PRSS® Communications
BuNOC Test Scheduled for March 7, 2010
On March 7, 2010,
beginning at 15:00 ET, the PRSS will conduct a live, system-wide test
of the ContentDepot® Back-up Network Operations Center (BuNOC).
This
test involves shutting down the NOC in Washington, D.C., activating the
BuNOC and transmitting live program streams and program files to the
Galaxy 16 Satellite from St. Paul, MN. Please note:
- On March 7, the ContentDepot portal will be offline from 15:00 ET to 18:00 ET, and from 21:00 ET to 00:30 ET.
- From
18:00 ET to 21:00 ET on March 7, the ContentDepot portal will be
available but on a backup site with a different web address:
- The
portal pages will have an obvious indicator that you're connected to
the backup portal. The backup portal has all the functions of the
regular portal.
- Producers will be able to upload
files, and stations will be able to subscribe to new programs or modify
existing subscriptions from 18:00 ET to 21:00 ET (all subscriptions
made on the backup portal will be synchronized with the primary portal;
there's no need to make changes in both locations).
- In
the event of breaking news, decoders assigned to the Breaking News
channel should operate normally. Absent any Breaking News events, audio
from streams one and two will also be fed on the Breaking News Channel
as an additional backup during the test. This means that the 15:01 ET
and 16:01 ET NPR newscasts, as well as NPR’s Weekend All Things
Considered (also containing newscasts) starting at 17:00 ET will be
“simulcast” on the Breaking News Channel.
- Some
stream decoders may lose lock on the satellite carrier once it is
switched to the BuNOC. Stations that experience this problem will need
to reset their decoder’s LNB offset. Instructions for performing this
task can be found on www.prss.org:
- While
we do not expect any interruption of streams during the test, stations
may want to consider fix tuning a decoder during the test period.
Instructions for locally tuning a stream decoder can be found on
www.prss.org:
- Any file deliveries from the ContentDepot that are scheduled to take place during the test will occur as normal.
The
PRSS HelpDesk will be fully operational during the test. Stations and
producers with questions or concerns should continue to contact the
Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
WebDACS will be
available during the test. The NOC will use WebDACS to communicate with
the system if there is urgent programming or system news.
The
PRSS will publish additional updates to the system if any changes to
the BuNOC test schedule are required. If you have any questions or
concerns, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or
prsshelp@npr.org.
Have You Completed the Station Equipment Questionnaire?
By now, every satellite interconnected station should have received a link to the PRSS Forward station equipment questionnaire. We are using this online questionnaire to gather important information to help us plan for the upgrade or replacement of certain downlink components across the system. The funds for this effort are being provided by Congress through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
In order to be eligible for participation in this project, your station must submit a completed questionnaire by Saturday, February 27, 2010. The deadline for completing the questionnaire will be here before you know it, so please try and get it completed as soon as possible.
If you have any questions, please ask them now! Don’t wait to the last minute. All questions about the survey – including “I don’t know where it is!” – should be directed to 800.971.7677 or to PRSSHelp@npr.org.
Please get in touch with the PRSS staff and we will be happy help you.
Get Ready to Spring Ahead - All ContentDepot® headend systems are ready-to-go for a normal transition to daylight-saving time (DST) at 02:00:00 ET on Sunday, March 14, 2010. Click here for more information.
Solar Outage Season Begins February 28 – A solar or sun transit outage is an electromagnetic phenomenon wherein a station downlink is temporarily unable to receive a satellite signal due to interference from the sun as it passes behind the satellite. Click here for the spring outage chart.
PRSS Implements New Emergency Messaging System
To Ensure Communications During Emergency
Red Alert System Can Notify Stations Through Email, Text, Phone
January 26, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – The Public Radio Satellite System®
(PRSS) is implementing an emergency messaging system to communicate
with stations and program producers in the event the PRSS Network
Operations Center (NOC) in Washington becomes inoperable due to a major
system failure.
