Follow this thread for announcements on policy updates or additions.
For the background story, check http://www.tvmaze.com/threads/634/editing-policy
Clarified how to deal with foreign show names: http://www.tvmaze.com/faq/13/shows
Clarified how to deal with two-part episodes: http://www.tvmaze.com/faq/15/episodes
Clarified that the previous day for shows that air after midnight rule does not apply to web channel shows: http://www.tvmaze.com/faq/15/episodes
Clarified that the previous day for shows that air after midnight applies to episodes that air after midnight and before 5AM.
We just clarified exactly which sport shows/events are allowed, instead of merely writing "airing regularly":
Allowed are:
- Sports shows that belong to a single primary country and air on the same Network or Web Channel every time. For example: WWE Friday Night Smackdown, World Series of Poker, Superbowl.
Not allowed are:
- Sports events which are not tied to a single specific country, but are simultaneously aired in different countries. For example: FIFA World Cup, UEFA Cup, Formula 1 Racing, Tour de France, Wimbledon, Olympics.
- Sports tournaments that premiere exclusively in a single country, but where the matches within a season/year don't always air on the same Network or Web Channel.
Extended the episode policy: The first non-special episode in a season should always be numbered "1".
This means using "0" as number for pilot episodes is no longer valid.
Clarified the episode policy on TBA episodes:
For the vast majority of shows, the network or web channel assigns episode titles to each episode. In such a case, the original episode title should be used, without any changes to e.g. the punctuation or capitalization. If a future episode for such a show is officially announced but no title is known yet, "TBA" may be used as name until the title has been announced as well.
If no official episode titles are available, the rules are as follows. In all these cases, the chosen format must be applied consistently within a show. For these shows, "TBA" may never be used as name.
In short: when HBO officially announces an upcoming Game of Thrones episode, though without announcing the title, it may be added as "TBA". Though if an upcoming Nightline or Daily Show episode - which will never get an official title - is announced, it may not be named "TBA" and the regular rules should be followed.
Added a ruling on theatrical movies: The inclusion policy for Shows applies to specials as well. This means only content that has premiered on a Network or Web Channel may be added; theatrical movies related to a show may not be added.
Clarified what can/can't be added as AKA:
An AKA ("Also Known As") is an alias for a show, to be added when a show is known under multiple names. An AKA may only be added when that name is officially used by the show's Network or Web Channel; for example in a press release or on the show's official website.
Also, an AKA may only be added when the alternate name significantly differs from the Show's primary name. For example, if the only difference is punctuation or capitalization, no AKA should be created. AKA's must adhere to the same rules that apply to a Show's regular name. For example, suffixes that are not part of the original name may not be included.
An AKA can either refer to the Show's original country, or it can indicate an alias in a specific foreign country. In the first case, the country property should be left blank; in the second case the country property should be set to the country the AKA applies to.
After merely relying on everyone's judgement for a long time, we finally published an inclusion policy for web channel shows at http://www.tvmaze.com/faq/13/shows
Please read the policy in full, but to summarize: shows from "curated web channels" (like Netflix) are always allowed, but Youtube shows are only allowed when they meet one of the notability requirements.
When submitting a request for a Youtube show or similar, please help us out by including proof that the show meets the requirements. :)
The policy on episode airdates was completely rewritten, so please read it carefully: http://www.tvmaze.com/faq/15/episodes
The primary change is a new exception ("airdate owner") on shows that (occasionally) don't premiere on their original network, like NBC shows airing in Canada a day in advance.
Added to the policy on specials: Episodes that consist merely of footage duplicated from other episodes (such as trailers, previews, sneak peeks, clip shows) are only allowed when their length is the same as of a regular episode. This is to prevent content like a few-minute long trailer/preview from clogging up the list of specials.
Added to the policy on show extras: For UK shows; if none of the official sources explicitly separate Main Cast from Guest Cast, actors appearing in the opening credits should be added as Main Cast and actors only appearing in the closing credits as Guest Cast.
Added to the policy on shows:
A continuation/reboot is a show with the same name and theme as a previously ended show. Depending on the circumstances, a continuation should be added as a whole new show entry, or as a new season on the existing show entry.
Only if all of the following are true, the continuation should be part of the existing show entry:
The new network/web channel refers to the show as a continuation
The new network/web channel does not refer to the pilot as "season 1"
At least one of the previous show's creators or executive producers is involved with the continuation
At least one of the previous show's main cast members is starring in the continuation
Clarified the policy on episode images:
The episode gallery can be used to submit images from the episode. Images here should be an actual scene from the episode. Official promotional images may be used, provided they have exactly the same composition as shown in the public release. That means "behind the scenes" images cannot be used. Since gallery images should be taken from the actual episode, their aspect ratio should be the same as on the show itself. This is usually widescreen, e.g. 16:9.
An episode's main image should be free of major spoilers - suitable for people who have not yet watched the episode.
Added to the policy on shows:
If a show doesn't have a name or working title, it should not yet be added.
Amended the episode gallery policy: When episode data is likely to be contended because on-screen data conflicts with one of the other valid sources, screengrabs from the episode's title card or credits may be permanently added to the episode gallery to prove the data's validity.
Clarified that the episode inclusion policy specifically targets future episodes: An episode should only be added to TVmaze after it has been announced by one of the valid sources above, or once it has premiered. Either the episode name or release date has to be known before a future episode can be added. Adding "TBA" episodes beyond that point is not welcome.
Added a policy on people; primarily covering name, biography and gallery rules: http://www.tvmaze.com/faq/29/people
We've always had a rule in the policy to prevent duplicate shows: "We don't allow duplicates, each unique show should only be listed in our database once. Explicitly allowed are extended versions of a show with significantly more footage than the original episodes (like "QI XL")".
As it turns out, not everyone has the same interpretation of "significantly more footage". For consistency, the exception has been changed to: "Extended versions of a show with a runtime that's at least 25% longer (of actual footage - not commercials) than the original (like "QI XL") ".
For example, for a 60-minute show, an extended version is only allowed if the episodes have at least 15 minutes of extra footage.