Running Order

Procedures

Use this panel to view the list of stories to playout and publish. It can be based on a rundown imported from an NCS or created entirely within Inception.

Running Order tabs — each tab shows an open running order.

Toolbar 

NCS Timer Bar

Use the timers in this bar to view program timing information when playing out an NCS running order. Inception displays the NCS Timer bar when you start the playout of a running order.

Clock — this timer displays the current time of day on the Inception Server. Your Inception administrator can use the House Time Offset setting to match this clock with the house time of your facility.

Under / OK / Over — this timer displays the amount of time that you need to adjust for the current on-air story or following stories to keep the show on time. This timer updates each time you take a story on air. Inception uses the following formats to display the required time adjustment for the current on-air story or following stories:

•Under 00:01:58 (blue) — the show is currently under the total time set for the show. You need to add the displayed amount of time to the current on-air story or following stories to bring the show back on time.

•Over 00:00:06 (red) — the show is currently over the total time set for the show. You need to remove the displayed amount of time from the current on-air story or following stories to bring the show back on time.

•OK 00:00:00 (black) — the show is on time. You do not need to make a time adjustment for the current on-air story or following stories.

Story Down — this timer counts down the amount of time remaining for the on-air story. While counting down, this timer displays the remaining time in black (Story Down 00:00:05). If you leave the story on air for longer than the total time set for the story, this timer turns red (Story Down 00:00:01) and starts counting up to display the extra on air time for the story.

Story Up — this timer counts up the amount of time that the on-air story has been on air. If you leave the story on air for longer than the total time set for the story, this timer turns red (Story Up 00:00:01)

Program Down — this timer counts down the amount of time remaining for the show. While counting down, this timer displays the remaining time in black (Program Down 00:00:05). If the show goes over the total time set for the show, this timer turns red (Program Down 00:00:01) and starts counting up to display the extra on air time for the show.

Program Up — this timer counts up the amount of time that the program has been on air. If you leave the story on air for longer than the total time set for the story, this timer turns red (Program Up 00:00:01). When you view a running order before the set program start time this timer counts down to the start time in gray (Program UP 01:30:01).

Segment Under / Over — this timer displays the amount of time that you need to adjust the segment to keep the running order on time. You can add, edit, or remove stories to adjust the duration of a segment. Inception uses the following formats to display the required time adjustment for the segment:

•Segment Under 00:01:58 (blue) — the segment is currently under the hard hit time set for the seg­ment. You need to add the displayed amount of time to the segment to meet the set hard hit time.

•Segment Over 00:00:06 (red) — the segment is currently over the hard hit time set for the segment. You need to remove the displayed amount of time from the segment to meet the set hard hit time.

Segment — this timer counts down the amount of time remaining for the segment. While counting down, this timer displays the remaining time in black (Segment 00:00:05). If the segments go over the hard hit time set for the segment, this timer turns red (Segment 00:00:01) and starts counting up to display the extra on air time for the show.

Running Order Table

Use this table to view and manage the stories in a running order. Each row in the Running Order table represents a story in the running order. Inception uses the following background shading colors to convey additional information about stories in a running order:

• Selected — the story is the currently selected story.

• Floated — the story is floated.

• Child — the story is the child of the parent story above it.

• Break — the story is a break.

The ribbon column in the Running Order table displays a color-coded marker to indicate the current approval and publishing status of the story. Ribbon colors are as follows:

• Empty — the story is empty or has not been saved.

• Unapproved — the story is not yet approved for publishing.

• Approved — the story is approved and ready for publishing.

• Published — Inception has published the story.

The columns in the Running Order table are as follows:

Actual Time (NCS License required) — this column displays the amount of time that a story was on air during the running order playout. Inception automatically updates this column during running order playout when you take the next story on air.

Anchor (NCS License required) — this column displays the name of the news anchor for the story. When you select a news anchor for a story, Inception uses the read rate set for the news anchor to calculate the time required to present the story.