The new messaging system, which uses AMTELCO’s
Red Alert, will provide an alternative way for the PRSS to communicate
even if the NOC’s internal systems or Internet access becomes
unavailable. Red Alert will allow the PRSS to communicate with stations
and producers via email, text message, and automated telephone call.
“The
PRSS Disaster Recovery Readiness plan can only be effective if we’re
able to establish and maintain communications with our stations and
producers, and I believe the Red Alert messaging system is an effective
tool to keep us all connected,” said NPR Distribution Vice President
Pete Loewenstein.
“The Red Alert messaging tool was created to
ensure mission-critical communications could continue in the event of
an emergency, and we are thrilled to provide this service to the PRSS,”
said AMTELCO President Tom Curtin.
Red Alert will be used
primarily by PRSS Operations and Engineering teams in Washington as
well as staff at the PRSS’ Backup Network Operations Center in St.
Paul, MN.
* * *
About the PRSS
The Public Radio Satellite System®
(PRSS) is the distribution network through which thousands of hours of
news, music, and specialized audience programming are delivered every
year to public radio stations throughout the United States. Managed by
NPR Distribution, the PRSS is a unique, cooperative enterprise. Each
participating station is a stakeholder in the collective assets of, and
services provided by, the satellite system. Interconnected stations own
their own downlink and uplink equipment. The satellite transponder
capacity, as well as the national operating system equipment located in
Washington, are owned by the Public Radio Satellite Interconnection
System Charitable Trust.
About AMTELCO
AMTELCO is a
leading provider of sophisticated call center and communication
application solutions. With a strong background in the telephone
answering service industry, AMTELCO's primary focus is to design
systems that offer cutting-edge technology, which reduces labor costs
and increases profitability. Today, AMTELCO's specialized Call Center
Innovations are recognized throughout the industry for improving
customer service with straight-forward procedures and trouble-free
system maintenance. For more information on the RED ALERT Emergency
Notification System please visit www.redalertsystem.com. For more
information on AMTELCO please visit www.amtelco.com. For more
information on AMTELCO’s 1Call Healthcare Division please visit www.1call.com.
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NPR®, IDC Reach Agreement on New Equipment for Public Radio Satellite System®
January 19, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – NPR® has reached agreement with International Datacasting Corporation (IDC) of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for IDC to act as a supplier of equipment for the refurbishment of the Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS®). The PRSS transmits nearly 400,000 hours of programming annually from more than 200 producers to more than 800 public radio stations throughout the United States. NPR’s Distribution Division has managed this self-sustaining system since the PRSS’ inception in 1979, with funds for capital improvements and system replacement provided by Congress through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
The refurbishment project - known as “PRSS Forward” - will run through 2013 and utilize these funds to execute significant improvements to equipment provided to PRSS interconnected stations nationwide and to internal PRSS systems.
Under the agreement reached today, IDC will provide NPR new head-end transmission equipment for the PRSS Network Operations Center (NOC) in Washington, DC, and an initial order of new state-of-the-art station satellite receivers.
“NPR is very excited about this latest chapter in our long-standing partnership with IDC,” said Pete Loewenstein, Vice President, NPR Distribution. “This new equipment will enable us to provide PRSS satellite interconnected stations and program distributors with significant enhancements to our content delivery system.”
“NPR has been an important leader in expanding the traditional radio broadcasting model to encompass true content distribution, delivering both live streams and file-based content seamlessly,” said IDC President & CEO Ron Clifton. “Its focus on enabling member stations to control content and commitment to the highest quality audio is well-known. We are pleased and gratified that NPR has entrusted us with this important next step in the evolution of its network and we are proud to be their technology partner.”
The PRSS upgrade includes the acquisition of the IDC Model SFX4104 EXP Pro Audio Satellite Receivers which feature the very latest in program distribution functionality. The upgrade also includes the acquisition of several new head-end components for the PRSS NOC, including the latest versions of IDC’s Datacast XD Host, NetManager2 System and Production Manager transmission hardware.
