Providing broadcast listener participation

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.

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.