Scheduling

TV scheduling is the division of specific programmes being broadcasted at certain times. The programmes are allocated to these slots based on many things including the target audience, genre, explicitness and more.

Broadcasters will mainly base when they broadcast shows based on the audience. There are certain times of the day when the producers target audience will not have access to a television or be busy (at school or work), so therefore they will allocate the programme to a time when the target audience will be watching television. An example of this could be soaps, which tend to be watched by working class adults who may use the soaps to escape their reality or perhaps relate to the characters and storylines they see on screen (uses and gratification). Since the working class are likely to be at work throughout the day, soaps air at a later time (7pm – 9pm) when the work day is over.

Zoning is when a channel will show two programmes of the same genre one after another. They will schedule them like this in order to keep a larger audience on their channel. The audience will tend to be fans of the genre so therefore stick on the channel to watch the next programme.

Inheritance is when a broadcaster airs a new or less popular programme on after a highly viewed one with hopes that the audience will continue to be fixated on the TV. This is in hopes to get the newer or less popular show, popular.

Pre echoing opposes inheritance by airing a less popular programme before a popular one with hopes that viewers will watch it during their wait to see the programme they are tuned in for.

Anticipation building is when teasers or spoilers of programmes scheduled to be aired later on in the day are shown. This is in order to attract potential viewers and increase rate numbers.

Hammocking is when a less popular programme airs in the slot between two popular programmes. Similarly to inheritance and pre echoing, the hopes of this is that the viewers stay on the channel and watch the show after watching what they anticipated to and whilst waiting for the next programme.