In a media automation system, a database server transmits a request to a traffic and billing system to identify both an advertisement for potential inclusion in a content block, and a first primary programming item to be scheduled adjacent to the advertisement in a broadcast log, i.e. a paired advertisement and primary programming item, and receives a message identifying the advertisement and the first primary programming item from the traffic and billing system in response to that request. The database server responds to the message from the traffic and billing system by inserting the advertisement into the broadcast log adjacent to the first primary programming item, transmitting a signal notifying the traffic and billing system that the advertisement and the first primary programming item have been inserted into the broadcast log, and delivering the broadcast log to a media server.