If you carry the responsibilities of scheduling programming for your organization or you manage someone that does then you don't need us to tell you how tough the job is. You live and breathe it every day. Linear or non-linear, there are a myriad of complexities, challenges and downright paradoxes that face on-air planners, day-in, day-out, as they attempt to make sense of the nonsensical. Scheduling is both an art and a science.
Take our hypothetical job advert as an example:
WANTED - one ON-AIR PLANNER. Are you .
Able to hold 257 pieces of conflicting information in your head at once?
Able to break those 257 pieces of information into 38 different categories, based on finances, content type, usage rights and seven other arbitrary and confusing criteria, which may change in a weekly basis?
Able to put all of those pieces of information in a particular order based on the hopes, needs, desires and legal requirements of multiple different stakeholders?
Able to use metrics to satisfy investors (including associated reporting), but also exercise the kind of creativity and dynamism needed to actually keep audiences engaged when watching your channel?
Having done all of the above, are you able to make sure the way you've scheduled all of the above actually matches the realities of time and space? Have you checked there are actually enough minutes in the day?
Are you able to do all of this to incredibly tight deadlines, and make changes at a moment's notice?
Are you able to do this day-in, day-out, with incredible levels of mundane repetition, without ever slipping up or making a single mistake?
The point we are trying to make is - media scheduling is tough. Seriously tough. It involves the consideration of so many different elements - both quantitative and qualitative, and such a sheer quantity of data, that it is almost entirely unrealistic to expect one person alone to manage it or even a few of them coordinating all their interests, expectations and decisions.
There has to be a better way The solution? A software system, accessible anywhere, by anyone, that takes the hard work out of the scheduling process.
And that is exactly what VSN has developed with VSNCrea. Built from an inherent and practiced understanding of the complexities involved in broadcasting scheduling, the browser-based VSNCrea system aims to maximize the way in which the entire process can be both automated and validated - providing structures that automatically flag-up conflicts; be these based on timing, content type, consistency and continuity, broadcast rights, financial brackets or a whole host of other data types.
Let us give you some examples of how VSNCrea makes life easier.
Clarity and Ease of Use VSNCrea is, first and foremost, designed to be clear, intuitive and usable. A GUI based on colour coded content, easily-navigable tabs and drop downs, and a clear and logical workflow that - behind the scenes - all ties together. Data entered into one area of the system is automatically transferred to all other relevant areas, informing the way the whole schedule is coordinated. With VSNCrea, one click does the work of a hundred.
Full metadata control to improve schedule quality and accuracy Within each tab of the system - including Catalogue, Acquisitions, Advertising and Broadcast, the user has the ability to quickly and easily set metadata and parameters for each catalogue element. The level of metadata that can be set runs deep, but is quick and easy to apply - meaning that complex elements can be managed simply.
It is this level of metadata control that is fundamental to the brilliance of VSNCrea - because it allows for scheduling to be undertaken with a much greater degree of specificity and coordination. Matching content schedule elements using underlying complimentary themes or viewing components gives the viewer a more fulfilling and enjoyable experience, maximizing the value they gain from loyal viewership. And as importantly, matching content components with key advertising messages also maximizes the value that advertisers see from their advertising slots.
Moreover, the use of underlying metadata doesn't merely improve the quality of the schedule produced - it makes it more accurate, and minimizes the possibility of potentially disastrous and costly mistakes.
For instance, all content - advertising, acquisitions or catalogue elements, can be loaded with the full details of its broadcast rights and contract information. This might include the number of repeats allowed for each episode, or the date up until which the rights expire. Any attempt to schedule a piece of content in a way that contradicts the underlying contractual rules that have been assigned to the entity automatically triggers a warning, requiring deliberate override from the user in order to continue.
