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

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.

Stripping

Themeing

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

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. We see this principle played out on NBC on Tuesday evening: They have moved the more established Scrubs from Thursday evenings to Tuesday at 8:00 PM, and have two less programs on either side The Biggest Loser and Committed.

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.

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

US schedule

Australian schedule

References

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.

Television programming | Radio | Broadcasting