Clocks are hour-long templates that define the structure and flow of your broadcast content. Think of them as blueprints that tell PlayIt Live exactly what should happen during each hour of your programming.

A clock contains a sequence of different items such as track groups (for music), individual tracks (for specific jingles or promos), voice track placeholders, fixed time markers, break notes, and other content types. For example, a typical morning show clock might include a top-of-hour news bulletin, some music from your "A Rotation" track group, a voice track placeholder for the presenter, more music, and station IDs.

You need clocks because they provide several essential benefits for radio automation. They ensure consistency in your programming by maintaining the same structure every hour or show. They enable future planning by allowing you to schedule content days or weeks in advance. They automate your broadcast flow so PlayIt Live knows exactly what to play and when, reducing the need for manual intervention. They also create a professional sound by ensuring proper spacing between different content types and maintaining your station's format.

Without clocks, PlayIt Live would fall back to using your Playout Pattern, which provides basic automation but lacks the sophisticated structure that clocks offer. Clocks give you precise control over your broadcast format whilst still maintaining the flexibility to have different templates for different shows or times of day.