Hi Sam,
The three columns that drive the timing of content in a running order are estimated time, media time, and total time.
Estimated Time: 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. The read rate can be manipulated system wide by an administrator. Unique read rates can be configured for anchor production cues.
Media Time: this column displays the run time for anything running sound full as part of this story. This would be the duration of a sound bite, the full run time of a reporter package, the run time for an animation. All of these are pieces of a media that an anchor would not speak over. This media time can be inserted from the running order grid or by using a Media Time Production Cue within the story.
Total Time: this column displays the total time that a story is on air during running order playout. Estimated Time + Media Time = Total Time. This column can also be overridden by a user from the running order. It is also where users will put in the run time for segments that run a set length of time without corresponding script. For example, commercial breaks, weather segments, interviews, or sports segments.
Before a show is put into Playout Mode, Inception will use the Total Time column to calculate the over/under timing information at the bottom of the running order.
After a show is put into Playout Mode and the timing bar is in use, Inception will use the movement of the timing bar to calculate the program's Over/Under time; shown in a white bar at the top of the running order. The Actual Time column will show a user how long the timing bar was actually on any given story in the running order.
If a program is used more than once. Users should reset the playout clocks to get an accurate count on the second time a running order is used. Simply click the icon that says "reset," which is only visible when the running order is in Playout Mode.
Further running order column definitions are always available from Inception's Help Guide. The Help Guide is contextual, you can click the "?" in the top right hand corner of a running order to access that specific page in the guide.
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Nikki Renoit
Product Specialist
Inception: News|Live|Social|Cloud
#Inception