There is no single philosophy in solving programming problems. Everybody's different; it is really a "philosophie du jour." This requires having the necessary information to pinpoint the problem. Fortunately, that's really no problem at TeleRep, since we have plenty of continuously updated pertinent data. The real challenge is to interpret the data and communicate it, which puts a sizable workload on VP/Associate Director of Programming, Alex Corteselli, programming analyst Pam Blake and SVP/Director of Programming, Jay Isabella. Fortunately all three people in the department have research backgrounds.

Jay started as a salesman for three years, then became a Research Director for a couple of years before being named Director of Programming, a post he has occupied for twenty-one years now. This gives the department the perfect blend of viewpoints, since the task of TeleRep programming people is to work in concert with the General Sales Managers and research teams, while considering the sales aspects of their programming decisions. The "core function" of the Programming Department is "advising and consulting with stations" on such programming aspects as purchasing, scheduling and overall strategies. The department also gets involved in such areas as station long-range planning. The latter function comes into the picture because, with off-network purchases and programs like The Oprah Winfrey Show, stations have to take the long-range view. The department regularly puts out, with the aid of computers, a large number of reports for company clients and TeleRep people.

A selected list includes:

• A biweekly network recap, which comes out 26 weeks a year and shows schedules and changes six to eight weeks out.

• A weekly report on new fall syndicated programming audiences each season, which comes out for the first six weeks of the fall season and is based on all metered markets.

• A special report on October local ratings.

• An early and late fringe rating report, which comes out after each rating survey period.

• "Comparagraphs" for every sweep, showing program schedules for all stations in all TeleRep markets.

• A once-a-year report on the new network season, usually out in June and covering movies, specials and miniseries as well as regular programs.

• An introduction to the fall primetime schedule, including a producer scorecard.

• A network sports NTI recap.

• An upcoming sports report, put out three times a year, and a comprehensive, pre-convention NATPE Program Guide.

These tools are supplemented with programming reports from the research groups, such as a rating report on independent station movies in each of the TeleRep markets. Along with all this material, there are often times when a station programmer will want to discuss the information in terms of his or her own market situation. Consequently the department's phone lines are usually going from sign-on to sign-off every day. Two-way Traffic with Research Groups -- there is a considerable exchange of data between the Programming Department and the sales group research teams. To some extent both departments deal with the same information. However, the function of the research teams, which get everything programming puts out, is to present the station in the best possible light. The Programming Department must be totally objective, weighing the pros and the cons for stations. As a result, the Programming Department tends to look at programming "in a broad-based way," in contrast to the research teams, which deal with market-specific information.

With the proliferation of program options, the job of the Programming Department is becoming more challenging than ever. It's difficult for shows to get launched, and if only one or two shows are going to make it, they want to make sure they pick the right one.

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