Index

This page answers frequently asked questions. Check here to find answers before you contact us.

About

What is Open Broadcast?

Open Broadcast is Switzerland’s first user generated radio working on the principles of Open Source, Open Content and Open Access. The Open Broadcast platform is the first publicly accessible place for media production. It offers our registered users the editing tools and a Music Library for radio production. The radio broadcasts, what the community creates on the platform. Open Broadcast is non profit and non commercial. Find more about concept of Open Broadcast under “About“.

 

Program

Broadcast premiere

As of November 15 Open Broadcast on DAB+ continuously informs in an editorial “state of affairs” (by Franziska Oliver) about the development of the project. Since January 1, 2010, a user generated music program is braodcast, it being the first step of a comprehensive culture- and knowledge radio, as stated in the licence of the Federal Offiice of Communications (BAKOM).

Program concept music

Open Broadcast is a radio and a live platform for innovative music off the mainstream. The music on Open Broadcast is stylistically open and distinguished, historically interested and currently involved. Open Broadcast does not conceive itself as the distributor of a musical tapestry throughout the day, but aspires to deserve the listener’s attention at any given time of the day. Open Broadcast also plays unknown music.

The users supply the program of Open Broadcast. They generate a radio show out of a recorded live set and a composed playlist; they represent the editorial staff, which composes dramaturgically coherent playlists of music, that tell stories. An abstract and a cover image describe and explain the idea and history a playlist is based on. The hypothesis of this experiment sees 5000 users creating a program at least as good as one by a traditional staff of editors.

Community

How does Open Broadcast define “community”?

The community of Open Broadcast is a community of content and projects. Open Broadcast’s platform is the social software, through which the community organize itself. In the beginning of Open Broadcast the emphasis lies on music playlists, which our users define and generate individually or in groups. The Open Broadcast platform as a media lab provides a high quality work environment with numerous inspiring elements, that can be found selectively, complemented and networked. The community helps building and continuously updating this Music Library. Dedicated users discuss playlists, albums and tracks in the community. The platform provides free and open access to high quality content (Open Content). This creates a free exchange of content, knowledge and ideas resulting in a collaborative production of music playlists, and as of spring 2010 also with spoken programs. Thus by and by evolves a network with related interests. Developers in the community continuously improve the Open Source software of the platform. With the Radio Village in Basel the community also has a real place of meeting and exchange.

How can I get involved with Open Broadcast?

Your engagement with Open Broadcast is possible on several levels. For reasons of quality and legality the media production on Open Broadcast is limited to invited users. Each registered user can invite 5 other users. Developers get the opportunity to contribute to the Open source software. Furthermore Open Broadcast relies on financial contributions from businesses, sponsors and foundations. Open Broadcast is not commercially active, but non-profit, and is funded by a foundation.

How does Open Broadcast define “user”?

Open Broadcast differentiates between two kinds of users, namely producers (authors) and editors. Producers create content for the program (user-generated radio). Editors accept additional responsibility for the program. They review the proposed contributions regarding the qualitiy of content and release them for broadcasting. The roles of producer and editor are self-determined according to the criteria of qualification. Here you find the list of our users.

Which requirements, roles and rights of users is the community of Open Broadcast familiar with?

The Community of Open Broadcast knows the roles “producer” (author), “editor” and “administrator”. There is a detailed description of chores, rights and duties for each role player, whereby the roles of producer and editor are self-determined and defined according to professional criteria of quality. For each new user the inviting person is responsible as mentor and thereby obliged to thoroughly check the details of the invited user’s profile and role assignment.

Producers can provide, produce or edit content. Based on the personal profile the following groups qualify for authors rights:

  • texter (Lyricist)
  • radio-DJ
  • audio designer
  • audio technician
  • sound engineer
  • narrator
  • radio announcer/radio-show host
  • correspondent
  • multi media producer
  • software developer
  • archive administrator
  • music producer
  • DJ
  • musician
  • artist
  • actor
  • event organiser
  • institution
  • mediator

Editors additionally hold so-called “media competence rights” and therefore are responsible to verify the quality requirements of each feature before it’s broadcasting. Editors also point out under-represented themes and topics to the community and consider a possible change of the program pattern in accordance with the requirements of the authors. Editors support the optimizing of quality and moderate or accompany debates regarding questions of quality. Editors also watch over the compliance of the requirements stated in the broadcasting licence.

The following professional groups qualify as editors:

  • dramatic advisor
  • director
  • editor/author
  • media lawyer

“Admin” stands for a board of Open Broadcast staff. The admin-staff composes an inner circle of Open Broadcast with enhanced rights of supervision. It is entitled to remove featueres and bar producers and editors. The board watches over the platform’s philosophy and if necessary implements the social requirements of the platform.

I have an invitation for Open Broadcast. How do I proceed?

Follow the link in the invitation and create your profile. After completing the profile and accepting the conditions of use, the inviting user will be asked to review the information. As soon as the profile is approved, you can become active on our platform.

What conditions of use apply to a membership with Open Broadcast?

The use of the platform depends on the acceptance of the terms and conditions. Should the terms change, they have to be accepted again.

Why can’t everybody just join Open Broadcast?

Open Source

What does Open Source mean?

The term Open Source describes a software with a publicly and openly accessible programming code. Therefore the programming code has to be available in a readable and understandable form. By disclosing the programming code the developers of the software make it clear that alterations and further development of the software by members of the community are welcome and desired – this is the meaning of Open Source. Open Source software can – without any obligation of paying – arbitrarily be copied, distributed, altered and passed on in its altered form.

As soon as the programming code is documented sufficiently, Open Broadcast will disclose the software to the tools on the platform.

The collaborative working on a software, where the developers pass on all further developments and improvements to the community, is reflected in the philosophy of Open Broadcast. In collaborative processes the users create and broadcast a (radio) program, i.e. they pass it on.

The structures of production and the programming processes of Open Broadcast are just as transparent as the programming code of the Open Source software. As of spring 2010 also spoken programs and features will be included and “changed” inasmuch as they can be enhanced.

How can I contribute to the development of the Open Broadcast platform?

You’ll find all information concerning this under lab.digris.ch/projects/openbroadcast.