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| ** IMPORTANT UPDATE: The originally published time has changed. This PRSS Station Interconnect will now be held from 10:00 am ET to 11:00 am ET on Monday, October 31. ** |
The session will feature NPR Distribution Vice President Pete Loewenstein, Operations & Engineering Director Dick Kohles, Deputy Director of Operations and PRSS NOC Chief Ralph Woods, and Operations Manager Toby Pirro. This Interconnect will be an opportunity for interested parties to ask questions and discuss any element of the PRSS Forward initiative, so please share this information with others at your station who may be interested in participating.
Interested parties may subscribe to this interconnect through ContentDepot, and they may call in at (866) 751.9555. If you would like to submit a question before the session, please feel free to do so by emailing it to PRSSForward@npr.org. Please include your name and station name with your question.
PRSS and e-Radio USA Join Forces to Improve Electricity Consumption
October 26, 2011 – Washington, D.C. – The Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS) and e-Radio USA, Inc. (ERU) today announced an agreement to explore new technologies that could revolutionize the way electricity is managed throughout the United States. The PRSS, which is managed by NPR, will work with ERU and industry partners to develop demonstrations and pilot projects to test the effectiveness and efficiency of these technologies.
Consumers are looking for ways to reduce their utility bills and carbon footprint. Utilities are seeking improved ways to manage their resources to help strike a balance between growth in demand for electricity and impact on the environment.
The PRSS will utilize ERU’s technology, which harnesses the power of FM radio signals to communicate with “smart grid” enabled electric vehicles and appliances -- like thermostats and hot-water heaters -- to efficiently manage power resources. The transmission of data over FM frequencies does not interfere with the quality of a radio station’s over-the-air signal.
“This relationship will allow us to leverage recent enhancements to the PRSS to further develop the broadcast capabilities of PRSS interconnected stations throughout the U.S. and help the environment,” said Pete Loewenstein, Vice President, NPR Distribution. “We are proud to be partners with ERU in this ground-breaking initiative for public radio.”
“The PRSS is highly attractive delivery platform for our product because PRSS’s footprint reaches 95% of the U.S.” said Jackson Wang, President and CEO, e-Radio USA, Inc. “Tapping into this infrastructure means that nearly every American could benefit from the combining of the PRSS network and its technology with ERU’s smart-grid communications solution.”
In 2010, ERU’s Canadian parent e-Radio Inc. and CBC/Radio Canada announced a joint collaboration to test e-Radio technologies in Canada using the CBC’s FM radio network.
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.
About e-Radio USA
e-Radio USA, Inc. provides a complete smart-grid communications solution and operates wireless communications networks and designs and manufactures FM receiver modules that are integrated into a variety of smart grid devices. The company’s products are focused on residential, commercial and small industrial customer demand management programs using the global standard FM-RDS technology as the communications platform.
Preparations for National EAS Test
The Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS) is assisting the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on Wednesday, November 9. The collaboration is intended to ensure that PRSS interconnected stations are prepared and equipped to participate in this national exercise.
As part of the initiative, the PRSS will conduct daily tests for interconnected stations leading up to the Nov. 9 national test. Once a day at approximately 1315 ET, the PRSS will distribute a special Required Weekly Test (RWT) feed for stations to ensure their audio levels and verifications are properly set. By subscribing to one of these EAS tests, stations can ensure they have all the required audio tones and settings for the mandatory Nov. 9 test.
The PRSS Network Operations Center (NOC) has created a subscription for the RWT feed in the ContentDepot portal called “EAS Tests”, which runs from 1300 ET and 1400 ET each day starting Tuesday, October 25. This subscription expires on Tuesday, November 8. Stations wishing to manually tune to these feeds may do so by referring to the program stream information listed at the end of each day’s Operations Schedule (OPSKED) which can be found in the Exchange section of the ContentDepot portal. Additional technical information on the EAS test may be found on the PubTech LISTSERV.
On the day of the national test, the PRSS will provide a feed of the exercise at 1400 ET. A subscription has been created in the portal for this event called “EAS Test.” Again, stations wishing to manually tune to these feeds may do so by referring to the program stream information listed at the end of each day’s OPSKED. This special Primary Entry Point (PEP) feed is intended only to support station efforts during the Nov. 9 test, and the subscription is slated to expire immediately following the national exercise. A longer term solution for EAS testing over the PRSS is in development and will be shared with the system in the coming months.
If you have any questions or concerns about subscribing to the EAS test feeds over the PRSS, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
Multiple Imports of ContentDepot Program Segments
We have recently received questions from some stations regarding multiple imports of some files from the ContentDepot into their automation systems. As a rule, the PRSS sends out content files, or segments, twice at a two-hour interval. This ensures that any local interference or equipment problems don't prevent files from reaching their intended destinations. The software in the receivers is able to determine what, if any, data is missing in a file and reconstruct the file from the data sent in the second transmission.Some automation systems may see this "second send" as a new file delivery, when in actuality it is merely an updated time-stamp for these files. One of the updates made last month to the PRSS file-delivery system changed the way the broadcast wave wrapper -- which contains data such as air dates, program titles, etc. -- is applied to the file. Prior to last month's update, the system built and applied the wrapper once and then reused that file for the second "send." However, as a result the August update, ContentDepot now applies the wrapper every time a file is staged for delivery, which effectively places a new time-stamp on the file.
