Beat Assignment
I'm the dispatcher. Beat reporters are fully agentic — I give them a detailed, localized prompt and they handle research, writing, image generation, and card creation.
Dispatch Commands
To an existing beat agent
bash
skip beat dispatch --agent-id=<agent-id> --prompt="..." [--json]
One-off generic reporter
bash
skip beat run --topic=<topic> --location=<location> --instructions="..." --json
Create a new permanent beat agent
bash
skip beat create --topic=<topic> --location=<location> --json
Monitor runs
bash
skip run list --status=running --json # what's active skip run list --status=failed --json # what broke skip run status <runId> --json # specific run skip run list --agent-id=<id> --json # runs for an agent
Location Hierarchy
Content is served hierarchically. A captain at tierra-verde sees cards tagged:
- •
tierra-verde(marina-level, hyper-local) - •
tampa-bay(market-level, regional) - •
florida(state-level, statewide)
Levels and what goes where
| Level | Slug examples | Content type |
|---|---|---|
| state | florida, north-carolina | Regulations, boating license, hurricane season, statewide FWC rules |
| market | tampa-bay, sw-florida, se-florida, ne-florida, crystal-coast | Regional weather, shared fishing waters, boat shows, marine forecasts |
| marina | tierra-verde, naples, etc. | Specific restaurants, passes, launch spots, Port32 amenity guides |
Full hierarchy
code
florida ├── tampa-bay → tierra-verde, tampa ├── sw-florida → naples, marco-island, cape-coral ├── se-florida → fort-lauderdale, lighthouse-point, palm-beach-gardens └── ne-florida → jacksonville north-carolina └── crystal-coast → morehead-city
When to use regional vs marina tags
- •FWC regulation change? →
florida(all FL captains need this) - •Tampa Bay weather forecast? →
tampa-bay(both TV and Tampa captains) - •SW FL red tide report? →
sw-florida(Naples, Marco, Cape Coral) - •Specific restaurant guide? → marina-level (e.g.
naples) - •NC fishing season change? →
north-carolina
API: Check the hierarchy
bash
curl http://localhost:8787/locations # full tree
The Beat Fleet
Naming convention: beat-{topic}-{location}
State-level agents (Florida-wide content):
- •beat-regulations-florida (existing)
- •Need: beat-safety-florida, beat-events-florida
Market-level agents (regional):
- •Tampa Bay: beat-dining-tampa-bay, beat-destinations-tampa-bay, beat-events-tampa-bay, beat-port32-tampa-bay, beat-fishing-tampa-bay, beat-weather-tampa-bay, beat-safety-tampa-bay, beat-maintenance-tampa-bay
- •Need: sw-florida, se-florida, ne-florida, crystal-coast market agents
Marina-level agents (hyper-local):
- •All 10 Port32 locations have fishing, destinations, dining, port32 agents
- •Most have safety, events, weather, maintenance agents
Tampa (micro):
- •beat-dining-tampa, beat-destinations-tampa
What Reporters Handle vs What the Server/Stylist Handle
Reporters write content and generate an image. That's it.
The server auto-assigns from the agent ID:
- •category — weather, fishing, safety, destinations, dining, events, maintenance, regulations, port32, lifestyle
- •freshness — timely or evergreen
- •expiration — auto-calculated for timely beats
- •location — extracted from agent ID
A stylist agent handles visual styles after card creation. Do NOT tell reporters to pick a style.
Dispatch Philosophy
Reporters are agents, not formatters. Give them direction, not dictation. They should research, discover, and make editorial calls. Your job is to point them at the right story — they figure out how to tell it.
Good dispatch: direction + context
code
Snook season opens March 1 in Naples. Cover it — where to find them, what the regs are, what's working for local anglers. The Naples Bay shoreline and Gordon Pass area should be rich territory.
Bad dispatch: dictation
code
Write a card called "Snook Season Opens March 1: Where to Find Them in Naples Bay". Cover Gordon Pass, dock lights at night, mangrove shorelines on outgoing tide. Live pilchards or white bait on light tackle. Slot limit 28-33 inches, one per person. Mention Port32 Naples as a convenient launch point.
The first gives the reporter a story to chase. The second writes the card for them.
What to include in a dispatch:
- •The story — what's the topic and why now?
- •Local seeds — a few specific places/details to get them started (they'll find more)
- •Source article — if it's a copycat, link the inspiration piece
- •Constraints — only if truly needed (e.g., "this is time-sensitive, expires end of week")
What NOT to include:
- •Detailed outlines or section-by-section structure
- •Style/category/freshness (server and stylist handle these)
- •Word counts or format requirements
- •Every fact you want mentioned — let them research
When to be more prescriptive:
- •Port32 guides — these need specific amenity details the reporter can't easily find
- •Regulation cards — accuracy matters more than creativity, give them the key rules
- •Copycat cards — link the source article so they can read and adapt it
Source Management
bash
skip source list --agent-id=<id> --json skip source add --agent-id=<id> --name="..." --url="..." --json skip source remove <sourceId> --json
Decision Framework
- •No content at location → Dispatch foundational pack (see coverage-tracker skill)
- •Expired timely → Replace immediately
- •Port32 gap → Every marina needs its showcase content
- •Seasonal miss → What should exist for this time of year?
- •Magazine copycat → Adapt great articles, localize them
- •Advisor signal → Captains asking about something we don't cover