About NPR
NPR is an award-winning, multimedia news organization and an influential force in American life. In collaboration with more than 880 independent public radio stations nationwide, NPR strives to create a more informed public – one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas and cultures.
About the PRSS
The Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS) is the distribution network through which thousands of hours of news, music, and specialized audience programming are delivered every year to public radio stations throughout the United States. Managed by NPR Distribution, the PRSS is a unique, cooperative enterprise. Each participating station is a stakeholder in the collective assets of, and services provided by, the satellite system. Interconnected stations own their own downlink and uplink equipment. The satellite transponder capacity, as well as the national operating system equipment located in Washington, are owned by the Public Radio Satellite Interconnection System Charitable Trust.
About IDC
International Datacasting Corporation (TSX:IDC) is a global leader in providing IP-based datacasting solutions for the distribution of broadband multimedia content. IDC has a broad portfolio of advanced technology products marketed under the names SuperFlex, Datacast XD, Tiernan, Logic Innovations and PROFline for implementing a wide range of satellite and other broadband content contribution and distribution networks. IDC's products are in demand for radio and television broadcast networks, distance learning, digital satellite news gathering and sport contribution, digital signage, digital cinema, IPTV distribution and other content distribution applications. IDC is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, operates in Europe through its wholly-owned subsidiary PROFline B.V. in Arnhem, the Netherlands, and in the U.S. through its Tiernan and Logic Innovations operations in San Diego, California. The Company is international in scope with installations in over 100 countries worldwide, has regional sales and service offices in the U.K., Australia, Singapore and China as well as an established international network of value-added partners and distributors.
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NPR® Announces Major Refurbishment of Public Radio Satellite System®
January 11, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – NPR® has launched a multi-year project to upgrade or replace certain hardware and software components of the Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS®). The PRSS transmits nearly 400,000 hours of programming annually from more than 200 producers to more than 800 public radio stations throughout the United States. NPR’s Distribution Division has managed this self-sustaining system since the PRSS’ inception in 1979, with funds for capital improvements and system replacement provided by Congress through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
The refurbishment project - known as “PRSS Forward” - will run through 2013 and utilize these funds to execute significant improvements to equipment provided to PRSS satellite interconnected stations nationwide and to internal PRSS systems. NPR will be replacing equipment at more than 400 downlink-equipped stations, and will be acquiring new equipment for the PRSS Network Operations Center (NOC) which will eventually be installed at a new NPR headquarters building in Washington, DC.
Running parallel to the receiver and transmission equipment upgrade and replacement will be a project to assess the condition of downlink-antenna systems at all PRSS satellite interconnected stations.
“This system refurbishment will be one of the most extensive and complex in the 30-year history of the Public Radio Satellite System,” said Pete Loewenstein, Vice President, NPR Distribution. “The project will ensure that all PRSS satellite interconnected stations can take advantage of the very latest in program delivery technologies.”
“PRSS Forward underscores CPB’s long-term commitment to maintaining and improving public radio’s infrastructure,” said Bruce Theriault, CPB’s Senior Vice President for Radio. “We are proud to be partners with NPR in this important initiative to help public radio stations to better serve their diverse audiences.”
As part of the project, NPR has reached agreement with its long-standing satellite equipment provider International Datacasting Corporation (IDC) of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, to supply new head-end transmission equipment for the PRSS NOC, and to supply an initial order of new state-of-the-art station receivers.
About NPR
NPR is an award-winning, multimedia news organization and an influential force in American life. In collaboration with more than 880 independent public radio stations nationwide, NPR strives to create a more informed public – one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas and cultures.