Approved — a check mark displayed in this column indicates that a story is approved for publishing. If you have the appropriate permission, you can select this column to approve a story or clear this column to unapprove a story.

Approved By — this column displays the name of the Inception user who approved the story for publishing.

Assignees — this column displays the names of the Inception users assigned to the story.

Back Time (NCS or Live License required) — this column displays the time of day in 24-hour format that a story started, or needs to start by, in order for the show to remain on time, calculated from the End Date displayed in the Status Bar at the bottom of the running order. Changing the Total Time for a story automatically updates the Back Time for the stories after it in the running order.

You can edit the time in this column to set a hard hit time for a running order segment. Adding hard hit times to a running order also adds a Segment Under / Over timer to the NCS Timer Bar.

Break — a check mark displayed in this column indicates that a story is a commercial sponsorship break.

Child — a check mark displayed in this column indicates that the story is associated with another (parent) story. Clear the check mark from this column to disconnect the story from its parent story.

Coded (NCS License required) — a check mark displayed in this column indicates that the MOS device coding for the story is complete.

Content Locked By — this column displays the name of the Inception user who is currently editing the story and has the story locked. Inception allows two or more Inception users to edit a story at the same time. Inception can only guarantee that a story contains the last changes saved for a story.\

Created — this column displays the date and time that the story was initially created.

Created By — this column displays the name of the Inception user who initially created the story.

Cume Time (NCS License required) — this column displays the amount of time that a show is on air from the start of the show to the end of a story. Changing the Total Time for a story or the stories before it in the running order automatically updates the Cume Time for the story.

Endpoint — this column displays the endpoint name of the Inception Server in a Horizon system that contains the story.

Estimated Time (NCS License required) — this column displays the estimated time for the anchor to read the story. Inception uses the number of words in a story and the reading rate set for the story to estimate the time to present the story.

You can enter your own time in this column to override the calculated time. Inception uses bolded characters to display time overrides (00:02:00). Changing the story Estimated Time automatically updates the Total Time for a story.

Floated — a check mark displayed in this column indicates that a story is floated and not included in the playout of the running order. If you have the appropriate permission, you can select this column to float a story or clear this column to unfloat a story.

Forward Time (NCS or Live License required) — this column displays the time of day in 24-hour format that a story ends, calculated from the Start Date displayed in the Status Bar at the bottom of the running order. Changing the Total Time for a story or the stories before it in the running order automatically updates the Forward Time for the story.

Hide From Devices — a check mark displayed in this column indicates that the story is hidden from all MOS devices that are configured to enable users to hide the device from stories. If you have the appropriate permission, you can select the check box this column to hide a story from MOS devices or clear the check box to make a story available to MOS devices.

Icon — this column displays an icon that graphically identifies the type of a story. The available icons are as follows:

Media Time (NCS License required) — this column displays the time required to playout any media associated with the story. When a story contains media, you should enter the total time of all the story media in this column.

Modified — this column displays the date and time of the most recent change made to the story.

Modified By — this column displays the name of the Inception user who completed the most recent change to the story.

MOS Abstract (NCS License required) — this column displays a description for each MOS object in a story.

MOS Aired (NCS License required) — this column displays the status received from the MOS device along with the receive date and time. Device status can be one of the following: Play, Air, On-Air, On Air, or Airing.

MOS Channel (NCS License required) — this column displays the MOS device channel used to output a MOS object. Select a MOS channel to edit and override the channel used to output a MOS object.

MOS Device (NCS License required) — this column lists the MOS devices associated with the MOS objects in a story.

MOS Duration (NCS License required) — this column displays the duration of individual MOS objects in a story.

MOS ID (NCS License required) — this column lists the identifiers of the MOS devices used in a story.

MOS Object ID (NCS License required) — this column lists the identifiers for the MOS objects in a story.

MOS Slug (NCS License required) — this column displays a description for each MOS object in a story.

MOS Status (NCS License required) — this column lists the momentary status of each MOS object in a story while monitoring a running order. Inception shades the background of this column to highlight the status of a MOS object as follows:

• Ready — the MOS object is ready for playout.