It is important to note that the files sent in the first and the second deliveries are mostly identical - the only change is a new time-stamp on the file. This caveat does not apply when producers update content files, which triggers a different process unrelated to this issue. All indications are that ingesting the second file does not cause operational problems.
In addition, we have heard recently from several stations that they have been unable to see promos in the CD Promo folder on their receivers. We have now determined that the new file delivery system inadvertently fails to "tell" the receivers to activate the promo script when promo files are delivered. We have created a fix for the issue, are currently testing it and expect to deploy it to the system within the next few weeks.
If you have any additional questions or comments, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
Changes to PRSS Communications Procedure
The PRSS is revising its procedure for sending system messages. In response to feedback from stations and producers, we are reducing the frequency of certain types of messages and the number of places where we post them.As of Oct. 1, 2011, all messages - including impairments - will be delivered via the ContentDepot messaging system. We will no longer double-post messages to the Pubtech, Dubnet and Pubradio LISTSERV email lists. Stations are reminded that an archive of all messages sent to the system can be found at WebDACS, which remains accessible at https://webdacs1.nprsat.org/.
In addition, non-emergency messages (e.g., maintenance announcements, Back-up NOC test dates) will only be sent twice. The first notification will be sent, at least 72 hours prior to the planned event, while the second notification will be sent on the day of the event. We will no longer send reminder messages on consecutive days leading up to the event unless some element of the original message has been revised. In this case, we will clearly state that the information has changed and that the original message is no longer valid. For unscheduled events, such as a system outage, we will continue to send out messages immediately and follow up with as many updates as necessary.
To ensure that your station is prepared for these changes, we encourage you to be sure that critical personnel are signed up for ContentDepot messaging – and understand how it works.
Permission to use the messaging system is given to your employees by your station's ContentDepot administrator. If you don't know who your station administrator is, please contact the PRSS Helpdesk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org. Documentation on the ContentDepot messaging system can found here: http://www.prss.org/contentdepot-userguides-messages.html
If you have any questions or concerns about the changes to our communications procedure, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
Reports of Missing Cues
The PRSS NOC has received reports on issues with cues from some stations. It appears that it could be related to work that was done earlier this month on the Uninterruptible Power Source. While we have not yet determined the scope or cause of the problem, we are taking it very seriously and have dedicated key resources to documenting, trouble-shooting and fixing the issue.
We need your help in trouble-shooting because not all stations are affected. Those affected seem to be stations that rely on these cues to operate both their main channels and secondary audio streams.
Please report any problems you may be having with cueing to us and include the following in your report, if possible:
- The name of the affected program
- The stream number for the affected program
- The time (Eastern Time, please) that the problem occurred
- A copy of the logs from the affected SR2000PRO decoder. If you need help in harvesting those logs, please contact us.
Please send your reports to the PRSS HelpDesk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
If you are not experiencing any problem with missing cues, you do not need to do anything.
Until we have a fix for this issue, stations may wish to consider not using the start (#1) and stop (#4) cues to control events. Instead, program the station automation systems to start and stop programs on-the-clock. Likewise, any fixed-time breaks within programs could be controlled locally by your automation system. Unfortunately, no such workaround exists for the “floating” break cues.
We apologize for the situation. We’re working tirelessly on this critical operational issue. We are dedicating all available resources to fixing this problem as quickly as possible, and we’ll provide updates to you as they develop.
ContentDepot Maintenance This Weekend
Beginning at 15:10 ET on Sunday, August 21, 2011, extended maintenance will begin on the ContentDepot. This maintenance is scheduled to be completed by 02:00 ET on Monday morning (August 22). Stations and producers are advised to plan ahead and adjust their production schedules accordingly.
On Sunday, August 21, 2011, from 15:10 ET until 02:00 ET on Monday, August 22, the ContentDepot portal will be offline. Please note:
* Producers who would normally upload content files for delivery between 15:10 ET and 02:00 ET must upload prior to 15:10 ET on Sunday, August 21. If you are a program producer who normally uploads files during this time period, please contact the NOC to coordinate.
* Stations will NOT be able to subscribe to new programs or modify existing subscriptions between 15:10 ET and 02:00 ET. In the event of breaking news, the decoders you have assigned to the Breaking News channel will operate normally.
* File deliveries from the ContentDepot that are scheduled to take place during the outage period will be sent before 15:10 ET on Sunday, August 21.
* Live streams delivered by the ContentDepot will NOT be affected. Tuning and cue commands from the NOC will be issued from a backup system to ensure seamless operations.
While the portal is shut down, we will run ContentDepot messaging from our backup host. Should users need to access the ContentDepot messaging service, it will be available at https://backup.prss.org/messaging within 5 minutes after the portal is shut down. To access it, users can sign in with their normal ContentDepot username and password. This site will remain active for the entire maintenance period. Instructions on how to use this service are available after you log in.