About the PRSS
The Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS) is the distribution network through which thousands of hours of news, music, and specialized audience programming are delivered every year to public radio stations throughout the United States. Managed by NPR Distribution, the PRSS is a unique, cooperative enterprise. Each participating station is a stakeholder in the collective assets of, and services provided by, the satellite system. Interconnected stations own their own downlink and uplink equipment. The satellite transponder capacity, as well as the national operating system equipment located in Washington, are owned by the Public Radio Satellite Interconnection System Charitable Trust.
About CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967 and is steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,100 locally-owned and –operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television and related online services.
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Public Radio Satellite System to Celebrate
30 Year Anniversary with Events Over Next Year
Nation’s First Satellite Service Launched by NPR in 1979
November 30, 2009 – Washington, D.C. – The Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS®) is marking its 30th anniversary and will be celebrating the milestone over the next year at industry conferences, public radio events, and other venues.
The PRSS launched in 1979 as the first use of satellite technology to create a national distribution network for radio. This system was established to deliver news, music and specialized programming to interconnected public radio stations throughout the United States. NPR’s Distribution Division has managed this self-sustaining system since the PRSS’ inception, with funds for capital improvements and system replacement provided by Congress through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
The PRSS began by distributing programming to 192 public radio stations. The system now transmits nearly 400,000 hours of programming annually from more than 200 producers to more than 800 public radio stations in locations ranging from San Francisco to Boston, to remote villages in northern Alaska and Native American reservations in the Southwest.
“The PRSS is the backbone of public radio,” said NPR Distribution Vice President Pete Loewenstein. “It’s the conduit through which most public radio programming flows and has served to bind stations and producers together into a national system for three decades.”
“We want to thank all the stations and producers for helping to make the PRSS such a successful operation,” said NPR President and CEO Vivian Schiller. “Since 1979, the PRSS has embraced the very latest broadcast technology to meet the evolving needs of the public radio community.”
“The PRSS is an incredibly successful model of cooperation and is an enterprise worthy of emulating,” said Howard Stevenson, Chairman of the NPR Board of Directors and Baker Foundation Professor and the Sarofim-Rock Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus at Harvard Business School. “NPR is humbled and honored to be the steward of this unique national asset.”
Based at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., the PRSS’ Network Operations Center (NOC) today operates a modern IP-over-satellite system that enables transmission of programming and other digitized content. The PRSS’ ContentDepot® service is public radio's national program distribution system and uses a combination of Internet and satellite technologies to offer automated content delivery services to stations.
Last month, the PRSS expanded with the creation of a new Technology Research Center (TRC). The TRC offers cutting edge research and consulting services to the broadcast industry. Anchoring the new center is NPR Labs, one of the leaders in the advancement of broadcast radio technology.
About the PRSS
The Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS®) is the distribution network through which thousands of hours of news, music, and specialized audience programming are delivered every year to public radio stations throughout the United States. Managed by NPR Distribution, the PRSS is a unique, cooperative enterprise. Each participating station is a stakeholder in the collective assets of, and services provided by, the satellite system. Interconnected stations own their own downlink and uplink equipment. The satellite transponder capacity, as well as the national operating system equipment located in Washington, are owned by the Public Radio Satellite Interconnection System Charitable Trust.
About NPR
NPR is an award-winning, multimedia news organization and an influential force in American life. In collaboration with more than 880 independent public radio stations nationwide, NPR strives to create a more informed public - one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas and cultures.
NPR Labs Joins PRSS® - Public Radio R&D innovator to
anchor new Technology
Research Center
to leverage technology for stations and producers. For more information, click here.
PRSS Completes Successful Testing
Of Back-up Network Operations Center
St. Paul, MN, Facility Fully Online and Ready to Go
November 10, 2009 – Washington, D.C. – The Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS®) has successfully completed comprehensive testing of its Back-up Network Operations Center (BuNOC) and the facility is now online and ready for service. The BuNOC is as an emergency broadcast “stand-in” facility in the event the primary Network Operations Center (NOC) in Washington, DC, becomes inoperable due to a major system failure.
