Controlling alteration of items inserted into a broadcast log

• US 10,547,398 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2018
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Littlejohn, Jeffrey Lee, Allen, Mark R., Jellison, Jr., David C., Lutringer, Curt, Brewer, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Thomas H
• Application Number:
  US16/012,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20180316447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/103 Transmitter-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/375 Commercial
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A media automation system controls the ability of local stations to automatically replace certain scheduled items. A show is identified as a restricted show, with respect to exclusion of content associated with at least one advertiser. Restriction rules, which are configured to prevent content associated with the at least one advertiser from being scheduled during the restricted show are obtained, and a master broadcast log is generated based on a broadcast schedule and the restriction rules. The local stations are prevented from successfully performing automated replacement of content during the restricted show by inserting a flag into metadata associated with the master broadcast log, the flag specifying a blackout attribute. Buffers can be established around restricted shows, so that spot breaks near restricted shows can also be restricted. A playout system can perform validation checks to ensure that advertisements from advertisers included in the list are not improperly scheduled.

Claims

1. A method for controlling automated replacement of items scheduled in spot breaks of a master broadcast log provided to a plurality of stations, at least one of the plurality of stations capable of attempting to generate a local broadcast log by performing automated replacement of at least one media item included in the master broadcast log, wherein the at least one media item includes advertiser content associated with at least one advertiser, the method comprising:

identifying, at a media automation system, a show included in a broadcast schedule as a restricted show, wherein a restricted show includes a show designated for exclusion of the advertiser content associated with the at least one advertiser;

obtaining, at the media automation system, restriction rules configured to prevent the advertiser content associated with the at least one advertiser from being scheduled during the restricted show;

generating the master broadcast log based on the broadcast schedule and the restriction rules; and

preventing the at least one of the plurality of stations from successfully performing the automated replacement of the at least one media item during the restricted show by inserting a flag into metadata associated with the master broadcast log, the flag specifying a blackout attribute.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing the restriction rules from being manually bypassed by inserting the flag into the metadata associated with the master broadcast log.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction rules include a buffer rule configured to prevent the advertiser content associated with the at least one advertiser from being scheduled during a buffer time around a scheduled broadcast time of the restricted show.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing, by playout systems associated with the plurality of stations, a validation check verifying that no advertiser content associated with advertisers in a list of advertisers is scheduled during the restricted show.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying the restriction rules to a defined subset of broadcast stations associated with a master broadcast schedule.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the blackout attribute is assigned to at least one of a spot break scheduled during the restricted show, an advertising order, or an advertiser record.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting information associated with the restriction rules to a targeted advertisement service, wherein the targeted advertising service selects targeted advertisements subject to the restriction rules.

8. A media automation system configured to control automated replacement of items scheduled in spot breaks of a master broadcast log provided to a plurality of stations, at least one of the plurality of stations capable of attempting to generate a local broadcast log by performing automated replacement of at least one media item included in the master broadcast log, wherein the at least one media item includes advertiser content associated with at least one advertiser, the media automation system comprising:

a processor;

memory associated with the processor; and

a program of instructions stored in the memory and executed by the processor, the program of instructions including;

at least one instruction to identify a show included in a broadcast schedule as a restricted show, wherein a restricted show includes a show designated for exclusion of the advertiser content associated with the at least one advertiser;

at least one instruction to obtain restriction rules configured to prevent the advertiser content associated with the at least one advertiser from being scheduled during the restricted show;

at least one instruction to generate the master broadcast log based on the broadcast schedule and the restriction rules; and

at least one instruction to prevent the at least one of the plurality of stations from successfully performing the automated replacement of the at least one media item during the restricted show by inserting a flag into metadata associated with the master broadcast log, the flag specifying a blackout attribute.

9. The media automation system of claim 8, the program of instructions further including:

at least one instruction to prevent the restriction rules from being manually bypassed by inserting the flag into the metadata associated with the master broadcast log.

10. The media automation system of claim 8, wherein the restriction rules include a buffer rule configured to prevent the advertiser content associated with the at least one advertiser from being scheduled during a buffer time around a scheduled broadcast time of the restricted show.

11. The media automation system of claim 8, the program of instructions further including:

at least one validation instruction to be executed by playout systems associated with the plurality of stations, the at least one validation instruction configured to perform a validation check verifying that no advertiser content associated with advertisers in a list of advertisers is scheduled during the restricted show.

12. The media automation system of claim 8, the program of instructions further including:

at least one instruction to apply the restriction rules to a defined subset of broadcast stations associated with a master broadcast schedule.

13. The media automation system of claim 8, wherein the blackout attribute is assigned to at least one of a spot break scheduled during the restricted show, an advertising order, or an advertiser record.

14. The media automation system of claim 8, the program of instructions further including:

at least one instruction to transmit information associated with the restriction rules to a targeted advertisement service, wherein the targeted advertising service selects targeted advertisements subject to the restriction rules.

15. A media automation system configured to control automated replacement of items scheduled in spot breaks of a master broadcast log provided to a plurality of stations, at least one of the plurality of stations capable of attempting to generate a local broadcast log by performing automated replacement of at least one media item included in the master broadcast log, wherein the at least one media item includes advertiser content associated with at least one advertiser, the media automation system comprising;

a scheduling system including a processor and associated memory, the scheduling system configured to;

identify a show included in a broadcast schedule as a restricted show, wherein a restricted show includes a show designated for exclusion of the advertiser content associated with the at least one advertiser;

obtain restriction rules configured to prevent the advertiser content associated with the at least one advertiser from being scheduled during the restricted show;

generate the master broadcast log based on the broadcast schedule and the restriction rules; and

prevent the at least one of the plurality of stations from successfully performing the automated replacement of the at least one media item during the restricted show by inserting a flag into metadata associated with the master broadcast log, the flag specifying a blackout attribute.

16. The media automation system of claim 15, further comprising:

a playout system including a processor and associated memory, the playout system configured to;

verify that advertisements from advertisers that have submitted a request for advertiser content to be excluded have not been scheduled to be aired during blackout times specified by the blackout attribute.

17. The media automation system of claim 16, further comprising:

an ordering system configured to prevent the advertiser content from being added to a pool of advertisements considered for scheduling during the restricted show.

18. The media automation system of claim 16, wherein the scheduling system is further configured to:

prevent the advertiser content from being scheduled during a buffer time around a scheduled broadcast time of the restricted show.

19. The media automation system of claim 15, further comprising:

assigning a blackout attribute to at least one of;

spot breaks scheduled during the blackout times;

advertising orders associated with advertisers that have submitted a request for advertiser content to be excluded;

or

advertisers that have submitted a request for advertiser content to be excluded.

20. The media automation system of claim 15, further comprising:

a computing device configured to implement a targeted advertisement service configured to receive, from the scheduling system, information associated with the restriction rules; and

provide targeted advertisements to the scheduling system, the targeted advertisements selected according to the restriction rules.