How Television and Streaming Work
Explore the programming, technology, advertising and people behind television and streaming. Broadcast Workflow makes the industry easier to understand through practical explanations and real operational examples.
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Catch up on broadcast news, see what audiences are watching, and explore tools that make television workflows easier to understand.
Local Avail
Advertising time made available to a local station or distributor within supplied programming or a network feed.
Week of 2026-09-28
Look Up a TermCheck the time before it airs.
Add durations, build a commercial break and check a program’s runtime.
Use the ToolsFollow one commercial from sale to screen.
New to the industry? Start with the decisions behind commercial time, then explore how programs and commercials reach the screen.
InventoryPractical guide
Traffic & Inventory: How Commercial Inventory Moves Through a Television Station
Follow a commercial from the avail and advertiser order through placement, copy, log, air, reconciliation and billing.
Broadcast & Television Glossary
Search 212 terms and acronyms, explore practical examples, and follow related terms.
Explore the topics
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How commercial inventory moves.
Follow the operational journey behind a thirty-second commercial in the Broadcast Workflow video.
Watch on YouTubeNeed help with a broadcast workflow?
Visit Broadcast Workflow Desk to explore consulting and operational support.