Content out of Chaos: Lessons from the PRSS ContentDepot

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Content out of Chaos Lessons from the PRSS
ContentDepot
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What We Will Cover

• ContentDepot planning and concept development
• Turning the concept into a reality
• Lessons learned
• PB Core

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What is the PRSS ContentDepot?

• 3rd generation public radio distribution system
• Paradigm shift
• from one-way, real-time transmission pipe
• to interactive, subscription-based content
  delivery system

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What is the PRSS ContentDepot?

• Foundational structure for digital content
  management in public radio
• Content aggregation
• Non-real-time access to programs
• Subscription
• Metadata
• Usage reporting to producers

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Who is Building the ContentDepot?

• NPR Distribution manages PRSS (25 yrs)
• Mission Provide distribution and interconnection
  services to public radio
• D/I Committee of NPR Boardadvisory and oversight
  body
• 425 stations / 200 program distributors

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Who is Paying for the ContentDepot?

• Operations funded by user fees and sales of
  excess capacity
• Major system upgrades and replacement funded by
  federal appropriations

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Where Did the Concept Come from?

• NPR Board strategic planning process in late 90s
• Extensive consultation with stations and
  producers (road shows, surveys, focus groups)
• Design Advisory Group (stations producers)
  established requirements
• KPMG Proof of concept in 2000-2001
• Developed budget and project plan

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Evolution of Development Process

• Continuing consultation with users and D/I
  Committee
• Vetting of concepts at PREC and other meetings
• BBC Technology (now SBS Media) design,
  development, and systems integration

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Evolution of Development Process

• Operations Workshops (400 attendees)
• Rollout this summer
• Follow-on development may continue for years

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Dimensions of ContentDepot Project

• Nationwide upgrade of station downlinks
• Equipment selection and procurement
• Software development
• Systems integration
• Station automation interface
• Consultation meetings, surveys, training

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What Resources Did It Take?

• Time 3 - 4 years
• Money 20 - 25 M
• People
• Distribution staff
• Additional project management and technical staff
• Consultants
• D/I Committee
• DAG and CIA
• Station staff and producers

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Planning Challenges

• Varying levels of skills, staffing tech
  sophistication among stations and producers
• Locking down requirements
• Need for multiphase, multidimensional project
  management

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Looking Ahead

• ContentDepot will likely change behaviors and
  usage patterns in ways we cant predict
• Impact on PRSS operations and business model not
  yet known
• Users will define the future

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Turning Concept into Reality

• User design advisory groups
• Proof of concept (KPMG)
• Iterative development approach (SBS Media)
• Inception
• Elaboration
• Construction

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ContentDepot Design Requirements

• Producers wanted
• Usage reporting from the system
• Support for growing use of digital encoding tools
• Better access to program information
• More control over content distribution

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ContentDepot Design Requirements

• Stations wanted to
• Eliminate/reduce need for refeeds
• Support growing use of digital recordings
  automation
• Replace worn-out, obsolete gear
• Have better access to program information
• Automate pre-recorded programs

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ContentDepot Solutions

• New functions and efficiencies with new equipment
• Online shopping mall to access content from a
  variety of program providers
• Addressed delivery of programs and program
  elements through subscription

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ContentDepot Solutions

• Streamlined operations for stations
• New tools for producer ingest
• Automatic notifications to stations when new
  programs are added
• Opportunity to participate in Content Exchanges
  for file sharing

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Content Out of Chaos

• ContentDepot Portal
• A web-based tool to manage the abundance of
  public radio content
• A one-stop shop for program information
  (metadata)

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Storage in the ContentDepot

• Each program will have storage space in the
  portal for
• - Program and episode metadata
• - Episode essence (audio)
• - Graphics, audition samples, promos
• Managed by the producer or distributor

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ContentDepot Permissions

• Personalized services
• Access is controlled by individual user
  privileges
• Multiple permission levels per station and
  producer
• Every user will be uniquely identified
• Password-controlled
• Access determined by portal administrator

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Components of the Portal

• Administration/Profiles
• Content Management
• Messaging
• Scheduling
• Content Exchange
• Search
• Reporting

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What is Metadata?