The PRSS conducted two extensive “live” tests of the BuNOC, which is located at American Public Media in St. Paul, MN. On August 30, 2009, PRSS technicians transferred all functions of the NOC to the BuNOC, which operated successfully for six hours before being switched back to the Washington facility. On November 8, 2009, a second test was conducted where APM technicians – rather than Washington-based PRSS staff – successfully transferred operations from Washington to St. Paul and back again.
Since 2004, the BuNOC has been envisioned as a secure location where public radio broadcasts could be restored in a relatively short period of time in the event the primary NOC suffers a major outage. The BuNOC is now able to provide the following functions:
• Full back-up of live programming
• Full back-up of file-based (pre-recorded) programs
• Automated, real-time replication of the Washington NOC database
“The BuNOC is a key component of the PRSS’ Disaster Recovery Readiness Plan, and I am very pleased that we’ve successfully passed our two most important tests,” said NPR Distribution Vice President Pete Loewenstein. “In the event of a catastrophe, the value of information will be paramount, and it is vitally important that the public radio broadcast infrastructure continue to operate during and following any major event.”
“The BuNOC is an essential element of the ContentDepot® and the associated services the PRSS provides both producers and interconnected stations,” said APM Managing Director of Broadcast Operations Nick Kereakos. “We are pleased that together with the PRSS, American Public Media can partner in providing critical and reliable backup network operations for stations and listeners.”
The technical staff at the NOC and BuNOC received extensive training in preparation for the full deployment of the St. Paul facility. The BuNOC will remain in full active status and a schedule for regular live testing will be established and shared with the public radio community. In addition, smaller, controlled off-line tests will continue to keep staff at both locations familiar with the transfer procedures.
* * *
About the PRSS
The Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS®) is the distribution network through which thousands of hours of news, music, and specialized audience programming are delivered every year to public radio stations throughout the United States. Managed by NPR Distribution, the PRSS is a unique, cooperative enterprise. Each participating station is a stakeholder in the collective assets of, and services provided by, the satellite system. Interconnected stations own their own downlink and uplink equipment. The satellite transponder capacity, as well as the national operating system equipment located in Washington, are owned by the Public Radio Satellite Interconnection System Charitable Trust.
About American Public Media
American Public Media is the nation's largest producer of public radio programs, reaching 16 million listeners nationwide each week. National programs include A Prairie Home Companion,® Marketplace,® Marketplace Money,® The Splendid Table,® Speaking of Faith.® Performance Today,® and special reports produced by its national documentary unit, American RadioWorks.® American Public Media is the parent organization for Minnesota Public Radio, Southern California Public Radio and Classical South Florida. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be found at www.americanpublicmedia.org.
PRSS Launches New, More User-Friendly Web Site
PRSS.org to Feature Quicker, More Navigable Content
September 14, 2009 – Washington, D.C. – The Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS ®) today launched a redesigned Web site, located at http://www.prss.org/, with improvements aimed at users in the station and producer community.
The new site delivers a more intuitive user interface designed to make it easier for stations and producers to navigate to the information they want. It has also been reconfigured to load pages more quickly. The site also features more flexibility to showcase new programming and events across the public radio system. The new site was developed in conjunction with application service provider Public Interactive (PI), a division of NPR.
“The PRSS.org Web site serves two important purposes – it is a comprehensive source of information about the PRSS and its capabilities, and it is the primary gateway to the ContentDepot distribution system, “said PRSS Vice President Pete Loewenstein. “For many members of the public radio community, and for those stations and producers that aspire to join, prss.org is the ‘face’ of the PRSS, and so its important that it reflect the latest Web technologies and innovations.”
The PRSS.org site serves as a portal to ContentDepot®, the official public radio distribution system. Through this site, interconnected stations and producers are able to log in to ContentDepot, which provides a centralized location for users to find programs and program information. The site also hosts information on all of PRSS’ products and services, such as Content Exchanges, WebDACS, program producer resources, and more. Numerous training modules are available as well.
