201.5.2 Schedule the Season

1. SCHEDULED EPISODES 
                              
The Scheduled Episodes tab display all the scheduled episodes belonging to the selected season. For each scheduled episode, it displayed the date, day, time, block, title, number, broadcast type (prime or repeat) and split network.
This section provides some functions for managing scheduled episodes, these functions includes:

Airsales_seriesscheduler_07

Period - Change the displayed timeframe by modifying the start date or end date,  click the [Refresh] button to update the changes.

Contextual menu- Rright-click on the scheduled episode(s), the operator is allowed to:

•Select all (Ctrl-A): Select all the episodes present in the list.

•Deselect all: Deselect all the previously selected episodes.

•Advanced selection: Select those episodes scheduled on specific weekdays.

•Delete (DEL): Remove all selected episode's performances from the playlists.
If the selected performance(s) have been copied to other stations' playlists (e.g. ch02, ch03) the operator will be prompt to delete only from the current station or across all related stations.

The total runs of the season are displayed at the bottom row, the  total  runs includes scheduled performances of the season, with or without the purchase order.
 
2.BLOCKS     
                                  
The Blocks section allows to specify the target blocks on which season episodes will be scheduled. This section is mainly formed by two panel, the left panel list all available blocks (i.e. present on the period's schedule structure and valid for the season' asset type. ), and the right panel list all the blocks added by the operator to hold scheduled episodes. Both panels can be managed through the following functions:

Airsales_seriesscheduler_02

=> - Add the selected block(s) to the list of blocks for scheduling. Alternately, this action can be performed by double-click on the related block.

<= - Remove the selected block(s) from the list of blocks to be scheduling. Alternately this action can be performed by double-click on the related block.

Contextual menu (available blocks) - Right-click on the available block(s) will allow to:

•Select all: Select all blocks present in the list (i.e. available).

•Deselect all: Deselect all previously selected blocks.

•Refresh: Update the list of blocks (availability, description).

Contextual menu (added blocks) - Right-click on the added block(s) will allow to:

•Select all: Select all blocks present in the list (i.e. added).

•Deselect all: Deselect all previously selected blocks.

•Select segments: Specify the exact segments on which episodes will be scheduled:

Airsales_seriesscheduler_06

NB: For further information about blocks please refer to the Schedule Structure chapter.
 
3. SCHEDULING       
                                
Under the Scheduling tab, select the exact episodes to be scheduled by right-click and select the following functions:

Airsales_seriesscheduler_03

Contextual menu - The following functions are provided:
•Select all: Select all the episodes present in the list.

•Deselect all: Deselect all the previously selected episodes.

•Select non scheduled episodes: Select only those episodes scheduled on specific weekdays.

The following functions allow to filter the list of episodes:

•Show only unscheduled episodes

•Show only scheduled episodes

•Show all episodes
Once episodes to be scheduled are selected, proceed to set the rules for the scheduling operation:

Daily insertion mode - Indicate the method to be used for scheduling the episodes selected by the user, available methods are:

•Single episode: Selected episodes will be scheduled once per day across the entire date range. For instance, for a four-episodes season:

segment-A

Mon
Episode1

Episode2
Tue

Episode3
Wed

Episode4
Thu

Episode1
Fri

•Stop scheduling after depleting selected events pool: allows to terminate the scheduled season when all episodes had completed within the scheduled period.  This will prevent the scheduler looping from 1st episode.

Series_scheduler

•All selected episodes per day: Selected episodes will be scheduled (if possible) together in the same day over the entire date range. For instance, for a four-episodes season:

segment-A

Mon
Episode1

Episode1
Tue

Episode1
Wed

Episode1
Thu

segment-B

Mon
Episode2

Episode2
Tue

Episode2
Wed

Episode2
Thu

segment-C

Mon
Episode3

Episode3
Tue

Episode3
Wed

Episode3
Thu

segment-D

Mon
Episode4

Episode4
Tue

Episode4
Wed

Episode4
Thu

NB: if the “All selected episodes per day” parameter is enabled or disabled when you exist from Scheduling tab, the last status is saved when you start the Scheduler.  It is possible to repeat episodes within the same day by increasing the ''daily runs number' parameter.

Options - It is possible to set some actions to be performed during the scheduling operation:

•Check parental guidance: If enabled, the selected episode(s) will be scheduled only on those blocks where 'parental guidance' classification is permitted.

•Use other same asset order available rights: Enable only if the contract row is under BMS management. If checked, it can use other BMS's rights order lines, but only with previously selected option.

•Check segments maximum size: If enabled, entire or exploded episodes will be scheduled only if their duration doesn't exceed the maximum duration of the selected segment(s).

•Do not insert in case rights are not available: If enabled, If the season is subjected to a purchase order, it will be scheduled taking into account the number of rights (Runs and ReRuns) available for scheduled.

Select the behaviour to be taken for exploding episodes into parts:

•Do not explode: If enabled, the scheduled episodes won't be exploded into the schedule.

•Explode segments: If enabled, episodes will be automatically exploded in one of the following ways:

- Standard: If none of the explode options is selected (i.e. without EDL, define the number of parts), episodes will be exploded according to EDL breakpoints of their assets.

- Without EDL: If selected, episodes lacking of an EDL will be exploded according to the duration of the target blocks, they would be divided into many segments as required for filling the block segments.

- Define the number of parts: If enabled, episodes will be custom exploded , they would be divided into a user-defined number of breakpoints.

NB: If the “Explode segments” parameter is enabled or disabled when you close the Scheduling tab, the last used status is saved when you start the Scheduler.  If it is not possible to schedule all the divided segments of an episode, the episode will be scheduled unexploded.

Days - Specify the days of the week which selected episodes will be scheduled.

Start/End time - Specify the time slot where selected episodes will be exclusively scheduled.

Split - Indicate if the scheduling will be performed on a split network.  By default the main network is selected.

Daily runs no. - Set the maximum number of times that selected episodes will be allowed to be scheduled on the same television day. The implications of this parameter changes depending on the selection of 'daily insertion mode':

•Daily insertion mode = Single episode : Only one episode will be scheduled per day, but it will be repeated 'n' number of times.

•Daily insertion mode = All selected episodes : All selected episodes will be scheduled together on the same day, repeating each one of them 'n' number of times.
 
4.TOOLBAR                 
                      
The scheduling process is ready to be performed by using the following functions available in the top toolbar:

Airsales_seriesscheduler_04

[Start scheduling] - Launches the scheduling process to schedule the selected episodes sequence over the given timeframe, across the selected blocks and based on the dictated criteria.
Once the process ends, a detailed report will be provided, the report can be saved as a simple text-file.

[Abort scheduling] - Interrupts the current operation, the operator will be prompt to undo the entire process or keep the scheduled episodes.

[Undo scheduling] - Clear all sections for a new scheduling. Please note that all previously performed changes (e.g. select seasons, set dates, add blocks, configure scheduling) will be lost.
 
5.SCHEDULING LOGS     
                  
Under the Scheduling Logs tab, it display all the scheduling operations that performed from the Season Scheduler module, it captured the execution date and the timeframe of the execution. In the log, the date and time format is captured as dd/mm/yyyy, hh:mm:ss.ms.

Airsales_seriesscheduler_05

Contextual menu - Right-click on a scheduling log will enable to:

•View report: Show a detailed log of all the operations (e.g. insertions, warnings, errors) related to the selected scheduling.

•Delete: Removes the selected log from the list and all the scheduled episodes from the related on-air schedules.