In the event that the backup ContentDepot messaging service is not available, users needing to send an urgent message to the system should email that message to:motc@npr.org, and we will forward it on to the system through the Red Alert messaging system. (Despite the fact that the power will be out in the NOC, other parts of NPR HQ will have power and access to email and the internet and so will be able to get these messages.) In the event that Red Alert is used for messaging, you will receive emails with "service@amtelco.net" in the "from" field.
NOTE: While we do not expect any interruption of streams during this maintenance period, stations may want to consider fix tuning a decoder during the maintenance period. Instructions for locally tuning a stream decoder can be found on www.prss.org :
* http://www.prss.org/media/support/emergency_local_control_guide_07050.pdf
We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this extended maintenance. The NOC will publish operational status updates if any changes to this schedule are required. If you have any questions or concerns about the impact of the outages on your operation, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org
Timeline, Procedures for Emergency Power Work on Aug. 6-7
NPR will be performing critical emergency maintenance on its AC power systems at NPR Washington on August 6-7, 2011. What follows is some detail as to what ContentDepot users need to know about using the ContentDepot portal and messaging services while the work is being done.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2011
1410 ET:
1) The streams and files carriers will be transferred from the NOC in Washington to the Back-up NOC (BuNOC) in St. Paul, Minn. This transfer may result in a few seconds of outage on any stream active at that time. Additionally, some streaming decoders (SR2000PRO) at stations may lose lock and not recover the carrier. If this happens, the LNB offset for that receiver will need to be re-set. The procedure to do this may be found at: http://www.prss.org/media/support/Resetting-the-LNB-Offset.pdf. Other technical documents that may also be useful on this subject can be found at: http://www.prss.org/tech_support-tech_docs.html. It would be wise for stations to have these documents available in advance.
2) The ContentDepot portal in Washington will be shut down. Should users need to access the ContentDepot messaging service, it will be available within 5 minutes at https://backup.prss.org/messaging/ using their normal ContentDepot username and password. This site will remain active for the entire maintenance period. Instructions on how to use this service are available after you log in.
3) In the event that the backup ContentDepot messaging service is not available, users needing to send an urgent message to the system should email that message to: motc@npr.org, and we will forward it on to the system through the Red Alert messaging system. (Despite the fact that the power will be out in the NOC, other parts of NPR HQ will have power and access to email and the internet and so will be able to get these messages.) In the event that Red Alert is used for messaging, you will receive emails with "service@amtelco.net" in the "from" field.
4) The back-up ContentDepot portal in St. Paul will be activated, a process that may take up to one hour (approximately 1510 ET). Users can access this site with their normal ContentDepot username and password and have full access to all ContentDepot services (search, file upload, etc.) We will advise our users when the backup portal is available for use. The url for this site is: https://backup.prss.org/portal/cd.portal.
5) At any time during the maintenance period, users with problems or questions can contact the PRSS Help Desk by phone at 800.971.7677 or e-mail at prsshelp@npr.org.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2011
The maintenance work continues. We will switch ContentDepot operations back to Washington at 0510 ET:
1) The streams and files carriers will be transferred from the BuNOC in St. Paul to the NOC in Washington. This transfer may result in a few seconds of outage on any stream active at that time. Additionally, some streaming decoders (SR2000PRO) at stations may lose lock and not recover the carrier. If this happens, the LNB offset for that receiver will need to be re-set. The procedure to do this may be found at: http://www.prss.org/media/support/Resetting-the-LNB-Offset.pdf. Other technical documents that may also be useful on this subject can be found at: http://www.prss.org/tech_support-tech_docs.html. It would be wise for stations to have these documents available in advance.
2) The back-up ContentDepot portal at the BuNOC will be shut down. Should users need to access the ContentDepot messaging service, it will be available within 5 minutes at https://contentdepot.prss.org/messaging/ using their normal ContentDepot username and password. Instructions on how to use this service are available after you log in.
3) The ContentDepot Portal in Washington will be activated at https://contentdepot.prss.org/portal/cd.portal, a process that may take up to one hour (approximately 0610 ET). We will advise our users when the portal is available for use.
4) We will also send a final message stating that the maintenance session is complete and that we have resumed normal operations.
Follow Up: ContentDepot Messaging System and Use of Red Alert
The following message was sent to PRSS stations and producers on July 15, 2011:
We’re writing to you today to explain what caused last Friday’s performance problem with ContentDepot messaging and the steps that we took to mitigate its impact on PRSS operations.
The problem was triggered by a series of subscription cancellation notices generated by ContentDepot between 1400 and 1500 ET on July 8. The immense number of these notices in turn backed up the messaging system so that other messages were not delivered.
After it was determined the messaging system was not functioning properly, and in an attempt to ensure timely delivery of the rundowns for the 1600 ET episode of All Things Considered, the PRSS activated the Red Alert emergency communications service. This action resulted in confusion for some stations and producers not familiar with Red Alert.
