Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 2, 2026

Broadcast clock

A broadcast clock, format clock, or clockwheel is a template that displays a radio or television's hourly format in a graphical representation of a clock. Broadcast programming, especially radio, often follows an hourly pattern where certain segments such as news and commercials are repeated every hour at specific times. A broadcast clock displays these segments graphically which assist broadcasters in scheduling, thereby avoiding dead air and preventing random program selections by on-air staff.

Last revised
Jun 2, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
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Wikipedia ↗
Sample broadcast clock source ↗

A broadcast clock, format clock, or clockwheel is a template that displays a radio or television's hourly format in a graphical representation of a clock. Broadcast programming, especially radio, often follows an hourly pattern where certain segments such as news and commercials are repeated every hour at specific times. A broadcast clock displays these segments graphically which assist broadcasters in scheduling,123 thereby avoiding dead air and preventing random program selections by on-air staff.2

References

References

  1. "Network clocks". Producer Resources. PRX. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  2. MacFarland, David T. (1997). Future radio programming strategies : cultivating listenership in the digital age (Second ed.). Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. ISBN 1136686851. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  3. "The Broadcast Clock". 99percentinvisible.org. 99% Invisible. Retrieved 19 December 2017.