What's inside this article:
- Basic information
- 'Scheduler' or 'Template week'?
- Set when the program will stream
- Add the title and description
- Add a Main visual
- Add a URL slug
- Add Categories
- Add presenters
- Share on USAGM Direct
- Show / hide download link
- Request recording
- Repeats and Audio features
Basic information
This article describes the different settings that are available when you create or edit a regular Broadcast program (audio show) from Scheduler & Template week.
To open the settings for a Broadcast program:
- Go to Stream > Scheduler & Template week.
- Under Tubes, select the relevant audio tube. A tube is like a channel, where you can stream content on a particular topic. For details, see our dedicated guide:
- Ensure the correct view is selected (Scheduler or Template week).
- Click the block for the relevant Broadcast program in the schedule.
For an introduction to Scheduler & Template week, see the alternative article below:
'Scheduler' or 'Template week'?
You can manage a Broadcast program from Scheduler or Template week. These views have different purposes:
- Scheduler: Add unique settings that will apply for one individual episode of the Broadcast program.
- Template week: Add generic settings that will apply by default for all new episodes of the Broadcast program.
For more details, see the following article:
Set when the program will stream
Streaming will start and stop automatically, according to the start and end time that are defined in Scheduler & Template week. Different options are available, depending on the selected view. You might see the following settings:
- Date (visible in Scheduler): The date when this individual episode will stream.
- Day (visible in Template week): The day when a new episode of this program will stream at the same time every week.
- Start time: The time when streaming will automatically start.
- End time: The time when streaming will automatically stop.
Set the Start time and End time according to your website time. This is the local time for your main audience base. In Pangea CMS, you can check your website time by hitting the Time and date button in the primary navigation.
If the tube takes its live content from a shared source, it is essential to set the correct start and end time. Otherwise, your site might stream content produced by another service. For details, see the following article:
Add the title and description
Every Broadcast program must have a title and description. This metadata is displayed on various public pages.
From Template week, we suggest adding a generic title and description that might apply for any episode of the program. From Scheduler, we suggest adding a unique title and description for each episode.
See an example of how this might work below:
Generic metadata (added in Template week):
- Title: Africa News Tonight
- Introduction: Africa News Tonight is a lively news magazine show featuring VOA correspondent reports, interviews with African officials, opposition leaders, NGOs and human rights activists. News feature stories look at science and technology, environmental issues, humanitarian topics, and the African diaspora.
Unique metadata (added in Scheduler):
- Title: Africa News Tonight: Call for new Sudan peace talks, US rate cut boosts world markets, Zimbabwe drought may lead to elephant cull
- Introduction: U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken says both sides in Sudan’s conflict must come to the negotiating table to work on implementing agreements to stop their brutal fight. World financial markets got a boost today after the U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut its benchmark interest rate by an unusually large half-point. Zimbabwe's government says it is considering a proposal to cull its elephant population to address food shortages and reduce the effects of a drought, but some conservationists are pushing back.
This approach tells visitors what topics will be covered in each episode and encourages engagement with your content.
Add a Main visual
Under Main visual, you can select an image to represent the Broadcast program. Your selected Main visual will be displayed on various public pages.
If you do not select a Main visual, the Graphic in the tube settings will be used to represent the Broadcast program.
Add a URL slug
A URL slug is a short string of human-readable text, included in the URL for a content page. To learn more, see our dedicated guide:
Consistent use of URL slugs has the following benefits:
- Descriptive URLs tell users where they will go after clicking a link.
- URLs with keywords might rank more highly on search engine results pages.
You can create a URL slug for an individual episode from Scheduler. It is not possible to create URL slugs from Template week. This is because the URL slug for each episode should be unique.
When you create a URL slug for a Broadcast program, follow the guidelines below:
- Only create a URL slug if the episode will be recorded. If the episode will not be recorded, it will not have a public URL, so a URL slug is not needed.
- To follow best practice for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), create the URL slug before the start time for the episode.
While the status of the episode is Published, the URL slug field is inactive, and you cannot create a URL slug. To create a URL slug:
- Change the status to Draft.
- Below Title, hit Convert to slug / Transliterate to slug. The title text is automatically converted to slug format and inserted into the URL slug field. Optimize the slug as needed.
- Change the status back to Published.
When you are ready, hit Save to apply the change. Your URL slug will be included in the public URL for this episode of the Broadcast program.
Add Categories
Every Broadcast program must have at least one Category. Categories are used to organize content in Pangea CMS and on the public site. If you select multiple Categories, it is required to set one Primary Category.
If the Broadcast program is recorded, website visitors will be able to find the recorded Broadcast program on the Category page for each selected Category.
Add presenters
Under Authors, you can add one or more presenters for the Broadcast program. The names are displayed on various public pages.
You can choose a name from the approved Authors list for your site. To learn how to add a new name to the list, see the following article:
Share on USAGM Direct
You can share the Broadcast program on the USAGM Direct website. The following options are available:
- Follow Category settings: Share the Broadcast program on USAGM Direct if this option is enabled for at least one selected Category.
- Share: Share the Broadcast program on USAGM Direct.
- Do not share: Do not share the Broadcast program on USAGM Direct.
If you tick Without expiration, the Broadcast program will not expire on the USAGM Direct site. Tick this option for "evergreen" content that is not time-sensitive and will remain perpetually relevant for audiences.
Show / hide download link
If you tick Hide download link, the Broadcast program will not have a download link on the public website. This stops website visitors from downloading the audio file.
Request recording
IMPORTANT: Request recording at latest 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. Otherwise, recording might not work.
If you tick Record, the Broadcast program will be recorded.
After the Broadcast program ends:
- The recording will automatically be published and available as on-demand content on the public site.
- The recording will be saved in Pangea CMS (content type: Broadcast program).
- You will be able to edit the settings for the published Broadcast program or replace the audio file.
Repeats and Audio features
The following special options are available for Broadcast programs:
- Schedule a repeat of a Broadcast program.
- Record an Audio feature (short clip) from a Broadcast program.
For more information, see the articles below:
