BBC Technology Announces New Deal with NPR's Public Radio Satellite System

BBC Technology, provider of products and services to global media-driven organisations, Monday announced that it has been appointed by the distribution division of NPR (National Public Radio) to implement a new digital distribution system for the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS) in the United States.

This system consists of more than 400 interconnected US public radio stations and is managed by NPR Distribution.

The new distribution system, called the PRSS ContentDepot, will facilitate the distribution of content from producers to interconnected stations by streamlining how these stations select, send, acquire and automate programming. The system is due for completion by Summer 2005.

BBC Technology's Consulting Practice devised a technology roadmap for ContentDepot earlier this year, including extensive research and plans.

In addition, BBC Technology delivered operational models for the ContentDepot's delivery system, which detailed what the system will do, how it will do it, and what underlying mechanisms are required to operate the system.

After successfully completing necessary tests of digital audio transmission over a private IP satellite network, NPR Distribution has now engaged BBC Technology to implement a robust and flexible system for both stations and producers.

The ContentDepot will allow PRSS to increase its efficiencies by shifting the management of content back into the hands of radio producers and stations.

Producers will be able to upload their own content to the ContentDepot without having to mail hard media to PRSS. Stations will be able to manage their own content subscriptions via the ContentDepot web portal.

ContentDepot also automates much of the process between the intake of content and its distribution to stations.

"We are pleased to be working with BBC Technology on the systems integration stage of the project. BBC Technology has the combination of IT expertise and sensitivity to broadcast operations that we need to build the ContentDepot," said Marty Bloss, director of technology, NPR Distribution.

"It is great that we are now delivering the fully integrated system based on the strategic technology roadmap we initially developed for NPR. The implementation will effect more efficient communication between its customers and audiences," said Mitchell Linden, senior vice president, BBC Technology North America.