Regular Series Time Slots Versus Irregular Show Airings
The program line-ups of the major cable channels and broadcast TV networks tend to run Monday to Friday and are consistent from channel to channel. On a daily basis most channels air "strip" programming from approximately 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. to approximately 1:30 a.m..
A "strip" program is one that airs in the same time slot from Monday through Friday. For example, the ABC network airs Good Morning America at 7p.m., Live with Regis and Kathy lee at 9a.m., The View at 10p.m. ect.. Viewers know when to tune in to their favorite programs when they air the same time each day and week.
By watching network scheduling, you'll notice that networks do not stagger daily shows, for example, Oprah on Monday, The View on Tuesday, and Good Morning America on Wednesday. During prime time, some cable channels continue to air strip programming. Others do weekly series that air on the same day and time. Scheduling series helps build a familiar program line-up that viewers can depend on.
Most government channels do not have the resources to produce multiple daily shows to air during the daytime. Therefore, most channels employ some type of repeat schedule within the stripped time slots. In Santa Monica, surveys have shown that viewers watch the government channel on a regular-occasional basis, but not on a daily basis. Based on this information, we know that utilizing a good rotation for repeat programs can keep the channel looking different, and viewers will catch a different program every time they tune in.
A program can be stripped with as few as five episodes in the series, which would mean that each program would air once a week. It is recommended to have at least ten shows in a series prior to stripping them. Some shows have up to fifty episodes in rotation. With twenty programs in a stripped series, each program would air only once a month. Repeating a program 12 times a year is not excessive.
An example of program stripping is in Santa Monica, California. A news program is produced biweekly and airs four times per day over two weeks. Emphasis is on building undated episodes of each series and adding to each series so that there are more programs in rotation for the strip.
In Torrance, California news and sports programs are made on a weekly basis, and biweekly for other series. These dated programs are then aired in regular time slots several times a day until a new episode is produced. Emphasis is concentrated on producing fresh programming on a regular basis and airing it multiple times within a short period.
In Santa Monica and Torrance, a large portion of resources is spent on creating regular series programming. In other cities, there is little emphasis on stripping or regular time slots. The idea is to air shows on a variety of days and time slots to attract different audiences each airing. This will attract channel surfing viewers as they click between channels. A channel that uses this type of scheduling emphasizes production of individual, varied, and one-time shows.
Consider your target audiences at different times of the day. This will help you determine when different types of programs air at which time. Analyze the target audiences that other channels are reaching throughout the day and then try to counter-program. For example, don't air your best preschooler's program opposite Sesame Street. If most stations are airing newsmagazine and drama programs at 10 p.m. on weeknights, you might try airing programs such as concerts, performing arts or theatrical presentations. By providing alternatives you can capture an audience.