Providing broadcast listener participation

• US 20120321098A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clear Channel Management Services LP (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Myers, Theodore A., Lockhart, Kevin R., Zigler, Jeffrey D., Sledge, Alan L., Wooden, Richard D., Lockhart, Jacqueline J.
• Application Number:
  US13/600,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20120321098A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services

Abstract

A listener participation interface allows listeners to generate playlists that include media elements selected from a library of available media elements. The playlists generated by the listener participation interface are automatically compatible with broadcast automation software used by a broadcaster, so that little, if any, modification of listener-submitted playlists is required before the broadcast automation software incorporates the playlists into an actual broadcast schedule.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, via a listener participation interface, access to a library of media elements;

receiving a playlist created using the listener participation interface, and including at least one media element selected from the library of media elements, wherein the playlist created using the listener participation interface is received in a format compatible with a broadcaster'"'"'s broadcast automation software; and

incorporating the playlist into a radio broadcast, using the broadcaster'"'"'s broadcast automation software.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein media elements included in the playlist are individually compatible with the broadcaster'"'"'s broadcast automation software.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving metadata associated with media elements included in the playlist; and

using the metadata to facilitate automatic incorporation of the playlist into the radio broadcast.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

incorporating the playlist into the radio broadcast in the format in which the playlist was received.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, via the listener participation interface, access to a listener submitted playlist; and

receiving, from the listener participation interface, a modified playlist including at least one altered media element, wherein the modified playlist is compatible with the broadcaster'"'"'s broadcast automation software.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, via the listener participation interface, access to a plurality of playlists; and

receiving feedback relating to incorporating at least one of the plurality of playlists into a broadcast.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the feedback indicates a broadcast time of the at least one of the plurality of playlists.

8. A device configured to implement broadcast automation software, the device comprising:

a processor;

a network interface coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with a listener participation interface;

memory operably coupled to the processor;

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

at least one instruction configured to provide, via the listener participation interface, access to a library of media elements;

at least one instruction configured to receive a playlist created using the listener participation interface, the playlist including at least one media element selected from the library of media elements, wherein the playlist is received in a format compatible with the broadcast automation software; and

at least one instruction configured to incorporate the playlist into a radio broadcast, using the broadcast automation software.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein media elements included in the playlist are individually compatible with the broadcast automation software.

10. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

at least one instruction configured to receive, via the network interface, metadata associated with media elements included in the playlist; and

at least one instruction configured to use the metadata to facilitate automatic incorporation of the playlist into the radio broadcast.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the at least one instruction configured to incorporate the playlist into the radio broadcast comprises:

at least one instruction configured to incorporate the playlist in the same format in which the playlist was received.

12. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

at least one instruction configured to provide, from the listener participation interface via the network interface, access to a listener submitted playlist; and

at least one instruction configured to receive, from the listener participation interface via the network interface, a modified playlist including at least one altered media element, wherein the modified playlist is compatible with the broadcast automation software.

13. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

at least one instruction configured to provide, to the listener participation interface, access to a plurality of playlists; and

at least one instruction configured to receive, from the listener participation interface via the network interface, feedback relating to incorporating at least one of the plurality of playlists into a broadcast.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the feedback indicates a broadcast time of the at least one of the plurality of playlists.

15. A method comprising:

providing, via a listener participation interface, access to a library of media elements;

receiving user input, via a listener participation interface, the user input indicating a selection of particular media elements from the library of media elements to be included in a playlist;

generating the playlist in a format compatible with broadcast automation software in use by a broadcaster; and

submitting the playlist to the broadcaster to be incorporated into a radio broadcast by the broadcast automation software.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

wherein media elements included in the playlist are individually compatible with the broadcast automation software.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting metadata associated with media elements included in the playlist; and

wherein

the broadcast automation software is configured to use the metadata to facilitate automatic incorporation of the playlist into the radio broadcast.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing, via the listener participation interface, access to a previous playlist previously transmitted to the broadcaster;

modifying the previous playlist to generate a modified playlist including at least one altered media element, wherein the modified playlist is compatible with the broadcast automation software; and

transmitting to the broadcaster, from the listener participation interface, the modified playlist.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing, via the listener participation interface, access to a plurality of playlists;

obtaining, via the listener participation interface, feedback relating to incorporating at least one of the plurality of playlists into a broadcast and

transmitting the feedback relating to the broadcaster.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the feedback indicates a broadcast time of the at least one of the plurality of playlists.