And this process of error-avoidance is not only limited to contractual usage rights. The user can set up boxes' that allocate different values to different timeslots - primetime, children's, etc. These boxes are fully customizable. Catalogue elements are then also marked accordingly, and it becomes impossible (without user override) to schedule a violent movie in children's hour, or a low-paying advert in the primetime section. Adverts can also be sorted by content, so that two adverts of the same type (for instance, Fanta and Coke) won't appear in the same segment.
The value of automatic error avoidance' is huge: it avoids financial mistakes, legal disputes and reputational risks. All automatically, without any extra expenditure of time or money from the scheduler.
Automation for speed and accuracy Speed of use in scheduling is key - there are huge quantities of programming to be loaded, with microsecond accuracy, across a great range of channels. Many of these tasks are repetitive,
Most recent headlines
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
01/09/2025
Monitoring audio and video content in today's increasingly complex media environment requires more flexibility than ever. Fortunately, broadcasters' ado...
01/09/2025
A football season unlike any other is taking shape in a conflicted broadcast environment where big-game producers are delivering unprecedented viewing experienc...
01/09/2025
Moving live pictures from place to place was once a feat so spectacular that the European Broadcasting Union invented the Eurovision Song Contest, which has bec...
01/09/2025
24 players have entered Slane Castle ready to outwit, outplay and outlast in the ultimate game of trust and deception.
The Traitors Ireland has commenced.
Her...
01/09/2025
First time television presenter Cathal Dowd, aged 23, from Wexford is the newest addition to the news2day team. news2day is RT 's news service designed spec...
31/08/2025
Legrand | AV, a global specialist and industry leader in audiovisual solutions, returns to CEDIA Expo 2025, taking place Sept. 4-6 in Denver, with a powerful li...
31/08/2025
Global media technology company Backlight will unveil new capabilities in its Iconik, Wildmoka, and Zype product lines at IBC2025 (booth #1.D09), September 12 1...
30/08/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has adopted its FY 2025 Regulatory Fees Order that establishes the regulatory fee rates for the broadcast stati...
29/08/2025
Australian Red Cross and SBS launch training to help workplaces in the fight aga...
29/08/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
29/08/2025
L3Harris Technologies has concentrated decades of expertise across the entire enterprise to develop affordable and reliable best-of-breed solutions to rapidly c...
29/08/2025
BURBANK, Calif. The CW Network and the Pac-12 Conference have announced a new media rights deal that will extend their broadcast partnership beginning with the ...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK Gracenote has released a new analysis of its global video dataset showing that the number of FAST channels grew nearly 14% from Q1 2025 and 76% since 2...
29/08/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. Harmonic has announced a series of improvements to its live sports streaming solution that the company said will improve fan engagement, protec...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES Fox Corp. and YouTube TV last night announced a renewal of the full portfolio of Fox networks, including Fox News Channel, Fox Business...
29/08/2025
Budapest, Hungary, August 2025 - The integration of Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR) with Lightware's Taurus universal matrix switchers delivers a new level of f...
29/08/2025
Frequency, the engine behind many of the world's best-known streaming television channels, today announced it will launch Studio Live, a next-generation uni...
29/08/2025
In an era when AI and cyber resilience are essential, Scality will mark the 10th anniversary of Scality Day on October 16, 2025 in Paris. This flagship global e...
29/08/2025
Disguise's In-House Creative and Technical Teams Pre-Visualised, Programmed and Delivered Content for the Experience, All Powered by EX 3+
Technology solu...
29/08/2025
Disguise will be demonstrating the latest workflows for TV, film and live events on a number of partner booths at the show
Disguise, the industry-leading tech...
29/08/2025
STOCKHOLM, Sweden Accedo will showcase Accedo Compose, its AI agent-powered modular orchestration layer that assists streaming providers in transitioning client...
29/08/2025
LOS ANGELES Cineverse has announced that it is working with Xperi to bring four of its streaming channels to automobiles for the first time as part of the DTS A...
