Public Radio Exchange

Teasing PRX

John posted on Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 | PRX, Station Newsletters | No Comments

This week’s highlighted ideas for stations: Women’s History Month; new series Person, Place, Thing; and Bullied: Teen Stories from Generation PRX. See them after the jump.

Networks: A PRX Service

John posted on Friday, February 17th, 2012 | Blog, PRX, PRX Projects | No Comments

Here’s a little known secret: There’s a part of PRX you most likely have never seen.

It’s called PRX Networks, and it works like a ‘private PRX.org’ for archiving, exchanging, tracking, previewing and the downloading of digital text, audio and images for use on both digital and broadcast platforms. It is also contains a collaborative editing and notes tool so teams in various locations can edit, share and comment on content in progress.

PRX is proud that Networks has become the backbone for a handful of Local Journalism Centers (LJCs) and other regional collaborations (see below). Thanks to the pioneering cooperation and guidance of the Northwest News Network (N3), PRX was able to refine Networks into a fast, versatile and customizable tool that works for busy producers in a high production environment.

All content can be searched and tagged for easy and quick access.

There’s lots of detail below. If you or your team want a demo or if you just have further questions, please drop me a line at john-at-prx-dot-org! This thing really works.

Feature Summary:

• Speedy processing for producers on deadline
• Lean and clear UI
• Search
• Accepts all audio formats common to public radio
• Batch processing and upload
• Transaction reports
• Broadcast and digital content
• Export to NPR API
• Low cost
• Collaborative feature improvements
• Customization of content tags, content types and branding
• Private note fields for editors and producers
• One step audio conversion to both broadcast and digital files
• Audio and image previews
• Unlimited storage for one annual fee
• Training and support

Station Usage

PRX Networks launched in 2010 after collaborative design and testing with the regional N3 network. Since then, 33 core stations and producer groups have been using it to share over 4,500 items, and are finding Networks to be a reliable and streamlined backbone for daily broadcast and digital content exchange.

Networks

• OPB
• KUOW
• KLCC
• KWSO
• KCUW-LP
• Jefferson Public Radio
• Spokane Public Radio
• Boise State Public Radio
• Northwest Public Radio
• KPLU
• KMUN
• N3 staff

• Chicago Public Radio
• Front and Center staff/producers

Local Journalism Centers (LJCs)

• Chicago Public Radio
• WCPN/Ideastream
• Michigan Radio

• KCUR
• KBIA
• NET Radio- Nebraska
• Iowa Public Radio
• High Plains Public Radio
• Kansas Public Radio

• WQCS
• WMFE
• WUWF
• WGCU
• WJCT
• WUSF
• WLRN

• KUOW
• Boise State Public Radio
• Northwest Public Radio
• Oregon Public Broadcasting

Content

Each element on Networks is called an ITEM – that can be text copy, audio, audio with copy, images, graphics or any combination of all of these.

Here’s the distribution of the total 4,711 items on Networks (Feb 2012):

• N3 – 3,211
• Front and Center – 42
• Changing Gears – 196
• Harvest Public Media – 226
• Florida News Exchange – 921
• EarthFix – 119

Audio and Digital Elements

Networks makes it easy to upload audio and all digital elements. The audio uploader and transcoding accepts source audio files in any format – WAV, MP2, MP3, AIFF.

All digital files can be batch uploaded for speed and efficiency.

All audio files can be previewed as streams before downloading.

Video

The PRX Networks infrastructure can support video, the increased storage required to support large video assets necessitates additional costs to networks wanting video.

Downloading files triggers a transaction record for both Activity reports (productivity by station, reporter and type of item) and Carriage reports (by station, reporter and station license). Both can be exported as .csv files.

Carriage Report Sample

Activity Report Sample

For Changing Gears

Networks Sample Page

PRX Monthly Update

Audrey posted on Friday, February 10th, 2012 | PRX | No Comments

January…wasn’t that almost a month ago? Almost! Better late than never, we say. February is turning out to be very exciting here at PRX, but lets take a look at some highlights from last month.

• Rekha had the pleasure of gathering around a big table at the AIR office for the final round of judging entries to the Localore competition which reaffirmed her enthusiasm for public media’s talented producers. Check out the ten winners here.