The PRSS uses the Red Alert service in events when we must communicate with the system but ContentDepot messaging is not available. As a rule, when we use Red Alert for messaging, the emails you receive will come from “service@amtelco.net” in the “from” field. If you receive an email from this address, you should assume that the ContentDepot messaging has failed and that the Red Alert system is being used to send critical communications to the system.
The PRSS intends to modify its procedures for the deployment of Red Alert to include an initial message warning stations and producers that important communications are forthcoming. We will also send a final notice alerting the system that we are de-activating Red Alert and returning to ContentDepot messaging.
We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience caused by the messaging failure. We are working to improve the ContentDepot Messaging service to ensure it continues to process and deliver messages without delay. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
PRSS Power System Maintenance Planned for Aug. 6-7
On August 6-7, 2011, NPR will perform critical maintenance on the system that feeds electrical power to the PRSS Network Operation Center (NOC). The work will result in loss of power to NPR?s headquarters, including the NOC, for 15 hours, beginning at 1310 ET on Saturday, August 6, and ending by 0510 ET on Sunday, August 7.Throughout this outage, the PRSS will continue to function via the Back-up NOC (BuNOC) in St. Paul, Minn. A team of PRSS NOC engineers will be on-site at the BuNOC to ensure a smooth transition from the Washington-based NOC to the BuNOC at the beginning of the electrical work and then from the BuNOC back to Washington once the work has been completed.
As a back-up in the event the messaging function does not work properly, the Red Alert emergency messaging system will transmit any urgent communications to the system. Stations and producers should be advised that essential and time-critical messages ONLY should be sent to the NOC at motc@npr.org to be forwarded on to the Red Alert service. You should also call the NOC at 800.971.7677 to make sure your message was received. In the event that Red Alert is used for messaging, you will receive emails with "service@amtelco.net" in the "from" field.
Additional details will be shared with the system as the date of the work draws near. We are working hard to mitigate any threat or interruption to service and will publish additional updates as August 6 draws near. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about the status of the work or the PRSS NOC, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
ContentDepot Messaging Update
June 2, 2011 – Washington, D.C.
– NPR, American Public Media and Public Radio International are teaming up to encourage public radio stations and producers to ensure their staff have converted to the new ContentDepot messaging system and have begun using it. Click here for more information.
PRSS Representatives Plan Major Presence at Conference
Dedicated to Community-Oriented Public Radio Stations
NFCB Conference to be Held in San Francisco in JuneMay 24, 2011 – Washington, D.C. – Representatives from the Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS), which is managed by NPR Distribution, plan to hold a series of events aimed at educating public radio personnel about the PRSS at the National Federation of Community Broadcasters’ (NFCB) 36th Annual Community Radio Conference in San Francisco from June 1 to June 4. The events include a panel discussion, PRSS-sponsored reception, client meetings and product demonstrations.
Darlene Holmes, PRSS Director of Client Services, will lead a panel discussion on Thursday, June 2, from 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm on the benefits of being a PRSS interconnected station. Attendees will learn more about the new equipment being provided to all satellite interconnected stations at no charge as part of the PRSS Forward initiative, and the panel will provide details on the new ContentDepot® messaging system and other issues of interest to stations and producers. The discussion will feature Shyanne Beatty from Koahnic Broadcasting, Norman Stockwell from WORT in Madison, WI., Keith Wilson from the PRSS Help Desk, and Burt Poley from Native Voice One.
The PRSS will also sponsor the conference’s opening reception in the Parc 55 Hotel Ballroom on June 1 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. The reception will be an opportunity for PRSS staff attending the show to meet with conference participants.
The PRSS Account Management team will be present at a booth in the Parc 55 Hotel exhibit area (Cyril Magnin Foyer, 4th Floor) to meet with producers and station staff. At the booth, representatives will answer questions and provide demonstrations of ContentDepot and other PRSS services. A demo of the PRSS Public Radio Resource Guide will also be on display.
PRSS participates each year in the NFCB Conference, as it provides an opportunity to connect with a broad range of stations and producers, particularly those dedicated to serving rural communities; Native American, African American and Latino stations; and smaller municipalities. The National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB) is a national membership organization of community-oriented, non-commercial radio stations.
“Our team is very excited to attend the NFCB conference, as it provides an excellent opportunity for us to meet with old and new friends and to bring attendees up to date on recent improvements and enhancements to the PRSS” said NPR Distribution Vice President Pete Loewenstein. “This is an important show for the public radio industry, and I appreciate the NFCB’s efforts to gather all of these folks in one place.”
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.
New Technical Documents Released
A
series of new technical documents providing guidance on the new IDC SFX
4104 Pro Audio satellite receivers as well as a 2011 ContentDepot
Installation Guide have been released by the PRSS. Click here for more information.
