Television scheduling is the practice of using variety, repetition, connection and originality within an evenings schedule (and within a weeks schedule, and the whole television season) to create harmonious and mutually supportive arrangements (Ellis 2000).

Television scheduling strategies are employed to give programs the best possible chance of attracting and retaining an audience. They are used to deliver programs to audiences when they are most likely to want to watch them and deliver audiences to advertisers in the composition that makes their advertising most likely to be effective (Ellis 2000 p.136).

At a micro level, scheduling is the minute planning of the transmission; what to broadcast and when, ensuring that every second of airtime is covered.

Scheduling Strategies

Dayparting

Main article: Dayparting

In broadcasting, dayparting is the practice of dividing the day into several parts, during each of which a different type of radio programming or television programming apropos for that time is aired. Programs are most often geared toward a particular demographic, and what the target audience typically engages in at that time. In broadcasting, dayparting is the practice of dividing the day into several parts, during each of which a different type of radio programming or television programming apropos for that time is aired. ... individually-donated time and energy direct government payments or operation indirect government payments, such as radio and television licenses grants from foundations or business entities selling advertising or sponsorship public subscription or membership fees charged to all owners of TV sets or radios, regardless of whether they intend to receive... Water, Rabbit, and Deer: three of the 20 day symbols in the Aztec calendar, from the Aztec Sun Stone. ... Radio broadcasts have been a popular entertainment since the 1910s, though popularity has declined a little in some countries since television became widespread. ... A demographic or demographic profile is a term used in marketing and broadcasting, to describe a demographic grouping or a market segment. ... An audience is a group of people who participate in and experience or encounter a work of art, literature, theatre, music or academics in any medium. ...

Theming

Having a special theme-night,

Stripping

Running a syndicated television series every day of the week. It is commonly restricted to describing the airing of shows which were weekly in their first run; The West Wing could be stripped but not Jeopardy!, as daily is the schedule for which it is intended.

Stacking

Stacking is a technique used to develop audience flow by grouping together programs with similar appeals to 'sweep' the viewer along from one program to the next (Vane and Gross, 1994, p.175).

Counterprogramming

Counterprogramming is used when a time period is filled with a program whose appeal is different to the opponent program because it is a different genre or appeals to a different demographic.

Bridging

Bridging is being used when a station tries to prevent the audience from changing channels during a junction point - the main evening breaks where all channels stop programs and shift gear (Ellis, 2000). This is achieved in a number of ways including: having a program already underway and something compelling happening at a junction point, running a program late so that people ‘hang around’ and miss the start of other programs, or advertising the next program during the credits of the previous.

Tentpoling

Main article: Tent pole programming

In tent pole programming the programmers bank on a well-known series having so much audience appeal that they can place two unknown series on either side, and it is the strength of the central program that will bring the others along to victory. Tent pole programming is a form of television programming, in which the programmers bank on a well-known series having so much audience appeal that they can place two unknown series on either side, and it is the strength of the central program that will bring the others along to...

Hammocking

Main article: hammocking

A technique used by broadcasters whereby an unpopular program is scheduled between two popular ones in the hope that viewers will watch it. Public-service broadcasters use this as a way of promoting serious but valuable content. A technique used by broadcasters whereby an unpopular programme is scheduled between two popular ones in the hope that viewers will watch it. ...

Crossprogramming

Cross-programming involves the interconnection of two shows. This is achieved by dragging a storyline over two episodes of two different programs.

See also

Broadcast automation In broadcast engineering, broadcast automation is the use of technology to automate broadcasting operations. ...

US schedule

see also History of TV Prime Time All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football. ... This was the United States broadcast television schedule on all six commercial television networks for the Fall season beginning in September 2002. ... This was the United States television schedule on all six commercial broadcast television networks for the Fall season beginning in September 2003. ... This was the United States broadcast television schedule on all six commercial television networks for the Fall season beginning in September 2004. ... Based on news reports, press releases, and knowledge of programs that have and have not been cancelled, this is the predicted television schedule on all six networks for the Fall season set to begin in September 2005. ... The following is the United States broadcast television schedule for six of the most popular English language commercial television networks for the 2006 fall season. ...

Australian schedule

This was the Australian broadcast television schedule for the 2006 Season. ...

References

Eastman, S. T., and Ferguson, D. A. (2006). Media programming: Strategies and Practices (7th ed.), Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Ellis, J. (2000) Seeing Things: Television in the Age of Uncertainty, London: I.B. Tauris.

Vane, E.T., and Gross, L.S. (1994) Programming for TV, radio and cable, Boston: Focal Press.