AVideo Platform Channel Programming Documentation
AVideo Platform uses BANS a (Broadcast Allocation Node System) that indexes instances of the AVideo Platform into Networks, Stations, Channels, and Programs. In this document we discus Channel Programs. Know Your Audience! Give Them What They Want!
With the beginning of scheduled television in 1936, television programming was initially only concerned with filling a few hours each evening – the hours now known as prime time. Over time, though, television began to be seen during the day time and late at night, as well on the weekends. As air time increased, so did the demand for new material. With the exception of sports television, variety shows became much more important in prime time.
Broadcast programming is the practice of organizing and/or ordering (scheduling) of broadcast media shows, typically radio and television, in a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or season-long schedule. Modern broadcasters use broadcast automation to regularly change the scheduling of their shows to build an audience for a new show, retain that audience, or compete with other broadcasters' shows. Most broadcast television shows are presented weekly in prime time or daily in other dayparts, though exceptions are not rare.
At a micro level, scheduling is the minute planning of the transmission; what to broadcast and when, ensuring an adequate or maximum utilization of airtime.
Television scheduling strategies are employed to give shows the best possible chance of attracting and retaining an audience. They are used to deliver shows to audiences in a programming format that engages them 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.
With the growth of digital platforms and services allowing non-linear, on-demand access to television content, this approach to broadcasting has since been referred to using the retronym linear (such as linear television and linear channels).
The advent of the Internet gave rise to media platforms which in turn increased the use of Video On Demand (VOD). And with time-slots no longer the means of distributing live or scheduled programming, a new form of TV networks rose, Video Platforms, and with video platforms, video on demand took off.
AVideo Platform is developed to enable each platform to function as a Broadcast Network. AVideo Platform uses BANS a (Broadcast Allocation Node System) that indexes instances of the AVideo Platform into Networks, Stations, Channels, and Programs. In this document we discuss Channel Programs.
https://github.com/WWBN/AVideo/wiki/Indexing-your-AVideo-Platform-instance to learn about BANS.
A program (British English: programme), is one or more shows into a program especially if it lacks a narrative structure.
In Avideo Platform a Program may be converted into a Series.
A program may be converted into a Series if there is theme or narrative structural relation called Program-Series .
Shows placed into a Program-Series are usually referred to as Episodes in the Series.
Program Shows or Series Episodes can be organized by dragging and moving to the appropriate place in the play order.
In order to add a media item to a program you have to simply click the add to: link. Then select a program, if the program does not exist, then create the program then select it.
Once your program begins to take shape you can convert it into a series by clicking the series button. Items in a program series are usually referred to as episodes of the series.
- By clicking the Program Embed code, you can copy the embed code and display your program on any webpage.
- Click the Series button and enter the required fields to convert the Program into a Program-Series.
- Click the Delete button to delete the program. (This action cannot be reversed.)
- Click the Rename button to rename the program.
- Click the globe to make program public.
AVideo Platform provides various tools for broadcasters to strategically implement the various programming techniques listed below to help in crease and maintain channel viewership.
Block programming is the practice of scheduling a group of complementary programs together. Blocks are typically built around specific genres (i.e. a block focusing specifically on sitcoms), target audiences, or other factors. Blocks also allow these programs to be promoted together under blanket brands (such as ABC's "TGIF" lineup and NBC's "Must See TV").
Bridging is the practice of discouraging the audience from changing channels during the "junctions" between specific shows or episodes. This can be done, primarily, by airing promos for the next program near the end of the preceding show or episode, such as during its credits.
Crossprogramming involves the interconnection of two shows. This is achieved by extending a storyline over two episodes of two different shows.
Counterprogramming is the practice of deliberately scheduling programming to attract viewers away from another, major program. Counterprogramming efforts often involve scheduling a contrasting program of a different genre or demographic, targeting viewers who may not be interested in the major program (such as a sporting event, which typically draws a predominantly-male audience, against an awards show that attracts a predominantly-female audience). Despite frequently being among the top U.S. television broadcasts of all time, the Super Bowl has had a prominent history of being counterprogrammed in this manner. One of the most prominent examples of this practice was Fox's 1992 airing of a special live episode of In Living Color against the game's halftime show.
Dayparting is the practice of dividing the day into several parts, during each of which a different type of radio programming or television showing appropriate for that time is aired. Daytime television shows are most often geared toward a particular demographic, and what the target audience typically engages in at that time.
- Sign-on
- Early morning news
- Early morning
- Late morning
- Daytime television
- Early fringe
- Lunchtime news
- Early afternoon
- Late afternoon
- Early evening
- Evening news
- Prime time
- Late-night news
- Late night television
- Graveyard slot
- Sign-off (closedown)
- Late fringe
Hammocking is a technique used by broadcasters whereby an unpopular show is scheduled between two popular shows in the hope that viewers will watch it. Public television uses this as a way of promoting serious but valuable content.
In hotswitching , the broadcasters eliminate any sort of commercial break when one show ends and another begins; this immediately hooks the audience into watching the next show without a chance to change the television channel between shows.
Season splitting is the practice of broadcasting one season of a series in two parts, with a scheduled break in between. This allows for the second half of the season to be programmed strategically separately from the first.
Stacking is a technique used to develop audience flow by grouping together shows with similar appeals to "Sweep" the viewer along from one show to the next.
Stripping is 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 the latter is already a daily show. Shows that are syndicated in this way generally have to have run for several seasons (the rule of thumb is usually 100 episodes) in order to have enough episodes to run without significant repeats.
Tentpoling or 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 show that will draw viewers to the two other shows.
A broadcaster may temporarily dedicate all or parts of its schedule over a period of time to a specific theme. A well-known instance of a themed lineup is Discovery Channel's annual "Shark Week".
A show's time slot or place in the schedule could be crucial to its success or failure (see tentpoling above).
A time slot can affect a program's overall audience; generally, earlier prime time slots have a stronger appeal towards younger audiences and family viewing, while later time slots, such as 10:00 p.m., generally appeal more towards older demographics. Some time slots, colloquially known as "graveyard slots" or "death slots", are prone to having smaller potential audiences (with one such example being Friday nights), or intense competition from high-rated series.