Method and system for selectively broadcasting media during dayparts

• US 8,532,562 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clear Channel Management Services LP (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Littlejohn, Jeffrey Lee, Jellison, David C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US12/968,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20110087796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.03, 455/3.06, 455/414.4, 455/455, 455/414.1, 455/450, 455/67.11, 455/72, 455/419, 725/32, 705/14
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations
• 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 60/46 for recognising users' preferences

Abstract

A method and apparatus for broadcasting media events, the method including the steps of providing a sequence of media events in a first server, the sequence of media events including at least one media event and a plurality of advertisement spots; playing the sequence from the first server to a second server prior to a predetermined broadcast time; and storing at the second server at least a part of the sequence received from the first server. The method may further include the steps of skipping, at the second server, spots during the broadcast of a sequence of media events during a spot-free daypart, inserting preferred content media events in the broadcast sequence, and inserting markers indicating whether a media event has been played during a spot-free daypart are to be played in the sequence of media events.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a daypart of an event log, the event log including a sequence of both spots and content media events prior to being configured;

identifying, in the daypart of the event log, a plurality of spots;

broadcasting a spot-free daypart including the content media events included in the daypart of the event log and excluding the spots; and

generating a list of the content media events broadcast during the daypart that includes a title of each content media event and a time of broadcast of each content media event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input indicating at least one preferred content media event, wherein user input is received via a process comprising a web service contemporaneously with entry of the user input by the user; and

inserting the preferred content media event into the event log, wherein the preferred content media event is inserted into the event log contemporaneously with receiving user input.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the preferred content media event is smart-aware.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising stretching at least one of the content media events in the event log.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

marking the content media events broadcast during the daypart.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking a feature status indicating whether content media events are to be skipped; and

skipping content media events based on the feature status.

7. A method comprising:

identifying a daypart of an event log, the event log including a sequence of both spots and content media events prior to being configured;

identifying, in the daypart of the event log, a plurality of spots;

broadcasting a sponsored-by daypart including the content media events included in the daypart of the event log and excluding the spots; and

inserting sponsor identification media events that identify the broadcast as a sponsored-by broadcast into the event log; and

broadcasting only the content media events and sponsor identification media events in the event log.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving user input indicating at least one preferred content media event, wherein user input is received via a process comprising a web service contemporaneously with entry of the user input by the user; and

inserting the preferred content media event into the event log, wherein the preferred content media event is inserted into the event log contemporaneously with receiving user input.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the preferred content media event is smart-aware.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising stretching at least one of the content media events in the event log.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating a list of the content media events broadcast during the daypart that includes a title of each content media event and a time of broadcast of each content media event.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

marking the content media events broadcast during the daypart.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

checking a feature status indicating whether content media events are to be skipped; and

skipping content media events based on the feature status.

14. A system comprising:

a first server, the first server configured to;

identify a daypart of an event log, the event log including a sequence of both spots and content media events prior to being configured,

identify, in the daypart of the event log, a plurality of spots,

broadcast a spot-free daypart including the content media events included in the daypart of the event log and excluding the spots; and

check a feature status indicating whether content media events are to be skipped, and skip or not skip content media events based on the feature status.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first server is further configured to:

receive user input indicating at least one preferred content media event, wherein user input is received via a process comprising a web service contemporaneously with entry of the user input by the user;

insert the preferred content media event into the event log, wherein the preferred content media event is inserted into the event log contemporaneously with receiving user input; and

stretch at least one of the content media events in the event log.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first server is further configured to generate a list of the content media events broadcast during the daypart that includes the title of the content media events and the time that the content media events were broadcast.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the first server is further configured to mark the content media events broadcast during the daypart.