ContentDepot Messaging Webinars
The ContentDepot messaging system is the PRSS messaging system of record. The primary feature of the new messaging system is that it delivers email messages directly to users in the way they specify, whether that be via cell phone, pager or other handheld communications device.PRSS staff will host two webinars to provide tips on maximizing your use of the ContentDepot messaging system. We encourage station and producer staff to call into one of these sessions if you want to learn more about how best to use ContentDepot messaging.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
4:00 PM ET
Phone Number: 877-898-2400
Conference ID: 2630
Press '2'
Password: 3478
GotoWebinar URL: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/496050819
(Please note that space is limited, so you must register in advance. Information about how to log into the session will then be sent to you)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
11:30 AM ET
Phone Number: 877-898-2400
Conference ID: 2630
Press '2'
Password: 3478
GotoWebinar URL: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/512308979
(Please note that space is limited, so you must register in advance. Information about how to log into the session will then be sent to you)
A ContentDepot Message Guide is also available online at http://www.prss.org/contentdepot-userguides-messages-types.html.
ContentDepot 16.0 Release Notes
On May 1, 2011, ContentDepot® release 16.0 was successfully deployed. This release makes several significant changes and improvements to the ContentDepot.ContentDepot Portal Enhancements
Several ContentDepot portal enhancements have been made in response to station and producer feedback.
- Episode segment
"Download All" option: Based on station feedback, a feature has been
added to the ContentDepot to enable stations to manually request
satellite delivery of episode segments with one-click
rather than having to individually download each segment. This feature
was specifically prioritized during station user testing last fall.
Stations also still have the option to download individual segments by
clicking on the file name as before. Please note
that the "Download All" option will aggregate the deliveries if
"satellite" is selected as the delivery method. Where HTTP download is
required, individual browsers do still require that files be
individually downloaded, however, the files will be aggregated
onto one selection page to streamline the process.
- Station home
page customization: The portal now allows station and producing station
users to customize the home page view. A station user can select either
to have “My Programs”, “Station Schedule” or
the “Producer Home Page” display as your default home page. To
customize your home page, please select the "My Information" link in the
left navigation, enter your password, and click the "Personalization"
tab. There, you can specify which page you prefer
as your default home page.
- Ongoing portal
page load performance improvements: Several enhancements have been made
to the portal as part of an ongoing effort to improve page load speeds.
Most notably, the “View Program” page used
regularly by both producers and stations has been improved.
Additionally, updating an episode and cancelling program functions for
producers are significantly faster.
- Message
forwarding: Producers that wish to receive copies of Type 2 - 4 urgent
messages related to their programs can now sign up to have those
messages forwarded to them via the "mail preferences" page.
- Message
formatting: At station and producer request, the message "sender"
display has been revised to display simply the program or content
exchange name as appropriate. System-generated messages remain
from ContentDepot. Previously, messages were formatted to display as
being sent by "ContentDepot on behalf of [Producer]". This change will
enable stations and producers to parse messages more easily by the
program. The message "from" remains prsscd@npr.org.
- Usability improvements: Several usability enhancements have been made across the system, including refinements to past episode and file deletion screens for producers, subscription pages, and content exchanges.
Support for New Satellite Receivers
In addition, the ContentDepot software and head-end systems have been modified to support the new satellite (IDC SFX4101) receivers to be provided to stations by the PRSS. These receivers will begin shipping to stations this summer. In the ContentDepot portal, you will now see your existing file receivers and streaming decoders displayed on the subscription and delivery profile pages as "V1" equipment.
As your complement of new receivers is shipped, a "V2" section will appear in the portal for the new equipment. As noted in previous communications, existing station subscriptions will be migrated to the new equipment after your equipment is shipped. For more information about equipment shipping and subscription migration, please refer to the PRSS Foward FAQ at http://www.prss.org/prss_fwd-faq.html.
When your station's new receivers are available, you will have the option to modify existing subscriptions and to add new subscriptions to those receivers on your program subscription pages. Additionally, the new receivers will display on your Station Schedule page in the portal, as well as on reports. Once they have been shipped and set up by PRSS in your portal account, you will be able to view the new receivers on your station's delivery profile page. (In the portal, under "Customer Information", click on the tab for "Delivery".)
For any assistance with the ContentDepot updates, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
PRSS at PREC
This year’s PERC meeting, which begins on
Thursday, April 7, in Las Vegas, will host numerous members of the
Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS). At this year’s two-day conference, staff from the PRSS, including NPR Labs, will give presentations on the PRSS Forward project, new HD Radio research, an update from NPR’s Office of Public Policy and Legislation, program services data, and other issues relevant to all public media personnel.
There will also be representatives from NPR, Nautel, V-Soft, Wheatstone, Harris Corp., ERI, Dielectric, Shively Labs and PRSS interconnected stations WAMU in Washington; KVSC in St. Cloud, Minn.; and KQED in San Francisco. Ralph Hogan, president of the Association of Public Radio Engineers (APRE), will open and close the conference, which immediately precedes the NAB Show.
For more information on the conference, including schedule and registration, please click here.
Spring Solar Outage Season
Please be advised that the spring solar outage season begins February 26 and runs through March 13. 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. Solar outages occur on a predictable schedule and affect downlinks in the U.S. for about five consecutive days, for as much as six minutes a day, twice each year. To see a chart of specific locations and when they may be most vulnerable, please visit our spring solar outage page.
We encourage stations and producers to take the following steps in preparation for solar outages in your region:
Producers: Program producers of episodes scheduled to transmit during the outage season are encouraged to make sure their content is loaded on a timely basis. Posting evergreen episodes of live programs will give stations programming options during the outages in their regions.
Stations: Stations should consider operational requirements during the predicted outage duration for their area and download content as provided by program producers.
The following rules apply to all solar outages:
- The dates listed are those for which the solar disk will be within the beam pattern of your receive antenna. On these days you will see a definite reduction in performance as the sun passes. All stations will see a reduction of EbNo reading on the digital audio channels. If a downlink has enough margin, there will be no effect on the audio. If the downlink does not have enough margin, audio may be lost for up to several minutes. Stations with marginal downlinks may see some degradation one day before or one day after the days listed.
- The times listed are for the peak of the interference. Depending on the size of your antenna, the interference may begin up to 4 minutes before this time and last up to 4 minutes after it. The interference will be longer on days in the center of the range.
- The times are given in NPR network time, which is Eastern Time.
- These predictions are based on a standard 365-day year. The variations from year to year are so small that separate predictions for each year are not necessary.
If you have any questions or concerns about solar outages, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
Daylight Saving Time Begins on Sunday March 13, 2011
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 13, 2011. Here are some notes about the transition and what you need to do to prepare:
The ContentDepot operates in coordinated universal time (UTC), an absolute standard that does not adjust for DST or summer time. Likewise, the ContentDepot delivers UTC data via Network Time Protocol (NTP) on the satellite channels. Any time zone or DST offsets are applied at end devices -- typically production computers or time-of-day displays synced via NTP.
This actually makes your ContentDepot transition to DST very straightforward: If your local computers have been updated with the latest DST patches, they will automatically step forward at 02:00:00 local time on March 13.
The ContentDepot headend will transmit stream setup data and commands for the 03:00:00 ET hour at the end of the 01:00:00 ET hour. We recommend you review your station schedule for Sunday, March 13 to verify your local programming flow from 01:59:00 ET to 03:00:00 ET.
This may seem confusing but it's actually straightforward: In the ContentDepot, the 02:00:00 ET hour on Sunday, March 13 does not exist and will not execute. The system will operationally step from 01:59:59 ET to 03:00:00 ET.
The only operational function in your ContentDepot storage receivers affected by DST offset is the automated deletion of files based on their kill dates. The SFX receivers still operate under the "old" DST transition dates, but deleting files an hour later for three weeks won't make any difference in local operation. Displays and log entries will be incorrect for three weeks, but that's easily remedied, if desired, by hand-setting the time zone an hour "ahead" at a convenient time. There is no operational affect of any DST change in your stream decoders -- they always function and display in UTC.
What Else Do You Need to Do? The most important action you can take is make sure that your local production systems (including time-of-day displays) have the latest updates so that they'll properly step ahead on March 13.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact the PRSS® Help Desk at prsshelp@npr.org or call 800.971.7677.
TO: All Stations and Program Distributors
FROM: PRSS
DATE: December 15, 2010
RE: UPDATE: Potential Satellite Interference
Intelsat, the owner of the Galaxy 16 Satellite from which the PRSS transmits, has provided us with additional information regarding possible transmission interference later this month.
As we told you on December 6, Galaxy 16’s sister satellite - Galaxy 15 - has been slowly drifting eastward since it stopped responding to Earth station commands in early April. It is expected to enter or “fly-by” Galaxy 16’s orbital position at 99˚ west longitude over the Christmas holiday weekend. Intelsat has told us that because Galaxy 15’s transmission system remains fully functional, there is a possibility that it could interfere with transmissions from Galaxy 16.
Intelsat says the potential for interference will be highest on the following days and times, with a peak in activity on December 26:
- December 24:
- 1140ET to 1350ET
- 2300ET to 0220ET (Dec. 25)
- December 25:
- 1030ET to 1440ET
- 2210ET to 0250ET (Dec. 26)
- December 26 (peak):
- 1010ET to 1450ET
- 2210ET to 0240ET (Dec. 27)
- December 27:
- 1020ET to 1420ET
- 2240ET to 0140ET (Dec. 28)
- December 28:
- 1140ET to 1250ET
We take the threat of a disruption to service very seriously and have made adjustments to our transponders which Intelsat says should prevent interference from Galaxy 15.
We continue to work closely with Intelsat on this matter and will publish additional updates as December 24 draws closer. In the meantime, we have compiled some FAQs on the Galaxy 15 “fly-by” that follow this message. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
Potential Satellite Outage
Intelsat, the owner of the Galaxy 16 Satellite from which the PRSS transmits, has advised us that the potential exists for a service interruption later this month.Galaxy 16's sister satellite - Galaxy 15 - has been slowly drifting eastward since it stopped responding to earth station commands in early April. It is expected to enter or "fly-by" Galaxy 16's orbital position at 99° west longitude on or about December 26. Intelsat has informed us that because Galaxy 15’s transmission system remains fully functional, there is a possibility that it could interfere with transmissions from Galaxy 16. However, Intelsat has further informed us that since losing control of Galaxy 15 the satellite has passed through the orbital positions of several other satellites without causing any service disruptions.
