TV Scheduling

The schedule for each day on terrestrial TV channels can be broken down into five clear segments;

Breakfast TV - Aimed at employed people and students. These people are the most likely to be awake early, and programmes such as ‘Daybreak’, a morning variety and news show, are aimed at those viewers.

Daytime TV – Aimed at housewives and unemployed people. It is unlikely that professionals would be home during the day, so light entertainment magazine shows such as ‘This Morning’, a variety chat show, are aimed at these viewers.

Afternoon TV – Aimed mainly at housewives. Shows such as ’60 Minute Makeover’ and other DIY shows are popular at this time, and aimed at housewives.

Primetime TV – Primetime television is the most popular period for television watching. Housewives, children and adults are likely to watch at this point in time. Housewives are likely to enjoy soaps and TV dramas, and so ‘Coronation Street’ is in primetime, aimed at housewives once again.

Late Night TV –Aimed at teenagers and students – these are the people who are likely to unwind late at night with shows such as ‘True Blood’, an American import aimed at those under 25.

The most popular genres currently on television include soaps, dramas, reality TV and makeover shows. One reason for this could be the ability to empathize with characters on the shows, or live out your own fantasy through someone else through verstehen (putting yourself in another’s shoes). For example, TV has enabled people to see how other people live, and even give others an experience of the lives of others.

Repeats are becoming more and more popular on TV Schedules nowadays; the simple reason for this is that showing repeat programmes is cheap. Around 10% of BBC One and 10% of BBC Two’s programmes are repeated on an average day. ITV has less repeats at around 5% per day, but Channel 4 shows a whopping 50% of it’s programmes a day as repeats. Channel 5 is almost as repeatable, and shows around 30% of its daily programming as repeats.

Imported programmes are shown a lot by Channel Four and Five. These channels appeal to a younger audience, who with the invention of the internet, see a programme abroad and want it in their own country. One reason for these channels to show repeats is that it is much cheaper than making their own programmes – Channel Four and Five do own studios, but a lot less than the likes of the BBC and ITV. Channel Four used to be paid for by the TV License, but is now paid for through commercial advertising and since liberating itself from the license has even made a remit to get 20% of it’s programming from overseas.

Broadcasting – For everyone

Narrowcasting – Specific audience, niche market.

It is said that channel loyalty doesn’t exist anymore, as the BBC self promote. Because of this, there is a continuous ratings war between the BBC and ITV.

For example, the X Factor and Strictly are on at the same time. There are many different ways in which broadcasters can gain an audience.

Inheritance – Inherit an audience, by placing a programme after another popular programme, e.g. a documentary on London family life after Eastenders.

Pre-echo – Placing a programme before a popular programme, in the hope that people will tune in early so they do not miss their favourite programme, e.g. a show choir documentary before Glee.

Hammocking – Placing a programme between two popular programmes, and gain both sides of a target audience, e.g. placing a news variety show between Emmerdale and Coronation Street.