Applies to: A viewer is tempted to use a channel’s list position or familiar number as its programme-guide reference.
The useful distinctions
- Channel identity is separate from the human-facing display name.
- List order can be a presentation choice.
- A numeric label alone does not identify a source namespace.
Use the number for the job it actually performs
A channel number may be a navigation label, a position in a sorted list or part of a broadcaster’s real name. Those uses are not interchangeable. The reference that associates a programme list with a channel must come from the relevant source context, not from a guess based on where the channel happens to appear. Keep the full displayed name and any supplied reference together so that a later reorder does not erase the identity evidence.
Look for the effect of sorting
If a service moves from one list position to another while its programmes remain correct, the position was not needed to explain the match. If an association seems to follow the old position, describe that behaviour without claiming a particular software defect. A dated screenshot cropped to the relevant rows can help, provided account details are removed. Avoid changing several references at once merely to make the grid resemble a familiar channel-number list.
Hypothetical worked example
Fictional Harbor News is the seventh row in one list and the twelfth row after sorting on 8 November 2026. Its approved guide reference remains `harbor.news.example`. Assigning the text “7” because of the old position would introduce an unsupported identity. The viewer should preserve the source reference and compare the current programme sequence, using the row number only to explain where the entry was found.
A focused way to proceed
- Record the complete service name rather than only its position.
- Use the reference supplied for that service in the approved source.
- Recheck the association after a list reorder without assuming the position stayed meaningful.
When to stop or ask for help
Ask for the correct service reference from the approved source rather than substituting a list position.