Dynamic Talk Radio Program Scheduling

Abstract

Methods and systems for dynamically scheduling a talk radio program include registering potential participants of a talk radio program service and receiving participant preferences for each of the potential participants, wherein the participant preferences include at least one topic of interest and a time availability; scheduling a talk radio program for production when a combination the participant preferences reach predetermined thresholds; and sending the potential participants a notification of the scheduling of the talk radio program.

1 . A method performed via a server computer, comprising:
 registering potential participants of an interactive media production service via the server computer;   receiving participant preferences for each of the potential participants via the server computer, wherein the participant preferences include at least one topic of interest and a time availability; and   scheduling an interactive media production for production via the server computer when a combination of the participant preferences reach predetermined thresholds.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the potential participants include participants selected from a group comprising at least one of potential listeners of the interactive media production, potential hosts, potential guests, and potential advertisers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the participant preferences further include the time availability of any of the potential listeners, the potential hosts, the potential guests, and the potential advertisers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising assigning the topic of interest to the interactive media production based on availability of any of the potential listeners, the potential hosts, the potential guests, and the potential advertisers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising scheduling the interactive media production for production when resource parameters comprise one or more predetermined values. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the resource parameters include the participant preferences and at least one of advertisement revenue generated from sponsorship by at least one of the potential advertisers, and costs of the interactive media production. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising receiving for each of the potential hosts and the potential guests a desired fee for participating in the interactive media production. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  providing information regarding the interactive media production to the potential advertisers such that the potential advertisers can make sponsorship decisions. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising receiving from at least one of the potential hosts, the potential guests, and the potential advertisers, a bid to participate in a potential interactive media production regarding a preselected topic. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising sending a notification of the scheduling to the potential participants via at least one of a short messaging service (SMS), an e-mail, a voicemail, and an in-application notification. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising sending information with the notification including any of program details, program times, a program score, sponsor information, and an URL to a program stream of an Internet interactive media production. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the interactive media production comprises one of an Internet interactive media production and a terrestrial interactive media production. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the interactive media production is a talk radio program. 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a server;   a radio program process executing on the server that functions to:
 register potential participants of an interactive media production service and receive participant preferences for each of the potential participants, wherein the participant preferences include at least one topic of interest and a time availability; and 
 schedule an interactive media production for production when a combination the participant preferences reach predetermined thresholds. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the potential participants include participants selected from a group comprising at least one of potential listeners of the talk radio program, potential hosts, potential guests, and potential advertisers. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the participant preferences further include the time availability of any of the potential listeners, the potential hosts, the potential guests, and the potential advertisers. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the radio program process assigns the interactive media production the topic of interest based on availability of any of the potential listeners, the potential hosts, the potential guests, and the potential advertisers. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the radio program process schedules the talk radio program for production when resource parameters comprise one or more predetermined values. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the resource parameters include the participant preferences and at least one of advertisement revenue generated from sponsorship by at least one of the potential advertisers, and costs of the interactive media production. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the radio program process receives for each of the potential hosts and the potential guests a desired fee for participating in the talk radio program. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 15  wherein information regarding the interactive media production is provided to the potential advertisers such that the potential advertisers can make sponsorship decisions. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the radio program process receives from at least one of the potential hosts, the potential guests, and the potential advertisers, a bid to participate in a potential interactive media production regarding a preselected topic. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the radio program process sends the notification of the scheduling to the potential participants via at least one of a short messaging service (SMS), an e-mail, a voicemail, and an in application notification. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the radio program process sends information with the notification including any of program details, program times, a program score, sponsor information, and an URL to a program stream of an Internet interactive media production. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the interactive media production comprises one of an Internet interactive media production and a terrestrial interactive media production. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the interactive media production is a talk radio program. 
     
     
         27 . An executable software product stored on a computer-readable medium containing program instructions for scheduling a interactive media production, the instructions comprising:
 registering potential participants of an interactive media production service at a server computer;   receiving participant preferences for each of the potential participants via the server computer, wherein the participant preferences include at least one topic of interest and a time availability; and   scheduling the interactive media production for production via the server computer when a combination of the participant preferences reach predetermined thresholds.   
     
     
         28 . A method for providing a talk radio service via a server computer, comprising:
 registering potential listeners via the server computer and receiving for each of the potential listeners, a first topic of interest and a potential listener time availability;   registering potential hosts via the server computer and receiving for each of the potential hosts, a second topic of interest and a potential host time availability;   periodically analyzing the potential listener time availability via the server computer to determine that there is a sufficient cluster of the potential listeners available at a particular time for a particular topic to schedule an interactive media production, and analyzing the potential host time availability to determine that at least one of the potential hosts is available at the particular time for the particular topic; and   scheduling the interactive media production for production via the server computer by selecting the potential listeners and anyone of the potential hosts determined to be available for the particular topic.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising providing information regarding the interactive media production to potential advertisers such that the potential advertisers can make sponsorship decisions for the interactive media production. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 registering potential guests and receiving for each of the potential guests, a third topic of interest and a potential guest time availability; 
 analyzing the potential just time availability to determine that at least one of the potential guests is available at the particular time for the particular topic; 
 scheduling the interactive media production by selecting the potential listeners, any of the potential hosts, and any of the potential guests determined to be available for the particular topic; and 
 sending to the potential listeners, to any of the potential hosts, and to any of the potential guests determined to be available for the particular topic the notification of the scheduling of the interactive media production.