Scheduling Theory

TV companies want to reach the right audience for a particular programme.

-Inheritance-scheduling a programme after a popular programme to 'inherit' some of it's audience.

-Pre-Echo-Scheduling a programme before a popular programme, hoping that viewers will tune in early and enjoy the previous programme.

-Hammocking-a programme is scheduled in between two popular programmes.

-Remote controls have an impact on this, as it prevents scheduling, being able to choose and record etc.

-Satellite/cable/freeview, therefore the viewers have an active roll and feel in control, they can produce their own TV schedule, and also the invention of sky plus.

-Watershed and 9pm, as the use of strong language, sex, violence, drugs and alcohol use.

-Narrowcasting, is where an audience has been aimed at specifically, e.g 'Disney' and 'Nickleodeon' are for children, Food programmes and 'Teachers TV' have specific audience and the same for 'Living' etc.

-Specific choice due to the remote.

Tv Scheduling

-The schedule for each day can be broken down into clear segments. How would you categorise these segments?

Day time
Evening

-Who are the target audience for these segments?



Daytime, housewives and unemployed people, e.g pensioners - 'Jeremy Kyle', 'Location, Location, Location'



Evening, before the watershed, families -'Eastenders'. After the watershed -16+ e.g 'Mock The Week'



-What would you say are the most popular genres on television?



Soap operas- prime time (7-10) and they're on everyday



-Who is the target audience of each terrestrial channel? Give examples of schedules programmes to support your views.



BBC1-They have something for everyone, as there is a mixture of programmes. E.g BBC and 'Loose Women'

BBC2-Older generations e.g 'Antiques Master'.

ITV1- 16-50, 'Dragons Den'.

Channel 4- Under 30's, 'Hollyoaks'

Channel 5- Older generations, 40+, 'The Gadget Show'.

-Roughly, what percentage of each channel's schedules is taken up with repeats? Why do you think this is?

BBC1=17% as there is a numerous amount of programmes that may be missed by the viewers, as there is a mixture of programmes therefore a large target audience.

BBC2=25% as the older generation prefere when their programmes are repeated to record or watch again, also they share the programmes with friends, as anyone would.

ITV1=10% as the target audience will be ready to watch the programme, with it being the most popular, soap operas etc.

Channel 4=10% as not many programmes other than 'friends' need to be repeated similarly to ITV1, however the american drama's are repeated on a plus one channel.

Channel FIVE=5% as the programmes are a one time showing, rather than like channel 4 were they are a series of the programme, the one time programme cannot be repeated.

-Which channels have more imported programmes in their schedules? Why do you think this might be?

Channel 5-Evening more than daytime.

Channel 4-Daytime TV more than evening.

-What do you understand by the term 'the watershed' and where does this occur in the schedules?

The watershed is the time when programmes with a more violent nature are sceduled, for example thy may have nudity, swearing, drug an alcohol use etc. Therefore parents can protect their children from watching them. The watershed occurs at 9pm in the schedules.