• Not Ready — the MOS object is not ready for playout.

Notes — this column displays additional information about the story. You can edit notes at any time.

Page — this column displays the story page number, usually imported from the NCS. You can also enter your own page numbers for stories or click the Renumber icon in the toolbar to automatically number stories.

Production Cues — this column displays the production cues contained in a story. For production cues that have a short form, Inception displays the short form in this column instead of the full production cue text.

Published — a check mark displayed in this column indicates that a story is published. If you have the appropriate permission, you can select this column to publish a story or clear this column to unpublish a story.

Published By — this column displays the name of the Inception user who published the story.

QuickTurn — this column displays the name of the QuickTurn segment for stories based on QuickTurn media.

Segment (NCS License required) — this column displays the name of the newscast segment to which a story belongs.

Slug — this column displays a brief description of the story for internal use.

Status — this column displays the momentary status of the story as follows:

•ON AIR — indicates that Inception is publishing the story.

•Uploading — indicates that Inception is uploading a video file.

Submitted — a check mark displayed in this column indicates that a user without approval permission has submitted the story for approval.

Submitted By — this column displays the name of the Inception user who submitted the story for approval.

Target Time (NCS License required) — this column displays the planned time for a story, which includes estimated time for the anchor to read the story and the time required to playout any media associated with the story. The producer or news director usually sets the target time for a story.

Total Time (NCS License required) — this column displays the total time that a story is on air during running order playout. Inception adds the story Estimated Time and the story Media Time to calculate the Total Time that a story is on air. Changing the story Estimated Time or the story Media Time automatically updates the Total Time for a story.

You can enter your own time in this column to override the calculated time. Inception uses bolded characters to display time overrides (00:02:00).

Type — this column displays the story type. By default, Inception displays the social media type. You can edit the type to categorize stories in any way your organization requires. The Story Editor also displays story types, when you expand the Open list.

Video (NCS License required) — this column displays the video clip ID of video media associated with a story. During running order playout, Inception sends the video clip ID from this column to your automation system to enable the automation system to play the video clip from your video server.

Preview Pane

During running order playout, you can open a Preview pane in the Running Order panel. The Preview pane displays the story text and MOS objects contained in the on-air Broadcast story and the next approved story in the running order.

Toolbar 

Status Bar

Start Date — this field displays the start date and time for the current running order.

End Date — this field displays the end date and time for the current running order.

Duration — this field displays the duration of the current running order.

Target Time — this field displays the planned time to playout all the stories in the current running order.

Selected Target Time — this field displays the planned time to playout all the selected stories in the current running order.

Total Time — this field displays the total time that a running order is on air during playout.

Selected Total Time — this field displays the total time that the selected stories in the running order are on air during playout.

Under / OK / Over — this field displays the amount of time that you need to adjust for the current on-air story or following stories to keep the show on time. This field updates each time you take a story on air. Inception uses the following formats to display the required time adjustment for the current on-air story or following stories:

•Under 00:01:58 (blue) — the show is currently under the total time set for the show. You need to add the displayed amount of time to the current on-air story or following stories to bring the show back on time.

•Over 00:00:06 (red) — the show is currently over the total time set for the show. You need to remove the displayed amount of time from the current on-air story or following stories to bring the show back on time.

•OK 00:00:00 (black) — the show is on time. You do not need to make a time adjustment for the current on-air story or following stories.

Segment Under / Over — this field displays the amount of time that you need to adjust the segment to keep the running order on time. You can add, edit, or remove stories to adjust the duration of a segment. Inception uses the following formats to display the required time adjustment for the segment:

•Segment Under 00:01:58 (blue) — the segment is currently under the hard hit time set for the seg­ment. You need to add the displayed amount of time to the segment to meet the set hard hit time.

•Segment Over 00:00:06 (red) — the segment is currently over the hard hit time set for the segment. You need to remove the displayed amount of time from the segment to meet the set hard hit time.

Hotkeys