Introduction

Project: UbuntuRadio

KRUU-LP, in Fairfield, is using Ubuntu for all radio station operations and day-to-day functions. Most of the features necessary for a radio station (specifically the audio editing and playback) are provided with the UbuntuStudio release. However UbuntuStudio only goes so far, and includes a lot of things that are either unnecessary or irrelevant to a radio station's operations.

The specific requirements for community-radio operations are in the list below. The intention of this project is to package the best applications that meet these requirements, and bundle them into an UbuntuRadio release. Most of the background and code is probably going to come from the UbuntuStudio project, which has done an excellent job of creating a simple, and usable package for multimedia needs. The CampCaster radio station package is also a motivator in making UbuntuRadio a complete solution.

Ideally the entire package would be administered/installed from a single simple web-based interface.

Latest News

KRUU-FM is working with WikiEducator and the Commonwealth of Learning to promote FOSS-based community-media solutions. Ubuntu factors heavily thanks to easy of use, projects like UbuntuStudio and widespread deployment. More information on this will be at KRUU-FM's WikiEducator page

Centralized music management server and web-based music administration system

Media Library Database

This is a network-storage solution which allows any tracks ripped using serpentine or whatever other program to link to a database automatically.

Alternatively, the tracks could be post-processed into a database, which would require that the entire collection of music be re-indexed regularly.

Media management web-application

Should have the following features:

• Playlist creation into a central location so that playlists can be retrieved/played anywhere on the network
• Selective visibility based on user permissions - this is to allow external access to the music
• Lyrics integration from external lyrics servers.
• Annotation and comments on tracks - so that hosts can create their own descriptions, notes, etc.
• Freetagging - so that anyone can tag any track with any simple keywords
• Rating
• Explicit flag - this may be integrated with the Freetagging or Annotation features

CMS for station website

• Should contain templates, modules, etc. for schedules, programs, and host management
• Wiki system, pre-configured for use in a radio-station environment

Streaming server (with mp3 and ogg support)

One of the functions that the streaming server should also perform is regular splits of the audio streams based on the program schedule. These splits would be stored to a central podcast location, and also inserted into the CMS database.

Upload server - an FTP/HTTP based upload repository for shows to be uploaded to by users

Audio Editing, Conversion and Synthesis Tools

Recording

Editing and conversion

Playback

Contact Management System

• Contact Manager, including mailing-list and events manager

Publicity and promotion tools

• Basic tools (and templates) for brochures, posters, printed schedules, etc.

Backup and Maintenance

• Backup system for regular backup of all content
• LDAP server - for setting authentication/access levels for different functions for station operations

Project: Ubuntu Small Business Server