A blank interval in a guide can represent missing source records, a channel that is off air, or an event-driven station without a continuous schedule. The empty grid alone does not identify the cause. Compare the station’s actual operating pattern and neighboring guide entries before changing the mapping.
Check whether the gap is plausible
A part-time event channel may have no daily programmes between events. A continuous news station with a six-hour hole is a different situation. Context helps distinguish intentional absence from incomplete data.
Inspect the surrounding timestamps
A preceding programme may lack a stop time, or a later record may start on the wrong date. The reader’s display rules can turn those source details into a visible gap. Record the adjacent entries rather than only the blank area.
Keep playback evidence separate
A channel playing during a blank guide interval shows that media access is available. It does not prove which title should appear in the grid. Report the missing schedule with the station edition, date and local timezone.
A practical sequence
- Compare the gap with the station’s operating pattern.
- Inspect the neighboring programme dates and times.
- Report missing listings separately from video availability.
An example
An event-only station may have no entries on Tuesday and a full schedule on Saturday. A blank Tuesday does not automatically mean the guide import failed.
Questions about this topic
Does a blank guide mean the channel is off air?
Not necessarily. Source records may simply be missing.
Can a mapping correction fill every gap?
Only if the intended source contains the missing programme data.
