Custom Voice Track

Abstract

Local stations can generate their station broadcast logs based on a master broadcast log. In some cases, local stations are allowed to edit some positions, or slots, in their local logs, so that the local logs do not match the master log. This can create complexity when voice tracks for empty voice track slots are provided to the local stations, because voice tracks often reference the media in slots on either side of the empty voice track slots. A display is presented that facilitates recording custom voice tracks by providing indications about which local stations have confirmed receipt of voice tracks, and whether the media items scheduled on either side of the voice track slot in the master log have been changed by the local stations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 obtaining a master broadcast log by executing a program instruction in a computer, the master broadcast log including a first voice track slot scheduled in a predetermined position, a first prior media item scheduled in a slot adjacent to and preceding the first voice track slot, and a first subsequent media item scheduled in a slot adjacent to and following the first voice track;   obtaining a plurality of station broadcast logs associated with particular broadcast stations by executing a program instruction in a computer, the station broadcast logs including second voice track slots scheduled in the predetermined position, second prior media items scheduled in slots adjacent to and preceding the second voice track slots, and second subsequent media items scheduled in slots adjacent to and following the second voice track slots;   determining, on a station-by-station basis, by executing a program instruction in a computer:
 whether the first prior media item matches the second prior media item of particular stations; 
 whether the first subsequent media item matches the second subsequent media item of particular stations; and 
   displaying, by executing a program instruction in a computer, an indicator selected based on the determining.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the stations have confirmed receipt of a voice track file to be included in the second voice track slots.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 displaying at least one station-specific indication indicating whether particular stations have confirmed receipt of a voice track to be inserted into the second voice track slots.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a window in response to user input, the window including:
 a plurality of display objects identifying stations associated with the plurality of station broadcast logs; and 
 an indicator indicating one of at least three determination results, on a station-by-station basis, the at least three results consisting essentially of:
 the second prior media item matches the first prior media item, but the second subsequent media item does not match the first subsequent media item; 
 the second subsequent media item matches the first subsequent media item, but the second prior media item does not match the first prior media item; and 
 both the second prior media item matches the first prior media item, and the second subsequent media item matches the first subsequent media item. 
 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving user input selecting a subset of the plurality of display objects; and   displaying a voice track editor configured to allow recording of a voice track for use by the plurality of display objects selected.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the voice track editor comprises:
 a first section corresponding to the first prior media item;   a second section corresponding to the first voice track slot; and   a third section corresponding to the first subsequent media item.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 in the first section:
 displaying a no-match indication if the first prior media item is determined not to match the second prior media item; 
 displaying a waveform if the first prior media item is determined to match the second prior media item; 
   in the third section:
 displaying a no-match indication if the first subsequent media item is determined not to match the second subsequent media item; and 
 displaying a waveform if the first subsequent media item is determined to match the second subsequent media item. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a station broadcast log is derived from the master broadcast log by a station substituting at least one of the second prior media item for the first prior media item, and the second subsequent media item for the first subsequent media item, while leaving the second voice track slot in the predetermined slot. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 in response to receiving user input indicating a selected voice track included in a master broadcast log:
 comparing, by executing an instruction in a computer, a portion of the master broadcast log to corresponding portions of a plurality of station broadcast logs, wherein the portion of the master broadcast log and the corresponding portions of the plurality of station broadcast logs include schedule slots preceding and following a particular voice track slot included in the master broadcast log and the plurality of station broadcast logs; and 
 displaying, by executing a program instruction in a computer, an indication indicating whether the portion of the master broadcast log matches the corresponding portions the particular station broadcast logs. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein comparing further comprises:
 determining, on a station-by-station basis, by executing a program instruction in a computer:
 whether the schedule slot preceding the particular voice track slot in the master broadcast log matches the schedule slot preceding the particular voice track slot in the station broadcast log; and 
 whether the schedule slot following the particular voice track slot in the master broadcast log matches the schedule slot following the particular voice track slot in the station broadcast log. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 displaying a plurality of station identifiers identifying broadcast stations associated with particular station broadcast logs; and   displaying, proximate to the station identifiers, match indicators based on the determining.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each match indicator indicates one of a preceding-slot match, an after-slot match, and a full match. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 displaying a voice track editor for at least one user selected station broadcast log, the voice track editor including:
 a first display area associated with the schedule slot preceding the particular voice track in the master broadcast log; a 
 a second display area associated with the schedule slot following the particular voice track slot in the master broadcast lo; and 
 a third display area associated with the voice track. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 displaying, in the window, media outlets selected according to filter criteria related to the comparing.   
     
     
         15 . A tangible computer readable medium configured to store a program of computer executable instructions, the computer readable medium comprising:
 at least one instruction to receive first user input selecting, from a log-display window, a voice track slot for which a voice track is to be recorded, the voice track slot being present in both a master log and a plurality of station logs associated with broadcast stations;   at least one instruction to display, in response to the first user input, a first child window including station identifiers associated with the plurality of station logs, and match indicators indicating which of the plurality station logs include slots adjacent to and before the voice track slot, and slots adjacent to and after the voice track slot that match corresponding slots before and after the voice track slot in the master log;   at least one instruction to receive second user input selecting at least one of the station identifiers; and   at least one instruction to display, in response to the second user input, a voice track editor.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the voice track editor comprises:
 a first section corresponding to a slot before the voice track slot;   a second section corresponding to the voice track slot; and   a third section corresponding to a slot after the voice track slot.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 in the first section:
 displaying a no-match indication if a media item scheduled in a slot adjacent to and before the voice track slot in the master log does not match a media item scheduled in a slot adjacent to and before the voice track slot in a station log associated with the at least one station identifier; 
 displaying a waveform if the media item scheduled in the slot adjacent to and before the voice track slot in the master log matches the media item scheduled in the slot adjacent to and before the voice track slot in the station log associated with the at least one station identifier; 
   in the third section:
 displaying a no-match indication if a media item scheduled in a slot adjacent to and after the voice track slot in the master log does not match a media item scheduled in a slot adjacent to and after the voice track slot in a station log associated with the at least one station identifier; 
 displaying a waveform if the media item scheduled in the slot adjacent to and after the voice track slot in the master log matches the media item scheduled in the slot adjacent to and after the voice track slot in the station log associated with the at least one station identifier. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the match indicators indicate one of a before-slot match, an after-slot match, and a before-and-after-slot match. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 at least one instruction to receive and store multiple versions of a user-recorded voice track.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 at least one instruction to determine which of a plurality of broadcast stations has not yet verified reception of a voice track to be included in a station log associated with the broadcast station.