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Broadcasting Feeds

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Revision as of 20:39, 2 December 2009 by Bezking (talk | contribs) (Protected "Broadcasting Feeds": Policy page not for public editing [edit=sysop:move=sysop])

Broadcasting Feeds

Applying To Broadcast A Feed


Introduction

If you have a scanner you're not using and you would like to provide a scanner feed for RadioReference.com, you can fill out a feed provider application at the following link:

My Live Audio Feeds

This page is found on your account page, on the "My Live Audio Feeds" tab.

Providing a live audio feed does not require a second computer - you can use the computer you normally use to surf the web as long as you leave it on all the time. In addition, you'll also need a DSL or Cable Modem connection to the Internet and an audio cable to connect the earphone jack of your scanner to the Line In input of your computer's sound card. RadioReference will provide a free customized software package that you can install and run to broadcast the feed - no other software is required.

In addition, providing a scanner feed will not slow down your Internet connection - the digitized audio that is sent to our servers uses only a fraction of the upload portion of your connection, the part of your connection which you use very little of anyways. Providing a scanner feed will use approximately 5GB of bandwidth per month.

Everyone that provides a scanner feed receives:

  • A RadioReference.com Premium Subscription (worth $30/year)
  • Access to lots of feed statistics (such as peak and number of unique listeners for feeds over the past week, 2 weeks, month, etc) for the scanner feeds.
  • A feed provider "badge" on your RadioReference Forums Profile
  • Lots of grateful listeners and a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart.


Applying for an Official Feed

Feeds can only be designed at official if the agency broadcasting the feed sends a letter to RadioReference.com, on official letterhead, requesting that the feed be identified as officially broadcast by the organization.

The letter needs to contain the name and location of the feed broadcast, as well as a statement indicating that the organization wishes to have the feed marked as an provided by an official agency.

The letter should be sent to:

RadioReference.com LLC
ATTN: Lindsay Blanton
18160 US Hwy 281N Suite 108-133
San Antonio, TX 78232


What a good Live Audio Feed and description should include

Before you decide to become a feed provider, please read the entire article for various policy and procedure guidelines. Following these feed request guidelines as this will help us process and approve your feed request in a timely manner. A feed request lacking a good feed description and other information may result in us having to go back to you asking for more information, clarification of what you what to stream etc. This will result in a delay in approving your feed request or denial of the stream request.


Your feed description

Here are examples of Good feed descriptions for a single scanner (mono) stream:

  • Gwinnett County Police, Fire and EMS
  • Gwinnett City Police and Fire
  • Maricopa County Law Enforcement

(includes County Sheriff, Phoenix,Tempe, Mesa, Apache Junction and Gilbert Police Departments / DPS)

  • Fulton County Public Safety

(Includes Sheriff, Police and Fire)

  • Fargo-Dilworth BNSF Railroad Road and Yard Channels
  • Boone County Sheriff and Fire:(includes Belvidere Police and Fire and Capron Fire, covers Winnebago County)
  • Dubuque area Marine and Railroad
  • Amateur Radio Repeaters in Santa Cruz County and the Monterrey Bay Area:
    (W6WLS, W6MOW, W6WLS, WB6YAM, WR6AOK, K6BJ, K6LY, WB6ECE)


Here are examples of Good descriptions for a two scanner (stereo) stream:

  • San Mateo County Fire and CAL FIRE:

LEFT Side - San Mateo County Fire Service
RIGHT Side - CAL FIRE for the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond

  • Contra Costa County Fire and Antioch / Brentwood Police:

LEFT Side - Contra Costa County Fire dispatch
RIGHT Side - Contra Costa County Fire tactical channels, Antioch / Brentwood Police, and CAL FIRE

  • Bureau County Sheriff, Fire, EMS and StarCom21:

LEFT Side - Bureau County Fire
RIGHT Side - StarCom21


Here are examples of Bad descriptions: (resulting in feed processing delays or non approval)

  • Music
  • SouthWest Iowa Music, Police Scanner, and Talk Radio
  • Pager Tones
  • Police Scanner
  • All feeds
  • Electric
  • Police
  • Public Safety
  • Home Scanner
  • Gwinnett County
  • Gwinnett County TSYS
  • Fulton County and Surrounding Counties
  • TPD, TFD, and STFD
  • Baltimore County Talkgroups ( change to Baltimore County Public Safety)
Avoid duplicate feeds

Please check the existing county listings in your state before you decide to become a feed provider. Look at what is already there because we want to avoid complete duplication of existing feeds.