• We know we love Public Radio Remix, but so do lots of listeners who have been showing their love recently. Here’s a great testimonial from a boutique owner who decided to play Remix on her website and in her store:

“I consider the discovery of Public Radio Remix (PRX) to be one of the most important and certainly most enjoyable things that happened to me in 2011, I feel that strongly about it, and it has essentially become the soundtrack to my life. The PRX site defines the station as: ‘…the best of public radio on shuffle.’

There is no real way to describe it and capture it in all its fabulousness though, but now visitors to the LongLocks HairSticks Boutique can enjoy it as they shop for hair jewelry, read our articles, or explore the Style & Angst blog! You will find the bright orange PRX stream player located at the bottom of the article pages found on the boutique.”

• Jake attended ORD Camp in Chicago, an “unconference” of tech/hacker/maker/media types that included late-night rounds of Werewolf.

• Things are moving along swiftly with the Public Media Accelerator in the lead up to the launch. Jake wrote a blog post over at PBS MediaShift Idea Lab on, “Why PRX, Knight Created an Accelerator for Public Media.”
  

  “The two forces, the tech sector and public media, need each other: The tech sector will gain from public media’s high-quality content, commitment to community, and public service mission; and public media will gain from technology’s network efficiencies, professional and social connections, and radical new distribution paths.”

Zeitfunk Awards: 2011

Audrey posted on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 | PRX | No Comments

Have you ever wondered who PRX’s most licensed producer is? Or what about the station that licensed the most pieces? Maybe you’ve asked yourself what piece gets the most listens? Or maybe what new group sold the most? You can find all of this out and much, much more in the PRX Zeitfunk Awards: 2011.

Also included is useful stats and interesting facts about PRX and some funny stuff from staff.

Zeitfunk means “you’re awesome.” Keep doing what you’re doing!

Did you make the list? Tweet it, Facebook it, let the world know: use #Zeitfunk2011 on Twitter.

Open your piece, share with the world

Jake posted on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 | Blog, PRX | 5 Comments

PRX’s mission is to harness technology to bring significant stories to millions of people. We’ve primarily focused on opening broadcast opportunities for producers with stations.

Last year, PRX introduced embeddable audio players — included as part of what we call “open streaming” — for producers with paid PRX accounts to use on an opt-in basis to share their work online. Not surprisingly, when we looked at last year’s stats the most listened-to pieces of 2011 allowed open streaming.

So we are excited to announce that as of now all new pieces on PRX will allow open streaming by default for all producers (producers can still opt-out to limit streaming if they prefer).

With one checkbox, open streaming allows:

• Access to an embeddable player that plays the piece on websites and blogs.
• Ability to share the full piece through Facebook’s player, rather than 30 seconds.
• Full-length streaming on PRX.org without requiring log-in.

For producers there are big advantages to opening your stream: more listening, more sharing, more ways for stations and audiences to find and connect with your work.

Over 8,000 individual pieces were licensed by stations from PRX last year, some more than once: 17,488 total licenses by hundreds of stations, reaching millions of listeners. Even as broadcast continues to get the biggest bang for distribution, increasingly producers want to get their work heard immediately on the web and PRX is continuously improving the ways we can help.

We’ll have more improvements to these streaming and sharing options coming soon, and are eager for feedback.  For some more explanation check out:

• How to Allow Open Streaming (or turn it off)
• How to Share Pieces
• Sharing, Streaming, and Embedding FAQ

Why Public Media Needs an Accelerator

Jake posted on Thursday, January 19th, 2012 | PRX | 1 Comment

PRX has been busy gearing up for the launch of the Public Media Accelerator to take place at SXSW in March. The project is run by PRX and supported by a $2.5 million dollar investment from the Knight Foundation.

As we approach the launch, we’re already getting questions from people across media and technology. What is an accelerator and what role will it play for public media?

I address some of these questions in a new post today on the MediaShift Idea Lab blog.

It’s clear that public media needs its own accelerator — attuned to the needs and assets of the industry and connected to the talent and energy in the broader technology and media world… [O]ur measure of success is not profits and exits per se — it’s furthering the values and impact of public service media, with sustainability and revenue being critical to create a lasting effect.

Read the full post, “Why PRX, Knight Created an Accelerator for Public Media” over at the MediaShift Idea Lab blog.

Learn more and sign up for updates at http://publicmediax.org.

PRX Ponders Twinkie

John posted on Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 | PRX, Station Newsletters | No Comments

Moyers & Company coming soon — get all the details. Plus, ideas for Black History Month and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

PRX Monthly Update

Audrey posted on Thursday, January 5th, 2012 | PRX | 3 Comments

Happy New Year PRXers! We’ve made it to the other end of the giant virus/cookie coma that is December and now we’re tackling some serious Arctic temps. We’ve got even more to look forward to in 2012, but before we go there, lets take a step back and share some highlights from the past month.

• We partied! Check out some pictures from our annual holiday party held at the Signet Society of Harvard.

Okay, we did other stuff, too…

• PRX is now the official iTunes distributor for The Moth’s albums in the iTunes Store. Check out The Best of The Moth, Volumes 1-20.

• iTunes named The Moth one of the Best Arts Podcasts of 2011.

• Generation PRX announced the pitches that were selected for the Bullying Stories Project. Selected groups received a recording kit and will work with producer Catie Talarski and Connecticut Public Radio to turn their pitches into stories.

• Director of Projects + Partnerships Rekha Murthy talked shop on On the Media and told WNYC producer Jody Avirgan the recipe for making an app people will use.

• Public Radio Remix host, producer and program director Roman Mars (and his excellent podcast 99% Invisible) was featured as a Radiolab short.

• And last but not least, PRX and Knight Foundation announced one of our coolest, biggest projects to date: the Public Media Accelerator. Make sure to sign up for updates and follow Public Media Accelerator on Twitter.

Podmass’ “Best of 2011″ Podcast Picks…on PRX!

John posted on Wednesday, January 4th, 2012 | PRX | No Comments

Podmass (the podcast fans of the A.V. Club), part of The Onion, picked their favorite podcasts of 2011. Two of those podcasts also happen to appear as shows on PRX.

Number 1: WTF With Marc Maron

Marc’s been a big podcast favorite in the universe at large, and certainly here at PRX. We partnered with uber-producer Jesse Thorn (host and producer of the The Sound of Young America, now called Bullseye with Jesse Thorn) who worked with Marc to create broadcast-friendly versions of his podcast (the podcasts are not for easily-shocked/offended/judgmental/religious or especially sensitive). The ten shows, still available to stations, were a good-sized hit with stations in 2011 with more to come in February. Grab ‘em here!

Number 9 (another PRX fave): The Tobolowsky Files

Actor Stephen Tobolowsky (Groundhog Day, Glee, Memento, 30 Rock…) has an amazing range and has mined his life, career and acting experiences into what sound like stream-of-conscious weekly podcasts (he actually scripts each show carefully).
Our pals at KUOW worked with Stephen and producer David Chen to fashion the podcasts into one-hour broadcast programs, and you can find them on PRX!.


Podmass says:

“…[the podcasts] remain tender and insightful, with plenty of funny on-set and behind-the-scenes anecdotes underwritten by a deep well of emotion.”

Congratulations Marc and Stephen!

PRX recommends some other great podcasts A.V. Club missed:

• HowSound

• Youthcast

• 99% Invisible

PRX Cheers Vinyl Cafe’s Stuart McLean

John posted on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 | Blog, PRX | 2 Comments

Congratulations to Stuart McLean, host of Vinyl Cafe!

We’re not sure if we’ll have to give a snappy PRX salute the next time we see Stuart, but he has been named one of the recipients of the Order of Canada, an officer to be precise, for “a lifetime of achievement and merit of a high degree, especially in service to Canada or to humanity at large.” This is one of Canada’s highest civilian honors.

Stuart joins other well-known Order of Canada recipients such as author and New Yorker columnist Malcolm Gladwell, creator of Saturday Night Live Lorne Michaels, and filmmaker and comedian Eugene Levy.

Stuart posted on the Vinyl Cafe Facebook page:

“…My name is on the award, and that is lovely, but the award is for my work on the show and there should be other names on it. Vinyl Cafe producer, Jess Milton, who works harder and smarter than anyone. Meg Masters who has been editing the stories since the beginning. Julie Penner (and before her Owen Pallett) who works on the music. Louise Curtis who keeps the office going. John Sheard, Don Jones and all the touring gang. Greg deClute and others at the CBC. Founding producer David Amer. It’s a team effort. And if the award is a great big shout out, the team deserves one too. Jess says she is proud of me. I am proud to work with her, and everyone else. I’m a lucky man.”

The Order will be presented formally in 2012.