PRSS^® ContentDepot^®

NPR Distribution, as manager of the Public Radio Satellite System^® (PRSS), is reengineering its services in response to station and producer needs. Public radio's new distribution system, the PRSS ContentDepot, takes advantage of technological innovations to streamline how stations and producers select, send, acquire, and automate programming.

The ContentDepot moves the PRSS distribution system from exclusively real-time to a subscription-based system for both live and pre-produced broadcasts. The ContentDepot continues to incorporate satellite distribution, as this technology is still the most cost-effective and reliable means of delivering high-quality, real-time audio programming to a national network of radio stations. The ContentDepot also provides alternative distribution methods that give stations flexibility in receiving and storing programs and other information from the PRSS.

Previously, all programming was distributed over the satellite in real-time. Stations needed to manage the programming using a variety of station-provided storage systems. With the ContentDepot, new transmission technologies and station hardware and software enable stations to streamline program management.

Both stations and producers have identified the need for a distributed content storage and management system to enable them to operate efficiently in today's changing media environment. The ContentDepot responds to this need by providing centralized storage and program retrieval. It captures and manages not only audio content, but also associated data and metadata.

Producers have asked for more information about program usage. The ContentDepot's subscription-based model will close the feedback loop and provide information to both stations and producers about program usage and carriage.

As we move into the future, the ContentDepot not only replaces an aging PRSS infrastructure but also lays the groundwork for NPR Distribution to explore new business ideas and technologies (such as HD Radio™) as they emerge.

For more information about the ContentDepot, please email prssplanning@npr.org.