▁sales ▁a ims ▁to ▁sell ▁the ▁available ▁air time ▁(" av ails ") ▁at ▁the ▁best ▁possible ▁rates . ▁The ▁traffic ▁department ▁generates ▁a ▁daily ▁log ▁of ▁programming ▁elements ▁such ▁as ▁commer ci als , ▁features ▁and ▁public ▁service ▁announ c ements . ▁The ▁log ▁defines ▁when ▁they ▁are ▁planned ▁to ▁be ▁a ired . ▁The ▁log ▁will ▁be ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁on - air ▁operator ▁who ▁actually ▁plays ▁the ▁commer ci als . ▁ ▁A ▁copy ▁of ▁the ▁log ▁after ▁the ▁fact ▁is ▁used ▁for ▁recon c ili ation ▁to ▁determine ▁what ▁actually ▁a ired . ▁ ▁Typ ically ▁a ▁broad c aster ▁uses ▁a ▁broadcast ▁management ▁software ▁system ▁that ▁allows ▁for ▁autom ation ▁between ▁depart ments . ▁ ▁Some ▁software ▁systems ▁are ▁end - to - end ▁and ▁manage ▁the ▁whole ▁spectrum ▁of ▁tasks ▁required ▁to ▁broadcast ▁a ▁television ▁or ▁radio ▁station , ▁others ▁special ize ▁in ▁specific ▁areas , ▁such ▁as ▁sales , ▁programming , ▁traffic , ▁or ▁autom ation ▁for ▁master ▁control . ▁ ▁Process ▁The ▁traffic ▁process ▁starts ▁by ▁a ▁sales person ▁making ▁an ▁agreement ▁with ▁a ▁customer ▁about ▁a ▁campaign . ▁The ▁agreement ▁is ▁called ▁a ▁sales ▁order ▁and ▁it ▁defines ▁the ▁dates ▁when ▁sp ots ▁( ad vert is ements ) ▁are ▁run ▁and ▁the ▁commercial ▁terms ▁of ▁the ▁campaign . ▁The ▁sales ▁order ▁usually ▁also ▁defines ▁the ▁product ▁group ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁avoid ▁conflicts ▁in ▁sched uling , ▁for ▁example , ▁where ▁two ▁fast ▁food ▁vend ors ▁have ▁a ▁spot ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁break .