Scheduling Review
Generated playlists should be reviewed before they are used on air. The review does not need to be complicated, but it should be consistent.
Review The Generated Hour
After generating playlists, check the hours that matter most first:
- Top-of-hour transitions.
- News, traffic, commercial or sponsored blocks.
- Presenter changeovers.
- Special programming.
- Overnight and weekend automation.
- Hours that contain downloaded programs or live streams.
Look for missing items, repeated artists, incorrect content types, very short hours, very long hours and unexpected fixed items.
Common Scheduling Problems
When a generated playlist does not look right, the cause is usually in one of these areas:
- Too few tracks match the Clock Format rule.
- A category, rating or other scheduling field is missing.
- Separation rules are stricter than the available library allows.
- A static item or macro has not been configured.
- Floating and fixed timing are not aligned with the intended clock structure.
- Audio is available in the database but the file path is not reachable from the playout computer.
Correct the source of the problem when possible. Repeated manual edits are a sign that the Clock Format, metadata or import workflow needs attention.
Fixed-Time Content
Fixed-time content needs extra care. Review the time around:
- News at the top of the hour.
- Commercial or traffic blocks.
- Network programs.
- Live-stream joins.
- Legal IDs or mandatory station imaging.
Use Fill Out and Floating deliberately. A fully floating hour sounds natural for music, while fixed moments may require tighter control.
Final Checks Before Air
Before handing a generated playlist to the on-air workflow:
- Confirm the correct date and hour.
- Check that the next playlist also exists.
- Confirm dynamic content has a fallback plan.
- Check the total length and fixed points.
- Save any manual changes.
- Let the presenter or operator know about special items.