Wikinews talk:Audio Wikinews/archive 2007

Community Support
Audio Wikinews was created in order to provide an alternative way for users to get the most out of their Wikinews experience. However lately this little project has stalled. The RSS feed for Wikinews Newsbriefs have sat still. People have not taken the time to record a full article. I tried to extend Wikinews outside the computer box, but it too stand still.

This I my plea to the Wikinews user, including myself, care. This project is probably one of the most enjoyable projects of Wikinews. Sure betters the hell out of 3RR and POV. But this project has been left to die. One person (User:Gumboyaya) bravely held all of Audio Wikinews on his shoulders, yet no one came to replace him. We do not act like a team.

I may insult people here, if I do sorry, some people have the ablity to help out, but to not. Bawolff can easily record, but is afraid people might track him down via his voice. MessedRocker can record, just doesn't feel like it, and I simply "don't have the time". All of which are horrible excuses.

All I ask is that others come and support the project. Maybe help write a script, record a cast on Mondays or Wednesdays. Maybe your good at editing, or can run an asterisk server. I'm not asking much, I'm just asking you take a few minutes a day from 3RR and the such to help out on a project.

What's your stance, helping or murder. terinjokes | Talk | Come visit the WikiBistro 07:32, 2 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Hmm, there are programs out there that can mask your voice. I don't have a good microphone, so I can't do it. Thunderhead - (talk) Congrajulations to Kat! 23:03, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
 * See the recent post in Water cooler/proposals - someone is offering to create Festival-based audio renditions of Wikinews stories ("Audio Wikinews... or something like it.."). Although it would be voice synthesis, it might be a means to maintain regular audio content if volunteer strength is lacking. DL+1613 00:55, 9 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Thanks for guilt-tripping me into something I know nothing about. I have a mic, and I'm perfectly willing to record, but I don't know the ins and outs of this project. Can someone help me out? Bl a st  12,01,07 2146 (UTC -5)
 * Same here. I'm new to wikinews, but not some other wikis. Goshzilla 05:27, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Just Take a look at some of the Audio Wikinews documents. Looking at a few scripts, and listening to a couple of broadcasts helped me when I first started. If you have any questions, just let me know over on my talk or on IRC. I'll be happy to answer your questions. terinjokes | Talk | Come visit the WikiBistro 05:56, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
 * I'll contribute soon, but right now I don't have a microphone. Basso Profundo 15:45, 30 June 2007 (UTC)
 * How do I get involved? I am a frequent recorder in the Spoken wikipedia project but this layout is confusing, what is suppose to be recorded? Where do I find news briefs, a step by step guide would be helpful but for now could you just direct me to the link I need to get to to record something. And how would I then get about having iTunes radio people play it? Thanks Davumaya 05:03, 14 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Never mind I figured it out. Whats up with the podcast? .:*:*:DAVUMAYA:*:*:. 09:09, 14 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Well, I've taken a stab at the News in Review program. Let me know what ya'll think. Leofan7 03:07, 3 August 2008 (UTC)

RSS Feed
On the project page, we gleefully display an pseudo-RSS icon. Should you click on the icon, you'll be taken off foundation webspace to Feedburner! Hopefully you picked up some cookies along the way. Now you might be wondering how to edit such feed. To do so, you must log into a Blogger account (either as MrM or as me), carefully create a new "post", or send a carefully crafted email to an email account only MrM has access to, where it (should) be forwarded as a new "post". We then must wait for Feedburner to update. This doesn't always work (just ask Gumboyaya!).

I'm proposing we create and manage an RSS feed right here on Wikinews. Considering its very easy to display "raw", most RSS readers wouldn't (and shouldn't) know the difference. I've setup a basic one at User:Terinjokes/AW.rss and to display raw (or throw into the many different RSS clients). Everyone like? terinjokes | Talk | Come visit the WikiBistro 17:41, 4 January 2007 (UTC)
 * I'm currently updating the somehow "official" feed, but its taking a while... (The unofficial feed is already upto date) terinjokes | Talk | Come visit the WikiBistro 15:45, 5 January 2007 (UTC) This didn't turn out so well, the ISP started blocking my FTP requests... terinjokes | Talk | Come visit the WikiBistro 16:42, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Well that's never good... user:Bawolff 17:47, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
 * A working feed would be nice. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 132.60.240.80 (talk) 12:34, 5 July 2008 (UTC)

Would love to record, but ...
As someone who would gladly record items for something like this, I must say I'm discouraged by the confusing manner in which this project is presented. A simple, step by step process should be outlined. Hell, is the project even still alive? It's very hard to tell.

New Vision, New Ideas
As I guess I have become the new forerunner of this project, I would like to state for the record several visions and possible ideas I have for Audio Wikinews.


 * Firstly of course is a bit of a updating of our branding via visual and audio. We probably should adopt the generic sound icon but if we are to move into a new logo, it should closely reflect the sound icon as well as the Wikinews icon.


 * In terms of sound themes, I've updated the intro and added an outro sound file which I think is a little better because its less midi, partially organic (I added guitar), and Wikinews isn't BBC, we should be a bit edgy, just enough to distinguish ourselves (so its a rock-type theme).


 * Strategically, Audio Wikinews is exploring Wikinews' content and should always focus on being that extra resource, that extra icing, of the Wiki itself. I think it should develop its own articles and focuses when the time comes but Wikinews itself needs to be stronger and having the Audio edition place pressure on the editors to create good web news will show in the Audio version.


 * Talent-wise, I've been reviewing my briefs, they're not fantastically wonderful, and actually lately I've been quite tired after work each day so its not sounding particularly up to my usual par. I want to get to a point where you (whoever and how many you are) provide the talent for each individual part of Audio Wikinews. Meaning I want really good writers to ensure the News Briefs are solid scripts and that the recorders are talented speakers who when given the text will flourish with it. Doing this myself, the process is lengthy and tiresome and so eventually should we get more involvement, I want there to be a sort of handing off of each day's news so that things can get accomplished efficiently, on-time, and to a high quality.


 * Finally, I want to make this more entertaining. This is of course a future step but Wikinews can provide all news -- and celebrity, wackynews, and entertainment reporting isn't frowned upon here, there aren't producers who force it nor deny it in the face of ratings. The audio side can definitely provide a bit more fun coverage with background music, effects, etc. I'm cautious to say radio-style programming but not quite as messy as that. We also must understand any usage of extra sound bites must be freely licensed and allowed and so having more editors on that path to gathering those resources is one step that has to be taken before entertainment can go.

Those are my thoughts for now. I've planned improvements to the Project pages include a how-to-do-it guide. .:*:*:DAVUMAYA:*:*:. 02:47, 26 October 2007 (UTC)