If there is an existing stream in your county for “Home County Sheriff and Fire”, please do not request another matching feed. However you could request a feed for “Home City Police and Fire (also includes Home County Sheriff and Fire). This is at least a different feed.

Look at other feed listings

Please look at the many other feed listings and what others are scanning. This will aid you in choosing what to scan and how to list it.

Using proper spelling etiquette

Nothing would look more embarrassing then having a feed with with incorrect grammar.When submitting a feed application PLEASE pay attention to your Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization. Please do not submit feed requests in either all upper or lower case.

Include details in the feed information page

Please include the following in your feed information page:

  • Type of radio or scanner, antenna, computer or streaming device, and streaming software used
  • List all agencies on the feed.

Broadcasting Content Restrictions

Feed providers are not allowed to broadcast the following content without specific authorized consent from the RadioReference Audio Management Staff:

  • SWAT "type" operations if on dedicated channels or talkgroups
  • Narcotics / CID / Investigations or other tactical operations
  • Dedicated channels or talkgroups for Ambulance to Hospital Communications
  • Dedicated Federal Government or Military Communications (exceptions include any fire fighting or EMS operations, space shuttle launch or ISS communications, park ranger operations)
  • Any commercial service broadcast (FM/AM/TV etc)
  • Music or talk show of any kind (commercial or non-commercial)
  • DJ or other type of similar activity (commercial or non-commercial)
  • Open Microphones
  • NOAA Weather Radio (See Wunderground for a host)

If a feed provider broadcasts the above content without authorization, RadioReference reserves the right to immediately discontinue the feed.

Feed Notification Settings

Time Down      Action
============================================
15 min         Email Notification to Feed Owner
6 Hours        Email Notification to Feed Owner
24 Hours       Email Notification to Feed Owner
7 days         Email Notification and feed set inactive
               resulting in feed provider losing premium subscriber status
14 days        Email notification and feed deactivated.
21 days        Feed deleted. 
  • NOTE:Feed must be online to receive premium subscriber status
  • NOTE: If prior arrangements are made with the Live Audio Administration staff we can prevent a feed from being deleted if it needs extended downtime.
  • NOTE: Feed Owner will also receive an Email Notification when feed goes back online.

Feed Status Messages (Feed Owners)

The audio administration team has noticed that feed broadcasters have been using their feed status message to communicate all sorts of information, including soliciting donations, promoting other Web sites, showing Feed hours of operation or any feed online / back online messages, Advertisements, Links, and providing descriptive information on what is being broadcast.

Types of status messages which are NOT allowed

  • Soliciting Donations
  • Promoting other Web sites
  • Providing descriptive information on what is being broadcast
  • Feed hours of operation or any feed online / back online type of messages. (If the feed is working, there is no need of a message.)
  • Advertisements
  • Links
  • Other


The feed status message was designed to give listeners the status of a feed that is either down or having problems. We request that any other information regarding your feed either be placed in the description of your feed or be moved to your feed information page.

Below is an example of the proper use of the feed status message:


FeedStatus.gif

Request A Feed Change (Feed Owners)

If you need something changed about your feed or have a problem, please use the "Request A Feed Change" button on your feed owner page, DO NOT use the "Report A Problem With This Feed (File:Inline.gif)" button to request a feed change.

The "Report A Problem With This Feed (File:Inline.gif)" button should only be used by people listening to your feed that are reporting a problem to you (the feed owner).

RR Live Audio Policy

Use of the "Secondary Description" field

The purpose of this field is to provide additional descriptive details about what your feed is broadcasting. The RR Staff reserves the right to edit and update this field to comply with this policy. No Ads, no HTML. (Max 255 characters, text only)

Use of the "News and Feed Alerts" field

This field will expire 2 hours after being updated. Please use this field ONLY to alert users to a breaking incident or noteworthy event happening on your broadcast. (Max 255 characters, text only)