Please be assured that we are working closely with Intelsat to
mitigate any threat to service and will publish additional updates as
December 26 draws closer. In the meantime, if you have any questions or
concerns about the status of our satellite transmission system, please
contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or prsshelp@npr.org.
WebDACS Shifts to Become Message Archive Only
We would
like to advise all stations and program distributors that you are no
longer able to use WebDACs to send messages. The new ContentDepot® messaging system - launched in October - became the official messaging platform of the PRSS® on December 1, 2010.Please be aware that while WebDACs is no longer being used to send messages, it continues to be the inbox and archive for all PRSS delivered messages. All messages sent via the new ContentDepot messaging system will be available in WebDACS.
Complete information on the new ContentDepot message system is available here:
If you have any questions or feedback about messaging, or if you require specific assistance, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or via email at prsshelp@npr.org.
WebDACS Changes Moved to December
We would like to advise all stations and program distributors that as of December 1, 2010, you will no longer be able to use WebDACs to send messages. Effective December 1, the new ContentDepot® messaging system - launched earlier this month - will become the official messaging platform of the PRSS®.As you may recall from our Oct. 12 announcement regarding the launch of the new messaging system, the WebDACs change was originally scheduled to take place on November 12. However, we have since decided to push back the date to give everyone more time to familiarize themselves with the new system.
Please be aware that while WebDACs will no longer be used to send messages after December 1, it will continue to be the inbox and archive for all PRSS delivered messages. All messages sent via the new ContentDepot messaging system will be available in WebDACS.
Complete information on the new ContentDepot message system is available on the PRSS website at:
If you have any questions or feedback about messaging, or if you require specific assistance, please contact the PRSS Help Desk at 800.971.7677 or via email at prsshelp@npr.org.
Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday Nov. 7, 2010
The transition from Daylight Saving to Standard Time in the U.S. will occur on November 7, 2010. The following are technical and operational notes about handling the transition to Standard Time.
The ContentDepot operates in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is an absolute standard that does not adjust for DST or “summer time.” Likewise, the ContentDepot delivers UTC data via NTP on the satellite channels. Any time zone or DST offsets are applied at end devices-typically production computers or time-of-day displays synced via NTP.
This makes the ContentDepot transition to Standard Time very straightforward:
If your local computers have been updated with the latest DST patches, they will step back one hour at 02:00 on November 7, and all operations will be fine. Check with your automation/playback system vendor to see if you need to do any special maintenance or procedures to accommodate this transition.
Neither the PRSS nor IDC issued software updates for the IDC storage receivers and stream decoders to accommodate the "new" DST transition dates. The receivers operate in UTC (synchronized via NTP) and the only operational function affected by DST offset is the automated deletion of files based on their kill dates-an hour earlier for one week won't make any difference in local operation.
If you use ContentDepot stream programs overnight on Saturdays (including early Sunday morning):
- Each producer will generate an extra live program hour to fill the 02:00 EST hour. You do not have to subscribe to this hour; if you are subscribed to a program that starts at 02:00 EDT, you will get the 02:00 EST program automatically.
- Program cueing will operate normally in the 02:00 EDT hour and in the 02:00 EST hour for all live programs.
- The NPR Breaking News transmission has been extended to be 25 hours long.
If you play ContentDepot file programs overnight, check your program's portal page. In some cases, the producer has generated a special "extra" hour of their program and uploaded it into the "evergreen" slot. Watch for messages from your program producer(s) for more information.
What else do you need to do? The most important action you can take is make sure that your local production systems (including time-of-day displays) have the latest updates so that they'll properly step back on November 7. You should also check with your automation/playback system vendor to see if there are any special scheduling considerations for your particular installation.
If you require additional assistance, PRSS Help Desk is available by telephone at 800.971.7677, or via email: prsshelp@npr.org
Click here for the PDF version of this release. PRSS Launches New Messaging System for ContentDepot
Oct. 12, 2010 – Washington – The Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS) has launched a new messaging system for ContentDepot®, the IP-based technology platform used to distribute programming and related data services to public radio stations throughout the United States. The design of the new messaging system was developed with a task force of representatives from stations and producers around the country and customized to meet their specific needs.The primary feature of the new messaging system is that it delivers email messages directly to users in the way they specify, whether that be via cell phone, pager or other handheld communications device. In the past, users were required to log into ContentDepot and navigate to a central message archive in order to read system alerts, messages and notices.
Approximately 25 public radio stations across the county participated in a beta launch of the new messaging system starting in August.
“Every day, the PRSS works to improve the ContentDepot, and the new messaging system is just the newest facet of this commitment,” said NPR VP Pete Loewenstein, whose Distribution division manages and operates the PRSS. “What makes this particular project so gratifying, however, is how effectively the public radio community worked together every step of the way, from the initial idea to the business requirements to the development and now to the testing of the final product. This truly has been a group effort.”
For questions about the new messaging functionality, please contact the PRSS HelpDesk at (800) 971.7677 or via email at PRSSHelp@npr.org.
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.