• Metadata is the information, or data, that
  accompanies a piece of digitized content, such as
  a video or audio clip, graphic, or script
• Metadata describes content and can also be used
  to control operational aspects of the
  ContentDepot
• Examples of metadata include description, subject
  heading, file format, author/producer, rights
  holder, etc.

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Program Associated Data (PAD)

• Metadata text for digital displays on new HD
  Radios
• Standards for HD Radio PAD are still in
  development
• Collected as part of the episode metadata

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System Technologies

• Requirements drove technology solutions
• - IP over satellite
• - Portal platform
• - Equipment specifications

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Evolution of Online Services

• User-centered design approach
• Building on PRSS.org
• ContentDepot Catalog launched October 2003
• Content Exchanges launched May 2004

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Best Practices and Standards

• Design and usability
• - Personas
• - Wire frames and demo versions
• - Usability feedback from current systems
• - Formal testing

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Best Practices and Standards

• Advanced design
• - CSS
• - Modular development

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Public Broadcasting Metadata Dictionary Project

• PB Core
• - Shared standards for describing public
  broadcasting assets
• - What does compliance really mean?

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PB Core

• Implementation challengesusability versus
  literal
• The real power will be realized with the
  finalization of an XML specification

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Project Management

• When the rubber hits the road
• - Compromises in time, budget, and scope are
  inevitable
• - Hundreds of details to be tracked and managed

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Lessons Learned

• Users are ready for this
• Education is critical
• Communicate and consult early and often
• Involve users in the design and evaluation

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Lessons Learned

• Consensus is difficult, but decisions have to be
  made
• Realities of time, budget, and scope may
  necessitate compromises
• In the end, keep the focus on the users

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More Information

• Contact
• prssplanning_at_npr.org
• Or visit www.prss.org

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PB Core

• The Public Broadcasting Metadata Dictionary

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What are Metadata?

• Metadata are data about data.
• E.g., a library card

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Why is this Important?
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The Multi-Platform Future

• Were evolving from distribution over one
  platform to distribution over multiple platforms
• Over-the-air transmitters, analog digital
• Internet and broadband
• Cable and satellite
• Physical media (CDs, DVDs, etc.)
• Mobile and portable devices

From Dave MacCarn, WGBH
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The Multi-Choice Future

• The number of channels through which listeners
  and viewers will be able to access our content
  will continue to grow
• Increasingly, listeners and viewers want control
  over when and where they use our content
• Increasingly, listeners and viewers will want
  personalization and customization

From Dave MacCarn, WGBH
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The Successful Future

• Successful public broadcasters will be morphing
  into digital libraries
• The broadcast of a program is the beginning not
  the end of the life of the content we create
• We need to overcome obstacles to the efficient
  use of our content
• We need to analyze and, where necessary,
  re-design our legacy work flows

From Dave MacCarn, WGBH
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Public Broadcasting Metadata Dictionary project

• CPB funding
• Administered by WGBH
• Noahs Ark representation on 30-person working
  group
• Work underway 2002-2004
• Extension of Dublin Core standard
• Work complete (awaiting rights clearances)
• Ahead Implementation, training,
  maintenance, mapping efforts

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PB Core elements

• Intellectual content, 13 elements
• Intellectual property, 7 elements
• Instantiation (identify the nature of the media
  asset as it exists in some form or format in the
  physical world or digitally), 28 elements

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Application Examples

• PRSS ContentDepot
• PBS NGIS
• HD Radio PAD
• DTV PSIP
• Production asset tracking

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More Information

• www.utah.edu/cpbasset
• www.utah.edu/cpbmetadata (www.pbcore.org)

Dennis L. Haarsager, Assoc VP/GMEducational
Telecomns TechnologyWashington State
UniversityContact info www.haarsager.orgWeblog
www.technology360.comResources
www.technology360.org