The PI Public Platform® is a custom-built content management system that allows for the creation and maintenance of Web pages using PI’s tool sets. “The PI Public Platform was originally created to help the public radio community communicate their core missions and achieve their goals, and we are very pleased to support PRSS’ efforts to revitalize their Web presence,” said PI Vice President Debra May Hughes. “I hope that our work with PRSS will serve as a model to public radio stations on what can be achieved with our Public Platform.”
* * *
About the PRSS
The Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS® ) is the distribution network through which thousands of hours of news, music, and specialized audience programming are delivered every year to public radio stations throughout the United States. Managed by NPR Distribution, the PRSS is a unique, cooperative enterprise. Each participating station is a stakeholder in the collective assets of, and services provided by, the satellite system. Interconnected stations own their own downlink and uplink equipment. The satellite transponder capacity, as well as the national operating system equipment located in Washington, are owned by the Public Radio Satellite Interconnection System Charitable Trust.
About Public Interactive
In August 2008, NPR acquired PI from PRI who originally founded the organization 10 years ago to serve stations' unmet online needs. PI was launched with support from a consortium of 15 public broadcasting licensees. For the past decade, its innovative suite of Web tools and services has revolutionized stations' online offerings. PI currently serves 170 subscribers who collectively operate 325 public radio and television stations. Public Interactive provides plug-and-play modules that enable broadcasters to offer rich websites at minimal cost and to undertake their own online initiatives, helping to strengthen public broadcasters relevance online.
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D/I Committee Voting Has Begun – As of 9:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, June 18, 2009, online voting for the ratification of the election of Ralph Hogan as a Non-Board Distribution/Interconnection Committee Member has begun. An e-mail has been sent to each representative of a PRSS interconnected station providing each PRSS representative with a unique username and password for voting in the ratification ballot, as well as voting instructions. Please look for this e-mail from “nprelections@npr.org” in your e-mail inbox and then take a moment to cast your vote. The deadline for voting is Monday, July 20, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. To view the eBallot, please click here.
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Automated Promos to be provided via the ContentDepot starting July 6, 2009
A task force of program distributors and stations has developed a plan for the delivery of repeating episode promos via the ContentDepot. On July 6, 2009, episode promos will begin delivering with consistent Cut IDs, starting with most programs distributed by NPR, American Public Media, PRI and WFMT. Weekly and daily episode promos will be delivered to stations as program segments, which enables your automation system to easily ingest the promo files for automated playout or for local tagging. At that time, repeating promos will no longer be placed in the “promo” areas in the portal for specified programs.
This new service will be phased in over a few weeks in June. Four pilot programs will begin delivering promos with Cut IDs as well as in the current manner starting this week. We encourage stations to try out the new promo delivery approach and provide any feedback to the PRSS as well as to the program distributor.
The test programs are:
SymphonyCast ON-AIR PROMOS (American Public Media)
Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! ON-AIR PROMOS (NPR)
PRI’s The World ON-AIR PROMOS (PRI)
Exploring Music - ON-AIR PROMOS (WFMT)- note that this program has already been delivering promos as segments
Based on feedback from the test phase, the major distributors will move forward with adopting the new promo handling approach as of July 6, 2009.
Stations will need to set up one-time subscriptions to separate ON-AIR PROMOS programs to receive some promos. Program distributors will communicate separately the programs that will require an additional one-time subscription.
We’re in communication with the independent producer community to extend this new promo handling approach to their programs as soon as possible.
We extend our sincere thanks to the station and distributor members of the promo task force for their hard work in developing this solution. More detailed information will be forthcoming both from the PRSS and from the distributors directly about their specific promo plans. We encourage you to take advantage of the test promos that will be available starting this week, and to provide any feedback to the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
The following are some operational notes for stations on the new promo approach:
- Program distributors will accommodate repeating episode promos one of two ways:
1) Create a separate “promo” program with promo files as episode segments.
