MPAG will try to accommodate requested times and dates for scheduling programs, but it is easier to get requested times if they fit into our regular schedule plan.
We have 8 airing tape decks, two VHS and sixSVHS decks. In order to get the most effective use of them, we plan our schedules around 2 hour time slots, so that a full T120 tape can be played if scheduled in the slot. We do run some shorter time slots, but we try to restrict those to city hall office hours, so that as much air time as possible is available for tape playback.
Tapes are played under the control of a timing switcher. We try not to change the tapes in the deck more than once per day, and we cannot change tapes on weekends, or other days when City Hall is closed, easily.
Current schedule is set on two hour intervals, starting at 10:00 AM. Monday through Friday, when people are in the office (not on holidays), the schedule is 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00PM, and 4:00PM (for Friday, this is the start of the "weekend" tapes). Any time after 4:00PM, and before 9:00AM the next day, must run on tapes which are placed in the tape decks available.
The weekend, and holidays, are limited to the number of tapes that can be placed in our tape decks starting at 4:00PM on the last working day before the weekend/holiday, which is currently 8 tapes. Weekends, due to the high amount of air time available, are our "prime time" slots and new programs are given them when possible. We also may repeat a given tape on a day on the weekend, in order to give more airing time.
10:00 AM Sunday through Thursday are used for Church Service programs.
Weekend tapes, and others: If a short program is presented, less than two hours time, additional material may be added to the tape if space is available, or the tape may be copied to another tape, in order to fill the available airing time by filling a whole 2 hour tape. If several short programs are presented, we will try to fit them onto one tape. The exact start time of each program may not be indicated on the airing calendar, but the sequence will be.
Program scheduling cycle: MPAG sets the schedule a month at a time, completing the primary schedule for the next month at its monthly meeting, the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Programs may be scheduled at this meeting, even if they are not yet complete, if the producer/access user expects to finish to program by the scheduled date. Programs which arrive later than this for scheduling in the current or next month will be placed on the next open (TBA -- To Be Announced) or repeat of older program) place on the schedule.
(rev 21 Feb 2001)