John Bonou, GSelector Product Manager, joined us to review some new GSelector 5.1.1 features. As RCS continues to enhance scheduling techniques in an evolving programming environment, users can now control their rotations either by the week, day, daypart, hour and even the quarter hour. With the addition of quarter hour scheduling, now users can identify and program at an innovative level. Combine that with Linker Segments that is acknowledged during the scheduling process and custom appearances, GSelector 5.1.1 is a build for programmers to embrace.
There are obviously many brand-new features included within GSelector 5.1.1, but with only so much time with John, we wanted to focus this video surrounding quarter hour rotation and Linker Segments. For a full list of enhancements and fixes, users should review the GSelector 5.1.1 release notes or head to Help | Enhancements for a full description of each enhancement. Starting with quarter hour rotation, this is a new scheduling technique that is included within the Priority List by default and programmers simply have to apply it to their existing Priority Lists. As a refresher regarding GSelector’s scheduling process, first GSelector will plot the Song/Link based on the Daypart order via Setup | Dayparts | Definition. Next, GSelector will “schedule” and assign that element a score. If it passes the breakable goal or rule, it receives a score of 65 – 100. If the element violates an unbreakable rule, then it receives a score of 0 and cannot schedule. As the last, sometimes hidden, step, by default GSelector implements a medium optimization, looking at the next couple of potential elements to see if those have a higher score. If they do, GSelector will replace the element and continue to optimize the day. Programmers can control this optimization by enabling it via Setup | Station | Features | Advanced and Enable Optimization Options. That will display the hidden Optimizations tab found under Goals | Optimization. If a programmer schedules a week at a time, then as part of the final optimization, GSelector will look at the entire scheduling date range, like a 7 day week, and continue to optimize scores. There’s nothing wrong scheduling day by day, but obviously, you’re not optimizing your log.
Now that we understand how GSelector schedules a log, notice how that quarter hour rotation rule comes into play. If we’re already scoring elements based on the day or hour, now we can continue to improve or decrease the element’s score based on the quarter hour plot. And don’t overthink this quarter hour rule. There’s :00 – :15, :15 – :30, :30 – :45 and :45 – :00. If you open the Rotation Rules window, you’ll notice a new 1 / 4 Hour Rotation column that can be set to 1, 2, or 3. Obviously we can’t set a value of 4 because then an element will never be allowed to play. Essentially, if the quarter hour is set to 2, and the Song is scheduled within the first quarter hour, then the next spin must occur within :15 – :30, :30 – :45, or :45 – :00. If the second spin occurs during the last quarter hour, with the 1 / 4 Hour Rotation value of 2, then GSelector will schedule the Song either in the :15 – :30 or :30 – :45 minute window before allowing to play again within the first quarter hour. Don’t forget that GSelector displays this quarter hour history within the History Map window and users can control their appearances via Global Settings.
Speaking of Global Settings, which can be found under Tools | Global Settings, 5.1.1 continues to improve the user experience by allowing programmers to control their icon size and assigned style via Appearances and Style. If you wanted to adjust your quarter hour colors or Editor Highlights and more, then use the Appearances | Definitions to edit or create new color themes.
Next, we discussed the new enhanced Linker Segments feature. Linker Segments were already around to properly identify elements embedded within a larger file, like for association reports, but in 5.1.1, programmers can now incorporate those segment’s history into the scheduling process. For example, your station plays a four-hour Saturday night mix show (broken down into individual segments) that includes some songs your normally play and other random songs. If the last song in the Saturday Night Party Mix was “Happy Birthday,” obviously programmers would want to avoid scheduling “Happy Birthday” as the song immediately following the specialty show. With Linker Segments, now programmers can identify “Happy Birthday” within the Linker Segment and if that song is plotted within the scheduling process, GSelector will note it’s scheduled spin and apply any Priority List goals and rules. Other examples include Hip-Hop station mix shows or live concerts. Essentially, a single long form file that contains multiple song or link segments within it.
To apply Linker Segment scheduling, head to Setup | Station | Features | Miscellaneous and enable the Include the Linker Song Segments in History and Testing option. Now, when programmers identify segments, GSelector will respect the timing of the element. Programmers can apply Linker Segments by opening their desired long form Link and under the Additional subtab, there’s a Segments section. Click on the + to add a new Song or Link, search for the element via the dropdown search tool, and then define when the element started and its corresponding Runtime. Since most mix shows include a rundown of the special playlist, it might be more efficient to reference the attached playlist outline for start times rather than opening the file itself and deciphering when one element ends and another begins.
As we mentioned, there are so many more enhancements included within GSelector 5.1.1 that perhaps we might schedule a future “GSelector 5.1.1 New Features (Part 2).” While you wait for that video, expect a corresponding Zetta 5.24.1 New Features video coming shortly, so keep an eye out on socials for future RCS Lives or visit the RCS Live Archive for past videos that showcase current version’s enhancements, as well as, helpful How To’s, like “How to Customize Your GSelector.” These free videos can be found under www.rcsworks.com ‘s Blog section or https://www.rcsworks.com/rcs-live/. Don’t forget that RCS Academy is hitting the road with stops at IBC, WABE, MBMTC, NAB NY and more. If you’re attending one of these conferences, reach out to your local RCS contact to connect and perhaps explore the new GSelector 5.1.1. Finally, if you want to become a Beta user, either for GSelector 5.1.1 or Zetta 5.24.1, reach out to RCS Support and schedule your upgrade today.