The promo program names follow this convention:
[program name] ON-AIR PROMOS
For example, the promo program associated with SymphonyCast is named:
SymphonyCast ON-AIR PROMOS
You can search in the ContentDepot portal for all programs with “ON-AIR PROMOS” in the program name and then select the programs you need from there.
Or,
2) Attach repeating promos to main program files as another segment; in most cases producers can add promo files and not go over the allotted billing time for their program.
Program distributors are responsible for determining which method to use for delivering promos for each of their programs. Distributors will also communicate to stations how each program’s promos are delivered.
- Implementing this new approach does not change the existing CutID assignment for any file-based or live-with-subsequent-file programs. Depending on a number of factors, the actual delivered filename for program segments may change, but that shouldn't make a difference for most automation systems currently in production in the public radio community.
- In most cases, a repeating promo segment will not have a CutID assignment contiguous with the other segment file CutID numbers for a program.
- Promo CutIDs will remain within the designated ContentDepot CutID range of 60000 to 90000.
- Repeating promos with CutIDs will be ingested by your automation system and handled according to your local rules. In most cases, these promo files will not be automatically added to any playlist until station staff intervene and set up their systems to accommodate repeating promos.
- Repeating promos will be automatically linked to the CDLongname and CDCutID folders; they will not be automatically linked into the CDPromo folder.
- The filename for repeating promos will be in segment format:
XXXXXXXX_YYY_SGMTZZ.wav
Where XXXXXXXX is the 8-character unique ID of the program, padded with underbars (”_”) if the ID is shorter than 8 characters; YYY is the episode number of the program; and ZZ is the segment number of the file.
- Since special promos, including specials, special episode highlights, and clip services, always require manual station processing, there is no compelling reason to assign a CutID to a special-use promo. These promos will continue to use the Promo section currently provided in the ContentDepot portal, and they will be delivered to the promo folder on station storage receivers.
- Special promos (including generic promos, one-time specials, and clip services) that do not have CutIDs will have “PROM” instead of “SGMT” embedded in their filenames.
- Repeating promos are delivered and operate according to segment rules. As with program segments, you may have to manually intervene with your automation system if you need a promo file active more than seven days.
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May 11 , 2009
To: All Stations and Program Producers
From: PRSS
Re: PRSS® Interconnect: Meet the Account Management Team
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On May 11, 2009 , PRSS® hosted an interconnect to introduce its new Account Management Team.
**Audio File of this Interconnect is available.**
Click here to listen to Monday, May 11, 2009's Interconnect.
Program title: Interconnect: PRSS Call-In 090511
2:30 pm ET – 3:30 pm ET
Dialing information:
877-214-5010 (toll-free)
ID #: 883291
In this Interconnect, NPR Distribution Vice President Pete Loewenstein will discuss his intent to hold ongoing teleconferences and Web meetings with the PRSS community as a means of sharing information with public radio stations and producers.
Following that, Director of Customer Development George Gimourginas will introduce Earl Johnson, who leads the newly created Office of Account Management. Earl, along with Account Management Representative Megan Williams, will discuss the goals and work of the team. They will then invite questions from participants who have called in via the telephone bridge.
If there are particular questions or issues that you will want addressed, please email them in advance to PRSSplanning@prss.org. You may also send questions or comments to this email address during the presentation. Please note that this particular interconnect is not intended to address in-depth technical, hardware or software issues. Instead, it is designed to discuss ways to increase communications among the PRSS community, with the new Office of Account Management serving as a step in this direction.
To participate, stations will have to subscribe to the interconnect through ContentDepot. The subscription title is “Interconnect:PRSS Call-In 090511” and will be live with subsequent file. As a result, if you are unable to participate in the event at the above times, you will be able to download the file and listen to it at your leisure.
We look forward to a lively discussion and hope that you can join us.
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