29/08/2025
DALLAS & ATLANTA Gray Media has announced an agreement with the sports streaming service Victory+ to simulcast 17 Dallas Stars NHL games in 15 television market...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK AND CULVER CITY Comcast NBCUniversal and Amazon have announced new and extended distribution agreements that will expand the content available on their...
29/08/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. RED Digital Cinema will feature its Cine-Broadcast Module supporting live broadcast workflows during IBC2025, Sept. 12-15, at the RAI Ams...
29/08/2025
29 Aug 2025
Kyivstar Rings Opening Bell at Nasdaq Marking Landmark Listing and ...
29/08/2025
More than half of all NFL games live on Sky for the first timeFriday 29 August 2025
Sky Sports has announced a new three-year deal with the NFL, extending its ...
29/08/2025
Back to All News
RIV4LRIES: The Trailer of the New Series With Samuele Carrino ...
29/08/2025
Get ready for an inspiring and emotional insight into the world of competitive Irish dancing with My Story: Tomi Champion of the World airing on RT 2 this monda...
29/08/2025
RT has today announced that David McCullagh is to be the new presenter of RT Radio 1's flagship Today programme, which airs every weekday at 10am, replaci...
28/08/2025
By Kristin Feeley, Director, Documentary Film & Artist Programs
If you want to tell untold stories, if you want to give voice to the voiceless, you've got ...
28/08/2025
Directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, Sundance Institute-supported Amer...
28/08/2025
Corridos have been a cornerstone of M sica Mexicana for generations, telling stories rooted in everyday life. Now, a new chapter is taking shape: motivational c...
28/08/2025
Los corridos han sido un pilar de la M sica Mexicana durante generaciones, contando historias enraizadas en la vida cotidiana. Ahora, un nuevo cap tulo est tom...
28/08/2025
Earlier this month, we promised our Verano Forever party would bring the heat, a...
28/08/2025
L3Harris will provide the Polish F-16V fleet with the Viper Shield electronic warfare system as part of an upgrade program....
28/08/2025
Bilbao, August 26, 2025 - AgileTV, an international television and video technol...
28/08/2025
Ken Wilkinson is an Emmy Awards nominated New York audio engineer who specialises in production sound mixing for film, commercial, episodic and documentary work...
28/08/2025
NEW YORK FuboTV today announced that it will launch Fubo Sports, a skinny bundle that focuses on sports with a subscription price of $56 monthly....
28/08/2025
NEVADA City, Calif. At IBC2025, Sept. 12-15 at the RAI Amsterdam, Telestream will debut its new Global Ingest strategy, introducing a next-generation ingest arc...
28/08/2025
Dr. Rhoda Bernard Releases Groundbreaking Debut Book on Accessible Arts Educatio...
28/08/2025
TAG Video Systems, the leader in software-based IP end-to-end workflow monitoring, deep probing, and real-time visualization, has named Oliver Gappa as Sales Di...
28/08/2025
AI-based voice enhancement will be among a series of innovations making their IBC 2025 debut on the DHD stand B46 in Hall 8 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Cent...
28/08/2025
Telef nica Servicios Audiovisuales (TSA), the leading system integrator and service provider in the media sector in Spain, with the support of Appear, the globa...
28/08/2025
To fully immerse sailing fans in the world's biggest offshore yacht race, production company, Optical Media turned to LiveU's On-site Production solutio...
28/08/2025
Working with Calrec on its most recent overhaul, radio and television broadcaster, WNED has migrated to a fully IP infrastructure with multiple Type R consoles,...
28/08/2025
Cleeng, the Subscriber Retention Management (SRM ) inventor, has unveiled Cleeng Pro, the first-ever direct-to-consumer (D2C) subscription management platform t...
If you carry the responsibilities of scheduling programming for your organization or you manage someone that does then you don't need us to tell you how tough the job is. You live and breathe it every day. Linear or non-linear, there are a myriad of complexities, challenges and downright paradoxes that face on-air planners, day-in, day-out, as they attempt to make sense of the nonsensical. Scheduling is both an art and a science. 