PRSS® Launches New Public Radio Resource Guide to Offer Comprehensive Source of Pubradio Industry Resources
Sept. 23, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – The Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS) has released a new Public Radio Resource Guide, an updated and detailed online handbook listing information and resources relevant to public radio stations, producers, and industry vendors. The new guide provides a valuable, comprehensive reference tool specifically developed for the public radio community and is more robust than a previous print version.
The guide, which is available free of charge at www.prss.org, features a broad and inclusive list of service categories in the areas of technology and equipment, training, funding and underwriting resources, membership organizations, conferences, and more.
Each listing includes an organization’s name, a description of its services, and contact information. The content will be updated regularly by the PRSS.
The PRSS originally published a biennial hardcopy Producers Resource Guide from 1994 to 2003, when the guide ceased publication.
“There is an overwhelming volume of information online of interest to the public radio community. Our new guide is an effort to put some of this information in a format that’s easier for stations and producers to access,” said NPR’s Vice President for Distribution, Pete Loewenstein. “This guide will not only serve the current public radio community but also provide a path for those just entering or learning about the industry.”
To view the guide, please visit http://www.prss.org/guide. To be considered for a listing in the guide, please contact the PRSS at prssplanning@npr.org.
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.
BuNOC Test Scheduled for Tuesday, September 21
On September 21, 2010, beginning at 12:30:00 ET and extending through 20:00:00 ET, the PRSS will conduct a live, system-wide test of the 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, Minn.This test will be conducted on a Tuesday in order to test the BuNOC under typical weekday time/schedule conditions to ensure its functionality under any circumstance. Please note:
* On Tuesday, September 21, the ContentDepot portal will be offline from 12:30:00 ET to 14:30:00 ET, and from 17:30:00 ET to 20:00:00 ET.
* From 14:30:00 ET to 17:30:00 ET on September 21, the ContentDepot portal will be available but on a backup site with a different web address:
- https://backup.prss.org/portal/cd.portal (Note: This link will only be active during the test and emergencies.)
* 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 14:30:00 ET to 17:30:00 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.
Distribution of audio streams will also be switched to the BuNOC, starting at 12:59:10 ET on Tuesday, September 21. These streams will be switched back to the Washington Primary NOC at 17:59:10 ET.
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. Given the tight timing of the streaming carrier switchover, stations are strongly advised to have these instructions ready and available in the off-chance that a reset of the decoder becomes necessary. 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:
Note: Manually tuning a decoder will NOT prevent a loss of signal due to an LNB offset problem, as described above.
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.
NPR Distribution Creates New Departments to Focus on Customer Support; Appoints Schifano, Holmes to Lead New Teams
June 14, 2010 – Washington, D.C.
– NPR Distribution has created two new departments and named two new
leaders to focus on customer needs and to support its expanding product
and service offerings for public radio stations and program producers
as well as commercial customers nationwide. These two departments – Customer Development and Business & Fiscal Affairs -- are key to NPR Distribution’s management of the Public Radio Satellite System.® 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.
The new departments will focus on providing new and existing broadcast delivery services, products and support for PRSS customers while ensuring that NPR Distribution’s internal operations keep pace with future growth.
Darlene Holmes will lead the Customer Development team. Holmes, who joined NPR this month as Director of Customer Development, is responsible for managing customer relationships, public radio account management, commercial sales, and market research.
Holmes comes to NPR with significant experience in the cable industry. Most recently, she served as consultant and director of business development and digital online media for Vobile Inc., where she was named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Cable by CableWorld magazine. She has also worked in account management, marketing and promotions for Nickelodeon, Black Entertainment Television, MTV Networks and Discovery Networks. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park.
The newly formed Business & Fiscal Affairs department will be headed by Joe Schifano. Schifano, a veteran NPR Distribution staff member, has been promoted to Director, Business & Fiscal Affairs, and will be responsible for the critical business and financial aspects of NPR Distribution, including fiscal management, contracts management, product pricing, vendor negotiations and financial forecasting.
Schifano, who joined NPR in 1995, most recently served as Deputy Director of Customer Development, where he helped create and manage the internal business operations for the Public Radio Satellite System® (PRSS), which is managed by NPR Distribution. He is a Certified Public Accountant, has an MBA in Finance from The College of William & Mary, and also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Northern Virginia Community College, where he teaches courses on financial accounting, capital budgeting and other related subjects.
“The constantly evolving nature of the media industry demands that we continuously adapt and respond to change to serve the needs of our stations and producers,” said NPR Distribution Vice President Pete Loewenstein. “Our mission is to serve the PRSS community and ensure that public radio thrives and grows into the future, and I’m very excited to work with Darlene, Joe and the rest of my leadership team to achieve this.”
* * *
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.
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:
- https://backup.prss.org/portal/cd.portal
(Note: This link will only be active during the test and emergencies.)
- 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:
- http://www.prss.org/media/support/emergency_local_control_guide_070501.pdf
*Note: Manually tuning a decoder will NOT prevent a loss of signal due to an LNB offset problem, as described above.
- 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.
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®
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.
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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.”
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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.
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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