and that rulers built on achievements accomplished by their predecessors."
Fox announced announced Monday, May 11, 2015 that "American Idol" will go off the air after its 15th and final season next spring.
The KCBD-TV said that plane knocked the station off the air. No one at the station was injured.
The surgeon-turned-satirist has been largely outside Egypt and out of public view since his landmark program was pulled off the air in April 2014 ahead of Egypt's presidential elections -- which former military chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi won by a landslide.
Salgado said the Binay camp was informed of the Vice President's cohosting job by dwIZ people after he clarified with the radio station a report by Inquirer columnist Ramon Tulfo that the Vice President caused the show to go off the air temporarily because Binay had "invited" himself to be one of its hosts.
They also stormed into the building of the state broadcaster and forced the TV briefly off the air.
Meanwhile, another court upheld a decision Saturday to keep religious channel al-Hafez off the air for 30 days for slandering an Egyptian actress over her views in support of the former regime.
"Contrary to the traditional myth, it's better to turn off the air conditioning when you don't need it," Daniel said.
Summary: Four adult television channels have been taken off the air for showing "sexually explicit" material.
Summary: Jordanian actress Mais Hamdan has denied circulating rumors that her show "100 Masa", which is currently being aired on the Egyptian channel, will be taken off the air due to an opposition campaign re
Earlier this month the French government ordered Paris-based Eutelsat to take the channel off the air after receiving a complaint from the European Commission that it violated rules on incitement.
Summary: BEIRUT: The Lebanese-Palestinian Media follow-up committee organized a gathering on Friday in solidarity with the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV after a decision by French authorities to take it off the air. The event that took place in the Press Federation in Beirut was attended by a number of Lebanese and Palestinian media figures including Head of the National Media
Ghazanfar Ali Khan | Arab News <p>RIYADH: Tehran's prime Arabic language television network Al-Alam has been taken off the air by two Arab satellite operators based in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, including the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat).
Prime Minister Nader Dahabi said Jordan Radio & Television Corporation (JRTVC), as a key state-run media outlet, should invest in skilled manpower to better present the countryAAEs image and accomplishments.He told the corporationAAEs board and senior staff that a drastic review of JRTVCAAEs work plans is needed.Dahabi called for a clear strategy or a AoroadmapAo for the corporation with clear working programs and a set timeline.Evaluation of shows on the air, he said, should be carried out by a neutral party and according to scientific criteria, stressing that taking any show off the air should not be a unilateral decision
To think, in this day and age that this station can just be off the air for three days a it seems strange."